TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) - A 17-year-old orphan from Tipton, Oklahoma — 140 miles from Oklahoma City — walked away with $17,500 after selling her first place breeding hog at the Oklahoma Youth Expo.

Caroline Gaye lives at the Tipton Children's Home in southwest Oklahoma, where she became involved in Tipton's Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter. There, she gravitated to the pig barn.

Gaye used her own money to buy a $500 breeding hog in 2021 and then worked to prepare her animal for showing at the 2022 Oklahoma Youth Expo competition.

The OYE is the world's largest junior livestock show, with more than 7,500 4-H — a nonprofit children's organization — and FFA members in attendance. There are more than 13,000 animals at the show.

Gaye won first place in her class and third overall in the show's livestock purebred Duroc gilt division. She sold her hog for $17,500 at the Night of Stars livestock auction.

Gaye says she plans to use the money to help the children's home and livestock program.