SPOKANE VALLEY -- The All-Alaskan Racing Pigs are regulars each year at the Spokane County Interstate Fair.
The “racetrack” is on the North Lawn at the fairgrounds, with show times daily through the run of the fair.
Owner Bart Noll says he started the show 34 years ago when he and his wife, Deanne, lived in Fairbanks, Alaska.
“I was working in the fair business at the time and we heard about this pig racing thing. I pitched it to my boss,” he said. “He didn’t think it was a very good idea.
“The next year, my wife and I rented space at the fair and did it ourselves. It was successful far beyond what we anticipated.”
The name is a little misleading.
The pigs actually come from Oregon, now.
Noll says they did use Alaskan pigs when they lived in Alaska, but that changed after he moved the operation to Eugene, Ore.
“After a while, we decided people really didn’t care where the pigs came from,” he said.
The All-Alaskan Racing Pigs are all from a breed called Gloucestershire Old Spots.
The pigs start racing when they are about 5 weeks old.
They can only race 2- 4 months before they get too big. When they’re fully grown they can weigh 500-600 pounds.
What happens when a racer ages out?
“We have an arrangement with several groups including The Livestock Conservancy. Their mission is to preserve rare breeds, like Gloucestershire Old Spots,” Noll said. “It’s a great organization. They help us place pigs with farmers around the country.”
Just like on the American Gladiator television program, the racing pigs have flashy names like “Strawberry,” “Sourdough Jack” and “Hamela Anderson.”
All-Alaskan Racing Pigs announcer Bob “Dusty” Buhl claims one pig’s definitely faster than the rest.
“Sophie Smith, No. 1. He’s one fast little devil,” Buhl said, noting the pigs are treated very well.
“The pigs are the show. They travel in an insulated trailer with air conditioning and piped in water,” he said. “It’s Club Med for pigs.”
Noll says his pigs even put in a half-time performance at a Seahawks game in 2017.
“Talk about a highlight. That was the last performance of our thirtieth anniversary,” he said.
Noll says they look forward to coming here for the Spokane County Interstate Fair every year.
“We spend a lot of time in California during the summer. It’s nice to come up here where it’s not a 110 degrees,” he said. “The people up here are a lot different. We really enjoy the shows in Spokane.”
The Spokane County Interstate Fair continues through Sunday, Sept. 19, at the fairgrounds, 404 N. Havana St., Spokane Valley.
In addition to the racing pigs, the fair includes 4-H and FFA members from the county, including the Cheney, Medical Lake and Airway Heights areas.
Reader Comments(0)