Four-legged racers steal the show at the Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo

Hogs and dogs were off to the races Wednesday at the Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo.

The first group of four-legged racers was a quartet of canines.

Owner Charlie Cook announced each dog’s name and what shelter they hailed from — they’re all rescues — and encouraged the audience to adopt.

“Now everywhere we go, blue’s always the favorite, whether it be hog or dog. Wearing the blue, also from the shelter in Bakersfield, California, his name is Rico, but he likes to be called Rico Suave,” Cook said, rallying the crowd to cheer for their favorite color. Before the races, audience members get a free ticket in the color they think will win for a chance to score ribbons and prizes.

At the sound of the bell, the gates lifted and the dogs leapt out.

“And they’re off,” Cook said.

In the wag of a tail, the race was over as Rico took home the win.

“Let’s hear a big cheer for blue,” Cook said.

At the end of the finish line a sweet treat awaited — a bit of ice cream and cookies.

Next up were “Cook’s Racing Pigs.” Four miniature potbellied pigs came out of “The Bacon Barn” and lined up. The gates lifted and Yummy Yellow Submarine Sandwich, Green Eggs and Ham, Blue Plate Special and Red Roaster sprinted out.

“They’re off! We’ve got the red in the lead, followed by green, yellow and blue. Blue up ahead,” Cook said.

As quickly as Blue Plate Special reached the front of the group, the little black pig stopped in its tracks and looked over allowing its companions to catch up, as if out of a sense of congeniality.

“Red is the winner,” Cook announced, as the pigs crossed the finish line into a trailer dubbed “The Bacon Barn,” for their sweet reward.

Sitting in the bleachers, Isis Satterly of Kalispell laughed. She and her family had been rooting for Blue Plate Special.

“He was like giving them a head start, like ‘I’ve got this,’” she said smiling. He ended up on the tail end.”

Sitting next to her was her son Lance McKinley, who was visiting from Ohio, and her younger children Jaboa and Faeren Treutel of Kalispell.

“He always tries to come on vacation during the fair so that we can all spend the day at the fair together,” she said, still laughing from the pig race.

The hog and dog races continue through Sunday.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.