Linda Harrop, of Laguna Hills, has been attending the OC Fair every year for nearly 40 years, and one thing at the fair she said never gets old is the All-Alaskan Racing Pigs.
“It’s always adorable, consistently adorable,” Harrop said, adding that she has never missed seeing a pig race. The appeal that keeps folks returning every year is simple, she said, “They’re just too cute.”
A certified “fan favorite,” the All-Alaskan Racing Pigs are a fairgrounds staple. Families have enjoyed watching the piglets trot around the track for 35 years, showing off their speed and star power. The racing arena is nestled near the Pacific Amphitheater.
“It’s interesting to watch how intelligent (the pigs) are. I think people are just fascinated by that,” said Bryan Lelek, who helps emcee the races and is a pig handler. “Plus, we’re funny.”
The races also speak true to the agricultural roots of the OC Fair, said Lelek’s fellow emcee and another pig handler Rohit Khanal.
“We are in the heart of Orange County, and a lot of these kids have never seen pigs before, let alone pigs racing,” Khanal said. “When they come to our show, it’s all about pigs. We simply run the show, but the pigs are the stars of the show. Getting to see baby pigs run for the first time, it’s an amazing thing for a lot of kids.”
Sam Noll, the brother of All-Alaskan Racing Pigs owner Bart Noll, said he’s been helping his brother with races since their launch in 1987. When his nephews took over, Sam Noll said he took a backseat, but now that they are all grown up and the shows at the OC Fair have grown so big, he’s back lending his brother a hand during the fair’s 23-day run.
Noll said what sets this show apart from other pig races is the comedy.
“People come for the pigs because they’re adorable and run super cute,” Noll said. “But on top of that, there’s an extra layer of entertainment. We give each pig a personality and a pig pun name to make it even more fun.”
The secret sauce is writing jokes that will land with audience members of all ages and walks of life, Khanal said.
“Our jokes, our whole show, is meant to attract a large audience, and everybody’s meant to have fun. Our jokes are wacky, they’re stupid, but they’re made to make fun of us and put the pigs in the spotlight,” Khanal said. “I think people just enjoy that, and they keep coming. We’ve had people come to our shows 10 years in a row, and we just continue to do what they love.”
Not just any pig gets to join in this race. Noll said the company breeds and trains Gloucestershire Old Spots, an English breed more mellow and easier to train than other pig types. (There’s nothing Alaskan about these porkers.) The English breed has dwindled in numbers in the United States, but the All-Alaskan Racing Pigs outfit works with American breeders and the nonprofit The Livestock Conservancy to help bolster their numbers.
“The pigs are very smart, and they learn the basics of how to do this show in one day,” Noll said. “After that one day, they just get better and faster.”
The training still takes a little patience.
“They’re in their teenager phase, kind of; sometimes they’ll give you a little attitude. You’d be surprised, but pigs can give you attitude,” Khanal said. “Sometimes they don’t want to race. They’ll kind of scoot toward the back of the pen like, ‘I don’t really want to go today.’ Then you have to cajole them (with) treats. Sometimes they’ll act like teenagers, but that’s kind of the fun part.”
During a recent race, fairgoers cheered for Luke Sky-porker, Soapy Smith and Strawberry as the 9- to 10-week-old piglets bustled to the finish line. For first-timers at the pig races Troy Powers Sr. and Diane Tsuruda of Los Angeles said it was fun to see the animals’ competitive spirit.
“When they ran around, the first time they ran around and were pushing each other out of the way,” Powers said, laughing along with his family as they recalled the pigs’ antics.
The pig racing show is free with fair admission. The event happens five times on weekdays and six on weekends — every hour and a half. There is also a photo opportunity with pig racer Strawberry after every show.
If you’re not coming for the jokes or the pigs, come for the shade, Lelek said. Seating in the shaded benches is first come, first served, but it’s a show you won’t want to miss, he added.
“Our show is not meant to be serious. It’s wacky, it’s fun, it’s stupid. We make jokes of ourselves and other things,” Khanal said. “It’s time for you to take your time, take a step back, take a seat, get out of the sun and just enjoy the wackiest show.”
