By MONICA SPRINGER

Pig and Chicken Chase

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mspringer@gctelegram.com

CIMARRON -- The standing-room only crowd yelled out words of encouragement to the children in the arena Tuesday night at the Gray County fairgrounds.

The audience told them to trap the pig and chicken in the corner, or chase after the animal to wear it out.

The screams, shrieks and cheers meant the greased pig and chicken chase at the fair was under way. All participants received candy, and the winners received $1 and a medal.

The event at the Gray County Fair is called the greased pig and chicken chase, but the pigs aren't actually greased. Instead, a bow is put around the pig's neck, and the children have to remove the bow to win. The pigs overheat in the grease, said Ken Penner, vice president of Farm Bureau in Cimarron.

The chicken also had a bow around its neck.

Wyatt Bell, 9, had a plan going into the chase. He planned to grab the pig's feet and then get the bow.

"It didn't work out the way I wanted it to," Wyatt said. "He was too fast."

Wyatt participated in the chase last year, and said he wants to do it again next year.

"It's just fun to do. And I got some exercise out of it," Wyatt said. "I'm out of breath."

Children younger than 5 chased the chicken, while the older children chased the pig. Eventually, there were so many children that the announcer decided to split the age groups in half by gender.

Some pigs squealed as the children chased them. Other pigs sprinted, and some hurdled around the pen where the other pigs were. Some pigs got tired of running and stopped, letting the children catch them and get the red bow off of their necks.

The children who pulled the bows off held them in the air in triumph as the crowd cheered and clapped.

And the children weren't the only ones running, jumping and diving after the pig. The final chase was reserved for adults. The announcer split the group in two: High schoolers and beyond. The prize for this chase was $10.

Alexa Burns, 18, Ellen Blattner, 18, Ashley Schlicht, 17, and Alisha Schlicht, 17, had a plan to split the money if they won. Instead, after the chase they showed off their wounds from diving for the pig.

One had a bruise on her upper leg. Two had bloody knees.

The four had never done the event at the fair, but want to participate again next year.

Farm Bureau sponsored the chicken and pig chase. Penner said the event has been a staple at the fair for 10 or 15 years. And the children enjoy it.

"It gives them a chance to run around and chase things," Penner said.

Other events at the Gray County Fair Tuesday included a pancake and sausage feed, a pedal tractor pull, a swine and sheep show and sidewalk sales. The fair runs through Thursday.