Porkers have their day at fair

Tuesday was the first time Portales 10-year-old Trenton Bates showed swine at the Roosevelt County Fair. And he showed his pride and joy — a hog he hand-picked, named Larry the Cable Guy who loves McDonald’s cheeseburgers.

After several months of hard work, Trenton and Larry took home the reserve champion title for Roosevelt County bred hogs on Tuesday, the first day of the fair.

“He’s out there everyday,” Trenton’s mom Erin said. “We wash him, we walk him. He plays with them, rubs their belly.”

“It’s fun and I put a lot of work into it and it’s really fun,” Trenton said.

Preparing animals to show is hard work, Trenton said.

“You have to wash them,” Trenton said. “You have to put this stuff on them that makes them shiny. You have to make sure they are clean with no dirt.”

Although his pigs do get to eat high-on-the-hog once-in-a-while with McDonald’s cheeseburgers and quesadillas, he also feeds them typical pig food as well, to keep them healthy and looking good.

“We’ve been feeding them fat, watermelon and milk with corn,” Trenton said.

Trenton’s mom grew up in Portales and also showed animals at the Roosevelt County Fair.

“I used to show when I was little and when he became of age,” Erin continued, “I just kind of passed it down.”

Trenton’s grandmother, Joan Orcutt, explained how her grandson came into possession of his partner in crime, Larry the Cable Guy, this past March.

“When the pigs were born, he was there four days waiting for them,” Orcutt said. “(He) went to the barn every two hours throughout the night to check on the sows when the pigs were born ... they were about two hours old when Larry the Cable Guy got picked out for Trenton’s pig.”

Why did Trenton name his pig Larry the Cable Guy?

“Because I thought his nose looked funny,” Trenton said.

Trenton said after his first time showing animals, he’s hooked, and next year he might show a dairy heifer.

“I like to show pigs the best,” Trenton said. “They’re fun because they like to play with you.”

“He loves it, and we love it,” Erin said. “It’s been so great. We’ve learned so much and we’re going to do it again next year.”

Goats and lambs are scheduled to be shown at the fair Wednesday afternoon.

Today's schedule

Wednesday

8-10 p.m. — Doors open on Home Arts & Youth Building

9 a.m. — Queen Contest-Interviews (Pavilion)

11 a.m. — Queen Contest-Speech & Modeling (Pavilion)

1-10 p.m. — Doors open on Merchants Building

1 p.m. — Roosevelt County Bred Goat Show (Show Arena) Booster Market Goat Show (Show Arena) Market Goat First Year Feeders (Show Arena) Market Goat Show (Show Arena)

5 p.m. — Roosevelt County Bred Lamb Show (Show Arena) Booster Lamb Show (Show Arena) Market Lamb First Year Feeders (Show Arena) Market Lamb Show (Show Arena)

5 p.m. to midnight — Carnival – “Sun Valley Rides”

7-9 p.m. — Square Dancers (slab)

9 p.m. to midnight — Jody Nix & the Texas Cowboys (featuring Coby Carter) (slab)