Four-Squeal Drive and Hamward Bound to the May Fair

By Kathy Keatley Garvey
UC Davis Department of Entomology

DIXON—Hogs will go into “four-squeal drive” or “hamward bound” when Dixon May Fair’s 9th Annual Hog Calling Contest takes place at 2:30 p.m., Friday, May 6 in the Swine Pavilion on the fairgrounds at 655 S. First St.

The contest, sponsored by Friends of Dixon May Fair, involves a microphone, two hogs and a hogcaller, said emcee Donnie Huffman, of Vacaville, president of the Friends of the Dixon May Fair and a former 4-H swine leader.

“We hope to turn the contestants into top-notch swinemasters who know how to bring home the bacon," he said. "This will be a swine time at the fair."

Contestants have one minute to coax the hogs to them.

“They can’t entice them with food,” Huffman said. “They must use their voice.”

The event is judged on creativity, originality, audience response and hog response.  Age groups are 3-5: 6-13, 14-17 (or still in high school) and adults, 18 and over. Registration will begin at 2 p.m. There is no entry fee, in the first-come, first-served competition.

This year’s pigs will be provided by Katelyn and Karli Pryor and their cousins, Alison and Garrett Pryor, all of Dixon, who enter their wine in the fair every year.

 “These porkers are athletes that don’t pull any hamstrings,” Huffman promised.

Judges are Mary Harris, of Vacaville, president of the Dixon May Fair Board of Directors; Hendrick Crowell, of Fairfield, member and past president of the fair board; and JoAn Giannoni, of Dixon, secretary of Friends of Dixon May Fair.

Prizes will be awarded to the winners. The upper age groups will receive concert tickets and the two younger age groups, carnival tickets to the Butler Amusements rides.

“Boss Hog” Nick Stacey, of Dixon, has won the adult division for a total of five years with a series of oinks and “soo-eeys.” Last year the high school division championship to went to the team of  Annaley Herzog, 16, of Vacaville and Rachel Fink, 16. They won the 14-17 age division by doing a rap song about much-desired Billy Currington tickets.

Chase Ruiz, 5, of Dixon won his age category, 5 and under. He enticed the hogs with loud snorts. Lindsay Tryba, 11, of Dixon, a member of the Roving Clovers 4-H Club, Dixon, swept the 6-to-13 age category by pleading “I need some bacon with my eggs.”

When Roving Clovers 4-H Club member Katie Luedke, 15, of Dixon, called the hogs, on cue her friend and fellow Roving Clovers 4-H’er Stephanie Marshall, 16, of Vacaville, squealed, jumped the fence, entered the ring and hugged her, much to the audience’s delight.

When it was her turn to call, Marshall, wearing her 4-H uniform, got the “pig idea” and went whole hog, coaxing two hogs over to her at the same time.

Champion Chase Ruiz, in his first time hogcalling, said he learned how to hogcall from his brother, a contestant from previous years.

The list of last year’s winners:

Adults: 1st, Nick Stacey of Dixon; 2nd, Gary Short, Dixon; and 3rd, Silvin Forcier of Dixon.

14-17 or in high school: 1st: Annaley Herzog, 16 and Rachel Fink, 16, both of Vacaville;  2nd: Katie Luedke of Dixon; and 3rd, Stephanie Marshall, 16, Vacaville.

6 through 13: 1st, Lindsay Tryba, 11, Dixon; 2nd, K-La Duncan, 11, Dixon; 3rd, Eli Short, 10, Dixon; and 4th, Josh Marshall, 7, Vacaville.

5 and under: 1st, Chase Ruiz, 5, Dixon; 2nd, Dallan Roebemy, 5, Dixon; 3rd, Natasha Patterson, 3, Benicia; and 4th, Parker Franceschi, 5, Dixon.

Hogcalling over the past eight years has ranged from snorting, oinking and flopping down in the sawdust (to get their attention) to plaintive calls of "Soo-eey" and "Here, piggy, piggy," and “Here, Bacon Bits."

Among the contestants will be members of the Dixon May Fair Royalty Court competition (all royalty court competitors are equestrians but the youths also know how to call a hog).

The Dixon May Fair opens Wednesday, May 4 and ends  Mother’s Day, May 8 More information is available on the website at www.dixonmayfair.com