July 26, 2017
‘Thirty years of fast food’
Daryl’s Racing Pigs celebrates three decades
By ALYSSA ADAM
By ALYSSA ADAM
While approaching the livestock barns at the North Dakota State Fair, a large crowd is heard cheering and laughing.
Daryl’s Racing Pig show is about to start. Daryl Lies, Douglas, stands in the middle of the track, entertaining the crowd as his daughter, Amber, lines up the pigs, preparing them to run.
On the count of three, the gate is released and six potbelly pigs scurry out, trying to beat each other to the finish line. As the crowd goes wild, the pigs whip around the track, ending in the trailer with a reward of cherry Koolaid.
What began as a high school FFA project 30 years ago, blossomed into a popular attraction at, not only the North Dakota State Fair, but many other fairs across the country.
“I started it as an FFA project when I was a freshman in high school. Everyone needed a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE),” Lies said. “It was supervised Occupational Experience back then.”
Lies said his family always raised pigs and they trained a set of racing pigs for fun one winter.
“We ran them at the North Dakota Pork Producers Convention in the hotel,” he said. “Decided to go on and make it a business.”
The racing pigs made their first official appearance at the McLean County Fair.
“When we were there the State Fair Manager, Jerry Iverson, came up to me,” Lies said. “He said ‘young man, would you like to bring your show to the North Dakota State Fair?’”
And so began the 30 year run for Daryl’s Racing Pigs.
Daryl’s Racing Pig show is about to start. Daryl Lies, Douglas, stands in the middle of the track, entertaining the crowd as his daughter, Amber, lines up the pigs, preparing them to run.
On the count of three, the gate is released and six potbelly pigs scurry out, trying to beat each other to the finish line. As the crowd goes wild, the pigs whip around the track, ending in the trailer with a reward of cherry Koolaid.
What began as a high school FFA project 30 years ago, blossomed into a popular attraction at, not only the North Dakota State Fair, but many other fairs across the country.
“I started it as an FFA project when I was a freshman in high school. Everyone needed a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE),” Lies said. “It was supervised Occupational Experience back then.”
Lies said his family always raised pigs and they trained a set of racing pigs for fun one winter.
“We ran them at the North Dakota Pork Producers Convention in the hotel,” he said. “Decided to go on and make it a business.”
The racing pigs made their first official appearance at the McLean County Fair.
“When we were there the State Fair Manager, Jerry Iverson, came up to me,” Lies said. “He said ‘young man, would you like to bring your show to the North Dakota State Fair?’”
And so began the 30 year run for Daryl’s Racing Pigs.
