Super swine
By Amanda Arthur
The Daily Times-Call

LONGMONT - Hundreds of spectators went hog wild at the Boulder County Fair on Sunday as they watched the Valentines' Performing Pigs strut their stuff.

Steve and Priscilla Valentine, of Seattle, Wash., travel the country with their five "incredible porkers," surprising crowds with the intelligence of their trained pigs.

The couple has kept pigs as pets for 12 years, and if they play their cards right, Priscilla Valentine said, the swines can earn a special reward - their own room in the house.

With their snouts held high in the air, the troop - Nellie, Snort, Hambone, Tangerina and the Duchess of Pork, known as "Porky" - jumped through hoops, played their favorite sports and bowed for the crowd as hoards of children cheered them on.

"Snort! Snort! Snort!," the crowd chanted as the 2-year-old Asian miniature pig sought out a pair of chopsticks when asked which kind of eating utensil an Asian pig would use.

The crowd erupted when Porky, 5, a silver miniature pig, hung "16," - as pigs have 16 toes - riding a skateboard across the stage.

And when she performed her signature "ham dunk" while playing her favorite sport, children held their arms high, celebrating her score.

But the pigs don't just enjoy sports, Priscilla Valentine said.

Three-month-old Tangerina earns her keep at home in Washington by mowing the lawn, a skill she demonstrated on-stage.

Eight-week-old Hambone melted the hearts of fair-goers as he made his second-ever professional appearance Sunday.

Porky, described as the Duchess of Pork, skateboards Sunday during the Valentines Performing Pigs show at the Boulder County Fair. Times-Call photo by Lewis Geyer.

"He started his career yesterday," Priscilla Valentine informed the crowd as the tiny pig, wearing a bright red collar, scampered across the stage.

But the "star" of the show, Nellie, the world's pet pig champion, has the ability to wow crowds with a repertoire of 100 different tricks, Priscilla Valentine said.

Nellie has made appearances on the David Letterman show and Animal Planet.

Children giggled as Nellie placed her allowance, an oversized coin, into a large piggy bank.

And adults and children alike squealed with laughter when the pig retrieved a piece of mail from a large mail box. The letter read, "Eat Beef."

Andrew Bowman, 9, of Longmont said he didn't think when he woke up Sunday morning that he'd see a pig ride a skateboard.

His friend Daniel Russell, 10, of Longmont agreed and said he might find himself a bit upset if a pig were able to ride a skateboard better than him.

The pigs perform three times a day. They can be seen today at noon, 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on the Midway.

Amanda Arthur can be reached at 303-776-2244, Ext. 215, or by e-mail at aarthur@times-call.com.

ABOUT THE SHOWS

The prancing, dancing oinkers are appropriate for ANY occasion that calls for FUN!

No one can frown and be in a bad mood when a pig is making a football field goal and shooting hoops!

The crowds at fairs, schools, corporate events, media shoots, pet fairs, and malls are left hungering for more of the hams (but not in a literal sense)! Because the pigs are actually pets, they are perfect for pet fair entertainment. Corporate events love the hoofers because they break up the boredom of conventions.

At malls, people just can't believe it when they hear a REAL slam -dunking pig will be visiting, so the crowds swamp the stores! The pigsters have graced NBA Basketball halftime shows, colleges, and even weddings.

Children ADORE the pigsters.

For advertising and TV promotion, they are ideal attention getters, and are just downright cute.

If you want a show that people will be talking about for months, Valentines Performing Pigs are for you!

This is a large production with music that attracts standing room only crowds.

ALL SHOWS STAR "NELLIE", WORLD PIG TRICK CHAMPION AND FINALIST FOR THE $25,00O PRIZE IN ANIMAL PLANET'S PET STAR.

The famous pigs are perfectly housetrained and are USDA licensed and insured for one million dollars.