PUEBLO • The gates opened at the “Pork Chop International Speedway,” and the competitors were off and running.

Four miniature pigs grunted and snorted as they raced around the track, laser-focused on reaching the finish line, where the first-place prize — an Oreo cookie — awaited.

This year marks the return of the popular Swifty Swine pig races to the Colorado State Fair. Hosted by Swifty Swine Productions, the attraction last visited the fair in 2021, according to co-host Jared Hollenbeck.

“We love the Colorado State Fair,” said Hollenbeck, who coordinates the races with his wife, Kelsie Adkisson. “The (grass) surface is awesome, and the crowd here has been amazing.”

The pig races are a free, daily attraction at the State Fair, featuring two to three shows per day. At each show, the pigs run in three heats and are typically named for celebrities: Justin Bie-Boar, Brad Pig and Kim Kardashi-Ham, among others.

Swifty Swine has three travel trailers that host performances at fairs, rodeos and other events across the U.S., Hollenbeck said. He and his wife typically spend seven to nine months per year on the road with their 14 pigs.

“This year, we’ve been to West Virginia, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, New York, Texas — all over the country,” Hollenbeck said.

A bonus feature, offered between races, is a brief performance by Swifty the Swimming Pig. On Tuesday, Swifty needed a little encouragement from the crowd, but she eventually belly-flopped into a small pool and swam across, to the delight of spectators.

“I loved the races, but Swifty was my favorite,” said Jocelyn Kirk, 12.

The Swifty Swines are a mix of kunekune (which are native to New Zealand) and miniature potbellied pigs. The porcine racers typically perform for several years, “until they get tired of racing,” Hollenbeck said. When that happens, they retire to a ranch or petting zoo.

Pigs are intelligent animals, and some of the Swifty Swine pigs have minds of their own, which can lead to some humorous interruptions.

“Once in a while a pig will get interested in the grass, and just stop and eat, which is pretty funny,” Hollenbeck said.

But on Tuesday, cheered on by the crowd, the pigs charged around the track in their quest for the Oreo cookie.

“They are smart animals. They’re aware of the crowd,” Hollenbeck said. “If the crowd wasn’t here, they would probably just come out and eat grass. They are performers at heart.”

PUEBLO • The gates opened at the “Pork Chop International Speedway,” and the competitors were off and running.

Four miniature pigs grunted and snorted as they raced around the track, laser-focused on reaching the finish line, where the first-place prize — an Oreo cookie — awaited.

This year marks the return of the popular Swifty Swine pig races to the Colorado State Fair. Hosted by Swifty Swine Productions, the attraction last visited the fair in 2021, according to co-host Jared Hollenbeck.

“We love the Colorado State Fair,” said Hollenbeck, who coordinates the races with his wife, Kelsie Adkisson. “The (grass) surface is awesome, and the crowd here has been amazing.”

The pig races are a free, daily attraction at the State Fair, featuring two to three shows per day. At each show, the pigs run in three heats and are typically named for celebrities: Justin Bie-Boar, Brad Pig and Kim Kardashi-Ham, among others.

Swifty Swine has three travel trailers that host performances at fairs, rodeos and other events across the U.S., Hollenbeck said. He and his wife typically spend seven to nine months per year on the road with their 14 pigs.

“This year, we’ve been to West Virginia, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, New York, Texas — all over the country,” Hollenbeck said.

A bonus feature, offered between races, is a brief performance by Swifty the Swimming Pig. On Tuesday, Swifty needed a little encouragement from the crowd, but she eventually belly-flopped into a small pool and swam across, to the delight of spectators.

“I loved the races, but Swifty was my favorite,” said Jocelyn Kirk, 12.

The Swifty Swines are a mix of kunekune (which are native to New Zealand) and miniature potbellied pigs. The porcine racers typically perform for several years, “until they get tired of racing,” Hollenbeck said. When that happens, they retire to a ranch or petting zoo.

Pigs are intelligent animals, and some of the Swifty Swine pigs have minds of their own, which can lead to some humorous interruptions.

“Once in a while a pig will get interested in the grass, and just stop and eat, which is pretty funny,” Hollenbeck said.

But on Tuesday, cheered on by the crowd, the pigs charged around the track in their quest for the Oreo cookie.

“They are smart animals. They’re aware of the crowd,” Hollenbeck said. “If the crowd wasn’t here, they would probably just come out and eat grass. They are performers at heart.”