(Riverton, WY) – The Hog N’ Mud Pig Wrestling event returned to the Fremont County Fair on Friday, drawing 34 teams of competitors ranging from children to adults, all ready to get muddy for a shot at summer glory.
Ham Health & Hog Spice posed for a photo before the wrestling Friday night in Riverton. h/t Carl Cote A group of children watch the pig handlers work Friday in Riverton. h/t Carl Cote The grandstands are packed for the national anthem Friday night at Hog n’ Mud wrestling. h/t Carl Cote Madison Slack, Bradie Lenhardt, Avery Parker, and Kobi Lehman did their best to impress the crowd during the calcutta Friday night. h/t Carl Cote The Mud Messis get the crowd riled up at Hog n’ Mud Pig Wrestling Friday at the County Fair. h/t Carl Cote
Before the wrestling, every team had to earn their moment in the spotlight. During the calcutta auction, teams took turns in front of the crowd as bidders sized them up. Most squads leaned into the showmanship, lifting teammates overhead, cranking out push-ups, throwing flips, doing the worm, or simply flexing for the stands in an effort to drive up their price and win over the audience.
A young wrestler hypes up the crowd as his team is bid on during the calcutta Friday night. h/t Carl Cote A young wrestler flexes for his team as the crowd bids before the wrestling Friday night in Riverton. h/t Carl Cote The Mud Messis wave their shirts in front of the crowd as their team gets bids from the crowd before hog wrestling. h/t Carl Cote A wrestler does push-ups during the calcutta to raise money for his team. h/t Carl Cote Hogs and Kisses play fight in front of the crowd as they’re bid on in the calcutta. h/t Carl Cote
Then came the main event where each team entered a ring filled with mud, joined by one very uncooperative opponent: a hog. At the sound of the bell, the clock started, and the goal was simple. Get your hog into the bucket at the center of the ring as fast as possible.
Simple in theory, anyway. Strategy varied widely from team to team as some rushed their pig the moment the bell rang, hoping to overwhelm it before it knew what was happening. Others took a slower, more patient approach, easing toward the animal in hopes of keeping it calm rather than sending it sprinting around the edge of the ring.
Small but Mighty chases after their big during the first round of wrestling Friday night in Riverton. h/t Carl Cote Ryder McConnel, Bradox Barquin, Landyn Stitson, and Rowen Slack prepared for their turn in the wrestling ring. h/t Carl Cote A pig ran from team 4 Little Pig Wrestlers Friday night in Riverton. h/t Carl Cote Team Pretty Pigs shows off their gymnastic skills during the calcutta Friday night. h/t Carl Cote Defending champs The Hot Hogs try to wrestle their pig still on the edge of the ring Friday night in Riverton. h/t Carl Cote
Organizers brought 50 pigs to the event, enough to ensure that no pig was used more than once throughout the night. The event brought a huge crowd, filling the grandstands and dirt around the ring with cheers and laughs throughout the evening.
A wrestler jumps over his team as they do pushups to impress the bidding audience Friday night at Hog n’ Mud Wrestling. h/t Carl Cote A wrestler does a backflip off his teammates back in front of the stands during the calcutta. h/t Carl Cote Boys whip each other with their shirts in an attempt to raise mney for their tea during the calcutta Friday night. h/t Carl Cote
Results will be posted when they are made available by the Fremont County Fair.