Little Ricky Says Farewell to the Show Ring
by Little Ricky
Recently, on a warm and sunny Texas morning, as Kathleen and I were sitting under my favorite tree, we started reminiscing. Oh, excuse me, I should start by introducing my family and myself. I am Little Ricky, a Ponderosa potbellied boar. I live on Ponderosa Mini Farm with my breeder, Kathleen and my friend, Terry. My Mom Lucy and my Dad Screamer live right next door in Kathleen’s Piggy Park. I have lots of other pig relatives and friends living here too. Well, with the formalities over, let me start again. Kathleen and I were under the Oak Tree, talking. Kathleen loves to talk, and I am a very good listener. I look forward to hearing the stories about the farm, the shows, and the pigs. I thought maybe you would like to hear a few of them, too.
Once upon a time, about eight years ago, when my Dad and Mom were just piglets, my Kathleen and Terry man decided to enter them in a Potbellied Pig Show in Oklahoma. I have been told that this was when the shows were new and no human really knew what they were doing. Well one Fall day, kind of like today, Kathleen and Terry loaded up the back of their station wagon with my Dad and Mom plus my Aunt and Uncle, two play pens, eight bowls, four leashes and harnesses, and, of course, food. Kathleen said to me, "Whenever we stopped, we caused quite a commotion; Back then not many people had seen a potbelly pig."
I understand that they arrived in Oklahoma City late in the evening. Because of that, they decided to "sneak" my Mom, Dad, and my Aunt and Uncle into their motel room. Kathleen told me with a grin, "You know Ricky, I couldn't leave the babies in the car all by themselves, could I?" After the "Big Sneak" the baby pigs settled down and went right to sleep. Everyone had to get up very early the next morning because they had to be at the Show by 9:00 AM. So, right after waking up about 5:30 in the morning, Terry decided to help "socialize" the baby pigs. He got them out of the play pens and brought them into the bed with him. All went well, until Terry tried to pick up my Dad. Dad didn't like being picked up at all! He screamed, and screamed, and screamed until Terry put him on the bed. When it was time for Terry to put my Dad back into his play pen, Dad screamed, and screamed and screamed. Kathleen warned, "You’d better watch it, Terry, or someone will find out about the piglets." When all the commotion stopped, Terry decided to go and get coffee. Kathleen saw this as a great opportunity to take a quiet shower and to get ready for the show.
When Terry arrived in the Lobby, he was greeted by a big uproar. The police were there! The manager was pointing down towards our room saying, "Yes, we just got a call front the man in Room 118. He told us that someone is beating his wife in a nearby room, but he is not sure which one." The officers said they would walk down there and check things out.
Kathleen was just getting out of the shower when Terry burst through the door of room 116, with coffee sloshing everywhere. "Do you know what just happen?" he exploded. After hearing the story, Kathleen and Terry laughed and laughed at the idea of the police looking for a person beating his wife. What if the police had broken into the room while Kathleen was in the shower? They would have found four baby potbellied pigs and a wet and startled breeder. Through the laughter Terry said, "I think we should definitely call this little boar Screamer, because that is what he does best." So, that is how my Dad got his name. Oh, by the way, Terry had such a knack for picking the right name for the pigs that to this day he chooses all the names.
Kathleen and Terry went on to the Show and set up their pens. They had a great time; especially since Screamer, my Dad, and Lucy, my mom, won first place in their two piglet classes. Not only that, but my Aunt and Uncle won second in the same classes. Kathleen thought this was so much fun! A couple of months later, she decided to enter my Mom and Dad in the State Fair of Texas Potbellied Pig Show. She was so inexperienced back then that she entered them in only one of the two shows offered. Well, needless to say, she was elated when my Dad won first place in his Boar Class, but she was shocked and ecstatic when my Mom Lucy won Best of Show. Kathleen was definitely Show Struck from that moment on. When she got home, Terry had made her a "Congratulations Pumpkin", laden with flowers. You how, Terry can really be a nice guy, at times.
Kathleen told me, "Your Mom and Dad fell in love at that show." And, you know what, about four months later I was born. That was an eventful day. Mom was awfully young to be having piglets and Kathleen was very worried about her. It wasn't easy. I was the first born and Kathleen had to pull me out. My brother behind me died. I have always felt that if Kathleen hadn't been there I surely would have died too. Maybe that is why Kathleen and I are so close. Anyway, to get back, when it came time for my name to be chosen, it was easy. What other name could it be but Little Ricky, the first and only piglet of my Mom Lucy?
We all lived together very happily in the house. Because I didn't have any brothers or sisters, I played with Kathleen and Terry and Mom just like any child would. All the humans who came over to see and adopt one of Kathleen's pigs thought I was so cute. It was a wonderful piglethood. Remember, how I told you that Kathleen was Show Struck. Well, in the Spring there was another small show planned nearby. Kathleen really wanted to go and take Mom, but I was so young, only four weeks. So, Kathleen called the Vet about the danger to me if I went with her to the show. Fortunately, the Vet said that I could go, if I were kept isolated from everyone else and no one touched me. Terry had a special pen built just for Mom and me.
On the day of the Show, Kathleen loaded us all into the front seat of the pickup truck. I felt so big sitting on our favorite pillow going on my first adventure. After we arrived and Kathleen set up the special pen, Mom and I got out of the truck. Everyone greeted us. All the humans gathered round and said things like, "Look at him! He's so little! Isn’t he cute!" I liked all the attention, but I liked meeting the other pigs best. Kathleen always talks about the wonderful friends she has made at the shows and the good times she has had. I can tell you that no one knows how much fun we pigs have after the humans go home. From our new pen I could see the ring and all the gorgeous pigs. It looked like so much fun parading around in the ring with their humans. But the best part was when the person called the Judge awarded the beautiful colored ribbons. Kathleen got another ribbon to take home and add to her collection. It was at that moment I realized show business must run in the family. I told Kathleen I wanted to enter the shows, just as soon as I was old enough. Well, she was thrilled, because, as you remember, Kathleen is Show Struck.
The very next fall I began my show career in earnest. Kathleen never does anything half way! She has had as many as 21 pigs entered at one show and as few as two. We all have won lots of colored ribbons, trophies, banner, statues, and even a chair. In fact, Kathleen has her "Pig Room" in the house. In it she has wallpapered the walls in the colored ribbons and everywhere there are pigs, pigs, pigs.
That lazy summer morning in Texas, as I lay with my head on Kathleen's lap, we remembered the time I met one of my wives, Annie, at the show in Houston. She was a gorgeous gilt owned by a good friend of Kathleen's. I asked Kathleen if Annie could come and live with us. She said, "If you really want her to. When your Dad asked me to persuade Sassy to come and be his wife, I agreed. You know how I feel about finding just the right mates for each of you." She must have really meant that, because at that same show she persuaded her friend to let Ransom be the new husband of my half sister Prissy. We are very lucky because Kathleen is always so understanding when we see a truly spectacular mate.
Another time we flew to Pennsylvania for the two shows up there. We took Precious, Annie’s and my daughter, with us, too. We had a wonderful visit in the serenity of the woods of Pennsylvania. While some of the human leaders of the Potbellied Pig world visited and planned, we pigs spent hours lounging around sharing the news of our own farms. It was an eventful visit because I won my second Grand Champion Boar ribbon. I do like those purple ribbons.
After Kathleen was elected the President of the North American Potbellied Pig Association, she was asked to attend a show in Oregon. It did not take much to convince her to go. You know how Show Struck she is. This time Abigail and I winged our way West. It never ceases to amaze me when people seem so surprised to see us in public. At the airport the nice porter rolled us to the baggage area. All of these humans stopped and stared. They ran up to our crates and just looked in. I not sure what they expected to see, I guess one of those furry dogs or something. They always are so excited and they always laughed or giggled when they see us looking back. It is so nice to bring happiness to humans and not even try. We caused such a commotion on that trip that the pilot got off of the plane and came to visit us on the tarmac. This was the first show we had ever attended that was held inside the Ballroom of a Hotel! It was the Cinderella Show and Ball. We loved It! Kathleen says, "That is where you pigs belong, on carpet, surrounded by twinkling lights, silk flowers, formal gowns, and jewels." It was a some kind of pig show.
You know, thinking about all the times Kathleen and I have spent in and out of the ring with others, both human and pig, I believe the shows have given us wonderful memories and good friends. In a way it makes me sad to think that I will be staying here on the Ponderosa from now on. Oh, I forgot to tell you. Over the last three years I have won Four NAPPA Grand Champions and I have been awarded NAPPA’s Permanent Grand Champion Boar; therefore, I am retiring from the show ring. Dad, who lives right next door in our Piggy Park, still counsels me regularly. He retired from the ring a few years ago. He assured me that my legacy will not go unnoticed. For just like Dad who won NAPPA Gold Trophy Get of Sire, I have been awarded IPPR Champion Sire of Merit.
As the sun grew hot on that summer day, Kathleen asked me to help instruct the baby piglets about all the "ins and outs" of showing. Soon they will join many others before them who are living in new "show" homes. She said to me, "You know, Ricky, how much we love for pet owners and other breeders to win in the ring. It is important for those of you who have already achieved great things to help those younger to do the same. Tell them, Ricky, how your sweet personality, charisma, and robust beauty charmed not only the judges, but, also, all who meet you. Tell them how they are special because they have been chosen to not only be pets, but to represent this farm, their parents, but most importantly other potbellies." She continued," And, please don't forget to tell them, if they should go to homes who choose not to show, they should be aware that they are just as special as their famous fathers and mothers, or sisters and brothers. In some ways they are even luckier because they can then concentrate, exclusively, on loving and being loved by their human families."
Kathleen and Terry went on to the Show and set up their pens. They had a great time; especially since Screamer, my Dad, and Lucy, my mom, won first place in their two piglet classes. Not only that, but my Aunt and Uncle won second in the same classes. Kathleen thought this was so much fun! A couple of months later, she decided to enter my Mom and Dad in the State Fair of Texas Potbellied Pig Show. She was so inexperienced back then that she entered them in only one of the two shows offered. Well, needless to say, she was elated when my Dad won first place in his Boar Class, but she was shocked and ecstatic when my Mom Lucy won Best of Show. Kathleen was definitely Show Struck from that moment on. When she got home, Terry had made her a "Congratulations Pumpkin", laden with flowers. You how, Terry can really be a nice guy, at times.On the day of the Show, Kathleen loaded us all into the front seat of the pickup truck. I felt so big sitting on our favorite pillow going on my first adventure. After we arrived and Kathleen set up the special pen, Mom and I got out of the truck. Everyone greeted us. All the humans gathered round and said things like, "Look at him! He's so little! Isn’t he cute!" I liked all the attention, but I liked meeting the other pigs best. Kathleen always talks about the wonderful friends she has made at the shows and the good times she has had. I can tell you that no one knows how much fun we pigs have after the humans go home. From our new pen I could see the ring and all the gorgeous pigs. It looked like so much fun parading around in the ring with their humans. But the best part was when the person called the Judge awarded the beautiful colored ribbons. Kathleen got another ribbon to take home and add to her collection. It was at that moment I realized show business must run in the family. I told Kathleen I wanted to enter the shows, just as soon as I was old enough. Well, she was thrilled, because, as you remember, Kathleen is Show Struck.After Kathleen was elected the President of the North American Potbellied Pig Association, she was asked to attend a show in Oregon. It did not take much to convince her to go. You know how Show Struck she is. This time Abigail and I winged our way West. It never ceases to amaze me when people seem so surprised to see us in public. At the airport the nice porter rolled us to the baggage area. All of these humans stopped and stared. They ran up to our crates and just looked in. I not sure what they expected to see, I guess one of those furry dogs or something. They always are so excited and they always laughed or giggled when they see us looking back. It is so nice to bring happiness to humans and not even try. We caused such a commotion on that trip that the pilot got off of the plane and came to visit us on the tarmac. This was the first show we had ever attended that was held inside the Ballroom of a Hotel! It was the Cinderella Show and Ball. We loved It! Kathleen says, "That is where you pigs belong, on carpet, surrounded by twinkling lights, silk flowers, formal gowns, and jewels." It was a some kind of pig show.As the sun grew hot on that summer day, Kathleen asked me to help instruct the baby piglets about all the "ins and outs" of showing. Soon they will join many others before them who are living in new "show" homes. She said to me, "You know, Ricky, how much we love for pet owners and other breeders to win in the ring. It is important for those of you who have already achieved great things to help those younger to do the same. Tell them, Ricky, how your sweet personality, charisma, and robust beauty charmed not only the judges, but, also, all who meet you. Tell them how they are special because they have been chosen to not only be pets, but to represent this farm, their parents, but most importantly other potbellies." She continued," And, please don't forget to tell them, if they should go to homes who choose not to show, they should be aware that they are just as special as their famous fathers and mothers, or sisters and brothers. In some ways they are even luckier because they can then concentrate, exclusively, on loving and being loved by their human families."