Photos by Scott Halasz | Greene County News
Wildlife Officer Supervisor David Warner tries to maneuver a hog in a figure eight between daughters Abby (front), and Taylor during the Second Annual Gene Fischer First Responder Memorial Hog Show Wednesday.
This participant showed off perfect form, keeping his eye on the judge while keeping the hog between them.
Sheriff Scott Anger (front) and Greene County Prosecutor David Hayes try to keep their hogs under control.
The winner of each class was determined by the five best showmen racing to the other side of the ring and getting their hog into a bullpen.
Greene County Sheriff Chief Deputy Doug Doherty, apparently vision impaired, brought a goat into the ring.
XENIA — The Second Annual Gene Fischer First Responder Memorial Hog Show raised money for kids and raised some eyebrows by those in attendance.
Developed by 4-H member Taylor Warner and held in memory of the former sheriff who was a big supporter of the Greene County Fair, 30 first responders — mostly from Greene County — each paid $50 to enter the special showmanship. After walking the hogs around the ring for several minutes, the top five had to race their hog from one end of the ring to the other, making sure the hog went into a pen and the pen gate was closed.
First one in with a closed gate won.
The first two classes ran perfectly swine, er uh, fine as Division of Wildlife Officer Supervisor David Warner and Fairborn Police Sgt. Johnny McGuire won.
That’s when the shenanigans began.
First, in a somewhat amusing turn of events, Sheriff Chief Deputy Doug Doherty, possibly vision impaired, brought a goat into the ring and somehow (wink, wink, nod, nod) was one of the five finalists.
Then during the third race to the finish, four competitors — Fairborn 911 dispatcher Marysue Livingston, Fairborn Fire Chief Ryan Williams, Lebanon firefighter Gary Fannin, and and sheriff’s office Major Brad Balonier — all led their pigs to the same pen. Livingston was the first in but couldn’t close the gate as she was playfully ambushed by the other three.
After a runoff, Livingston emerged victorious.
But wait, there’s more.
In the final drive between the three class winners, Livingston again was followed into her pen, this time by McGuire. And of course, she couldn’t close the gate because of McGuire’s “interference.”
Another runoff was held, much to the dismay of Livingston (and likely others in attendance), with each competitor assigned a specific pen. Livingston — despite antics by Warner to prevent it — finally won.
For real.
No redo.
“I’m very tired,” she said afterward.
In all, 30 registered for the event, raising $1,500 for the Greene County Youth Activity Fund.
