Pig wrestling, concerts among Great Northern Fair planning

The Great Northern Fair Board approved at its monthly meeting Monday bringing pig wrestling to the 2013 Hill County fair and heard discussions of work to prepare the grounds and other new events including two days of concerts planned in conjunction with the rodeo.

Fairgrounds manager Tim Solomon said he had received a contract from the company that puts on the pig wrestling at the Blaine County Fair, and while it was more expensive than he expected — more than $4,000 — he thought the fair budget could afford it.

A bigger problem, he said, would be finding workers for the event, required in the contract.

The fair would be required to provide two employees to wash the bentonite mud off the pigs after each match, and to help in the ring itself, Solomon said. If they failed to provide that, the fair could be charged a significant extra amount of money.

Solomon requested that, if the board approved the pig wrestling, the board members consider volunteering to help, or at least to help find people to work the event.

Board member Andy Owens said he thought bringing the event to the Great Northern Fair was a "no-brainer" — it has grown in popularity each year the Blaine County Fair has brought it in, he said.

The board voted unanimously to bring pig wrestling in, taking the Wednesday slot at the 2013 Great Northern Fair.

That space was open after a shuffling of events. The annual truck pull event, which had local competitors Saturday afternoon and a professional event Saturday night, was canceled after the event sponsor said ticket sales could not pay for bringing in the professional association.

The board earlier this year approved moving the Northern Rodeo Association-sanctioned rodeo from Thursday and Friday to Friday and Saturday, and the junior rodeo moved from Wednesday to Thursday.

The annual Havre Jaycees Demolition Derby was left to wrap up the fair Sunday night.

Representatives of the rodeo association that organizes the event each year said it is progressing, including bringing in a concert to be held each night after the competition, which will be moved up an hour or two to allow for the concert.

Clint Solomon of the rodeo association said the group is planning to sell a package deal, with people able to buy tickets for each day of rodeo and each concert at a discounted price.

People also will be able to buy tickets for each event individually, he said.

Board member Alma Seidel also gave an update on 4-H plans and events.

For the fair itself, Hill County 4-H wanted to work with fairgrounds manager Tim Solomon to bring in some gravel and make other improvements to the barns and facilities, Seidel reported.

Solomon said he would work with the activity's members to help with that, including finding some supplies to repair some blacktop the 4-H group wants repaired.

Seidel said plans are still in place to replace the building that houses the 4-H Chuckwagon at the fair, but are temporarily on hold while the Hill County Attorney reviews some issues regarding the plans and the lease proposal.

Hill County 4-H owns the Chuckwagon building, but leases the space on the grounds that house the building.

She told the board that some other 4-H events are just around the corner, including 4-H members providing a meal to residents at the Northern Montana Care Center April 28 and a Senior Citizens Prom slated for Sunday from 2-4 p.m. at the North Central Senior Center.

"It's a fun afternoon," Seidel said about the dance, adding, "If you don't dance, you can just visit."