Pig Riders Won the East!

September 3, 1997

MIKAME, Japan (CNN) -- Rodeo riders in the United States mount up on bucking broncos and large, surly brahma bulls. But the Japanese town of Mikame has been a major pig-farming area for many years. So when they have a rodeo in the Japanese wild west, the buckaroos ride bucking porcines.

Thirty men and 30 women mounted up for this summer's porcine party -- taking turns on 10 lively pigs. The object is to try to stay atop the pigs the longest.

While the noise hardly seemed like squeals of delight, organizers claim the rodeo does not harm the animals, and the pigs are not destined for the dinner table after a run in the ring.

Mikame has been hosting the rodeo as part of its summer festival for 11 years. The rodeo gets bigger each year, and the only thing noisier than the pigs is the fireworks show that starts as the riders and their steeds trot home for some well-deserved rest.

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Updated September 22, 1997