Bacon Buddies®

Keys for a successful event:

• Be flexible! It is ok if things don’t go 100% as planned, be prepared to make changes on the fly
• Be patient with participants and pigs!
• Be supportive of reactions of the participants (many of them this might be their first time around a pig).
• Be cognizant of sensory sensitivity (noises, space, lighting, crowds, cameras, pigs, water, shavings).
• This is an experience; everyone is a winner! All Buddies should receive the same prize for their participation.

Logistics

Checklist:

• Space. Make-up ring, show ring, area for participants to collect ribbons after they exit the show ring. Allows for parent/guardian to reunite with Buddies, and pig owner to locate and put away pig.
• Show equipment. Show sticks, brushes, spray bottles, sorting board, etc. Who provides these? Are they borrowed from pig owner or the mentor?
• T-shirts (if provided). Consider making T-shirts different based on involvement (buddy, youth mentor, volunteer).

Things to consider:

• Have audience (i.e. “fan zone”) located where participants exit the show ring. This provides encouragement, high-fives, congratulations, etc. as participants make their way to the designated space where parents/guardians reunite with Buddies.
• Creating name tags for those involved.
• Photo backdrop availability and location approximate to show ring.

Analyze your event (location, facilities, parking, audience, and support)

Checklist and things to consider:

• Event location. Is it handicap accessible? Are there bathrooms nearby? Consider comfort for participants and audience.
• Timeframe of event. Consider time of day, temperature, traffic to venue, audience support.
• Parking. Is it close to the location of the event for participants not familiar with area? Consider handicap parking accessibility.
• Admission. Is there admission to the event or fair? Who covers the cost for participants?

Identifying Buddies (Special Olympics Iowa athletes)

Checklist and things to consider:

• Highly suggest working with an organized group (ex.: Special Olympics, local school district, etc.) to identify “Buddies.” Recommend contacting John Kliegl, Special Olympics Iowa Director of Regional Field Services. Parental or guardian consent is required

Identifying Youth Mentors (4-H and/or FFA)

Checklist and things to consider:

• Select Mentors with high moral regard, appropriate maturity level and/or age.
• Mentors are not required to have swine exhibits. Swine exhibits can be used from another showman.
• Mentor should be calm, patient, encouraging, and can adapt to different situations.

Identifying Volunteers

Checklist and things to consider:

Volunteer tasks

• Distributing T-shirts
• Help moving pigs from pens to the make-up area/show ring
• One to two in the make-up ring to assist exhibitors (a sorting board may be helpful)
• Two to three volunteers in the show ring to assist if necessary (a sorting board may be helpful)
• Two volunteers should be present on the exiting side of the show ring to help participants make their way out
• Two volunteers to assist with photos after the participants exit the show ring (with awards, Buddies, and Mentors)

Volunteer Selection

• Kind and patient
• Passionate about kids and pigs
• Flexibility and willingness to help wherever the need arises during event
• Must be available through entire event
• Volunteers should be identified and notified of their role prior to the event

Selection of judge/emcee

Things to consider:

• Kind, compassionate, patient, sensitive to situations
• Ability to read people and situations (participants that are nervous, shy, or don’t want to talk into a microphone, etc.)
• Ability to think/adjust on the fly
• Charismatic on microphone
• Aware of the importance of the event

Pigs

Checklist and things to consider:

• Will the pigs be used in other shows throughout the event, either the day(s) prior or after?
• Pigs should be calm and have adequate level of training
• Whose pigs will be used for the event? Are 4-H or FFA pigs already on-site?

Class size and duration

Checklist and things to consider:

• No matter the show ring size, we suggest no more than four or five “teams” in a class. This allows the participants to stay engaged.
• We suggest the entire “show” should last no longer than an hour.

Public relations

Checklist and things to consider:

• Photography and/or videography.
• Advertising. Use hashtag #BaconBuddies to showcase your event on social media.
• Consider social media, print, radio, television.
• Media requests—Before, day of, during, and after event.

Sponsorship

Checklist and things to consider:

• Participant awards (ribbons for all Buddies)
• T-shirts
• Photo backdrop
• Meal/refreshments/snacks

Logo samples

Download this list as a PDF