Rodney Stevens
Hundreds of people of all ages enjoyed the spectacle of piglet racing, and some enjoyed a flutter on the Calcutta on January 4 when Club Iluka held the largest LJ Hooker Iluka and Maclean Iluka Woombah Rotary Club Iluka Pignic Races in the event’s eight-year history.
One of the Clarence Valley’s quirkiest events, the Iluka Woombah Rotary Club’s Pignic Races began in 2016, Pignic Races Chairperson Graeme Lockyer said, and has become the Rotary Club’s premier annual fundraiser, with the 2024 event set to break records.
The 2024 LJ Hooker Iluka and Maclean Iluka Woombah Rotary Club Pignic Race Day featured eight of Noah’s Thoroughbred Racing Pigs, with seven piglets wearing designer-coloured sequined vests, sponsored by local businesses, and one sponsored vestless piglet known as “the naked pig” racing around a specially designed course on the grass at Club Iluka.
Local businesses who sponsored the pigs were LJ Hooker Iluka, Club Iluka, Little Local Café, Steve Millington ‘OTG’, LJ Hooker Maclean, Frist National Real Estate Iluka, and Clarence Head Park and Motel.
The five competitive piglet races were sponsored by Chez Basho, Iluka Bait and Tackle, Anchorage Holiday Park, Iguana Beachwear, and Peter Campbell Physiotherapy, while Andrew Fisher provided the hay bales for the racecourse.
The pigs were staged behind the starting barriers of the testing obstacle course and then let race to see who can get their snout in a bowl of milk-based food at the finish line.
Mr Lockyer said spectators enjoyed the chance to participate by buying raffle tickets in each race and if their ticket was drawn, they were assigned one piglet in the race.
He said each race also featured an auction for the Calcutta, where individuals or groups can bid for one of the seven piglets in each race.
“We are still finalising the numbers, but it appears it will be the most successful event yet,” Mr Lockyer said.
“In previous years after about the third pig race, usually due to the heat, the crowds start to thin out, but despite the heat on Thursday, most people stayed till the end and enjoyed the spectacle.”
In addition to Noah’s Thoroughbred Racing Pigs, crowds enjoyed the petting zoo and face painting, while the four food trucks in attendance did a roaring trade.
“The four food trucks were kept very busy,” Mr Lockyer said.
“We had German Kransky sausages, some beef and pork burgers, a pizza truck, and ice cream truck which were all very popular.”
In previous years, the Pignic Races have raised about $10,000 for the Iluka Woombah Rotary Club and Mr Lockyer said he was hopeful they will eclipse that amount this year.