PHOTO BY LAURA BRU/THE PIE LADY Bacon Buddies Show mentors Ethan Klemesrud and Kane Seye (back row) pictured with their buddy on Friday, July 18 in Gladbrook.

GLADBROOK – The first annual Bacon Buddies Show at the Tama County Fair was held on Friday, July 18, at the fairgrounds in Gladbrook following the 4-H Swine Show with half a dozen buddies participanting.

Bacon Buddies, now in its sixth year at the Iowa State Fair, “gives individuals who have intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (Buddies) the opportunity to take a pig into the show ring. Their mentors include 4-H and FFA youth who have volunteered to share that show ring experience right along with them,” according to the Iowa Pork Producers Association.

The program – which is quickly being adopted by county fairs across Iowa – is essentially a mini pig show where special needs children are paired with a swine exhibitor to learn about and show a pig in the show ring.

Tama County’s inaugural show featured six participating buddies who varied in age from 5-15 and attend different schools across Tama County. The show also welcomed eight mentors including Jay Bru, Faith Dvorak, Ethan Klemesrud, Tate Koester, Rhianna Murty, Skyler Murty, Parker Schmidt, and Kane Seye. Lillian Bru and Adelyn Sienknecht served as the event’s managers.

The local program was proudly sponsored by both the Iowa Pork Producers Association and the Tama County Pork Producers.

Due to the stupendous success of this year’s inaugural event, Bacon Buddies will definitely be making a comeback during the 2026 Tama County Fair!