News - What's happening at pennywell

Pig Racing is Launched

The latest activity at Pennywell has had its starting orders and got off to a very promising start. Miniature pig racing has been a massive hit with the visitors and after months of planning the course and training the pigs it was 9 month old Red Runt who triumphed in the first race. With obstacles like Bacon’s Brook and the Trough to contend with the pint sized porkers have to be at the peak of their physical fitness and on excellent form. Pennywell’s owner Chris Murray says, “The pigs have been hamming it up, the visitors have been all out in supporting them and it’s odds on we have a classic activity in the making”. Running alongside Red Runt in their maiden race were fellow competitors, Silk Purse, Celestial Swine and Pigarkel. The Pennywell Miniature pigs have been specially bred Pennywell since 1992 to be small and friendly. Each pig is unique with its own colour and markings. The average piglet weighs just 250g (8oz) at birth. They grow to about a fifth of the size of an ordinary piglet (approximately the size of a Springer Spaniel at maturity). The Pennywell ‘Ham Stakes’ will take place every day at 2pm.