VA. MAN WINS WORLD HOG-CALLING TITLE

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, March 1, 1993                   TAG: 9303010067
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WEATHERFORD, OKLA.                                LENGTH: Short
VA. MAN WINS WORLD HOG-CALLING TITLE
Hilton Ridge is the world's best hog-caller. Even the swine agree.
Ridge, a school janitor from Stanardsville, Va., took home the first-place trophy Saturday at the seventh annual World Championship Hog Call.
He beat defending champion Kevin Buller, a Weatherford police officer, and a field of contestants from around the country.
Organizers rounded up four pigs to help in the judging. The pigs rooted around the concrete floor of the local armory, snorted and snuffled, and ignored the callers.
A local contender rang a dinner bell to announce piggy dinner. A Pennsylvania man beat a fork on a pan lid and called "Yip! Yip! Yip!" The hogs never flinched.
A man from Ohio had a call so high-pitched it could only be heard by hogs. A woman from Clinton tried a woofing noise. A beauty shop operator from Hobart strung together a version of a Viking horn and a Tarzan yell.
Still nothing.
Ridge was among the last to try. When he belted out his "Sooooie Pig!" the master of ceremonies gasped, "That old boy knows how to yell!"
The pigs liked it. All four turned around and headed for the stage.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB