Wearing a hat adorned with large ears and a pink pig snout, Noel Jamet took the stage to the cheers of the crowd. He bent down, continuously making snorting and grunting sounds before suddenly letting out a squeal.

This was the scene at the pig impersonation contest on 9/8, a highlight of Pourcailhade, the 43rd annual pig festival held in the village of Trie-sur-Baise, in the Hautes-Pyrenees region.

Approximately 4,000 people attended the festival, four times the village's population. They gathered around the stage, watching contestants showcase their impersonation skills one by one.

Contestants impersonate pig sounds at the Pourcailhade festival in Trie-sur-Baise village, France, on 9/8. *Video: AFP*

The event attracted participants from various regions of France and abroad. The final victory went to Jamet, from the Normandy region. This was his 10th time competing at Trie-sur-Baise and also his 10th time winning the top prize. He recreated almost the entire life of a pig, from birth, suckling, and eating from a trough, all the way to being taken to the slaughterhouse.

Jamet grew up in a farming family and was accustomed to imitating animal sounds from a young age. Besides pigs, he can impersonate turkeys, goats, chickens, donkeys, and sheep. He was trained as a baker but now works in the construction industry.

Jamet stated that this is a high-quality competition with "a very strict and knowledgeable judging panel". From simple sounds, Jamet developed a complete performance with a handmade costume, paying attention to the characteristics of each pig breed to adjust his act.

In addition to 10 championships at Trie-sur-Baise, Jamet has also won 12 world titles at the agricultural exhibition in Paris.

A contestant performs at the pig impersonation contest in Trie-sur-Baise, on 9/8. *Photo: AFP*

The pig impersonation contest is just one part of the Pourcailhade festival. Attendees can also compete in other events, such as: piglet races, throwing stuffed pigs, feasts featuring pork dishes, and a black pudding eating contest over 5 minutes.

In the eating contest, Julien Tireau won the championship after consuming 1 kg of black pudding. This achievement is still lower than the record of 1,16 kg set by Bernard Lasbats in 2024. In this event, organizers allow contestants to drink water and take additional 200 g trays of black pudding after the first 400 g tray within the 5-minute period.

Ha Linh (According to AFP, Euronews, La Depeche)