ST PAUL, Minn. — They may be small, but these little guys can make a big noise.
On Wednesday, 11 roosters gathered in the Poultry Building to make themselves heard at the qualify round “Rooster Crowing Contest” at the Minnesota State Fair.
The rules are simple. The roosters have 30 minutes to crow as many times as possible. A panel of volunteer judges sit behind the bird and count every crow. Their owners can do anything they choose to make that happen.
Mary Ellen and her husband Bob attend the State Fair every year, but this was their first time checking out the Rooster Crowing Contest.
“We wanted to see the owners act goofy,” Mary Ellen said with a laugh.
“We wanted to find out what you do to a rooster to make is crow,” Bob agreed. But even after watching the entire contest, he was left without an answer.
“I still have no idea.”
For half an hour a captive audience clapped, clucked and cajoled as the birds fluttered and flapped. Some, like the little bantam Russell Crowe, had a lot to say. Others, like Sleepy, kept their crowing to themselves.
Some brought other birds to judge’s row, one person played a video of the sounds of cheeping chicks.
There didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason and ultimately, it was all up to the birds.
All the birds crowed at least ten times. One of the smallest birds, little Russell, ended up winning the match and advancing to the finals with 43 crows.
“He was the first in the pen, I saw him crow a couple times,” Mary Ellen said about the winner. “When the competition came in, he continued doing the crowing and I knew he was gonna win.”
The finals in the Rooster Crowing Contest take place Thursday, Aug. 29 from 11-11:30 in the Poultry Building.
