Pork. Politics. Prizes.

Before politicians can bring home the bacon for Boone County residents, they must try the ham. So goes the conventional logic seen in play during the ham breakfast on Saturday at the Boone County Fair.

When the hall’s doors opened shortly after 7 a.m., there were already hundreds of people lined up, and the politicians were not about to pass up a golden opportunity to get the word out about their campaigns.

County fairs and politics go together like biscuits and gravy, and the Boone County Fair is no exception. While the Boone County Democratic and Republican parties were open for shop all week, the ham breakfast is an annual tradition, culminating a week of hand shaking and small talk. The list of attendees reads like a who’s-who in mid-Missouri with politicians, MU officials and business leaders showing up to partake in the pig-centric activities.

Like so many years before, former Missouri Gov. Roger Wilson served as the master of ceremonies. As the crowd began to flood into the hall, Wilson welcomed, teased and praised Democrats and Republicans alike over the loud speakers to a crowd that topped 700.

Despite the political nature of the event, partisan attacks were checked at the door, Wilson said.

“This a way non-partisan event,” Wilson said.

Because the fair attracts people from all around, some of the politicians split their time between the fair and going door to door in their districts.

Sid Sullivan, a Democrat running for the 24th District in the Missouri Legislature, estimates that only about a quarter of fairgoers live in his area.

Though most of the candidates at the fair live in the area, state auditor hopeful Jack Jackson came in from Wildwood to introduce himself.

After everyone finished helping themselves to spiced apples, biscuits and gravy, eggs, and, of course, Boone County ham, the ceremonies began.

Wilson accepted a lifetime achievement award for his help at the fair over the years. Jim Spain, assistant dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, gave the keynote speech that mixed lighthearted stories with talk about the importance of agriculturists to stand up for their way of life.

When it came time to auction off the prize-winning hams, Jody Bryson’s grand champion ham was first up. This 17-pound piece of meat stood out because of its dark color, a result of cold smoking it with apple wood.

Andrew Clarke, an MU associate professor of food science and one of the two judges for the ham contest, said that many of the contest entries were smoked. But, he said, Bryson used a different process that lead to a much darker ham.

Bruce Wilson outbid Debra Daniels, who is running for Division XI associate circuit judge, with a $43 per pound bid price. Wilson gave the $731 ham to Roger Wilson, with whom he shares a last name but not family.

“Roger has done so much for the fair over the years,” Bruce Wilson said.

Spain said he liked to see so many of the candidates at the fair. “I think it is a great part of what happens here at the ham breakfast,” he said.