Gracie Greiner did what any Iowa Pork Queen would do when faced with a sow that was having trouble birthing her last piglet: She jumped in and pulled the piglet out herself.

Yes, that's Greiner — tiara-crowned with one arm elbow-deep in a pig at the Animal Learning Center at the Iowa State Fair on Tuesday.

As her grandmother, Sandy Greiner, said in a Facebook post: "When a Sow gets in trouble at the Iowa Birthing Center at the Iowa State Fair, the Iowa Pork Queen steps up to lend a hand and give the Old Girl some much-needed relief."

Heavy lies the crown of the Iowa Pork Queen, a position elected annually by the Iowa Pork Association to assist with "state pork promotional and educational activities" — but it's exactly this kind of moment Greiner relishes.

"Helping pull pigs has come to be one of my favorite parts of the process," Greiner said in a statement to the Register. "When one sow was having trouble getting her piglet out in the Iowa State Fair Animal Learning Center, I naturally stepped in to help!"

"The piglet was pretty big, and one of the last ones which meant she was super tired," she said. "Pulling pigs ensures that more piglets come out alive which is why we did it. We care about our animals and do everything we can to keep them healthy and comfortable!"

Greiner's family runs a small show pig operation where they breed and farrow pigs to show them at the county and state level in Washington, Iowa, a small town south of Iowa City in eastern Iowa, so she's had plenty of experience working with pigs in any kind of situation imaginable.

Greiner spent many years at the fair as an exhibitor, but she said this year has been her favorite.

Aaron Calvin covers trending news for the Register. Reach him at acalvin@registermedia.com or 515-556-9097.

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