Twiggy the Water Skiing Squirrel to appear at Detroit Boat Show at Cobo

What is a more fitting way to celebrate one of the largest boat shows in the country than watching a squirrel shred through a pool on water skis?

Twiggy the Water Skiing Squirrel will be showcasing her skills at the Detroit Boat Show, which starts Saturday and runs through Feb. 25 at Cobo Center. Twiggy will be skiing every day of the event.

Twiggy – who is actually several different trained squirrels – has been performing since 1979 and has been featured in multiple commercials, films and TV shows. Twiggy’s story began in 1978 when Chuck and Lou Ann Best of Florida rescued a squirrel displaced from her nest due to Hurricane David.

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The Bests took care of the squirrel, making her part of the family. Later that year, Chuck purchased a remote-controlled boat for his daughter. The next year, Twiggy became a trained water skier and traveled across the country, performing at trade shows, vehicle shows, the X Games and more.

“Twiggy the Water Skiing Squirrel is an all-time favorite,” said Nicki Polan, executive director of the Michigan Boating Industries Association. “Her performances are known to bring on the smiles and warm the hearts on these cold winter days.”

In addition to Twiggy, the Detroit Boat Show has booked the Rail Jam Wakeboard Demonstration team, who perform high-skill wakeboarding tricks.

For more information regarding the Detroit Boat Show, visit http://detroitboatshow.net.

Watch Twiggy at work:

Contact reporter Omar Abdel-Baqui: 313-222-8850 or oabdelbaqu@freepress.com.