BILLINGS — A man named Robert Duck is crisscrossing the country with more than 40 ducks in tow, bringing his Great American Duck Races to fairs and events across the United States.
"We have been to like 38 states so far," said Duck, who goes by "Chief Quacker" at his events.
Watch Robert Duck explain how he gets state to state:
The journey started on the West Coast and has taken Duck through the Midwest and beyond.
"We started off in San Francisco, and then we went to Wisconsin, Iowa. We just came from Indiana, and then after this we do the Colorado State Fair, New Mexico State Fair, then up to Salt Lake City," Duck said.
The ducks travel in a custom-built trailer designed specifically for life on the road.
"We have a trailer that was made for them with extra insulation and ventilation. We have an air conditioner in there for them," Duck said.
Inside, the birds ride in individual compartments.
"They are in cages. In cubicles. There's like six cubicles," Duck said.
Duck makes sure his animals are well cared for during long stretches on the highway.
"We stop, we give them water. They always have food with them, and make sure it's nice and cool in there," Duck said.
Duck's entire business — the show, the gear and the ducks — packs into a single trailer.
"The hardest thing is setting it up, getting the show looking perfect and tearing it down, packing it up, everything goes in this place," Duck said.
The setup moves down the highway as one connected unit.
"Once the camper goes on top of the truck, it latches down. That's one unit. You just pull this just like a regular trailer," Duck said.
For fairgoers like Catie Gragert and Everly McCullough, being chosen to race a duck is a highlight of the day.
"That was amazing. We were pretty pumped. We were hoping we'd be picked, and so she got very, very excited," Catie said.
The ducks themselves often surprise visitors who wonder how so many animals travel together.
"That's a good question. How do you think he can keep his ducks?" Catie said.
"Like, like a camper or something," Everly replied.
After thousands of miles on the road, Duck says the bond he forms with his animals runs deep.
"These ducks, some of them you really become attached to them, because you know them, their markings. And we have had ducks stay with us on the road for 15 years," Duck said.
