ANIMALS THE DRAW FOR KIDS AT VALLEY FAIR.

Byline: LISA M. SODDERS Staff Writer

HANSEN DAM -- Tiger trainer Andy Spolyar swims and wrestles with tigers, and he has occasional scratches and bruises to prove it.

But the 39-year-old Spolyar, who has worked as a trainer for about eight years with the Tigers of India Spectacular Show, said he's never been seriously injured, even though his charges have been known to ``mouth'' on his arms in play.

``If one of them tackles me and I'm not expecting it, it's 500 to 600 pounds hitting you -- it feels like a couple of linebackers hitting you,'' Spolyar said. ``They're wild animals, and we treat them with respect.''

Spolyar and nine Bengal tigers from the Marcan Tiger Preserve in Florida were just one of the attractions Saturday at the 60th annual San Fernando Valley Fair.

Contrary to the old joke, a 500-pound tiger doesn't eat ``anything it wants'' for breakfast, Spolyar said, but consumes 15 to 20 pounds of raw meat every day. That much protein takes a long time to digest, which is why the big cats also sleep up to 20 hours a day.

At 1 p.m. Saturday, it was nap time for tigers, but that didn't stop a quartet of small children from letting out a breathless ``Oooooooooh!'' when one of the felines rolled over and stretched in its sleep.

And while a full-grown tiger can jump 10 feet in the air or 30 feet along the ground, all that power is only good for short distances, which means tigers have to sneak up on their prey.

``They can run at speeds up to 40 mph, but in short bursts,'' Spolyar explained. ``They'd go 100 feet and then lie down and take a nap.''

The fair, which continues today, also features carnival rides and games, live music, as well as horticulture, livestock and arts and crafts displays.

Silvia Bishop, host of the home arts tent, said busloads of visiting schoolchildren have been fascinated by the paintings, drawings, photographs, crocheted afghans, ceramic dragons, tooled leather items and even a set of crocheted Looney Tunes stuffed toys.

``Where do you show off that afghan your family thinks is wonderful or your preserved goods?'' Bishop said. ``You can't take it to the mall. That's what the fair is good for: representing its community.''

Hungry fair-goers also can munch on tamales, hot dogs, Thai food, roasted corn, cajun sausage, pastrami sandwiches, ice cream and Hawaiian ice.

But for animal-lovers, the fair was a zoological delight. In the livestock tent, a small herd of rabbits managed to sleep despite the constant crowing of several roosters.

Two-year-old Camilla Nguyen of Chatsworth delighted in greeting the animals in the petting zoo with an enthusiastic ``Hi!'' safe in the arms of her father, Nam Nguyen, 33.

But while the sheep and the zebra were content to let Nam Nguyen feed them tidbits, the camel was not. As an astonished Camilla watched, the camel stretched his long neck out and snatched the entire food cup out of Nam Nguyen's hand, dumped the remains down its throat and tossed the empty container into a pen.

Meanwhile, Deb Baumann, managing director of the Vaquero Heritage Foundation, was demonstrating ``La Garrocha,'' or the long wooden pole used to herd cattle in the Old World before roping was invented.

Part of the routine is supposed to be done hands-free. Her 17-year-old chestnut Arabian, Sammy, however, had other ideas. Belying his age, the frisky horse became all ham, putting extra bounce in his trot as he turned in tight circles around the long pole.

``You give him an audience, and his brain leaves his body,'' Baumann sighed afterward.

lisa.sodders(at)dailynews.com

[phone]

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- 2) At top, Ashlynn Laurence performs riding bareback during the Horse Show at the San Fernando Valley Fair at Hansen Dam recreation area Saturday afternoon. At left, Rosendo Solis performs roping tricks.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer

Box:

IF YOU GO