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Utah politician seals deal with horse kiss

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-08-22 09:22

FARMINGTON, Utah - Lose a bet, kiss a horse. That's how Davis County Commissioner Alan Hansen found himself kissing a 3-year-old sand-colored horse named Reno.

Davis County Commissioner Alan Hansen kisses 'Reno', a quarter horse owned by Scott Bass who works for the county, in Farmington, Ut., Tuesdaty, August 19, 2008. County employees won a weight loss contest against the Davis Hospital. As a prize, their bosses, the county commissioners, kissed a cow during the County fair last week. Hansen was noticeably absent from the kiss, so they brought a horse to the courthouse for payback. [Agencies]

The smooch stemmed from a contest between employees at Davis County and the Davis Hospital and Medical Center. The rules: Members of the team that lost the most weight got to watch their boss kiss a farm animal. This year, the county employees won — county staffers lost 397.6 pounds, just slightly trimmer than the hospital workers.

Hansen missed out when his fellow commissioners locked lips with a cow over the weekend.

So on Tuesday, Hansen met Reno on the front steps of the county courthouse and puckered up for what became a quick peck.

But not before he slathered on some lip balm and popped a breath mint.

He told the mare: "This is more for you than me."