Ten-month-old Soren Schmit’s secret weapon in his Diaper Derby win Tuesday was his big sister, Alaina, 10.

“She was trying to make sure he had a lot of energy” for the contest, said his mom, Pamela Schmit of Bismarck.

The family learned about the Diaper Derby contest at the North Dakota State Fair on Monday evening and decided to enter baby Soren.

“We practiced with him in the living room,” said Alaina Schmit, who took her baby brother through his practice races.

“We practiced crawling,” added his mother.

When it came time to get him to crawl against the finishing line, his mom, sister, and big brother Owen, 5, were all cheering him on.

The prize was his family’s cheers and a basket full of beach toys. Parents of a winning baby received an Amazon gift card.

Amanda Papp of Minot said her son, Riker, 22 months, has had lots of practice for his winning Toddler Trot run.

“He’s always running,” she said.

Nexis Path Family Healing sponsored the Diaper Derby for babies and the Toddler Trot for toddlers, which drew a crowd of spectators and family members snapping pictures and oohing and ahing over the cuteness on display at the Dakota Talent Stage near the State Fair Park at the Fairgrounds.

The event has been an annual tradition at the North Dakota State Fair and resumed this year after the fair had to be called off last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.