Heat brings down Festival attendance
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
After a record-setting year in 2009, organizers of the Chatham Jaycees Sweetcorn Festival knew it
might be difficult to meet the same level of success in 2010.
The more moderate temperatures of last year gave way to plenty of heat and humidity at last
weekend’s festival, bringing down the day crowds some.
“Things went pretty well,” stated Jared Koester, Co-Chairman of the event. “We’re happy with the
turnout, and once the sun went down, people came out in droves. It was just miserably hot during the
day.”
The Sweetcorn Festival featured the usual events, including Thursday’s corn schucking, Friday’s
Miss Chatham Sweetcorn Pageant and Saturday’s Cow Chip Throw. A new event added this year
was the Sweetcorn Eating Contest, where participants in the high school 7-on-7 football tournament
were pitted against each other.
“Five schools participated, and there were two teams from each school,” Koester explained. “Each
participant had seven ears of corn to eat, with the goal being the fastest to finish. I’d have to say it was
the most exciting event of the weekend; we had a big crowd under the tent and it got a little hectic.”
Plenty of sweetcorn was eaten during the festival, and some of the leftovers will be donated by the
Jaycees. Ashley Moore and Dan Holden were the other Co-Chairs of the event, while Brittany Bisch
served as Vendor Chair.
•Results from the Cow Chip Throw, Washer Toss and Sweetcornholing Tourney are as follows:
Cow Chip Throw
•Men’s Division - 1st Place: Sam “Heathcliff” Wickliffe; 2nd Place: Nate Briggs; 3rd Place: Doug
Krones.
•Women’s Division - 1st Place: Michelle Looker; 2nd Place: Stephanie Sharp; 3rd Place: Hannah
McNeff.
•Youth Division - 1st Place: Cody Flavin; 2nd Place: Ben Thiele; 3rd Place: Lucas Flavin.
•VIP Division - 1st Place: Jill Reynolds; 2nd Place: Chris Parks; 3rd Place: Lars from WQLZ.
Washer Toss
•Men’s Division - 1st Place: Randy Turner; 2nd Place: Dan Holden; 3rd Place: Nick “Dumbo”
Franke.
•Women’s Division - 1st Place: Barbara Staehle; 2nd Place: Jessica Ladage; 3rd Place: Laura
Kirchner.
• Youth Division - 1st Place: Maggie Sherlock-Jones; 2nd Place: Austin Rhodes; 3rd Place: Bryson
Jacobs.
Sweetcornholing Tourney
1st Place: Ken Bentley and Nate Workman; 2nd Place: Mike Staley and Kelly Staley; 3rd Place:
Patrick Kromm and Sean Fox.
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
After a record-setting year in 2009, organizers of the Chatham Jaycees Sweetcorn Festival knew it
might be difficult to meet the same level of success in 2010.
The more moderate temperatures of last year gave way to plenty of heat and humidity at last
weekend’s festival, bringing down the day crowds some.
“Things went pretty well,” stated Jared Koester, Co-Chairman of the event. “We’re happy with the
turnout, and once the sun went down, people came out in droves. It was just miserably hot during the
day.”
The Sweetcorn Festival featured the usual events, including Thursday’s corn schucking, Friday’s
Miss Chatham Sweetcorn Pageant and Saturday’s Cow Chip Throw. A new event added this year
was the Sweetcorn Eating Contest, where participants in the high school 7-on-7 football tournament
were pitted against each other.
“Five schools participated, and there were two teams from each school,” Koester explained. “Each
participant had seven ears of corn to eat, with the goal being the fastest to finish. I’d have to say it was
the most exciting event of the weekend; we had a big crowd under the tent and it got a little hectic.”
Plenty of sweetcorn was eaten during the festival, and some of the leftovers will be donated by the
Jaycees. Ashley Moore and Dan Holden were the other Co-Chairs of the event, while Brittany Bisch
served as Vendor Chair.
•Results from the Cow Chip Throw, Washer Toss and Sweetcornholing Tourney are as follows:
Cow Chip Throw
•Men’s Division - 1st Place: Sam “Heathcliff” Wickliffe; 2nd Place: Nate Briggs; 3rd Place: Doug
Krones.
•Women’s Division - 1st Place: Michelle Looker; 2nd Place: Stephanie Sharp; 3rd Place: Hannah
McNeff.
•Youth Division - 1st Place: Cody Flavin; 2nd Place: Ben Thiele; 3rd Place: Lucas Flavin.
•VIP Division - 1st Place: Jill Reynolds; 2nd Place: Chris Parks; 3rd Place: Lars from WQLZ.
Washer Toss
•Men’s Division - 1st Place: Randy Turner; 2nd Place: Dan Holden; 3rd Place: Nick “Dumbo”
Franke.
•Women’s Division - 1st Place: Barbara Staehle; 2nd Place: Jessica Ladage; 3rd Place: Laura
Kirchner.
• Youth Division - 1st Place: Maggie Sherlock-Jones; 2nd Place: Austin Rhodes; 3rd Place: Bryson
Jacobs.
Sweetcornholing Tourney
1st Place: Ken Bentley and Nate Workman; 2nd Place: Mike Staley and Kelly Staley; 3rd Place:
Patrick Kromm and Sean Fox.
Chatham Clarion
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Issue Date: July 22, 2010