CM-MR-1-Virginia Farm Prizes 1by Jon M. Casey
Attendees of the 2014 Virginia Farm Show not only had opportunity to see the latest in products and services to the farming industry, they were also able to participate in competitions and drawings for cash and prizes throughout the three-day event. With Friday’s popular Skid Steer Rodeo, sponsored by the Virginia Farm Bureau, and with trophies and cash prizes sponsored by the Virginia Farm Bureau, Crown Concrete and equipment dealers James River Equipment, Beverage Tractor, Binkley & Hurst and Carter Machinery, contestants and their families enjoyed an afternoon of excitement; one that they look forward to each year.
Additionally, afternoon door prize drawings were hosted by Country Folks with Saturday’s special grand prize being a $2,000 credit toward a hunting trip hosted by the Keystone Valley Ranch, Shermansdale, PA. With all these possibilities, the chance to win a prize created an air of excitement that rewarded a dozen attendees who participated in the daily drawings.


Skid Steer Rodeo

This year’s skid steer rodeo was the largest to date, with contestants competing on seven pieces of equipment, including four skid steer loaders and three mini excavators.
“Last year, after we added two mini excavators into our rodeo; there was more interest than ever to add yet another one,” said Ken Maring, trade show manager for Lee Publications, Inc. the sponsor of this year’s event. “Our equipment dealers have been extremely helpful to make this year’s competition the best one yet. It proved to be very challenging and a lot of fun.”
For the 17 participants who accepted the challenge, some of the obstacles were daunting. Only one contestant, the eventual first place finisher Eric Good, was able to complete all seven events without any penalties for errors along the way. Cash prizes for the top 10 finishers, along with trophies for the top five and award plaques for the second five places, made the competition exciting and rewarding as well. For contestants who may not have finished in the top 10, but who had the fastest time on an individual piece of equipment, there was a cash prize, as well.
For each of the fastest times, winners received $100 with the exception of the CAT contestants. CAT fastest time winners received a gift card for a new pair of CAT work boots. Fastest time winners were: GEHL Skid Steer and GEHL Mini Excavator respectively, sponsored by Binkley & Hurst, Sherman Showalter and Mike Strinespring. Eric Good won both competitions for fastest time on the CAT skid steer and the CAT mini excavator and received two prizes from CARTER CAT. Andrew Showalter won fastest time on the Kubota mini excavator from Beverage Tractor and Eric Good also won the Kubota skid steer.
As previously mentioned, Eric Good won 1st place, receiving a trophy and cash prize. Other winners included 2nd place, Waverly Eddins; 3rd place, Andrew Showalter; 4th place, Mike Stinespring; and 5th place, Sherman Showalter. Winners of 6th through 10th places respectively included Mitchell Stinespring, Wray Brubeck, Eric Davis, Will Nolan and Kenneth Troyer.


Door Prizes

For all eligible participants who filled out a drawing ticket and were present at the scheduled drawing time each day, there were a host of exciting prizes for the lucky winners. Thursday’s door prizes included a CVA muzzle-loading rifle along with two runner-up prizes of Buck hunting knives. Friday’s Grand Prize was a Parker Crossbow with three additional buck knives given to runners up. Saturday’s Grand Prize was $2,000 credit toward a hunting trip hosted Richard Huff, III of Keystone Valley Ranch, Shermansdale, PA and again, buck knives went to runners up of that drawing as well.
On Thursday, Richard Eaton of Bremo Bluff, VA won the muzzleloader with Steve Powell, Swoope, VA and Brenda Wilhelm, Greenville, VA receiving Buck knives. Friday saw Chester Brooks, Amherst County, VA the winner of the Parker Crossbow and buck knife winners included M.O. Masie, Stuarts Draft, VA; Albert McGhee, Jr. Orange, VA; and Jonathan Hale, Swoope, VA. As the VA Farm Show came to an end on Saturday, Bob Chandler’s name was drawn as the grand prize winner of the deer hunting trip to Keystone Valley Ranch. Joe Beckenstrater, Mt. Jackson, VA; Rachael Funkhouser, McGaheysville, VA; and Justen Bruffy, Lynchburg, VA each won a buck knife.