2 weeks Ago
THAYER — Thayer area residents and others enjoyed a free watermelon feed, crop fair and auction on Thursday night during the 113th edition of Thayer Homecoming in McClachlen Park. Nick and Ben Carrico served as chefs for the sweet treat, slicing up chunks of deep-red watermelon and sliding them down a wooden chute to waiting customers. One of the night’s big events was the seed-spitting contest, which featured competitors from the very young to the young at heart.
Competitors had two chances to spit seeds and the longest shot was measured for the contest. The overall winner spit a seed more than 38 feet using techniques he’s perfected. Techniques varied between competitors, from simple spitting to leaning back and projecting the seed through pursed lips or rolled tongue.
Lots of comments were made about this being a hot-air competition. Winners were: Age 0-2: Colsen Trout, who spit a seed 3 feet 6 inches. Age 3-7: AnnaLeigh Novotny, spit 14 feet 10 inches.
Age 8-12: Jackson Wall, spit 22 feet 7 inches. Age 13-18: Shalayna Garretson, 27 feet 10 inches. Age 19 and up: Bruce Thornton, 38 feet 11 inches.
This is the third year in a row that Thornton won this age division. This was the sixth year in a row for Garretson. Thornton joked about his win being related to “a lot of hot air.
” He added that technique is key. He said he also played the trumpet as a youth and knows how to control his breath. He said his family doesn’t necessarily have a trophy room for these wins.
“We have them around. We have them in different places,” Thornton said..
