RALEIGH – The Maple Hill Loopers continued their winning streak in the N.C. State Fair’s Tobacco Stringing Contest Friday, Oct. 13, notching the team’s 9th win. The team is made up of husband and wife Sandy and Ken Jones of Maple Hill and Michael Sunday of Hendersonville.
Sandy Jones looped the stick of tobacco in 1.01 seconds and earned 66 out of 70 points for quality. The team took home $250 in prize money.
The Barbour Stringers from Benson made up of stringer Debbie Barbour and handers Dean Barbour and Jeanette Barbour all of Benson won second place and $150. Debbie Barbour posted a stringing time of 1.13 and a 67 for stick quality.
The Granville County Loopers made up of Joy Lee Blackwell of Oxford, 94-year old Ruth Coats of Garner and Bill Ramsey took third-place honors and $150. Blackwell looped the stick of tobacco in 1.15 seconds and earned 65 quality points.
Judging was based on a combination of stringing time and stick quality, including bundle size, evenness of leaf heads, 36 to 38 bundles on a stick, tightness, evenness, neatness and holding ability. All three teams were close in quality points and the winner was determined by time.
The finished sticks of tobacco from the competition, plus others tied Friday afternoon, went into the tobacco barn to be flue-cured during the fair. Cured tobacco will be part of the mock tobacco auction at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, in the Tobacco Pavilion.
The contest is sponsored by the John Deere Ice Cream Boys located in Heritage Circle.
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