2009 AKC Carolina Youth Challenge!
12/7/2009 10:16:47 AM
by Steve Fielder
Hallsboro, NC - WOW! That's the only word that seems appropriate to describe the 2009 AKC Carolina Youth Challenge. The Coastal Coonhunters Association – Shallotte, NC, Columbus County Coonhunters Association – Delco, NC, and the Twin State Coonhunters Association – Clarendon, NC knocked out all the stops once again to produce a "world class" and I do mean world class Youth event on Saturday at the Old Hwy 74 Foxpen in Hallsboro.
I was there from about noon to 3 AM and I can remember hearing Jamie Stone, the Hunt Director shown in photo at left saying, "Okay, line up!" all day long and into the wee hours as kids lined up to get tickets for yet another prize give away session. A total of 100 entries participated in the Treeing Contest, Coon Squalling Contest, AKC Bench Show, and the AKC Nite Hunt yesterday.
Photos have been posted to the Winner's Photos section on the homepage under "Carolina Youth Challenge" and "Carolina Youth Challenge - Candid Photos." Just click on the dropdown box to find these links. You may enlarge the photos by clicking on them.
A big "Thank you and Job Well Done" goes to all the fellows and gals of the coastal Carolina region for conducting such an awesome event for the kids again this year. For fear of forgetting someone I won't try to name everyone but I'll get a list of the people that are responsible for this amazing event and will post my personal thanks to them as soon as possible.
I can only add that the clubs of North and South Carolina should plan next year to load up buses, cars, trucks or trains and get the coon hunting kids in your clubs and in your families to this event. It's just not fair for any kid to miss this much fun!
Kids from the Sampson County Coonhunters Association of Clinton, NC made a big splash at the 2009 AKC Carolina Youth Challenge taking high honors in the both Nite Hunt and Bench Show competition. Shown in the photo above are Josh Taylor of Warsaw, NC, left, with Taylor’s Turkey Swamp Gunner, the high-scoring cast winner in the Nite Hunt and High-scoring English, Taylor Edwards, center who handled the Bluetick female at right, Sandy Creek Sam’s Midnight Rose to Overall Best in Show, and Samantha Edwards, right, who handled Rose to High-Scoring Bluetick honors in the Nite Hunt. Way to go, Sampson County kids!
In order to get an idea of the magnitude of this youth event, take a look at the great trophies and prizes in the photos. Each kid placing in the Top 20 in the Nite Hunt took home a Garmin E-Trex personal GPS unit purchased by the sponsoring clubs! Now that's awesome!
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