NAPPANEE, Indiana – The 99th Indiana State Corn Husking Contest was Oct. 4 at Reed Farms. The object was to harvest the most corn by hand after gleaning and husk deductions were calculated. Clean corn meant higher scores.

There were 84 Indiana participants with a total of 12 classes (ranging from ages 14 and under to 75 and over), along with a team class. Depending on the class, 10-20 minutes of corn husking took place. A handful of huskers have been competing for over 10 years, while there were also plenty of newcomers to the sport.

The contestants harvested the corn in their assigned row by throwing it into a wagon pulled by either a draft horse or vintage tractor. The wagon was followed by a gleaner, a volunteer who collected the missed corn into a burlap sack. Once the field judge called time, the contestants unloaded the corn into a bin where it was weighed and any deductions identified.

The gleaning deduction was determined by the weight of “marketable ears” (normal ear at least 3 inches in length with kernels around the entire cob) multiplied by 3. For husks, there was no deduction for up to 1 ounce. For 1.1-2 ounces, 1 percent of gross weight for each ¼ ounce, and over 2 ounces, 3 percent of gross weight for each ¼ oz.

Winners in each class and net result in pounds:

Youth boys 14 and under - Philip Schwartz, Nappanee - 49.83 

Young girls 14 and under - Callie Aggertt, Plymouth - 68

Boys 15-20 - Gage Richard, Rochester - 151.9

Girls 15-20 - Cora Burns, Macy - 82.09

Young men (21-49) - Lane Eckrote, Macy - 291.17

Young women (21-49) - Jennifer Edwards, Sullivan - 175.38

Men’s senior (50+) - Norman H. Miller, Topeka – 278

Women’s senior (50+) - Darlene Bender, Wolcottville - 163.68

Men’s golden agers (75+) - Wayne Rough, Walkerton - 90

Women’s golden agers (75+) - Phyliss Calloway, Macy - 57.29

Men’s open - Kevin Lambright, Hudson - 361.8

Women’s open - Judy Lambert, Akron - 142.9

Team - Brent Reed, LuAnn Ambriole and Robert Kuhns, Nappanee – 363

Reed Farms will also host the National Corn Husking Contest Oct. 17-18.  Day 1 features out-of-state huskers without a state contest of their own. Day 2 will feature qualifiers from all states.  The top three finishers from each Indiana class will be able to compete.

For more information, visit facebook.com/indianacornhusking.