The Benson Nites team returned to the winner’s circle in the N.C. State Fair’s Tobacco Stringing Contest Friday, Oct. 17. The team, made up of Nancy Stewart, Susie Allen and Debbie Barbour, all of Benson, posted the fastest time and the highest points in the judging of the stick of tobacco.
Stewart looped the stick of tobacco in 1:03.47 and earned 68 out of 70 points for quality. The Benson Nites took home $250 in prize money.
Defending champions, the Maple Hill Loopers made up of the husband-and-wife duo of Sandy and Ken Jones of Mapel Hill and son-in-law Michael Sunday of Hendersonville, took home second place honors and $200. Sandy Jones turned in a 1:05.02 time and earned a score of 65.
Allen and Debbie Barbour were also part of the third-place team, providing an assist as a hander for the JoCo Stringers that included Jeanette Barbour. Debbie Barbour posted a time of 1:10.59 and a score of 67 out of 70. The team took home $150 in prize money.
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, neatness and holding ability.
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. 23, in the Tobacco Pavilion.
The contest is sponsored by the John Deere Ice Cream Boys located in Heritage Circle.
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