Granville County team tops in stringing contest

The Granville County Loopers defended their title in the State Fair Tobacco Stringing Contest. For the second year in a row, David and Joy Lee Blackwell and Ruth Coats took home first place, $250 in prize money and individual plaques and ribbons.

The second-place team was the Dudley Loopers, made up of Fred and Violet Wise and Karen Spence, all of Dudley. They took home $150.

Third-place winners were the Jackson Trio with Janet and Terry Jackson and Curtis Alford, all of Zebulon. The team won first place in 2011, and this year took home $100 in prize money.

Sixteen teams competed in the seventh annual contest, which judged speed and quality of tobacco stringing. Each team consisted of three individuals – one stringer and two handers. Winners from the contest ranged in age from 14 to 94.

The contest was sponsored by the John Deere Ice Cream Boys, and was held in remembrance of Nannie Lou Carroll, who was a staple at the annual competition and passed away in 2013.