Source: NCDA&CS, 10/13/17

The defending champion Looping Fools of Maple Hill returned to the winner’s circle of the N.C. State Fair Tobacco Stringing Contest Friday, notching the team’s fifth title. Team members Sandy and Ken Jones of Maple Hill and Michael Sunday of Holly Ridge took home $250, a blue ribbon and a plaque. Sandy Jones looped the stick of tobacco in 51.67 seconds.

The second-place team was the Golden Girls with Benson residents Nancy Stewart and Susie Allen, and Peggy Norris of Dunn.

They took home $150, a ribbon and a plaque. Stewart looped the stick in 59.58 seconds.

The third-place team was the Brown Stringers of June Bodenhamer of Rural Hall, Faye Macemore of Hamptonville and Debbie Grocer of Ronda. They took home $100, a ribbon and a plaque. Bodenhamer’s stringing time was 1:01.38.

Judging was based on a combination of stringing time and stick quality, including bundle size, evenness of leaf heads, 36-38 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.