duck callers, Anderson became the first caller with a Minnesota ad- dress to win
the duck-calling ... “I was the dark horse, for sure, in that I don't work for a duck- ...
Chambertalk WORLD DUCK CALLING -- Mike Anderson (left photo) reacts after learning he won the 74th annual World's Championship Duck Calling Contest in Stuttgart, Arkansas. His wife, Jill, (center) gives him a victory hug as wellwisher cheer. Queen Mallard Leah Conrad (right) presents Mike Anderson of Mankato, Minnesota, with his trophy.
Minnesota man wins World's Championship Duck Calling Contest CHRIS NISKANEN St. Paul Pioneer Press X Mike Anderson grew up in Brainerd, Minn., and fell in love with duck calling. He practiced up to six hours a day for years and got pretty good at it. Anderson, 29, now lives in Mankato, 886 miles from Stuttgart, Ark., where the 74th annual World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest was held Saturday and broadcast live on ESPN Outdoors. Stuttgart is to duck calling what Augusta, Ga., is to golf — hallowed ground. And the boys in Arkansas take their duck calling seriously. But the kid with a Scandinavian name whupped them all. In beating 67 of the world’s best duck callers, Anderson became the
first caller with a Minnesota address to win the duck-calling championship. Elk River native Tim Gesch won in 1991 but was living in Wisconsin at the time. “I was the dark horse, for sure, in that I don’t work for a duck-calling company and don’t live in the South,” said Anderson, who got choked up Tuesday recalling his victory. “I’m still getting goose bumps talking about it.” Despite the popularity of duck hunting in Minnesota, competitive duck calling has shallow roots here. The first Minnesota state championship was held in the early 1970s, whereas the world championship in Stuttgart was first held in 1936. Stuttgart’s population of 9,700 triples in size during the champion-
SANTA VISIT — Bliss Eldridge, Angela Reinhart and Adelyn Carter visited with Santa and Mrs. Claus before the start of the 53rd annual Stuttgart Christmas Parade sponsored by the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce.
ship weekend, which coincides with the town’s Duck Festival. “Duck calling and hunting is a pastime in Minnesota, but it’s religion in the South,” said John Molkenbur, a founder of the Minnesota Duck and Goose Callers Association. “What Mike did is pretty rare.” Callers are judged on their mastery of various sounds during a 90second routine, which simulates a hunter calling to a flock of ducks (the “hail” call), getting them to land (the “lay down call”) and coaxing them to return when they flare (the “comeback” call). The final call in the routine is the “lonesome” hen, the soft quack of a contented duck. Anderson qualified by winning a regional championship in Illinois,
but he discovered last winter that his favorite competition call wasn’t working properly. He contacted the Rich-N-Tone company, whose calls he uses, and made an unannounced trip to the company headquarters in Stuttgart. There, he met the famously cantankerous company founder, Butch Richenback, 63, who agreed to make the Yankee caller from Mankato a new insert, a critical part that holds the call’s reed inside the tube. “It seems I might intimidate folks,” Richenback said Tuesday in a thick Southern drawl, “and I have to be in the right mood to do something like that. But he needed a call and talked me into it. “Where you put your tongue,
GRINCH AT PARADE — The Grinch could be spotted in the Stuttgart Christmas Parade on the Prairie Implement float. The parade included 16 floats and more than 50 separate entries.
BUSINESS EXCELLENCE — Henry Newby, chairman of the Business Committee of the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce, presents the Business Excellence Award to Bobby and Patti Wilkerson of Wilkerson Jewelers for their contributions to Stuttgart. Wilkerson Jewelers recently opened a new addition to their store downtown, as well as making a number of remodeling changes to the outside of their business.
that’s the part I cut. I used a saw and a file. I’ve probably done only five or six of them in the last 10 years. And two of them have won world championships.” Anderson arrived in Stuttgart several days before the contest and realized the call still wasn’t right. Richenback took pity on him again and fixed the call. “I’d take a bullet for that man,” Anderson said of Richenback. It was Anderson’s fourth trip to the championship, and this time was different. He never had made it past the second round, but soon he stood on the stage with one other finalist, Tyler Merritt of El Paso, Ark. When Merritt was named first runner-up, a mob of friends and family swarmed Anderson.
MISS ARKANSAS — Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce President Tammy Bracewell welcomes Miss Arkansas Sarah Slocum to Stuttgart during a reception at BancorpSouth.
MISS ARKANSAS — A reception was held recently for Miss Arkansas Sarah Slocum, who lived in Stuttgart as a child. The reception was sponsored by the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce and hosted by BancorpSouth. Pictured with Miss Arkansas are (from left) Brandy Crawford, Sydney Crawford, Hannah Hol. Miss Arkansas was in town for the Queen Mallard and Junior Queen Mallard pageants, which are part of the Wings Over the Prairie Festival.
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Chambertalk
Ceremony held to re-light Riceland Hotel sign X A ceremony was held recently to re-light the old Riceland Hotel neon sign. “We hope this is the start of something really exciting for the Riceland Hotel,” said Marty Simpson, a member of the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce who initiated the renovation of the sign. “We’re still looking for a major investor, but we believe the new sign will help attract attention to the plight of the hotel,” he said. Simpson said a number of people have helped with the project so far, including current owner of the hotel Patricia Rogers Ward. “When I first approached her with the idea of re-lighting the sign, she was very supportive and has been behind the project from day one,” Simpson said.
LIGHTING CEREMONY -- Queen Mallard Leah Conrad flips the switch to re-light the Riceland Hotel sign after 53 years of darkness.
RICELAND HOTEL -- The neon sign at the old Riceland Hotel flickers back to life thanks to the restoration work of Arkansas Sign & Neon Company of Little Rock and the group of local volunteers.
BUSINESS AFTER HOURS -- Farmers & Merchants Bank hosted a "Business After Hours" for the Business Communications students from Phillips Community College. Students included (from left) LeeAnne Jones, Sandra Austin, Mallory Cox and Kirsten Pratt. The event was sponsored by the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce.
BUSINESS AFTER HOURS -- Farmers & Merchants Bank hosted a "Business After Hours" for the Business Communications students from Phillips Community College. Students included (from left) Alisa Beleford, Chasity Stinnett, Lorie Wallace and PCCUA Business Instructor Nan Nelson.
Local Economy City sales tax revenues Current Year
WILKERSON JEWELERS — Bob Koch, president of BancorpSouth visits with Patti Wilkerson during the grand opening of the new addition of Wilkerson Jewelers in downtown Stuttgart.
WILKERSON EVENT — New display cases and a new showroom were featured at the grand opening of the new addition of Wilkerson Jewelers owned by Patti and Bobby Wilkerson.
WILKERSON OPENING — Henry Newby of HLN Services visits with Jim McGee of Wilkerson Jewelers during the grand opening of the new addition at Wilkerson Jewelers in downtown Stuttgart.
WILKERSON CUSTOMERS — Among those attending the Grand Opening of the Wilkerson Jewelers new addition were (from left) Sherry Fischer, Stephanie Gosa, Judy Juola and Mary Seidenschwarz
Previous Year
October
302,131
379,443
September
279,052
342,096
August
309,156
336,237
July
329,212
336,798
June
262,002
313,469
May
321,941
294,724
April
329,913
319,874
March
370,409
342,847
February
458,678
370,315
January
375,736
339,765
December
354,536
284,141
Thank You! To everyone who volunteered or attended an event at the 74th annual World's Championship Duck Calling Contest & Wings Over the Prairie Festival Thank You from the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce Staff and Board of Directors
