"cherry pit spitting" contest

      A new name has emerged in cherry pit spitting: Mr. Ron Matt, 46, of Chicago IL. Mr. Matt spat a solid 69 feet to win the coveted title of International Cherry Pit-Spitting Champion at Tree-Mendus Fruit Farm.   The last time an international champion hailed from outside the Krause and Lessard family dynasties was 1992 when Bob Ickes of Dowagiac, MI spat his way to pit spitting fame.

     Rick ‘Pellet Gun’ Krause, 58 of Tuba City, AZ and 15-time International champion, managed a close 2^nd at 61’ 2” and son, ‘The Amazing’ Matt Krause, 29 of Dimondale, MI, took third at 60’ 11”. World record holder Brian ‘Young Gun’ Krause, 34 of Dimondale, MI, took fifth (52’ 10”) behind Randy Luthringer , 44, of Niles (53’ 6”).

     In solemnity and respect, the Krause clan belted ‘Mr. Matt’ with the traditional World Champion belt. Rick “Pellet Gun” Krause, 15-time winner from Tuba City, AZ and son Brian “Young Gun” Krause, Dimondale, MI, have reigned over cherry pit spitting since the early 1980’s “Young Gun” Krause set the current world record in 2003 with a spit of 93’ 6-1/2”

     In the Women’s Division, Lisa Lynch of Cascade, CO, spat a cherry pit 39 feet 6 inches for the win.   Joshua Hester 5, of Coloma, MI won the Youth 5 & Under Division.  Chloe and Zach Bartz, 11 and 7, respectively, sister and brother of Niles, took top honors among the 9-12 and 6-8 year olds for the second year in a row.   The dignitary winner was Joe Lessard, Sr. of Blenheim Canada. Diana Bernstein, the 2011 Dignitary winner representing Israel, came in second. Other dignitary contestants included Berrien County Trial Court Judges Sterling Schrock and John Donahue, Eau Claire Mayor Dave Kurtz Mike Obrian,  Jose Maria Torres of Spain . Miss Pit Spit, the reigning Miss Eau Claire, Kate Nimtz and her court, Paige Coffeen and Victoria Vega. Judges Schrock and Donahue, and Mayor Kurtz served as Official Line, Time and Measurement Judges.

http://www.treemendus-fruit.com/album1_009.htm