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A new game formed by old traditions: Hutchinson Community College hosts second Corn Husking Tournament

Olivia Bergmeier
The Hutchinson News
James Love, a Hutchinson Community College agriculture student rips an ear of corn from its husk during the second HCC Cornhusking tournament at the HCC south campus near Yoder, on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021.

In 1934, Nebraska held a Corn Husking Festival where more than 30,000 people attended. This week, Hutchinson Community College held a corn husking tournament for students, faculty and community members to join in to see how many ears of corn they could husk by hand in two minutes. More than 14 students joined in the fun.

The Nebraska festival became the inspiration for the college's tournament, according to HCC agronomy instructor Kent McKinnis. 

Hutchinson Community College's tournament

"I've got it!" HCC student James Love cried out as he tore an ear of corn out of the husk while juggling four other ears in an attempt to throw them quickly into the counting box.

The agriculture department decided to bring back the old tournament to help students build community and teach others about agriculture. McKinnis and the HCC agriculture department worked with Central Prairie Co-op and the Reno County Farm Bureau Association to sponsor the tournament this year. The school held this the event in 2019.

 McKinnis planned this event to become a staple in the agricultural department every year.

"It's to get kids together, hanging out, having some hot dogs and hopefully learn a little about agriculture," McKinnis said.

Hutchinson Community College students Cody Wohlgemuth (left) and Dalton Carey (right) toss clean ears of corn during the HCC Corn Husking Tournament at HCC South Campus near Yoder on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021.

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How to competitively corn husk

The corn husking tournament had participants competing in teams of two and had seven teams of cornhuskers.

The teams moved down the rows of corn with a trailer, holding the counting box alongside them to stay close to the participants. Finally, the competitors ripped ears of corn off of their stems, removed all the husks and threw them into the crate. 

HCC students Dalton Carey and Cody Wohlgemuth, both from Hesston, won the corn husking tournament by cleaning 53 ears, with the second place winners only being a few ears behind.

Carey and Wohlgemuth utilized a team strategy with an alternating pattern of picking and cleaning ears of corn.

Hutchinson Community College student Ashlyn Robinson cleans an ear of corn so it can be properly counted during the second HCC Cornhusking Tournament at HCC South Campus near Yoder on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021.

"The first guy skipped a couple that way the second guy could pick them up and just try to pop them out as fast as he could," Carey said.

This year was the team's first-ever corn husking tournament, and according to Wohlgemuth, they enjoyed it.

"It's just [a] fun little competition, and I learned quite a bit," Wohlgemuth said. 

Ben Williams, the co-chair of the agricultural department at HCC, handed the top three teams a plaque and congratulated them afterward for their hustle during the tournament.

Hutchinson Community College department of agriculture co-chair Ben Williams (left) hands the winning plaques to the two student winners of the HCC Corn Husking Tournament Cody Wohlgemuth (center) and Dalton Carey (right) at HCC South Campus near Yoder on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021.

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The HCC agricultural department held the competition at their South Campus near Yoder by its student farm on Tuesday.

According to McKinnis, the agriculture department grows soybeans, corn, milo and other crops year-round with the farm machinery to match, including a combine, multiple tractors and a hauling truck for grains.