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Show Fiddlers' Contest Draws Top Musicians to Celebration Panguitch Gem Theater manager Wayne Kinnie's dream of a "fiddler's" "fid-dler's" contest in the Panguitch area became reality during the annual July 24 celebration. Stage West, a campground complex two miles north of Panguitch, became the site for a new commercial enterprise that is expected to grow during the coming years. The Stage West Fiddler's Association, a new name, played host to over 30 fiddlers and approximately ap-proximately 500 spectators many of whom were repeats said Marianna Elings one of the owners of Stage West. A family oriented event, sponsors stipulated no drugs or alcohol during the festivities. Principals in the organization that brought this first-of-a-kind event to the Panguitch area are Kinnie, Gail and Marianna Elings, Barbara Corless, owner of the Sands Motel, Joan Jenkins owner of the Flying M Restaurant, and Frank Houston owner of SUE's Bestway Market. The event had not only the blessings of but the presence of Wes Nivens, Truth or Consequences, N.M., who is the president of the National Old Time Fiddlers Association. Nivens said, "I'm coming back next year and we'll have this event three times its present size." The contestants in the contest not only played in jam sessions, they also visited places in Panguitch and played for the people there. They visited Bryce Canyon National Park and jammed at the visitors center. The group even put together a float and entered the Thursday, July 24 parade in Panguitch. In the senior division, which included in-cluded both men and women, Bob Shields of Colorado was the $150 winner, while Paul Henderson, Nevada took home second place money worth $125. A husband and wife team from St. George took home third and fourth place money. He $100, she $75. The contest also featured prizes in the accompanist, flat-top or guitar class, and mandolin. The accompanist ac-companist division saw the winner Paul Henderson winning $150, with Tim Shilts pocketing second place money of $125. Michelle Kuhlman won third place for $100; Bob Shields picked up $75 fourth place, Doug Rich, Provo earned $50 for a fifth place win and Sean Shilts won sixth place and $25. (See FIDDLERS Page 4) Fiddlers In the flat-top or guitar category Tim Shilts won first place and $100. Paul Henderson won second place and $80. Bob Shields took third place for $60. Ralph Loper of St. George won fourth in this division while Floyd Myers of Richfield won fifth place and $20. In the mandolin play-offs, Paul Henderson won $100 for first place, Sean Shilts of Idaho won $80. Jeanine Orme, Colorado won $60 for third, John Lindstrom, California won $40 for fourth while the fifth place winner Viola Loper, St. George won $20. The three judges were John Burdick of " Panguitch," Chuck Waters, Arizona, and Reaford Shirley, California. Master of ceremonies was Nivens, the president of the N.O.T.F.A. Thursday was spent in registration and sight seeing. Friday began the first rounds of the contest with the second rounds, judging and awarding of prizes coming on Saturday evening. The fiddlers stayed over Saturday night so that they would be available for a free gospel-singing session on Sunday. Elings said that Saturday night after the fiddlers ate dinner, someone asked them for one more song. The fiddlers not only obliged said Elings, but, "they stayed up, played, and we had a nice little impromptu dance session." "When the project faltered for a while 1 several months ago," said Corliss, "I knew that it would be a good thing to have in this area, so I began to use my contacts and we brought the whole to a successful conclusion." The contest brought contestants from California, Oregon, Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico. Among the spectators were people from Australia, New York, Florida and other parts of the U.S. Corliss said that during the balance of the year she will visit similar outings like this in Payson, Green River, and in Death Valley. She said that a little public relations work will help the cause and she said that, "it will be a good idea to get some ideas from what other folks have done." The principals in discussing the four-day event were strong with praise for the "fiddlin folk" who were friendly, kind, and happy to be in the area and who seemed to be ready for any healthy pursuit. Nevins for his part was high in praises for this first-time endeavor. The contest the first of what is planned to be an annual event featured nine divisions for judging. The first was the Pee-Wee division, ages zero to nine years of age. The second division was junion-junior, ages 10 to 14. This was followed by a junior division, ages 15 to 19. There was a senior class, ages 60 and over with a ladies and mens class, 20 to 60. ;n'uixMr in J' Pee-Wee winners were sisters Joanna and Melinda Rich from Provo who won prizes of $50 and $40 respectively. In the junior-junior class, Vanessa Rich of Provo won first place money of $100 while Charlotte Whiting of Clearfield won $80. In the junior division, Michelle Kuhlman, Colorado, won $150. In the same division Sean Shilts of Idaho won $125. The ladies division had three winners in Jeanine Orme, Salt Lake City a $150 winner, Elyse Benson, Oregon, a $125 winner and Jeanna Kuhlman of Colorado won $100. In the mens division, Hugh Burdick Bur-dick of Glenwood, Utah won first place money of $150. He was followed by John Lindstrom, California, a $125 winner. Tim Shilts of Idaho was a $100 winner in the third place slot and Larry Hauser of Colorado took home $75. |
