The fiddlers have left the building for the third year of competition in the Whitewright Fiddle Fest. Contestants and audience members said that it truly gets better each year. The level of competition is amazing for a three-year-old contest. Fiddlers from Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Missouri, and Idaho competed for the Louis Franklin Championship.
Once again, the tireless work of Jason Andrew, Larry Franklin, Jean Tykoski and many volunteers made the day happen. Besides their hard work, the talent of Jason Andrew, Larry Franklin, and Julie Johnson made it sing! Many thanks also go to the corporate sponsors for their help.
There are artists of one kind or another everywhere in our lives and the Whitewright Fiddle Fest is rich with them! If you missed Saturdays show, make arrangements now to attend next year.
Everyone should see the Fiddle Fest.
The results of each division are as follows.
60+ years
1st Jim Chancellor Rockwall, TX - age 64
2nd E. J. Hopkins Porter, TX age 77
3rd Tom Fonville Flint, TX age 68
4th Boyd Long Wolfe City, TX 91
5th John Blevins Van, TX age 68
6th Buck Ragsdale Aubrey, TX age 79
0-15 years
1st Rebekah Enright Forth Worth, TX age 14
2nd Douglas Thompson Rose, OK age 14
3rd Maleika Nugent Burleson, TX age 13
4th Michael Thompson Rose, OK age 11
5th Faith Nugent Burleson, TX age 11
6th Emilie Catlett Allen, TX age 14
7th Matthew Stanley Olney, TX age 13
8th Karissa Nugent Burleson, TX age 10
9th Misty Cloud Van, TX age 14
10th MaKayla Gaby Emory, TX age 13
16-29 years
1st Bubba Hopkins Spauinaw, OK age 17
2nd Cody Marriott Oologah, OK age 18
3rd Jordan Franklin Burleson, TX age 19
4th Jason Andrew Whitewright, TX age 24
5th Lydia Elseth Nacogdoches, TX age 16
6th Clayton Bankston Burleson, TX age 18
30-59 years
1st Carl Hopkins Porter, TX age 47
2nd Roberta Rast Dallas, TX age 30
3rd Dale Morris, Jr. Watauga, TX - age 41
4th Tonya Hopkins Porter, TX age 38
5th Danita Rast Boise, ID age 36
6th Gordon Townsend Point Blank, TX age 53
Accompanist
1st Ray Franklin Marion, TX aage 74
2nd Royce Franklin Roanoke, TX age 77
3rd Anthony Mature New Waverly, TX age 40
4th Steve Williams Lampassas, TX age 56
5th Jerry Thomason Waxahachie, TX age 67
6th Rex Gillentine Graham, TX age 53
Our judges were: Valerie OBrien of Burleson, TX, Ricky Turpin of New Braunfels, TX, and Junior Marriot of Ava, MO.
The Louis Franklin Championship which is composed of the top two winners in each division, went to last years winner, Carl Hopkins!
Other winners were:
2nd Roberta Rast of Dallas, TX
3rd Bubba Hopkins of Spauinaw, OK
4th Jim Chancellor of Rockwall, TX
5th Cody Marriott of Oologah, OK
6th Rebekah Enright of Ft. Worth, TX
7th Douglas Thompson of Rose, OK
8th E. J. Hopkins of Porter, TX
See you next year!