News Release North Platte Visitors Bureau
The first annual National Avocado Launching Championship came to a close Sept. 10 after a day filled with comradery, competition, and of course, flying avocados.
This inaugural event, at the Wild West Arena in North Platte, consisted of a Friday night event for the contestants. They were given the opportunity to test out their launching mechanisms one last time and get a feel for where the competition would be taking place. Big Dan and the Jelly Stingers played live music, dinner was served by Bunkhouse Creations & Dusti Rhoads by M Bar M, the beer garden was open, and the competition was fired up! After four hours of test launches the evening ended and the anticipation of Saturday morning was high.
Then National Avocado Launching Championship began at 8:00am on Saturday with a single elimination bracket consisting of 26 teams. The launching mechanisms ranged from trebuchets to water balloon launchers, spring-loaded devices to mounted crossbow-like contraptions, and more. The dedication and creativity the teams brought to the competition was incredible. After hours of competition, avocado mascot races, and many trips to the concessions provided by St. Pat’s Skills USA, as well as to the bar hosted by NEBRASKAland Days, the first ever National Avocado Launching champion was declared!
EPI-Cally Alergic of North Platte came in first place. Team captain Ricki Reason and her teammates were awarded $5,000 and ultimate glory. The runner up was Holiday Inn Express Chadron of Chadron. Team captain Rita Hairston and her teammates were the proud winners of $4,000. Third place was Benny and the Pits of North Platte. Team captain Renee Layoun and her teammates were awarded $2,400. Fourth place went to Spicy Tuna “Athletics” of Lincoln. Team captain Griffin Gale and his teammate took home $1,200.
Visit North Platte wants to thank all the competitors, volunteers, spectators, sponsors, and everyone else who played a part in making the first ever National Avocado Launching Championship not only successful, but incredibly fun!
Follow Visit North Platte and National Avocado Launching Championship on Facebook for upcoming information regarding the second annual National Avocado Launching Championship, coming to North Platte in 2023