The 2008 Mower County Fair hay bale toss contest was held Saturday on the fairgrounds in southwest Austin.

The Hay Bale Toss was produced by the Southeastern Minnesota Forage Council and sponsored by the Midwest Forage Association.

Contestants threw three, 10-pound hay bales (5 pounds for those 12 and under) down a 20-by-50-foot alley on the tractor pull track.

The longest throw was recorded by each contestant.

“Some contestants had baled hay for years, some moved hay to feed their horses and some had never touched a bale of hay before,” observed the contest organizer, Gayland Jones.

Jim, Marybeth, Chris and Ally Goshorn, all from Chicago, spent their fourth year at the hay bale toss.

“This was the first year and the first time Marybeth had ever thrown a hay bale,” Jones said. “She and her son, Chris, won the Mother/Son competition. Marybeth and her daughter, Ally, won the Mother/Daughter competition.

Marybeth’s best throw of 25 feet, 1 inch bested Chris’s best by 1’6” and Ally’s best by 4 inches.

“Marybeth is still in charge in that family,” Jones joked.

”This year we had our first competitor from California,” Jones said. “Cameron Graeff traveled a long way.”

The results are as follows:

Senior Men

First, Denny Jax; second, Darin Nelson; and third, Ken Miland.

Miland was also third last year.

Older Boys

First, Randy Klouse; second, Christian Ertel; third, Chris Houghtelin.

Younger Boys

First, Levi Anderson, (second last year); second, Tyler Trihus; and third, Isaac Miller.

Senior Women

Jodie Baldner

Junior Women

Jessica Baldner

Older Girls

First, Taylor Miland, (Taylor won this division last year, this year she was out-thrown and won with a rethrow); second, McKinzie Smith; third, Andrea Hiscocks.

Younger Girls

First, Alexis Anderson; second, Dani Jax; third, Sarah Springer

Father-Son

First, Rick and Jonah Smith; and second, Dan and Isaac Miller.

Father-Daughter

First, Rick and McKinzie Smith; second, Darin and Tabitha Nelson; third, Doug and Dani Jax

Mother-Son

Marybeth and Chris Goshorn

Mother-Daughter

Marybeth and Ally Goshorn.

First- through eighth-place finishers received ribbons from the Mower County Fair Board. First place winners each received a ticket to Deer Creek Speedway. Everyone also picked out a hat, gloves, night light, drinking cup, rain gauge, ice cream spoon or cup cozy.

“These are great prizes and the sponsors are to be commended for their support,” Jones said.

Anyone who needs information or help getting a group to produce a hay bale toss, call Gayland Jones at (507) 754-5088.