Melonfest showdown looms this weekend

The Politically Correct watermelon eating contest champion for the last five years, Hope Vice Mayor David Johnson, will be back to Hope Watermelon Festival this year, as will other festival champions.

 “You betcha I am going to stay in the race. I am going to try to eat two to their one,” Johnson said.
Johnson is the reigning Politically Correct Watermelon Eating Champion, and has held the title since 2004.

“I am looking at my babies standing right here. They are my guardian angels,” Johnson said referring to his trophies from the past.
Stiff competitor of Johnson, Sheriff Jerry Crane said he will also be back for the competition.
“I think I will try to win this year. DJ, watch out,” Crane said.
 State Representative David “ Bubba” Powers is another yearly competitor.
“None of us stand a chance, but we will be there and give it the old college try. We’re just going to enter because we are all good sports, but we concede the trophy-that is just the fact of the matter,” Powers said.

And a good sport Powers remains.
“If anybody wins other than the vice mayor, then it will be a bigger upset than Tom Watson winning the British open,” Powers said.
Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniels also comes around for the beating, according to Johnson.
“I am looking forward to coming back this year. I am bringing several family members for support even though there is no way I can beat D.J. Johnson,” McDaniels said.
Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe is also a regular, along with Congressman Mike Ross. Beebe’s office confirmed Beebe will attend the event.
State Senator Larry Teague, D-Nashville, will be back, but kind of shares the long-shot-for-a-win attitude.

“I am not going to beat David Johnson, but I am going to give it my best try and at the very least I will eat some good watermelon in the process,” Teague said.
Teague and others are still shocked by the power behind the man.
“I am not sure how he does it. I am on the third bite and he is finished,” Teague said.
Sheriff Crane said he thinks he may have won one year, if he hadn’t made the mistake of looking up to see where Johnson was in the process of his devouring of the melon.
 Also a four time winner 11-year old Sabrina Bear, of Bodcaw, said she will be back for both the seed spitting and the watermelon eating contest.

Bear’s mother, Edith, said she’s been busy cleaning up watermelon seeds this summer from all over her kitchen floor where Sabrina and her brothers were practicing seed spitting.
“I think I will win the watermelon eating contest, but I am not sure about the seed spitting,” Bear said recently.

Bear was watermelon eating champion in 2005. She was first place in watermelon eating in her division in 2006, champion again in 2007, and Watermelon Champion and first place in seed spitting last year.
The bright-red haired little girl made friends also with the older melon champ in the watermelon competitions.
“He is my best friend,” Bear said about D.J. Johnson.

When asked if she could win a competition with Johnson, she replied, “I might win. It is a possible chance. As long as I get a smaller piece than him, I am probably going to win.”
Also, the Rowe family will be back, according to mom, Shannon Rowe. Emily Rowe won the Watermelon Festival Seed Spitting championship title at age seven. This year she will compete in the 12 year old category. The Rowes enter in competitions at the festival all day beginning with the Melon Mile. Emily Rowe was featured in 2007 on the Food Network with host Bob Blumer.

Rowe did not win last year, but the talent remains in the family because her little brother, Dolsen Rowe, came home with the overall champion seed spitter trophy last year, also at age seven.
Rowe’s response when asked if he plans to win this year was, “Oh yeah. I beat the grown ups.”
The two champs also have a younger brother, Carson, who also competes, according to Mrs. Rowe.