Young Glory III Going For The World Record

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Farm Fling 2015 poster, punkin chunkin 2015, delaware, sussex county,WCPCA,
Farm Fling 2015 poster

Last year was the first Farm Fling, and a few weeks ago the second annual was held near Milton, Delaware.  A local revival of the days of old of chunking pumpkins.  Today I was at that farm in Milton watching Jake Burton, Adam Legg, and Scott Riniker put all the barrels on Young Glory III.  This weekend is the Farm Fling Encore, a private event that will be an opportunity for Jake Burton to shoot for the world record for the air cannon division.  I have been to chunks, but being up close and personal with these machines is a real treat.  Being able to help put one together was an honor.  I asked Jake what he was looking forward to most this weekend, and he said … “I just want to chunk pumpkins”  His smile said more than that, and he looked like a kid in a candy store putting all the barrels on Young Glory III.  Chuck Burton and Dean Coverdale were out collecting pumpkins for this weekend’s event.  Huge thanks to Rick Dickerson for letting Chuck and Dean pick up pumpkins today at the farm.  Chuck Burton will have JD Lazarous there this weekend chunkin or in this case flinging.  It seems very fitting that this event happens on the same weekend that Punkin Chunkin was scheduled in Dover.  So what is the big deal about this particular world record? I asked Frank Payton to tell me about it this afternoon.

 

Young Glory III, punkin chunkin, air cannon, delaware, sussex county,
Young Glory III ready for Sunday

Legends are made in Sussex County, especially when it comes to the sport of Punkin Chunkin. Even with the cancellation of the 2015 event in Dover we have the potential of a Cinderella story in the making on the back roads of Delaware.

Here is the back story, to better understand. Earlier in the year, knowing that Dover was not large enough to maintain their legacy of crowning the World Punkin Chunkin Champion based on the longest overall chunk on the same playing field, the organizers started thinking outside the box. In order to be the association that will continue to determine the champion, they voted on a one time, this year only, variation to the rules. Those chunkers that are able to find locations to chunk pumpkins should get a certified surveyor, have other captains on competing teams attend to make sure that the rules of the WCPCA were adhered to, and shoot 3 official shots that would be recognized by the association. With a close vote, it was approved by the membership and the competition was underway with or without the event in Dover.

punkin chunkin,delaware, sussex county, young glory III,  air cannon.WCPCA
Young Glory III all barrels hooked up

For some of these machines, trying to find a piece of land that is 5,280 feet in length could be a challenge. Luckily, the WCPCA has been working with promoters around the country and there exists licensed Punkin Chunkin events. The (3) main events this year were held in Colorado, Pennsylvania & New Hampshire. The events have already taken place and distance shots have been submitted to be recorded in the 2015 championship.

As of this report, American Chunker, the air cannon from New Hampshire and world record holder is in the lead with an impressive shot of 4,536.57 feet at Extreme Chunkin in Loudon, NH on October 25th. They have had the trophy that is given to the overall champion of the event since 2013 with their world record shot of 4,694.68 feet. Locals have been wanting to see the trophy return to its roots with a local contender doing what comes so natural to the culture that started this event. Big Ten Inch, a potential contender went to Aurora, CO this year and it was feared that they would be the 1st team to succeed at reaching the coveted goal of shooting a pumpkin a mile. With a shot of 4,440.5 feet, they didn’t set the bar for the winning shot in their category. If they did, their winning shot would have been the target of speculation. As many die hard chunkers will tell you that higher altitudes have lighter air that allows for pumpkins to travel farther.  So with equations as impossible to figure out as (x+a)^n=∑_(k=0)^n▒〖(n¦k) x^k a^(n-k) 〗. The one variable that is not able to be equated is that this is Punkin Chunkin and things happen in this sport that can’t be explained.

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jake burton, young glory III, punkin chunkin, farm fling, sussex county, delaware,
Jake Burton, team leader for Young Glory III

Now to the story that will either end as “Live to Chunk Another Day” or “They Did it Again!”. The rules for 2015 is that the chunkers have to notify the Board when they will shoot and meet all the requirements set forth for a 2015 chunk. There are still (2) more competitors that have not done their competition shots that can dethrone the current champion. These teams are Young Glory III, captained by Jake Burton and previous World Record holder. The other team is Hormone Blaster, captained by Dawn Thompson, the 1st woman World Champion and wife of a founder the sport, BroadDog Thompson. The last time that Young Glory shot in 2013, he was faced with having to beat American Chunker’s world record shot or loose the trophy to the fierce competitor. Pressurizing his tank to near capacity, which he had not done before, he pulled the trigger and the shear power of this machine caused a section of his barrel to implode and be ejected from the machine. With a part of his machine leaving the firing line, the shot is disqualified. The trophy left the state in 2013 and hasn’t set back on our soil since.

farm fling, punkin chunkin 2015, delaware, sussex county, Milton,  young glory III, air cannon division
Looking down the 80 foot barrel of Young Glory III

So, on an undisclosed farm on the back rounds of Delaware, Jake is preparing to attempt to bring the trophy back to its roots and to let everyone know that “Punkins just Fly better in Sussex County Skies”.

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We will be there this weekend, and the event will be updated on the Farm Fling Facebook page, and the Save The Chunk (#savethechunk) Facebook page.  I am looking forward to seeing this attempt at a world record shot.  It will be an exciting time regardless, it is always a blast to hang out with the chunkers at an event that goes back to the roots of it all.  Thanks to Farm Fling … Punkins will always fly in Sussex county skies.

Chunk On!!

Rich King

 

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