Photo submitted

For the third year in a row, Stephan Richardson's focus, talent and practice paid off when he won the Gobbling Division at the Wild Turkey Bourbon/NWTF Grand National Turkey Calling Championships in Nashville, Tenn.

The competitions took place during the National Turkey Federation 34th annual National Convention and Sport Show, held Feb. 18 to Feb. 21, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center.

"I was overwhelmed with joy and relief," said Richardson. "I started gobbling with a tube call as a tool to hunt turkeys and eventually started competing using a mouth diaphragm, and it's worked out."

Every February, callers from all over the nation flock to the NWTF's National Convention and Sport Show to compete in the championships. This year's convention, sponsored by MidwayUSA, had more than $25,000 in cash and prizes going to the top callers in nine divisions. Seats filled up with onlookers anxious to see and hear the terrific turkey talkers.

In the Gobbling Division callers are asked to perform a series of calls that imitate a male wild turkey or gobbler. Callers use the gobble and "spit and drum" calls of a gobbler and sometimes incorporate crow calls, owl calls and more into their routines. A panel of seven expert judges score each call and the slightest mistake can virtually eliminate a caller from contention.

 
 Photo Submitted                          2009 St. Paddy's Day Parade

The 17th Annual Eureka Springs St Paddy’s Day Parade will wind its way through historic downtown March 13 at 2 p.m., led by a chief of police and a high school beauty. Eureka Springs Chief of Police Earl Hyatt is this year’s Grand Marshal, and ESHS student Elizabeth Crawley Wood will serve as the 2010 Colleen.

The parade is headed by the “Krewe of Blarney Halfast Walkin’ Klub,” a group of professionals, business people and political officials, who will be sporting tuxedos and Flower Canes in the St. Paddy’s Parade. A colorful mix of floats, decorated automobiles, bands and walking groups is expected. In addition, says organizer Dan Ellis, “anyone wearing green is welcome to join in!”