41-year old Melvin Oldaker successfully defending his title in this month’s World Championship Buffalo Chip Throw, part of the 47th annual Fur Trade Days celebration
Oldaker, a graduate of Sioux County High School and Chadron State College, won both the men’s 18 and Over division and the overall crown by tossing a piece of dried buffalo dung 139-1.
That’s 17-feet shorter than his winning toss a year, which followed back-to-back runner-up finishes.
Oldaker’s winning throw was also well short of the individual record of 186-7 set in 2000 by Gary Lackey of Detroit Lakes, Minn.
The all-time record is 204-feet by Chadron State College track All-American Kail Bowman in 1990 during a since-discontinued team event.
Jake Herblan was 2nd behind Oldaker in both the overall and age categories. The other male winners were Jayce Hoffman 13-17 at 119-0 and:Jett Herblan 7-12 at 80’5”
Winning the women’s overall and 18-and-over titles was Jadyn McCartney with a throw of 78-7.
Female age 13-17 honors went to Harper Watson at 74-feet even and 7-12 champ Kaige Bedrick edged Brynn Brooks by 13” at 58-8. Owen Willy’s toss of 45-feet was the longest in the boys and girls 6-and-under category.
This year’s Buffalo Chip Throw attracted 113 competitors, 20 more than last year. The biggest age group was boys 7-12 boys with 32, followed by 6-and-under with 20.
There were 18 girls 7-12 years old, 15 women and 15 men 18-and-up, 11 teenage boys 13-17, and 3 girls in that age group.
The 2023 Chadron Rotary Club’s World Championship Buffalo Chip Toss
6 year-old & under (male & female)
1st: Owen Willy – 45’0”
2nd: Weston Oldaker – 31’8”
3rd: Knox Smith – 29’8” _________________________________
Female, age 7-12
1st: Kaige Bredrick – 58’ 8”
2nd: Brynn Brooks – 57’ 7”
3rd: Myles Ann kvistad – 49’ 5” ____________________________________ _
Male, age 7-12
1st:Jett Herblan – 80’5”
2nd: Brycen Landen – 79’2”
3rd: Huston Nitsch – 71’2” ____________________________________
Female, age 13-17
1st: Harper Watson – 74’ 0”
2nd: Kayden Kvistad – 49’ 7”
3rd: Sara carrick – 26’ 1” ____________________________________
Male, age 13-17
1st: Jayce Hoffman – 119’ 0”
2nd: Jaron Gren – 103’ 0”
3rd: Locke Pfannebecker – 88’ 7” ____________________
Female, age 18 and Over
1st: Jadyn McCartney – 78’7”
2nd: Kinsey Smith – 73’1”
3rd: Lisa Kvistad – 70’1” ____________________________________
Male age 18 and Over
1st: Melvin Oldaker – 139’ 1”
2nd: Jake Herblan – 129’ 0”
3rd: 102’ 0” _________________________
Total participants: 113
6 & under: 20
F 7-12: 18
M 7-12: 32
F 13-17: 3
M 13-17: 11
F 18+: 15
M 18+: 15