Pumpkins fly at 2nd annual NJ Hurl

Oct, 06-2009 5:13 pm

By STEVE PRISAMENT
Staff Writer

MULLICA TOWNSHIP – There was no Air Force flyover after the national anthem at Butterhof’s Shady Brook Farm here Saturday, Oct. 3. But there were plenty of things in the air a short time later.

Pumpkins flew over fields toward the White Horse Pike for the second NJ Hurl from 10 a.m. until nearly 4 p.m. with each of five teams given three official shots and as many practice chucks as they wanted.

Team Gaulbuster of Mays Landing, an adult group, recorded the best distance of 763 feet. Second place went to Boy Scout Troop 177 of Egg Harbor Township at 674 feet. Troop 2002 of Hamilton Square, Mercer County, was able to catapult a pumpkin 98 feet for third prize. Cub Scout Pack 177 of Egg Harbor Township finished fourth at 69 feet.

Also competing were Boy Scouts from Troop 138 from Great Meadows in Warren County.

The Great Meadows Troop, headed by Scoutmaster Jean Thayer, competed at the first NJ Hurl last year and decided to return with a stronger trebuchet. The problem, she said, was they only were able to start building the machine about three weeks ago.

“It was mostly the Roff brothers and the Thayer brothers working on it Saturdays and weeknights,” said the scoutmaster, a retired park ranger. “It was about a 2½-hour drive getting it down here. The fun is in doing it; not necessarily in winning.”

Thayer said she started as a den mother when her oldest boy – now 18 - started in Cub Scouts.

“I just made time for all the Scouting activities,” she said. “I was a supervisor. I made the schedules, so that helped.”

After its first launch, Troop 2002 was knocked out of the competition by a broken arm on the catapult.

“If you’re not breaking something, you’re not trying hard enough,” said Troop 177 Scoutmaster and NJ Hurl founder and organizer Glenn Battschinger.

Dark clouds and occasional raindrops kept the crowd down, but the weather didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of those who came.

Battschinger delivered an ongoing account of the proceedings over loudspeakers spread the length of the firing range. NJ Hurl, he said, is a feeder event for the World Championship of Punkin Chunkin to be held Nov. 6, 7 and 8 in Bridgeville, Del.

Troop 177 Assistant Scoutmaster Nancy Maslowas said she wanted to thank the Butterhof family who made their farm just west of Egg Harbor City on the White Horse Pike available while hosting other fall events including an annual corn maze.

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email steve.prisament@catamaranmedia.com.