Kevin Lambright Wins Indiana Corn Husking Title in Nappanee
Published: Friday, October 9, 2026
With over 2 inches of rain falling earlier in the week, the conditions were a little wet last Saturday for the Indiana State Corn Husking Contest at the Reed farm near Nappanee. For those with a competitive nature, waiting until the last possible minute to husk allows the corn to dry off. That gives them a slight advantage over those who husk earlier in the day.
After all the scores were tabulated, Kevin Lambright of Hudson defended his title as the top corn husker in the state. Competing in the men's open division, Lambright husked 394 pounds of corn in 20 minutes. With deductions for unhusked corn and gleanings, his net total stood at 373.59 pounds. The net total is what organizers use to determine final placings.
Mike Geyer of Bremen placed second with a net score of 268.80 pounds. Atlee Lambright of LaGrange was third with a net score of 267.87 pounds. Ted Richard of Rochester and Marshall Finke of Kewanna placed fourth and fifth, respectively.
In his 13th year of competition, Richard said he enjoys bringing his grandchildren and having a good time.
"It ain't about winning," he said. "It's just about competing and hopefully other competitors come here just to do it."
Growing up on a farm, Richard harvested corn by hand along with his father and 12 siblings.
"Dad never had a corn picker when I was little," he said. "We had to shuck all the corn. Dad had a John Deere A, and we would take a bushel basket and shuck two rows each, and we picked on each side. That's 12 rows. Dad always said we've got a 12-row picker."
The family would break for lunch and then go out pick more corn in the afternoon.
Now that he is competing for fun, Richard said he looks at things in a different light.
"When I'm shucking as hard as I can, I always say to myself, 'What a fool! What's the point, you know?' But it's only 20 minutes. It's not like you're out there for hours."
Thirteen years ago, there were very few participants in the state contest, Richard said, but the numbers have been growing in recent years. Last year, there were over 100 huskers.
With wet conditions, the husks will absorb more moisture and add to the amount deducted from each contestant's total. The fewer husks, the better.
Richard said some of the best huskers will wait until just before the deadline.
Jackie Eckrote of Macy ran into wet conditions during her attempt.
"A few times, the corn just slipped out of my hand because it was wet and slick," she said.
However, like Richard, she looks forward to renewing acquaintances with family and friends. She has been husking for seven years.
Dick Hinton of Warren has been participating for over 20 years. He said his wife once asked why he drives an hour and a half to shuck corn for 20 minutes.
"I've been doing it for 20 years and I enjoy it," he said. "I like seeing the friends I've seen for 20 years who still shuck corn."
Hinton hosted the state and national contests in 2009 at his farm.
In the women's open division, Richard's granddaughter, Shaylee Boggs of Silver Lake, captured first place with a net score of 240.58 pounds. Megan Dragstrem of Amboy was second with 103 pounds, and Sue Nielsen of Medaryville was third with 94.02 pounds.
Richard's grandson, Gage Richard of Rochester, won first place in the young men's division. He had a score of 306.04 pounds. Lane Eckrote of Macy was second with 302 pounds, and Clay Geyer of Bremen was third with 246.78 pounds.
The top three competitors in each category can move on to the national contest on Oct. 17 in Marshall, Mo.
Clay Geyer is president of the Indiana Corn Husking Assn. He said contestants can counter the wet conditions by waiting until the sun and wind dry off the standing corn crop.
"As long as it doesn't rain, you've got the wind and the sun to help dry things out, and it will only improve as the day goes on," he said. "That, and if you are using a husking tool, that's very important."
The other strategy, he said, is to husk "clean," with no husks.
"That might work, too, but you've got to be fast," he said.
In the young women's division, Jennifer Edwards of Sullivan, Ind. husked 182.28 pounds of corn and captured first place. Jackie Eckrote placed second with 116.09 pounds.
The winner in the men's senior division was Plymouth's Rolland Miller, who husked 273.96 pounds of corn. Melvin Helmuth of Nappanee and Norman Miller of Topeka places second and third, respectively. Helmuth husked 270.93 pounds, and Miller husked 264 pounds.
Darlene Bender of Wolcottville won the women's senior division with a score of 155.61 pounds. LuAnn Ambriole of Roanoke placed second with 153 pounds. Third place belonged to Paula Lawmaster of Plymouth, who husked 137.04 pounds.
In the 10-minute Golden Agers division, Phyllis Calloway of Macy led the way with 57.54 pounds. She was followed by Barb Amiss of North Manchester, 44 pounds, and Jean Bartmess of LaPorte, 33.32 pounds.
Wayne Rough of Walkerton paced the men's Golden Agers with a score of 80 pounds. Eli Wagler of Odon, Ind. placed second with 68.10 pounds, and Hinton captured third place with 62.43 pounds.
Jeremiah Bontrager of Nappanee led the way among boys 15-20 years old. He husked 58.38 pounds and just ahead of Kewanna's Kane Fink, who had 55.98 pounds.
With 79 pounds husked, Cora Burns of Macy placed first among girls 15-20 years old. Second place belonged to Callie Aggertt of Plymouth, who had 78 pounds.
In boys 14 and under, Jared Helmuth of Nappanee was first with 71 pounds. Rocco Aggertt of Plymouth was second with 63 pounds.
In girls 14 and under, Aubrey Miller of Nappanee husked 53 pounds in 10 minutes to win her division. Brianna Miller, also of Nappanee, was second with 45.39 pounds.
In the team competition, the Rip 'N Toss team of Brent Reed, LuAnn Ambriole and Robert Kuhns captured first place with a score of 425 pounds.
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