Upcoming eating contests
| 2025 Jul 3 | Corn Eating Contest | Star Spangled Shenandoah | Shenandoah, IA | ||
| 2025 Jul 3 | Pie Eating Contest | Independence Day Celebration | Waukee, IA | ||
| 2025 Jul 4 | Hot Dog Eating Contest | 4th of July | Belmond, IA | ||
| 2025 Jul 4 | Hot Dog Eating Contest | Ridiculous Days | Anamosa, IA | ||
| ($100) | 2025 Jul 6 | Hot Dog Eating Contest | Field Day Brewing | North LIberty, IA | |
| 2025 Jul 12 | Hot Dog Eating Contest | Monona County Fair | Monona, IA | ||
| 2025 Jul 12 | Hot Dog Eating Contest | The Old Creamery | Garner, IA | ||
| 2025 Jul 19 | Hot Dog Eating Contest | Allamakee County Fair | Waukon, IA |
| 3 lb. burger | Three Pound Burger | Hy-Vee | Keokuk, IA | includes 2 pounds fries, requires 2 hours preparation |
| 3 lb. burger | Zebbinator | Zebb's Burgers and More | Fort Dodge, IA | |
| 3 lb. prime rib | Charlie's Prime Rib One Person Challenge | Charlie's Steakhouse | Carroll, IA |
Jethro's BBQ (8 Iowa locations) will award $25,000 if Molly Schuyler's record of 3:01 for the Emmenecker sandwich challenge is broken in March. The previous bounty was $10,000.
A corn eating contest awarding $1000 to the winner will be held before the October 26 University of Iowa football game in Iowa City, IA. The competition will raise money for the UI Stead Family Children's Hospital.
Kwik Stop in Dubuque, IA will hold an eating contest on June 29 awarding $1200 in Kwik Stop Reward points to the winner. The runner up will receive $500 cash.
KTIV reports that Liberty Elementary School in Sioux City, Iowa has banned students from attempting the Paqui One Chip Challenge which entails eating a single tortilla chip made with the Carolina Reaper pepper.
BIT Brewery in Central City, Iowa will hold a pepper eating contest on March 12 awarding $500 to the winner.
Aaron Osthoff commits suicide after attempted murder
Some shocking and tragic news:
In the early morning of November 19, Aaron Osthoff forced his way into the home of Megan Breuer in Potosi (in southwest Wisconsin about 20 miles from Osthoff’s hometown of Dubuque, Iowa). She called 911 and after police arrived, Osthoff fired his gun multiple times. He severely injured Breuer and then took his own life with his firearm. She was hospitalized and was listed in stable condition as of November 22. Police said that Breuer and Osthoff knew each other, but no additional information about their relationship has been divulged.
Osthoff was a member of Major League Eating from 2011 to 2014. He competed in the 2011, 2013 and 2014 Nathan’s finals, finishing 6th in the men’s division in 2013. In 2012, Osthoff and his wife Heather both qualified for the Nathan’s July 4 championship, but they did not participate in that competition that year. In 2015, Osthoff retired from Major League Eating. He concluded his competitive eating career with a victory in the Dubuque Wing Bowl later that year.
In February 2020, Osthoff was featured in a New York Time article about his acquisition of a copy of the House Judiciary Committee’s impeachment report that was autographed by former President Trump. The document was sold by Goldin Auctions for a price of $81,180.
On June 30, 2021, Osthoff’s 20 year old daughter Brielle took her own life. Her struggle with mental health was the subject of a September article by the Telegraph Herald. The Osthoffs have two other children: Brittany Murphrey and Brock Osthoff.
Osthoff’s social media offers minimal clues into what might have triggered the tragedy. His final facebook post on November 17 was an uncaptioned picture of himself in a room with no visible items other than high heeled shoes on a shelf. His twitter and instagram have not been updated for over a year.
The Des Moines Register has a gallery of the pie eating contest that has been held as an event during the RAGBRAI cross-Iowa bicycle tour. This year's competition was held over video.
The Iowa State Fair announced the cancellation of its 2020 edition today. A Nathan's Famous hot dog eating qualifier had been held at the August event from 2017 to 2019.
The Elk Horn (Iowa) Tivoli Fest that was to have been held May 22-24 has been cancelled. The festival had would have dropped MLE affiliation for its aebleskiver eating contest and been amateur only.
Aaron "A-Train" Osthoff appears in a New York Times article about a signature from Donald Trump on an impeachment report going up for sale at Goldin Auctions. The current price is $17,000.
Donut Boy in Dubuque, IA will hold a donut hole eating contest on February 1 awarding $500 to the winner.
Molly Schuyler finished the Adam Emmenecker sandwich challenge at Jethro's BBQ Steak n' Chop in Ames, Iowa in 3:01 to break her previous chain record of 4:40. (video)
DesMoinesRegister reports Molly Schuyler will attempt the "Adam Emmenecker" sandwich challenge at Jethro's Steak n Chop in Ames, Iowa along with other customers on October 19. $1,000 will be awarded if a challenger defeats Molly Schuyler($5,000 if her record of 4:40 is broken).
2019 Iowa State Fair Nathan’s qualifier
Results from https://www.instagram.com/sophdevita/ live video
Official results (Des Moines Register gallery)
1 Brett Healey 32.5
2 Derek Hendrickson 28
1 Sophia DeVita 12.5
2 Rene Rovtar 7.5
Registration is now open for two qualifiers for the 2019-20 Nathan's circuit: July 17 at a Salt Lake Bees game and August 10 at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines.
Joey Chestnut wins Canteen Sandwich contest
Ottumwa Courier has an article
Prizewinners from https://www.instagram.com/hungryhazzard/ live video
1) Joey Chestnut 28.5, new record
2) Gideon Oji 19
3) Matt Hazzard 13.5
4) Mike Johnson
5) Melvin Randall / Randolph
Jethro's BBQ in Iowa will award $5000 if a customer breaks Molly Schuyler's record of 2:55 for its Emmenecker challenge.
2018 Iowa State Fair Nathan’s Qualifier
update
Des Moines Register article
Patrick Coughlin video
Article about Iowa competitive eater Mark Williams
Official results
1) Matt Hazzard 29.5
1W) Rene Rovtar 7 (sole female)
The Des Moines Register has a gallery of Matt Hazard eating 29 hot dogs at the Iowa State Fair to win the first qualifier of the 2018-19 Nathan’s circuit. A caption incorrectly claims that Jake Thompson was the victor of the 2017 qualifier actually won by Juan Rodriguez.
Registration is open for the first Nathan's qualifier of the 2018-19 circuit at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines on August 11.
2018 Canteen sandwich eating contest
update June 10
Articles: Ottumwa Courier | KTVO on local Mike Johnson | KCRG
Videos: Ottumwa Radio | T.Young | Natashya Lynn | Hungry Saiyan
Official results
Results announcement video
| 1st | 18.5 | Gideon Oji | |
| 2nd | 16 | Juan “Hungry Saiyan” Neave | |
| 3rd | 15 | Juan “more bite” Rodriguez | |
| 4th | 11.5 | Mike Johnson | |
| 5th | 10.5 | Sarah “Unstoppable Bab” Reinecke | |
| 5th | 10.5 | Mark “the muncher” Williams |
Gideon Oji, Juan Rodriguez, Juan Neave, Sarah Reinecke, Matthew Raible, Andrew Kogutkiewicz, Tanner Varner, Michelle Severino, Mark Williams Michael Blue and Andrew Webber are expected to compete in the Canteen sandwich eating contest in Ottumwa, IA on Saturday. In January, the contest organizers claimed the event would be televised on ESPN, but the competition is not listed in the ESPN schedule for June 2.update Ottumwa Courier has an interview with Sarah Reinecke about competing in the contest.
2018 Tivoli Aebleskivers
update May 30 Matt Hazzard has a video
update SWIowaNewsSource.com has an article
| 1st | 107 | Geoffrey Esper | |
| 2nd | 98 | Darron Breeden | |
| 3rd | 96 | Gideon Oji | |
| 4th | 58 | Matt “Hungry” Hazzard | |
| 5th | 46 | Ethan Teske | |
| 6th | 36 | Mark “the muncher” Williams | |
| 7th | 35 | Matthew Raible | |
| 8th | 23 | Das Loomis | |
| 9th | 21 | Meliss Klabel | |
| 10th | 21 | Keith Branch |
Geoff Esper, Gideon Oji, Darron Breeden and Matt Raible are expected to compete in the Tivoli Fest World Æbleskiver-Eating Championship in Elk Horn, IA on May 26.
2017 Iowa State Fair Nathan’s qualifier
update Aug 17 Iowa Public Television has a video
Jesus Gonzalez video
Juan Rodriguez and Sophia DeVita are the favorites. Juan appeared on WeAreIowa yesterday.
| 1st | 28.5 | Juan “more bite” Rodriguez | |
| 2nd | 19 | Jake Thompson | |
| 3rd | 18 | Matt “Hungry” Hazzard | |
| 4th | 16.5 | Mark “the muncher” Williams | |
| 5th | 15.75 | Matthew Raible | |
| 6th | 9 | Zach Adams | |
| 6th | 9 | Kameron Gray | |
| 6th | 9 | Andrew Kilborn | |
| 9th | 6 | Chris Branch |
1W) Sophia DeVita 19 personal best (sole female)
The Mississippi Valley Fair in Davenport, IA will hold a corn dog eating contest on August 6 awarding $500 to the winner. Qualifiers will be held on August 3, 4 and 5.
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