Iowa eating challenges and contests category

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eating challenges
(All Iowa eating challenges and contests in database)

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.

Comments (8)

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

Comments (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

Comments (2)

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.

Comments (3)

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

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

Official results

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

Comments

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.

Facebook Live video

Full Results Part 1 | Part 2

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)

Comments (10)

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.
Registration is open for the first two qualifiers of the Nathan's 2017-18 circuit: Des Moines on August 12 and Portland, OR on September 4. The Portland qualifier will be the first northwestern site on the Nathan's circuit since at least 2004.
Catcher Zach Fricke and pinch-hitter Austin Guzzo of the University of Iowa baseball team held a hot dog eating contest during their loss to the Univeristy of Minnesota. Guzzo won with a total of 5 hot dogs.

Elk Horn Tivoli Fest aebleskiver eating contest

update SWIowaNewsSource.com has an article

Blake’s Garage has a video

Official Results Part 1 | Part 2

1st 87 Matt “Megatoad” Stonie
2nd 73 Gideon Oji
3rd 53 Adrian “The Rabbit” Morgan
4th 45 Juan “more bite” Rodriguez
5th 32 Sophia Devita
6th 26 Mark “the muncher” Williams
7th 24 Matthew Raible

It appears Matt Stonie won the aebleskiver eating contest in Elk Horn, IA according to this picture.

Comments (7)

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