Dateline: October 16, 2008

Festival draws crowd for fun, food, and fellowship

By Ashlyn Tubbs with Kathy Spier, Clarendon Enterprise

Hedley’s 57th annual Cotton Festival was a hit this year. Many visitors enjoyed the various activities and entertainment that took place last Friday and Saturday.

The Lioness Club started the festival with their Purrfect Chili and Stew Supper on Friday night. They served over 150 people bowls of chili and stew that was prepared by Louise Steward.

“We were very pleased by how many people we served,” Lioness Bonnie Walsh said. “We didn’t even have any chili left over.”

The Lioness Club also held a quilt giveaway, and Shauna Herbert won the quilt made by Billie Golden. Six hundred tickets were sold through this fundraiser.

Both the Tractor and Car Shows were held on Saturday morning. Best of show in the Tractor Show went to Blackie Johnson for his 1948 8-N Ford. Mary Ruth White won Best of Show in the Car Show with a 1965 Mustang.

Other winners of the Tractor Show included: P.J. White – first place of the 1930s with a 1939 Model B; Blackie Johnson – first place in the 1940s with a 1948 AC “G”; Blackie Johnson – second place with a 1943 J.D.LA; Blackie Johnson – first place in the 1950s with a Farmall Cub 1952; and there was a second place tie between Leon Ward with a Case 351 1958 and P.J. White with a AC Model “C” 1953.

Winners in the Car show also included: Grady Milton – first place in the 1930s with a 1930 Model A Ford; Grady Milton – first place in the 1940s with a 1946 Ford Coupe; Ken Carden – second place in the 1940s with a 1949 Hudson Commodore; Carl Carden – first place in the 1970s with a 1076 Lincoln Mark IV.

The Lions Club served about 200 plates of barbeque for lunch this year. They were assisted by Lions Sweetheart Shandy Koetting, and Katie Adams won the Bale of Cotton.

The Class of 1953 had a high school reunion during the Cotton Festival. Eight were present; Tippie Reeves/Jones of Amarillo, Mary Ruth Sargent of Hedley, Peggy Spear/Stevens of Tulia, Alma Ruth Holland/Smith of Riddle, Oregon, Johnny Brumley of Groom, Jack Quisenberry of Winoma, Jack Moreman of Clarendon and Jerry Jones of Eldorado. Joel Messer, Ag teacher for the Class of ’53, was also present. Friday night they ate chili at the Lioness Club together and then on Saturday they rode the Class of 1953 float. After the parade, they went to the schoolhouse for their reunion, and later on that night Mary Ruth Sargent hosted a hamburger supper for the reunited classmates. According to Mary Ruth, they all had a wonderful time getting reacquainted with each other.

The Parade was held Saturday afternoon with M.O. and Sue Weatherly as Parade Marshals, and winners were as follows:

Floats – First, Class of 1953; Second, Lioness Club; and Third, Lions Club Queen Float.

Cars: First, 1955 Chevy BelAir, driven by Raymond Sweeney; Second, 1956 T-Bird, driven by Nancy Sweeney; Third, 1949 Hudson, driven by Carl Carden.

Tractors: First went to Leon Ward with a Case 351.