Kids, upsets rule at fair armwrestling

NEW HAVEN — A big increase in the number of youth participants and a number of upsets in the adult ranks stood out this past Friday night at the Addison County Fair and Field Days armwrestling competition.
The 158 kids 16 and younger who showed up for the youth portion of the evening meant an increase of 31 from 2010.
They dueled in 16 age and gender categories, and according to organizer Karen Brisson delighted the usual big crowd in the main Field Days show tent.
“The youth competition continued to steal the show, with a lot of excitement and an overwhelming number of competitors,” Brisson said.
Returning youth champions included Avery Gale, 7; Ashley Taube, 14; Tallon Real, 9; and Tyler Hotte, 11.
The number of adults who flexed their muscles in the states’ biggest annual armwrestling competition stayed roughly level, 121 on Friday compared to 126 at Field Days in 2010.
Brisson said repeat adult winners were few: Salisbury’s George Sheldrick, New York’s Kris Mikels, and Brandon’ Kristin Ketcham.
In 2010, Ketcham won the women’s over-143 competition, but finished second to perennial winner Jessalyn Gillett in under-143. This year, Ketcham, a competitor since 2001, finally broke through against Gillett, Brisson said.
Brisson and co-organizer Patrick Coyle also gave Ketcham the Armond Brisson Female Armwrestling Award. The male and female Armond Brisson award winners, Karen Brisson said, demonstrate continued enthusiasm for the sport, participate regularly at Field Days and show good sportsmanship.
Bridport’s Willy Smits, who Brisson described as “one competitor that stands out in my mind,” won the Armond Brisson Male Armwrestling Award. A longtime competitor who often had placed but never had won, Smits claimed both the left-and right-handed 199-220 pound weight classes on Friday.
The winner of the Armond Brisson Youth Armwrestling Award was Riley Stalker, a regular participant who did not place in his event.
The top three finishers in each category were:
MEN’S RIGHT
•  0-143 pounds: 1. Travis Josselyn, 2. Kyle Mattison, 3. Anthony Tracy.
•  144-154: 1. Kris Mikels, 2. Glenn Tupper, 3. Lucci Wilson.
•  155-165: 1. Eugene Sheldrick, 2. Tyler Whitney, 3. Derrick Mattera.
•  166-176: 1. Ron Klemba, 2. Socrates Fronhoffer, 3. Malcolm Tashjian.
•  177-187: 1. George Sheldrick, 2. Scott Latella, 3. Ryan Goldman.
•  188-198: 1. Kevin Siska, 2. Darren Countemarche, 3. Isaac Sheldrick.
•  199-220: 1. Willy Smits, 2. Rick Mason, 3. Josh Tracy.
•  221 plus: 1. Tim Bresnan, 2. Bill Sinks, 3. John Ruggerio.
WOMEN’S RIGHT
•  0-143: 1. Kristin Ketcham, 2. Jessalyn Gillett, 3. Connie Hoyt.
•  144 plus: 1. Alison Lussier, 2. Amanda Mason, 3. Ashley St. Andrews.
MEN’S LEFT
•  0-154: 1. Kris Mikels, 2. Rob Ketcham, 3. Jeff Tidd.
•  155- 176: 1. Ron Klemba, 2. Ken McKinney, 3. Malcolm Tashjian.
•  177-198: 1. Darren Countemarche, 2. George Sheldrick, 3. Ray Darling.
•  199-220: 1. Willy Smits, 2. Ryan Fortune, 3. Ryan Polrand.
•  221 and over: 1. Dustin Mason, 2. John Ruggerio, 3. Tim Metcalf.
YOUTH RESULTS
•  Age 0-5 Boys & Girls: 1. Isabella Gale, 2. Timothy Whitney Jr., 3. Iver Anderson.
•  Girls 6 & 7: 1. Avery Gale, 2. Ayana Adams, 3. Cierra Fleming.
•  Girls 8 & 9: 1. Lydia Deppman, 2. Hannah Marcum, 3. Loganne Laprise.
•  Girls 10 & 11: 1. Cassie Evans, 2. Helen Anderson, 3. Camey Tupper.
•  Girls 12 & 13: 1. Maikayla Guild, 2. Jordan Hubbell, 3. Anna Fronhoffer.
•  Girls 14: 1. Ashley Taube, 2. Rose Curran, 3. Molly Turew.
•  Girls 15 & 16: 1. Sarah Barker, 2. Morgan Raiche, 3. Deanna Whalen.
•  Boys 6 & 7: 1. Taylor Stearns, 2. Hayden Farnham, 3. Adam Mansfield.
•  Boys 8: 1. Drew Gill, 2. Abel Anderson, 3. Timothy Curran.
•  Boys 9: 1. Tallon Real, 2. Hunter Gale, 3. Lucas Ferrell.
•  Boys 10: 1. Mark Howland, 2. Nicky Niemo, 3. Chris Wilkinson.
•  Boys 11: 1. Tyler Hotte, 2. Jon Arensmeyer, 3. Jay Smits.
•  Boys 12: 1. Michael Morgan, 2. Marty Niemo, 3. Eli Paquin.
•  Boys 13: 1. Ryan Paquin, 2. Lucas Plouffe, 3. Jerry Niemo.
•  Boys 14 & 15: 1. Dylan Tromblay, 2. Austin Lafayette, 3. Isaac Young.
•  Boys 16: 1. Dylan Ryan, 2. Alic Case, 3. Gavin Gearwar.

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