Hot dog-eating contest winner devours competition
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Darin Spelhaug, executive secretary of the North Dakota FFA, made short work of a dozen hot dogs to win the North Dakota State Fair Hot Dog Eating Contest on Sunday, July 19.
Competitors ranging in age from 18 to 36 had five minutes to eat as many of the 12 hot dogs in front of them as possible. Contestants could dunk their buns in water, but only whole hot dogs counted toward the final score.
The competition quickly turned into an impressive display of speed and determination as Spelhaug, 36, separated himself from the field. With one full minute remaining, Spelhaug became the only contestant to finish all 12 hot dogs, leaving no doubt about who would be crowned the fair's hot dog-eating champion.
The contest was one of five new Celebrate the BIG 250 - The Fair Way! competitions created in honor of America’s 250th anniversary.
For his winning performance, Spelhaug received a $100 Marketplace Foods gift card, a North Dakota State Fair merchandise voucher, a championship certificate and a champion’s trophy.
“Creating the Hot Dog Eating Contest was such a fun project because we wanted to bring something exciting, energetic and uniquely American to the Fair,” said Faith Malsom, marketing intern for the North Dakota State Fair. “Seeing a packed tent full of people cheering on the contestants made all the planning worthwhile. It was incredible to watch the crowd embrace this new tradition, and we can’t wait to see it grow in the years ahead.”