The Annual Cow Chipping Contest in Chatham, IL

You absolutely have to check this site. I mean it.

Well, it is that time of the year: Chatham Jaycees Annual Sweet Corn and Cow Chipping Festival in Illinois.

Small communities like Chatham are gems. Generations gather to renew friendships and celebrate history.  While there are competitions of all sorts, nothing, but nothing, is as intense and delightful as the Cow Chipping Contest.

The whole process is fairly simple. From their cow pastures, farmers select dried cow pies of the correct size, using a toilet seat as the measuring standard. The pies are then donated to the Jaycees where they are kept in a secure place. I am not kidding.

(There have been some accusations about sabotage; pies have been embedded with pellets or such in the past.  So, security is provided. Yes, it is.) 

Future chippers--not afraid to get their hands dirty

close examination of sport equipment

"This event will take place on July 21-23 at the Chatham sports field. Any attendees wishing to participate in the cow chipping throw should attend when the event is announced.  Experience is not necessary. All should understand that participation may result in pungent particulates adhering to hands and clothing."

This is a quote from last year's flyers.

Competition is serious business.

Beaver, OK, where cows outnumber people, 16-1

This is an international sport. Visitors travel to participate in this event.

Pinterest.com

 When I was there last year, the Jaycees had an emergency: the farmer who provided cow pies in the past had sold half his herd.  My brother Rev. Don Peck and his son Jeremy (president of the Chatham Jaycees) contacted other locals. They know everyone in the community, and within 15 minutes all was resolved.

Community.

Cow Chipping in Chatham, Illinois

Yes. Yes, it is.

The Chatham Illinois holds its annual Jaycee Sweet Corn Festival in July every year. A big draw is the Cow Chipping Contest.   (My own photos disappeared, so this are some other photos from other Cow Chipping, which is a very universal sport.)

Future chippers--not afraid to get their hands dirty

My brother Rev. Don Peck and his son Jeremy Peck are extremely involved in this annual event. Don and Jeremy know just about everyone in this town of 12,000 and their crew of friends really know their cow patties.


A team of highly trained technicians are dispatched to the field and extract the day old product with specially designed tools. The correct dimensions were determined by measurement using a toilet seat. The interior is the chosen dimension. (This was a part of my original post.)

Believe it or not, this is serious business. 

searching for cow patties serious professionals

Cow chipper technicians in training

When a pie was deemed acceptable, it was taken to the security container to prevent contamination.  Whispers of sabotage had been heard, suggesting plans to rig the pies with pellets and pieces of gravel. A security squad was in place to guard against such.

Serious business, I mean serious

As said above, this is very serious business.

examining for size requirement

"This event will take place on July 21-23 at the Chatham sports field. Any attendees wishing to participate in the cow chipping throw should attend when the event is announced.  Experience is not necessary. All should understand that participation may result in pungent particulates adhering to hands and clothing."

It's mine.

Competition is serious business.

Boy, I hope I can attend next year's Cow Chipping Contest.