Brandon LaMone from El Paso, Texas, downs his 6th onion to win this year's World Famous Vidalia Onion Eating Contest.
For the first time in seven years, there’s a new champion in the 17 and up age group of the World Famous Vidalia Onion Eating Contest.
Precisely at 4:00 Saturday afternoon, Vidalia Lions Club members and Onion Queens helped keep track of who could eat the most onions in a three-minute period, and this year, in the adult category, if was Brandon LaMone who just happened to be in the area this weekend with his girlfriend and they just happened to decide to come to the festival.
“This is my first at the festival,” he said. “I’m working in Baxley doing a little while working so we thought we’d come over to the festival.”
LaMone said biting the onions wasn’t difficult; chewing them was a different story.
“It wasn’t hard biting into one, but having to chew them so fast was difficult,” he said. “They were good – some of the best onions I’ve ever had – but they were a little spicey.”
Brandon said he doesn’t know if he’ll be in the area next year to defend his title, but if he is, he’ll be back.
“We went to the onion recipe contest this morning and the carnival and we’ll just see where the go for the rest of the festival, LaMone said. “I don’t know if my work will bring me back to Baxley next year, but if it does and it’s during the festival, I’ll definitely be back.”
Rounding out the adults category was Joshua Sweeney and Jonathan Flowers, 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
In the other age categories, the five-year-old reigning Tiny Miss Vidalia Onion Ryleigh Gray Hitchcock was worthy of her title when she tied in her age group with Hudson Crow with each sharing the price money. Sawyer Harvill placed third.
And in the 12 – 16 age group, there were only two participants with Peyton Coursey taking first with Finley Crow right behind him for 2nd.
The Vidalia Lions Club sponsors the event, and it is emceed by longtime Lion Mackey Bryant.
