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Sunday, Jul. 12, 2009

Redneck revelry: Thousands attend Redneck Games

EAST DUBLIN — A man runs, jumps and then bellyflops into a hole dug in the red Georgia clay and filled with water — he comes out relatively clean. Even after spending some time trying to pull up some clay, he’s still clean as far as things go. This proves unacceptable.

The crowd of onlookers surrounding the pool is parted, some begin to complain.

A backhoe arrives, inserts its large arm deep into water, lifts a heap of earth high, and releases it, splashing muddy water on those standing around the pit. The crowd is dirtier, happier.

According to Freddie Baugus, East Dublin Lions Club president, this is the 13th year of the Summer Redneck Games, held in Buckeye Park. The event, run by the Lions Club, draws thousands of people from around Georgia, the South and even a handful from around the world.

The games took place Saturday, running all day with events that allow participants and onlookers alike to revel in who they pronounce themselves to be — rednecks.

“We like to be dirty,” said April Wright, 19, of Birmingham, Ala., describing why she and her friend allowed themselves to be pushed into the pit and get covered in mud.

Most did not have to be pushed.

Elizabeth Curry, 39, of Augusta, practiced for the event by belly flopping into a pool, she said.

“This hurts a little more,” she said.

While the judges didn’t declare her the winner, it didn’t seem to faze her. “I love it,” she said.

Preston Wright, 42, from Eastman, jumped in first. He offered advice for those jumping into the mud: “just get a good running start (and) don’t get too much mud up your nose and in your ears.”

After getting covered from head to toe in the red clay, the brave bellyfloppers and the less brave jumpers, made their way to the river to clean up, turning the water at the foot of the boat landing orange.

Redneck Mudpit Bellyflopping was one of several events, along with country music singers and plenty of beer drinking. Another event was “Bobbin’ for Pigs Feet,” which had contestants pull raw pigs feet out of tubs of water using only their mouths.

The announcer for the games, WQZY-FM (95.9) radio host Lea Fountain, was quick to say that “no guarantees” were being offered that participants would not get salmonella, but there was no short supply of participants.

Two-year champ Eric “Iron Head” Outler, of Vidalia, who participated in several rounds of the competition, was able to remove the pigs feet in 21 seconds in one round, 16 in another, according to the announcer.

Two people even tried to eat them still uncooked.

Vendors came to sell food to the hungry masses. Bucks and Bills out of north Georgia towed in their ’73 Ford pickup truck, which had been converted into a barbecue grill, complete with a wood stove in the cab.

“That’s high tech redneck,” said Matt Ousley, of Macon, when he saw the truck turned grill.

Confederate flags littered the games with attendees wearing the flag in every way imaginable, from bandannas and sun visors to bikinis and capes.

When asked whether he considered himself a redneck, Ian Hess, 23, of Atlanta, said, “Today, everybody’s a redneck.”

Lauren Brewer, 23, came with April Wright from Birmingham, Ala., just to go to the games.

She said they had a lot of fun when they went in 2008. This time, she said, “We planned our whole year around it.”

To contact writer Eric Newcomer, call 744-4394