“Pie” was the word Wednesday at the Richland County Fair, with pie-judging, the 20th annual pie auction, and even a pie-eating contest.
Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Project Director with Area Agency on Aging Kathi Cutlip-Mills coordinated volunteers to judge the pie entries. She said the panel of judges was made up of a wide variety of pie aficionados, from home economics teachers to those that just love to eat pie.
Entries must be made from scratch; no mixes or pre-made crusts are allowed. Pies are judged on flavor, texture of crust, texture of filling, and general appearance.
The top two overall winners were selected from ten winning pies. Cutlip-Mills noted, however, that the top winners do not always bring the highest bids in the auction. “It just depends if somebody has a favorite,” she said. “When they start auctioning off, sometimes they get bidding wars going on. It can be really exciting when they really get them going.”
Proceeds from the auction are divided with 40 percent to the baker and 60 percent benefiting the fairgrounds. Charles Miller and Charles Miller II, of Charles Miller and Associates, served as auctioneers.
Over a hundred pies were auctioned Wednesday afternoon. The grand champion pie, a maple syrup pecan pie made by Gene Esbenshade, was first on the auction block. The pie was purchased by Richland County Commissioner Tim Wert for $200.
Esbenshade said this was his first attempt at pie making, though he’d often helped his wife and mother in the kitchen. The recipe, he noted, originally came from a cookbook but had been changed over the years to become a family recipe.
Linda Kuhn was also new to the pie auction, though she has been baking pies for years, she said. Kuhn entered four pies, and promised her grandchildren to spend her portion of the auction proceeds on the upcoming chicken auction.
Kuhn’s raspberry pie brought $40. The cherry pie sold for $75, while peach and strawberry-rhubarb pies brought $80 and $95, respectively.
“It makes the fair more fun when you participate,” she said.
One of the top-grossing pies of the day, Marilyn Esbenshade’s blue ribbon mince pie brought $310 at auction, purchased by Marie Campbell.
Auction pies were not on the menu for the pie-eating contest, which was sponsored by WMAN and Buckeye Bakery.
“We always look for something fun to do at the fair,” said WMAN’s Rusty Cates, noting the pie-eating contest seemed to fall in line with the theme of the day.
Each contestant received a single slice of pie, with first to finish being declared winner. The contestants were split into three divisions, with a winner in each division receiving two tickets to Cedar Point.
Sharon and Dan Boroff of Mansfield entered the competition. When asked what encouraged them to attempt the challenge, Sharon Boroff replied, “We like pie.”
The winner of the 14 and under division was Trent Beer. Mike Moyers was the men’s division winner, and 15-year-old Tiffany Worden topped the women’s division with a time of 19 seconds.
Worden said this was her first pie-eating contest, and that she would likely participate again.
“I won Cedar Point tickets!” she exclaimed to family members.
“It makes the fair more fun when you participate,” first-time pie competition baker Linda Kuhn said.
