July 1, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
Back-to-back champions!
After capturing the Youth Square Dancing Title for the first time at the Fiddlers Jamboree and Crafts Festival last year, Smithville Select, led by Mary Ann Puckett, has repeated as champions again this year. And if that were not exciting enough, the local square dance team has been invited to make an appearance at the world-famous Grand Ole Opry to dance on stage with the Opry Square Dancers at a date to be announced.
Before dancing their way to the title, Smithville Select had to compete against a field of seven other teams during the preliminaries Friday afternoon and scored highest by the judges. Normally the top three finishers in the preliminaries would have competed in the finals Friday night but continuous rain and thunderstorms forced the Jamboree to cancel its Friday night competition.
The Jamboree board decided to award first, second, and third place to the three youth square dancing teams with the highest scores during the preliminaries.
Taking second place in the Youth Square Dancing competition was Tennessee Rhythm of Greenbrier and Third place went to Steppin’ Time of Dickson.
After their title was announced, Smithville Select joined members of the Opry Square Dancers in a performance on the Fiddlers Jamboree stage Saturday.
The following are the Friday winners:
*Old Time Appalachian Folk Singing (Solo):
First Place-Lily Goebel of Elkton, Kentucky
Second Place- Emma Tinch of Cookeville
Third Place-Angelica Branum of Murfreesboro
*Junior Clogging (Ages 13-39):
First Place-Colleena Ralston of Lebanon
Second Place-Makayla Foster of Cookeville
Third Place-Jacob Fennell of Dickson
*Junior Buck Dancing (Ages 13-39):
First Place- Kody Hash of Walland
Second Place- Trebel Chunn of Greenbrier
Third Place-Colleena Ralston of Lebanon
*Old Time Appalachian Folksinging (Duet, Trio, Quartet)
First Place- Brock & Tater of Cookeville
Second Place-Mountain Cove of Chattanooga
Third Place-Nora Jane and Joe of Nashville
*Dobro Guitar:
First Place-Noah Goebel of Elkton, Kentucky
Second Place-Tyler Andal of Nashville
Third Place-Amelia Brown of Springfield
*Mountain Dulcimer:
First Place-Tyler Andal of Nashville
Second Place-Pam Hunt of Mansfield, Ohio
Third Place-Rob Pearcy of Smyrna
*Hammer Dulcimer:
First Place-Nicole Tressler of Madison, Alabama
Second Place-Pam Hunt of Mansfield, Ohio
Third Place-Lisa Tressler of Madison, Alabama
*Novelty Event:
First Place- The Tiny Rice Unit (Sarah Harris)
Second Place-Trenton Tater Cruthers of Cookeville
Third Place-Marshall Murphy of Knoxville
*Autoharp:
First Place- Bill Rothe of Estill Springs
Second Place-Pam Hunt of Mansfield, Ohio
Third Place-Beth Rickert of Inverness, Florida
*Gospel Singing (Solo):
First Place-Emma Tinch of Cookeville
Second Place- Lily Goebel of Elkton, Kentucky
Third Place-Matthew Campbell of McMinnville
*Country Harmonica:
First Place- Rob Pearcy of Smyrna
Second Place- Terry Bartlett of Gallatin
Third Place-Marshall Murphy of Knoxville
*Old Time Banjo:
First Place-Tyler Andal of Nashville
Second Place-Joe Overton of Smithville
Third Place- Trenton Tater of Cookeville
*Youth Square Dancing:
First Place- Smithville Select
Second Place-Tennessee Rhythm of Greenbrier
Third Place- Steppin’ Time of Dickson
*Gospel Singing (Duet, Trio, & Quartet):
First Place-Brock & Tater of Cookeville
Second Place-Mountain Cove of Chattanooga
Third Place-Angelica Branham and Sarah Harris of Rockvale
*Mandolin:
First Place-Tyler Andal of Nashville
Second Place-Noah Goebel of Elkton, Kentucky
Third Place- Reed Stutz of Nashville
*Old Time Fiddle Band:
First Place-The Slim Chance Band of Smyrna
Second Place-Tater and the Po’tates of Cookeville
Third Place-Mountain Cove Old Time Band of Chattanooga