Pie-eating contest set for farmers’ market

It will be a battle of stomach endurance when four district residents get ready to rumble–a la mode–during the Clover Valley Farmers’ Market pie-eating showdown this Saturday from 11 a.m. to noon.
Emo Reeve Brian Reid, Canadian Tire manager Ray Engelbertink, Times salesman Hugh McTaggart, and Times reporter Mark Elliott–originally a Rainy River local–will be out to prove who can eat the most pie.
“I may not look like much but I can eat lot,” Engelbertink boasted, saying a “high metabolism” will help his body quickly absorb the calories.
“I bet you I can eat two or three,” he added. “I think the best thing is to pace yourself. Once you get that first one out of the way, the floodgates are open.
“It should be fun,” he enthused.
Market manager Kim Mose said she was trying to obtain pies from some of the vendors, adding the contest should help liven up what is traditionally a bit of a slow time there.
“The rush is over with the bedding plants and perennials and now you’re waiting for the crops to come in,” she explained. “So we needed something with a little spark.”
To make things even more interesting, those on hand will be able to participate by guessing which pie-eater will consume the most by putting a “donation” down with one of the four contestants (with proceeds going to the local Salvation Army).
Those who pick the winning contestant can get their money back, Mose said, or they can donate it back to the Salvation Army.
“You can makes your guesses from 9-11 a.m.,” she noted, adding the contestants should be on hand around 10 a.m. to help spur on the donations.
While Engelbertink will tell folks he has a good chance of winning, McTaggart likely will tell them to put their money on one of the others.
“I expect to eat less than [Elliott] or the reeve of Emo,” he said yesterday. “The amount I may eat compared to the amount those two will consume will make me look like a mite.”
“I’ll be letting [Reid] set the pace for things,” Elliott said, noting he’s heard how much the Emo reeve likes pie.
“When it gets down to five minutes left, then I’ll try and move past him,” he reasoned.
For his part, Reeve Reid said he had no idea how many pies he could eat, noting it depends on the size of them and what they’re made of.
“Hopefully they’ll be small so we can eat lots of them,” he remarked. “We’ll have to put ice cream on it–that’s even better.”
Reeve Reid, who’s donating the ice cream through his business, the Fairway Store, said he was participating in Saturday’s pie-eating contest “just for the good of the cause.”
“It’s not because I need to eat pies, that’s for sure,” he laughed.
Those sentiments were echoed by Engelbertink, who said he’s supported the Salvation Army in the past.
“And besides, it’s homemade pies–as much as I want,” he added. “How can I turn that down?”