THE WINNER TAKES THE LOT

CROMWELL
January 2012

IN a startling turn of events, a school teacher claiming to be from Green Island, an island off the coast of Dunedin (NZ), has won the Globe Vista Australasian Cherry Pip/Stone Spitting Championship.

Aaron Collins spat a massive 12.58 metres to to win the event and the right to spit in the faces of 5000 Australians in the return spit in Manjimup this coming December.

It is believed Hercules Hetherington was handed a drink just before the final and the question has been raised: Was it spiked? Were his knees hobbled? Who was that man in the background? Why did the resident official turn his back at the last minute? 

Hetherington, who normally spits well over 15 metres was left staring at a pip just over 11 metres from his standing position.   

Australian champ and Manjimup boy, Grant Hercules Hetherington shakes the hand of the mysterious Aaron Collins.

Aaron Collins blows his pip. 

For those of you wondering, Wikipedia claims Green Island is uninhabited.

Read on: Green Island is a small uninhabited island located at 45°57′11″S 170°23′14″E, 13 km (8.1 mi) southwest of Dunedin, close to the mouth of the Kaikorai Lagoon. The island's Māori name is Okaihae.

It may be the 'Isle of Wight' where the Sydney sealer Brothers, chartered by Robert Campbell and sailing under Robert Mason dropped eight men of a gang of eleven in November 1809. William Tucker who later settled at Whareakeake (Murdering Beach) near Otago Heads was in the gang. Alternatively the 'Isle of Wight' may be Taieri Island a few kilometres to the south. It has been suggested in that case Green Island may be 'Ragged Rock' where the other three men of the Brothers' gang were landed. Some of the men claimed to have stayed on these two islands from 9 November 1809 until 20 December 1810.^[1]

Green Island used to be called St Michael's Mount, suggesting it had been named after the island of that name off the Cornish coast. It is more likely it was so named after Tommy Chaseland's mother ship the St. Michael when he was sealing here in the 1820s. He told Edward Shortland he lost a boat and all its hands when it was dashed on the island while trying to land. He stayed alone overnight and was picked up by another boat the following day.^[2]

In the 1880s the island was mined for guano, bird dung used as fertiliser.

Strange, but is it true?

Can we believe Wiki?

If so, where is Collins really from?

All will be revealed this coming December, as Collins defends his title in Manjimup, part of the great south west of Western Australia and another town in the West's fruit and vegetable bowl.

Catch up - clips from the Manjimup Cherry Harmony Festival 2011

THE 2011 CHAMP BY A MILE

Grant "Hercules" Hetherington spits a pip 

(left) Hovea Wilkes hands Grant "Hercules" Hetherington the solid jarrah trophy




(right) Sandy Hetherington stands by her man
























Jon Doust basks in the glow of the champ







MANJIMUP
SATURDAY 10TH OF DECEMBER, 2011
THE AUSTRALASIAN GLOBE VISTA CHERRY PIP SPITTING CHAMPIONSHIP
Grant "Hercules" Hetherington once again snatched the trophy he won last year, but this time with a massive 12.7 metres spit.

The flying pip caused some confusion as it seemed to fly forever, but a sharp eyed child in the crowd spotted the rightful landing spot and the trophy was claimed by the big man for the second year in a row.

With a hushed 2000 strong crowd breathless, Adam "Buckers" Buckley lined up for his final gob and make a good show of it but fell short.

The MCs and security guards had to rush to Hercules as the crowd pushed forward, over eager for photographs and memorabilia.

In no time at all the spitter's wife and coach was by his side to claim her man.

In a heart wrenching move not normally seen from commercial identities, Aidan Montague and Tanya Izzard from Globe Vista decided to send both Hercules and Sandy to New Zealand.

On January 4th, a Wednesday, Hercules will spit off against New Zealand all-comers for the right to call himself  "Undisputed Champion of the Entire Southern Hemisphere".

The NZ spit will take place in Cromwell, just down the road from Queenstown on the south island.

Manjimup Cherry Harmony Festival 10th Anniversary

This year marks the 10^th anniversary of the Manjimup Cherry Harmony Festival and celebrations for 2011 will be bigger than ever over the Festival weekend,  9-11 December.

Coinciding with the annual cherry harvest and the start of the cherry season, the Manjimup Cherry Harmony Festival will take over the streets of Manjimup for three days running, boasting a hive of activity, live entertainment, special guests and of course, more cherries than you can poke a tongue at!

The 2011 Festival officially opens on Friday 9th December with the Cherry Ball, a night jam-packed with a live big band, gorgeous frocks, dapper suits and a whole lot of dancing.

Saturday 10 December sees the centre of Manjimup buzzing with live bands, dazzling dancers, tantalising locally sourced food, cooking demonstrations, wine tasting and cherry stalls. Amongst other great community competitions - the Red Wheelbarrow Race and the Wood Chopping competition.

An exciting part of the Saturday celebrations is the annual Cherry Festival Pip Spitting Competition, which pits contestants against one another to see who can make the longest distance by spitting a cherry pip.

This year will once against pit the New Zealand Sherry Stone Spitting Champion against the local champ in the Australasian Cherry Pip Stone Championship of the World. This event is called by a double act comprising comedy legend Wyat Nixon Lloyd and rapidly fading ex-comedian, Jon Doust.

Festival spokesperson, Roy Pit Bull Piggott, spends a lot of time between Festivals writing to potential contestants from around the world and inviting the best pip-spitters to Manjimup to compete with the local talent.

“We are very proud to show our town off to visitors from all over the state and cherry-enthusiasts from across the globe during the Manjimup Cherry Harmony Festival. The community involvement is increasing each year and people from out of town are making a weekend of it more and more to see what all the fuss is about. We like to think no-one loves cherries like Manjimup loves cherries!” says Piggott.

After the all-day celebration on the Saturday, Sunday 11 December allows for a more relaxing time at the Long Table Lunch. Approximately 200 guests line both sides of a long table covered in crisp white cloth that stretches across the grass amongst cherry trees in the Newton Brothers Orchard. The four course meal served includes local cherry produce, black truffles and the finest local wines.

Since the inaugural year in 2002 the Manjimup Cherry Harmony Festival has proven a hoot of a time for all ages. Over five thousand people visit the Festival annually, a number that is growing each year.

Where else do they celebrate cherries?

·         Michigan, USA, is the ‘Cherry Capital of the World’, where the International Cherry Pit Spitting Championship is held annually.

·         Viterbo, Italy, the ‘Cherries Festival of Celleno's Proloco’.

·         Céret, France - here they make a fifteen metre cherry pie each year and drink cherry flavoured beer.

Did you know?

·         "Young Gun" Krause from Arizona holds the world record for cherry pip spitting (100 feet 4 inches / approx 31 metres).

MANJIMUP CHERRY FESTIVAL 2010 PART 2

VIDEO

MANJIMUP CHERRY FESTIVAL 2010 PART 1

VIDEO

THE BIG SPIT WINNER

MANJIMUP
DECEMBER 11, 2010
IN an action packed spit-off in the GlobeVista Australasian Cherry Pip Spitting Championships, local boy Grant "Hercules" Hetherington spat his way to the top.

The heats were hot enough and past champ, Craig "I was the Man" McSharer, looked worried early on.

"I could see I was up against it," he said. "I knew my win last year was inspirational, but I hadn't realised it's full impact. Now every weekened spitter wants to represent his country."

Final results were:
1 - Grant "Hercules" Hetherington 10.93 metres.
2 - Daniel "The Whistler" Jones 10.73 metres.
3 - Adam "Tippers" Buckley 10.35 metres.

THE SPIT SPAT

FRIDAY
MANJIMUP
WEST AUSTRALIA
IN a dramatic development, the current Australasian GlobeVista Cherry Pip Spitting Champion, Craig "The Hoop Boy" McSharer, has announced he will spit in this Saturdays Big Spit.

Only two days ago, the champ, whose mug is not up for grabs until January 4 in Cromwell NZ, had said he would stand aside and let the "local lads have a crack".

All this changed when a number of young turks came out of the orchard and blow their cheeks.

These included Grant "Hercules" Hetherington, Daniel "The Whistler" Jones and Greg "Shorty" Matthews.

Not to forget Adam "Blow Hard, Blow Long" Adams and the Dark Horse, who is yet to show his colours, Adam "The Whisperer" Price. Price, who has been in hiding since last year's event, when he blitzed the field with an early spit in excess of 12 metres.

If you want to see some live action, but not much of it, go to the ABC SOUTH WEST WEB SITE.

The Big Spit will commence at around 11.15am  tomorrow Saturday 11.

VICTORIANS SPIT THEIR BEST

The National Cherry Association provided a highlight for the Victorians this year at their annual Cherry Spit.

Above: the winner of  the Vic Spit, Iain Chaney, no relation to Lon, Fred or Michael.

Iain did his best but if he thinks he can wrest the National Championship from our very own Craig "Spit King" McSharer, then he better start practising because a spit of 8.9 metres ain't going to cut it.

To be fair, I understand he spat better in the heat, over 10 metres, and blamed a strong wind for his dismal winning spit.

This, apparently, almost caused a spat with the organiser who thought he was taking the spit out of some of the older members.

Below: The National Cherry Association Ambassador for 2010, Kathleen Alleaume, visited the Cherry Lane Big Spit and displayed much needed grace and charm.

 

NOW:

This weekend in Manjimup, West Australia, the big men of cherry pip spitting will spit off in the Globe Vista Australasian Cherry Pip Spitting Championships of 2010.

Unfortunately  this year will not feature a New Zealander.

They have had it, collapsed in a heap, lost their cherries, are scared, no, they have adjusted their comp and this year will spit next year, January 4 to be precise.

Manjimup's last year's winner, the inimitable Craig "Big Foot" McSharer, will represent Australia in NZ in January.

Local spitters this year will spit for money, glory and a place in next year's Tenth Anniversary final.

The spit is on!

CHERRY PIP SPITTING FOOTAGE FOR 2009

Almost the last cherry news

Video

The Final Event

MANJIMUP
Somewhere in early 10

THE final event of the big Manjimup Cherry Harmony Festival is always the Long Table Lunch, set in the magnificent surrounds of a Newton Brothers cherry orchard.
2009 was no exception.
Well, in fact, it was, because every year new people arrive to experience the wonder of fine food, fine wine, fine conversation, in a fine setting. Depending on who they are and how they are, the day finds its own milieu.
2009 was exciting because those gathered were exuberant and expectant.
They saw John Rampaging Towie spit his teeth and a dummy to reclaim the Dummy Spitting Championship of the Warren District.
They watched a sudden gust of wind lift the tarpaulin, bust the steel stays and blow the patrons cover.
Then they witnessed men at work on cherry pickers, on ladders, with ropes, led by Paul Nothing Phases Me Buckley, Peter Who the Hell am I Fontannini, but both answered to the inspired direction of Stuart Mr Fix-it 21ST Century Ipsen.
In no time at all the cover was back, the patrons were amazed and the music played.
Then there was the auction, led by this man:

All photos on this page were taken by David Moyle, or Moyley, budding genius and photographer.

The two big items on the list were a hat signed by Danny Green and a T-shirt donated by the 3 Oceans Wine Company, featuring the Palandri International Comedy Festival and signatures from a number of Australia's best known comedians.
After a long and bitter struggle the hat was knocked down by Adam Take No Prisoners Buckley and the T-shirt was consumed by Bev This is Mine Norman.

The man below on the left is Adam Non-one Can Punch Me and Get Away With It Buckley and the man on the right is none other Harvey I've Got Knees Too Giblett. Together they are an essential part of the team that puts Newton Brothers Orchards on the road.

Is this photo there is a man on the left (no consequence) and a man on the right: Lance Larsen, good bloke and Big Bidder at the Manjmup Cherry Harmony Festival Long Table Lunch auctions.

If you would like to be at this exclusive event next year, good luck. It books out early. And if you don't know someone in Manjimup, then you better get started, you're going to need all the help you can get.

ps: don't call this blogger. He's busy.

Michael Smith

The above photo was taken by a fine photographer, Jamie Nicolaou, of an excellent dancer, Michael Smith, at last week's Manjimup Cherry Harmony Festival.
Michael danced in the street during the day and blew the crowd away with his hip-hop show.
Later that night, in the Timber Park, right in the middle of two sets by One Step Ahead, a polished dance band, Michael walked on stage with all the poise and charisma of Baryshnikov.
No spot could have been harder.
Michael hit the floor running and in about 3 seconds flat he had the crowd spell bound, mesmerized and incapable of eating or drinking, or of doing anything but staring with disbelief.
He was courageous, seamless, beautiful, athletic, magnificent and in flight.
Lucky for us, Jamie Nicolaou was there to snap him in motion.
You want to see more and read more, go to Jamie's blog.

And the winner is ....

Oh yes, once again Craig "Danny Green" "The Spitting Machine" McSharer has wrestled the Trans Tasman GlobeVista Australasian Cherry Pip Spitting Championship Trophy from the New Zealand contingent.
Second was another local lad Adam "Dark Horse" Price, followed closely by Adam "Bernard Hopkins" Buckley, and third was Sam "Where's My Cherry Gone" Paardekooper.
It was a ferocious competition.
First spit off the back of the truck was Adam Price who almost knocked an old lady out of her chair in the back row.
Price's spit measured out at 25 metres.
All right, it was only almost 12, but it was early in the day and the pip spotters hadn't got their eyes in.
Price could have won with that spit but he had to face up again in the final. He was only in the last heat of the day.
In the final the crowd went ballistic when the local champ stepped up but his early spits were not great.
When all seemed lost, McSharer drew back his massive chest and let fly a spit that drowned a dog and won the day for his family, his personal pride, his town, and his country.
Sam Paardekooper was gracious in defeat.
Adam Price swore he'd be back next year.
Adam Buckley just swore.

Here are the official results:

Craig McSharer 11.44 metres

Adam Price 11.20 metres

Adam Buckley 10.90 metres

Sam Paardekooper 9.80 metres (NZ)

It's ugly work, but someone has to do it

Love is in air

MANJIMUP, Thursday
As the weather heats up in West Australia's Cherry Capital, spitters huff and puff, stall holders strut and cuff and the town cleans and preens.
It all bodes well for the 8th annual cherry splash and folk from all over are expected to flock and frock.
There will be fashion parades, eating (Manjimup is a fruit and vegetable bowl), drinking (the region produces some of the best from the West), street theatre, music, and, of course, cherry pip spitting.
The spitting will take place around 11am on Saturday morning and the competition is intense.
This afternoon local businesses will send in their best gobber to the Visitors' Centre to find the best gobber from the town's retail and production houses.
There will nothing, however, like the final, featuring the Sam The Cherry Wisperer up against Craig The Mean Machine.
Visitors are advised to bring protective clothing.

OH NO, THE VICTORIANS ARE GETTING IN ON IT

AN over enthusiastic person in Melbourne, Vikki Leng, has sent this blogger information about the first ever Melbourne spit-off.
The Victorians put on a wild and extravagant event and are now keen to join forces with the leading exponents, namely the Manjimup Cherry Harmony Globe Vista Team.

Read on.

Haydar Kahlil won the first Victorian spit-off.

This bloke did his best and managed to keep one foot on the ground.

Is a new Olympic sport budding?
On Friday 20th November Prahran Market Square had its own Cherry Lane - just like a swimming lane but on dry land - for the Victorian Cherry Association's official launch of the Victorian cherry season and its inaugural cherry pip spitting competition.
Open to Prahran Market Traders, the competition got everyone fired up.
Fruiterer Frank Scaffaro said, “The testosterone will be flying around here on the day of the competition. We all want to win the title now - it’s a matter of pride.”

The Top Ten Traders from Prahran Market earned their pride of place in the finals during a preliminary pip spit off involving 46 contestants.

With a pip spit of 15.97 metres (for purists, measured at the point the pip stopped rolling) it was Haydar Kahlil of Kahlil Flowers who took the title of VCA Cherry Pip Spitting Champion for 2009" and claimed the trophy - an engraved Kitchen Aid stand mixer in cherry red!