Saturday marked the conclusion of the annual Harford County Farm Fair — and a series of all-ages speed-eating events.
A group of more than 20 Harford County fairgoers, organized by age and sex, spent the afternoon in the fairgrounds pavilion at Bel Air’s 608 N. Tollgate Road devouring miniature fruit pies and juicy local watermelon. The prizes? “Bragging rights, a ribbon and free food,” said Amy O’Neil, co-chair of the Harford County Farm Fair Board of Directors, in between emceeing the events.
“Watermelon-eating contests and pie-eating contests are part of American culture,” said O’Neil, who, inspired by her July 4th childhood memories, brought the watermelon-eating contest to the fair more than 20 years ago. “We have adults competing now that I’ve watched compete since elementary school.”
Rebecca Borkowski, clad in a watermelon-eating contest T-shirt that she designed herself, has entered the contest every year for more than 20 years — and, now, her two daughters, clad in matching shirts, join her.
“Way back when, we were at the fair and I ran out of water. I thought it would be a good idea to enter the contest and share the watermelon with my [then] two-year-old daughter,” Borkowski said about the genesis point of her family’s annual showing. “After that, it just turned into every year.”
Reigning champions returned this year, including 31-year-old pie-eating contest alum Kyle Kurceba, who crushed last year’s miniature apple pie in 48 seconds. This year, at the end of the minute, his pie tin was the only one left completely empty.
“I feel full, both in my heart and in my stomach,” Kurceba said after his victory. “It was good pie, and a good contest.”
Kurceba’s win, however, didn’t go uncontested. The champion went for an unconventional strategy, first flipping over the pie to shake it loose from the metal tin before going to town. Forest Hill fairgoer Taj Weir, who won third place in the competition, had some objections.
“I’ve got to say, it seemed like he had a little more left. I think they need to get some scales involved here,” Weir said after the contest. “That was some newfangled technology, the flipping. That’s no fun. That should be illegal.”
Other eaters, like 17-year-old C. Milton Wright High School student Koryne Leilich, who competed in the pie-eating contest’s adult division and took home fourth place, were happy to participate for the first time — and to reap the benefits of competitive eating.
“I can kill a pie,” she said. “I like food, and free food is fantastic…. Free pie? I’ll take it.”
Other competitors, like watermelon-eating contest entrant and previous champion Jason Guarino, came to the farm with a more aggressive strategy — especially after not winning last year.
“This year, I’ve been practicing,” he said, with “ice cold watermelon.” He later added, “I cut my water off at 11 o’clock. I haven’t eaten or drank anything since [then], so I’m extremely thirsty.”
Not only did Guarino secure the first place win in the men’s division, but he was shortly after awarded the championship ribbon after his speedy performance in the final, all-divisions competition.
“We went with big bites … and at the end, I just wanted to get down to that rind,” he said in a post-contest interview, as ruby-colored juice trickled down from the competition table. “That was a good quench.”
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