Siphon tube setting contest continues tradition

MOSES LAKE - The "World Championship" siphon setting contest at the Grant County Fair attracted newbies and experienced competitors over the weekend. The event also continued to be a family tradition among some contestants.

In farming, a siphon tube can be used to lift water from a canal and into the field. While the technique is not as commonly used today, some farms still irrigate using the siphon tube method.

The fair event, held Saturday, brings experienced siphon-setters, as well as first timers who learn the day of the competition. The competition has a men's and women's bracket, each with five separate age groups. The contestants are competing for the fastest siphon setting time. If the water stops running through the tube, five seconds are added to the competitor's overall time as a penalty. More tubes are added with the older age brackets.

Stacie and Craig Palmer, of Moses Lake, host the event Stacie said they had a great turn out this year, and Craig added this was one of the biggest groups of competitors they've had.

For the Palmer family, competing in the siphon setting contest is a family tradition. But one year they came to the fair to register for the event and found nothing was set up. "The people who did it must have forgotten or just been done with it," Stacie said. Others showed up to compete too, so they went to the office to ask if they had tubes and the competition was underway. From then on, Stacie and Craig have hosted the event, sponsored by their business Spot On Spraying.

The event is also a tradition for the Byington family. Abby Byington, 10, of Moses Lake said she, her two sisters and three brothers usually compete. Abby placed third in her age bracket. "My dad is a farmer, so he taught us all how," Abby said. Her uncle, Jeff Byington, joked that there is a Palmer/Byington rivalry. The families are neighbors and enjoy getting together every year at the fair for a little friendly competition.

Rebecca Lutz, 16, of Royal City has been competing since she was about 5. The first year she took home third, but has placed first every year since. "I do this everyday," Lutz said. She sets hundreds of siphons daily on her family's farm. "You would never go that fast when you're working though. It would be way too tiring," she commented.

Perhaps the most unique strategy of the day was used by Isaiah Goodrich, 14, of Moses Lake. While techniques vary, most of the competitors used their hands to suction and pump water through the tubes — but not Isaiah. He used his mouth to suck the water through the tube. "It's the easiest way," he said. The crowd cheered him on and joked about the cleanliness of the tubes as he went down the line sucking each one.

"It's fun to get to see everyone. A lot of the same people come year after year," Stacie said.

Prizes for the top three times in each age group receive a T-shirt and cash. The people who used to organize it gave away ribbons, but organizers wanted to up the ante, Stacie said.