Monticello’s Hancock returns home to win coveted contest

STUTTGART — Logan Hancock, 29, of Monticello overcame heavy rain and cold temperatures to win the 80th World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest on Saturday.

Hancock, an aerial photographer, has competed in the World’s Championship since 2005, but a top10 finish in 2014 was his best until Saturday. He qualified for this year’s championship by winning a regional duck calling contest in Olathe, Kan.

In the World’s Championship, Hancock’s winning duck call was constructed for him personally by the late Butch Richenback, founder of RichN-Tone calls and a mentor for a generation of championship callers. Hancock’s routine, outdoors in challenging conditions, earned him the championship trophy, $1,000 and a catalog of prizes.

Hancock said the contest, which featured 65 callers, was a battle of nerves and wits.

“It’s always hard to get through the routines, no matter what the weather is,” Hancock said. “You’re standing up here in front of 500 to 1,000 people. Your knees are knocking, and your hands are shaking. Your nerves are just shot.”

Hancock said he couldn’t identify any part of his routine as particularly strong, and that he never felt comfortable or particularly confident during the contest.

“The minute you get comfortable is the minute you get cut,” Hancock said. “You are your own worst critic.”

Preparation and practice were the keys to his success, Hancock said, adding that he emulated bits of other champions’ routines over the years while adding his own twists.

“I’ve got weaknesses and room to improve, but my strength was good enough today,” Hancock said.

Hancock, a Stuttgart High School graduate, said the World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest has been a part of his life since he was a child. Growing up in the duck-calling culture eventually led to his meeting with Richenback, who died last summer. He said their first meeting intimidated him.

“I didn’t know him at first, and I went out to his shop for some help,” Hancock said. “He came in the room and said, ‘Who’s blowing that duck call?’ ”

Though rattled, Hancock fessed up.

“He said, blow it again, that sounded good!’ ” Hancock said. “It went from there. He helped me on nights and weekends and phone calls. It’s unbelievable the amount of help that man gave me, and the help he gave to hundreds if not thousands of other young callers.”

The World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest was the final event of the 80th Wings Over the Prairie Festival. The event was successful from financial and attendance standpoints despite the bad weather, said chairman Bill Free.

“The crowd downtown was down, but we had a really good day Friday,” Free said. “We were probably off 10 to 15 percent, but we had a good crowd here even with all the rain.”

Free said good weather Thursday and Friday brought big crowds.

“I heard a lot of our vendors say that they had such a good day yesterday that if [it] did anything today, then they had a successful show.”

Last year’s champion, David St. John of Conway, was eliminated in the first round.

Immediately after the World’s Championship, John Stephens of Stuttgart won the Champion of Champions duck calling contest.

The Champion of Champions is held every five years and is open only to former world champions. Stephens, a three-time world champion, won his last title in 2005. Jody Niccum of Olathe, Kan., finished second, followed by St. John, three-time world champion Brad Allen of Judsonia and Jim Ronquest of Hazen.