Amazing likeness:
Shane Doan, the recently retired Arizona Coyotes captain, joins the ranks of Valley newsmakers whose images have been carved into Schnepf Farms’ 10-acre Halloween cornfield maze in Queen Creek.
It was an all-star event Tuesday at Schnepf Farms in Queen Creek as former Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Luis Gonzalez surprised a fellow local athlete as part of a Valley tradition.
The visage of Shane Doan, the recently retired Arizona Coyotes captain, joins the ranks of Valley newsmakers whose likenesses have been carved into the farm’s 10-acre corn field for Halloween.
“It’s something pretty special. It’s one of those things that you’ll never ever forget,” Doan said.
Doan, 40, announced his retirement from the National Hockey League last month, in what he deemed “one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make.” He played for the Coyotes for 21 years;
his last game was on April 8.
Doan got to see the maze from the air. He then descended from the black helicopter, accompanied by three of his children, calling it an “unbelievable” experience.
“As we were flying over I started realizing what it was and I didn’t expect to see that ever. I didn’t expect any of this,” he said. “I’ve seen the corn maze but it never even crossed my mind.”
Doan assumed he was going golfing after being misled by Gonzalez, who told him he wanted the hockey player to see a piece of farmland he was thinking of purchasing.
Now, he can get lost in his own likeness to commemorate his decades-long career.
Gonzalez, who flew in earlier with Doan’s wife, was commemorated in the maze in 2006 and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald was featured in 2014. Others immortalized agriculturally include Steve Nash, Muhammad Ali and race-car driver Joey Logano.
“It is really cool and not your everyday sight. it was really neat to see. It’s really special that the Schnepf family goes above and beyond to create things like that. It’s so huge and detailed and very special,” Andrea Doan said.
The corn was planted in July and tractor drivers followed a GPS map mirroring Doan’s likeness on Saturday, cutting trails through the field.
“Each year it just keeps getting better, the farm gets better. There’s a lot more to see and do here,” farm owner Carrie Schnepf said. “The maze kicks off the fall season; it makes it exciting to do something like this especially with people of this caliber like Luis Gonzalez and Shane Doan.”
Schnepf doesn’t know who’ll be the next famous face among the cornstalks, though the possibility of a tennis star intrigues her.
“A lot of times we’ll elect someone and it’ll just fall into place. I chose Shane because we started getting into hockey,” she said. “It’s such a fun sport that’s getting more popular. And, it’s one of the only sports whose athletes we haven’t carved yet — until now.”
The corn maze will be open Thursdays through Sundays starting Oct. 5. It’s part of Schnepf Farms’ annual Pumpkin & Chili Party. Discount tickets can be purchased at Fry’s grocery stores.