Record-Setting Year For Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Contest At Dodge County Fair

(Beaver Dam) The Dodge County Fair this year saw the fastest finish in the Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Competition since the Sheriff Todd Nehls-era. Former state American Legion Commander Dan Seehafer, who is currently the Wisconsin candidate to be the national American Legion commander, wolfed down a cream puff in 29-seconds. Seehafer narrowly edged last year’s Thank You For Serving Our County trophy-winner Darvin Siefert of the Nation of Patriots along with the county veteran services officer and representatives from the Gold Star Memorial Trail and Badger Honor Flight.

This year’s fair also saw the slowest finish in a cream puff eating round, at least since Fairest of the Fair Danielle Hammer-Clark burst onto the scene in 2010 bringing the average length of the Fairest’s round from over three minutes to well under one minute. The Wisconsin legislative candidates running for state senate and assembly clocked in at an abysmal one-minute and 39-seconds (1:39) and yet somehow there was a photo finish. The Democratic candidate for Assembly District 39 – Elisha Barudin of Beaver Dam – was technically the first to stand up but was waived down by the judge with a small mouthful as the Republican incumbent for the 39th – Mark Born of Beaver Dam – washed down the last of his pastry with a swig of water and then stood up to claim the Excellence Is Pastry Consumption trophy.

Speaking of the 2010 Fairest, Danielle Hammer-Clark – apparently recovering from a recent bout of stomach flu – lost the Fastest of the Fair trophy to 2014 Fairest Carrie Warmka and her impressive 34.53-second finish. 1994 Fairest Dina Statz was a close second in a round that also included 2017 Fairest Emeritus Alicia Burnett and the Dodge County Fire Queen and Honey Queen.

The Sweetest of the Fair trophy went to 2005 Fairest Leslie Schmidt Odenwald who swept past Fairests from 1991, 2009, 2015, 2016 and the reigning Fairest Haley Justmann.

Chuck Crave of the Portland Boosters 4-H and the past president of the Dodge County 4-H Leaders Association at 46-seconds bested 4-H leaders from a half dozen other clubs – and the UW Extension 4-H summer intern – to secure the 3-H and 1-C trophy…as in Head, Heart, Health and Cream Puffs, no Hands allowed.

There was another photo finish in the round dedicated to WBEV-WXRO Radiothon agencies, as Green Valley Enterprises Joann Lehman edged out last year’s #it’sforthekids trophy-winner Nick Lenzendorf of Big Brothers, Big Sisters with an impressive time of 41-seconds.

WXRO Morning Show Host Thomas Rehfeldt took home the Pretty Darn Quickest of the Fair trophy for a second-year with the second fastest time in the competition: 35:13-seconds. Rehfeldt barely outpaced three-time trophy-winner Joe Meager of Dodge County Emergency Management in a round that also included the Beaver Dam School Board President, the Beaverland Mustski’s Ron Wilkie and both actors who played Knute Gunderson in the Beaver Dam Area Community Theatre’s favorite comedy musical series: Don’t Hug Me.

Last but not least, Sheriff Dale Schmidt had the spent the week since Cream Puff brackets were released trying to figure out who the surprise guest was but to no avail. It turned out to be his wife Cassandra Schmidt with Beaver Dam’s annual MUTED Festive that raises money to battle homelessness. Neither Schmidt won though as the sheriff was narrowly defeated by District Attorney Kurt Klomberg who posted a 58-second finish. County Administrator Jim Mielke tied for second place with Schmidt. Worth noting, the sheriff narrowly beat-out the D-A last year and will no doubt be looking to re-claim the Cream Puff of the Crop trophy in 2019.

Watch the Cream Puff Eating Contest here:

23rd Annual Barn Show Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Contest