Walcott Truckers Jamboree Adapts to Online Format
WALCOTT, Iowa — In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Iowa 80 truck stop transitioned its 2020 Walcott Truckers Jamboree to a virtual format to adhere to social-distancing guidelines. The online event took place from Thursday, July 9, to Saturday, July 11.
“We were pleasantly surprised by the level of participation in our online events,” stated Heather DeBaillie, vice president of marketing, in an interview with The Trucker. “A huge thank you to all the drivers! We can’t wait to welcome everyone back in person for next year’s Walcott Truckers Jamboree, scheduled for July 8-10, 2021.”
Participants in the jamboree had the chance to cast their votes for their favorite entries in both the Trucker’s Best Friend Pet Contest and the Super Trucks Beauty Contest.
“Congratulations to all of the winners,” DeBaillie remarked. “We genuinely appreciate the hard work drivers have put in during this pandemic, and we wanted to celebrate their efforts in keeping the nation moving.”
Trucker’s Best Friend Pet Contest Winners
The winners of the Trucker’s Best Friend Pet Contest were announced as follows:
- Best Trick: Reno the dog, owned by John Jaikes from Nanticoke, Pennsylvania.
- Owner Look-Alike: 1st Place – Jake the cat (Su Schmerheim, Commerce Township, MI), 2nd Place – Cooper the dog (Rocky Johnson, Fairfield, OH), 3rd Place – Yoda the dog (Jesse Cruz, Princeton, NC).
- Best Dressed: 1st Place – Dixie the dog (Eva Knelsen, Ingersoll, Ontario), 2nd Place – Jake the cat, 3rd Place (tie) – Gypsy the dog (Merton Sammis, Rocky Top, TN) & Cash the dog (Nikki Higgins, Lyon, PA).
Super Truck Beauty Contest Results
The winners of the Super Truck Beauty Contest were as follows:
- Cabover: “Not Daddy’s Money,” a 1993 Kenworth K100E (Matt Schleuger, Wesley, IA).
- Company Truck/Bobtail: 1st Place – “Blue Bull,” a 2003 Kenworth W900L (Steve Bradford, Waterloo, IA).
- Company Truck/Combination: 1st Place – “Act with Class,” a 2008 Kenworth T800 with a 2016 Doyle Horse Van (Su Schmerheim, Commerce Township, MI).
- Specialty: 1st Place – “Truckright,” a 2011 Kenworth K200 (Rod Hannifey, Dubbo, New Brunswick).
Vintage and Classic Categories
In the vintage and classic categories, notable winners included:
- 1995 and Older Bobtail Conventional: 1st Place – A 1986 GMC General (Scott Sokach, Kernersville, NC).
- 2005 and Older Combination: 1st Place – “Only Class,” a 1999 Kenworth W900L (John Jaikes, Nanticoke, PA).
People’s Choice Winner
The People’s Choice award went to “Ken Worth,” a 2018 Kenworth W900L teamed with a 2018 Wabash, entered by Eva Knelsen from Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada.
