‘The Hula-Hooping Fiddler’
Peterson takes first in Anything Goes contest
By Hans Lammeman
The 51st annual Texas State Championship Fiddlers Frolics kicked the weekend’s musical festivities last Friday evening with the highly anticipated “Anything Goes” competition on stage at the Hallettsville Knights of Columbus Hall.
The event’s title nearly covers its rules: anything goes as long as a fiddle is on stage. Tricks, props, the splits, various styles and accompaniment by family members are all permitted, according to one of the event organizers Cherri Fryer.
This year, 10-year-old McKenna Peterson of Fulshear returned to the stage with her Hula-Hoop to impress the judges and take home the grand prize. With the artful movement of her bow and continuous hip rotation, Peterson quickly had the audience clapping along as she balanced a tune and plastic hoop simultaneously.
Local journalist and author Bobby Horecka, one of the events’ three judges, explained that Peterson’s performance was musically and physically impressive enough to amaze him.
“I couldn’t have kept that hoop going for half that long, much less the fiddle,” said Horecka. “She played a lot more songs than she did last year. She actually had all of that tied into a good melody.”
Horecka, alongside News Personality for Newsradio 740 KTRH Shara Fryer and former Lavaca County Judge Keith Mudd, judged the event while Egon Barthels introduced each performer. The judges determined Friday’s winner in collaboration with the audience, whose applause volume was measured throughout the night.
Peterson took home the grand cash prize of $300, with second place going to Trustin Baker and the Baker Family Band, and self-taught fiddler Ann Defibaugh rounded out the podium in third place.
Barthels congratulated the 10-year-old while she strode on stage to collect the winnings, referring to her as the “The Hula- Hooping Fiddler, McKenna Peterson.”
She confirmed enthusiastically after the contest that she plans to return to Hallettsville next April to fiddle again.