CHICAGO, July 21, 2000 - Two youths from Louisiana and Maryland each earned $5,000 in college scholarship funds after winning national casting titles in an annual program where 1,700 contests attracted 170,000 participants during the season.
The competition was held during the BASS Masters Classic world championship underway in Chicago through tomorrow.
Jessey Flowers, 10, of Hagerstown, Md., and Brock Begnaud, 14, of Lafayette, La., won their respective national championships after posting the highest scores in this competition of 10 finalists who came from as many states.
Flowers scored 140 out of a possible 150 points to win his title hands-down. Begnaud won his title after scoring 130 points and winning a tie-breaker.
The object of CastingKids is to hit a 42-inch-wide bull's-eye target with a hookless lure by casting from 30 feet, pitching from 20 feet, and flipping from 10 feet away. The target circles are worth 20, 30, 40, and 50 points, respectively. A perfect score is 150, with few made based on the rising skill of the contestants.
The 10 finalists competed for $20,000 in college scholarships and prizes in the two respective age groups. They arrived here after advancing through a highly competitive series of local, state, and regional contests. The finalists and their families were treated to an all-expense paid trip to bass fishing's world championship. Daily catches of the 46 pros competing for the world championship are being weighed inside legendary Soldier Field, home to NFL's Chicago Bears.
"This is an awesome experience," said Begnaud. "We get to meet the pros, have fun, and go to a Tricia Yearwood concert." The country star will perform a free concert tomorrow after the winner is crowned at Soldier Field.
"This is a lot of fun," said Flowers. "Every kid should do this because you get to meet new friends and have fun."