MINNEAPOLIS (Jan. 24, 2006) - Land O'Lakes - the Arden Hills, Minn., dairy producer - announced today the members of its professional angling team competing in the 2006 FLW Outdoors tournament season. Team Land O'Lakes will comprise Karen Savik, Eric Olson, Keith Williams, Vince Minnick, Jeremiah Kindy, Aaron McManaway and James Davis.
Earlier this year, Land O'Lakes renewed its sponsorship with FLW Outdoors and will sponsor all 10 of the FLW Outdoors tournament trails. While Savik, Olson, Williams and Minnick return to Team Land O'Lakes, Kindy, McManaway and Davis represent new additions.
Kindy is a tournament-angling veteran, having fished in 76 FLW Outdoors events since 1998. While Kindy has fished on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour for three years, last season was the Benton, Ark., native's best with two top-10 finishes and a berth in the 2005 Wal-Mart FLW Tour Championship. "Being a pro angler has been a lifelong dream of mine," Kindy said. "Because of Land O'Lakes, my dream has become a reality."
Despite having fished in only 24 FLW Outdoors events, McManaway has already notched 11 top-10 finishes in his young career. After a second-place finish at the 2004 Wal-Mart BFL All-American, the Altamont, Ill., co-angler returned to the All-American in 2005, this time capturing $50,000 and first place. In 2006, McManaway is set to test his skills as a co-angler on the FLW Tour. A salesman for Land O'Lakes subsidiary Croplan Genetics, McManaway is excited about the upcoming season: "Fishing as a Land O'Lakes-sponsored angler on the FLW Tour is a dream come true. I'm extremely thankful my employer has allowed me to do this."
Davis, an energetic co-angler from Ferriday, La., has fished in 42 FLW Outdoors events spanning the FLW Tour, Stren Series, BFL and Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail. Fishing in his home state of Louisiana, Davis claimed first place at the 2005 FLW Tour event on the Ouachita River. On the final day of competition, Davis caught five bass that weighed 13 pounds, 4 ounces, which was good enough to win the Co-angler Division title and $20,000. "I'm overly excited to be a member of the Land O'Lakes team," Davis said. "This sponsorship gives me the opportunity to do something that I really love. I woke up this morning at 4:30 a.m. and practice doesn't start until 7 a.m. I am ready to go fishing."
Thea Keamy, vice president of Land O'Lakes, stated: "The pro angling team is an essential part of our sponsorship with FLW Outdoors. We're confident our anglers will bring added visibility to the Land O'Lakes brand."