Bluestone Festival Results

The 2004 Hancock Bluestone Festival, which took place July 29th through the 31st at Firemen’s Park, was deemed a huge success. Numerous quarrymen competed in 6 events for various prizes, donated by leaders of the Bluestone industry. The top three place winners in each event, and the prizes they won, are as follows:

Bill Mirch times a contestant who is trimming a stone

Fieldstone Stacking competition – 1st place Lou Matoushek ,14” diamond blade from All Construction Supply (ACS) and $200. cash from Gustin Stone Supply; 2nd place James Lewellyn, $100 gift certificate from ACS and $150 cash from Gustin Stone; 3rd place Keith Krull, $150 cash from Gustin Stone.

Bluestone stacking with a skidsteer

Skidsteer Obstacle Course – 1st place Aaron Ostrander, 14” diamond blade ACS and $100 gift certificate from ACS; 2nd place Kurt Finch, 14” diamond blade from Diamond Products; 3rd place Scott Vernooy, 12” diamond blade fron Stone Supply, Inc.

Skidsteer Slab Stacking – 1st place Aaron Ostrander, 26” diamond blade from Tompkins Bluestone and a 14” blade from ACS; 2nd place Bob Haight, 14” diamond blade from ACS and $100 gift certificate from ACS; 3rd place Kurt Finch, 12” blade from Stone Supply, Inc.

Bill Mirch took 1st place in the Rock Facing and the Cutting

Rock Facing – 1st place Bill Mirch, $250 gift certificate from Olivers Equipment and a $100 gift certificate from ACS; 2nd place Al Bullis, Sr., $150 gift certificate from Olivers and a 14” diamond blade from Diamond Products; 3rd place Greg Keesler, a $100 gift certificate from Olivers.

Veneer Cutting – 1st place Earl Hennessey, a 14” blade from ACS, a $100 gift certificate from ACS and a Bluestone picture frame from The Other Moose; 2nd place Al Bullis, Sr. an 18 diamond blade from Miles Supply; 3rd place Al Bullis, Jr., tools, oil and wedges from Al’s Used Cars and $50 cash from Damtown Stone and Drilling.

Cutting and Trimming a Square – 1st place Bill Mirch, $300 cash from Sonny and Sons Stone Company and a Bluestone picture frame from The Other Moose; 2nd place Al Bullis, Sr., $200 cash from Sonny and Sons, 3rd place Earl Hennessey, a hammer and hand tracer from Trow & Holden and $50 cash from Masonville Stone Co.

All place winners also received a hat and T-shirt courtesy of the New York State Bluestone Association.

The Hancock Area Chamber of Commerce would also like to thank the following companies who donated Skidsteers for use by competitors: New Holland Binghamton, Milton Caterpillar and George W. Kinsman, Inc. Special thanks to those who helped to conduct and judge the events, including Harry and Alex Triebe, The Mirch Family and Tompkins Bluestone, Kurt Finch, Scott Vernooy, Paul Gustin and Gustin Stone Supply. The Chamber is also grateful to the Hancock Fire Department for the use of its field, and support throughout the event.

Congratulations to all of the place winners, as well as all of the others who competed at all. They are truly leaders in their respective fields.