April 18, 2024

Monster Arm Wrestling popular in first year at fair

By Jamee A

Kelli Clymer, of Prairie City, competes in Friday's Monster Arm Wrestling match at the Jasper County Fair in Colfax. This was the inaugural year for arm wrestling at the county fair. Six women competed in the tournament with Clymer coming out on top in her class. (Jamee A)

Hootin’ and hollarin’, gruntin’ and gaspin’. The arm wrestling contest on Friday brought plenty of  excitement in its first year at the Jasper County Fair.

Monster Arm Wrestling of Marshalltown hosted the event with six women and seven men signing up to compete. Mother Monster, also known as Lee Ann Krough, is the owner and operator of the business for the past 37 years, since she became interested in arm wrestling.

“We have conducted Monster Arm Wrestling tournaments in the state of Iowa for the past 34 years,” Krough said. “We have held tournaments at the Iowa State Fair, several county fairs, motorcycle rallies, celebrations, bowling alleys, traverns and even after prom parties.”

With Krough was her monster arm wrestling machine poised to facilitate the battle between the two competitors. After weighing in, contestants were divided into weight classes and the competition began.

All six women competed in the same class with the finals coming down to Kristie Smith and Kelli Clymer after a double elimination tournament. Clymer came out on top claiming first place and bragging rights until the next competition.

“I have competed since I was 10,” Clymer said. “My mom was (arm wrestling) and we would go to county fairs and I started arm wrestling boys because there wasn’t enough girls. Last year at the state fair was the first time I had done it in 20 years. I did it both right and left handed and got first in both.”

Clymer said she was excited the competition was added to the Jasper County Fair and about the high number of woman signed up to wrestle. She said it is good practice before competing once again at the state fair.

Also competing in the women’s bracket were Katie Schlosser, Amber Samson, Camilla Schlosser and Dakota Stonehacker.

On the men’s side, competitors were divided into three divisions — middle weight, super heavy and heavy left handed. The competition was fierce with several matches running the entire three minutes without a pinned winner.

After several rounds of wrestling, Jerod DeVries won the middle weight division, Brian Willett topped the class in super heavy and Calvin Schlosser placed first in heavy left handed. Dakota Stonehacker, Phil Holland and Dein Burk also competed at the tournament.

With a good turnout and a ruckus crowd, Krough is optimistic arm wrestling will be back at the Jasper County Fair again next year.

For more information about Monster Arm Wrestling, contact Krough at www.monsterarmwrestling.com.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com