By Steve Blanchard, Finish Line® President
Drama. History. Exhilaration. Finish Line Horse Products’ sixth annual bass fishing tournament had it all. Twenty-seven excited trainers and families had been waiting for this day for months, several traveled from out of state to attend. Then Mother Nature stepped in: a storm popped up and threatened to cancel the event. Trainers, guides, Roland Martin Marina Management, and Finish Line’s President Steve Blanchard all watched as the storm did a pass over Lake Okeechobee just scant hours before the scheduled start.
Thirteen bass boats left promptly at 7:00AM and the contest was on. The next six hours on the water would determine this year’s champions. When the bass were all tallied up the winner of last year’s Big Bass trophy, Barclay Tagg, was this year’s winner of the smallest bass! 0.47 pounds awarded Barclay another trophy and a cash prize.
Bobby Breen won SHOW for total weight with 18.98 pounds, Shug McGaughey earned PLACE with 20.71 pounds to add his third Finish Line Bass Tourney trophy to his collection—he keeps them next to his multiple Kentucky Derby and Travers trophies–and Fausto Guiterrez’s son Andres, who was tagged DNF last year—he was skunked—got the WIN with 34.50 pounds total weight. The crowd went wild with applause. Andres will be awarded a coveted place on the Tournament’s permanent Champion’s trophy, his name engraved on the plaque forever.
When the photo finish for Big Bass SHOW was announced history was made as Finish Line’s Steve Blanchard declared a DEAD HEAT! Tied at 6.43 pounds apiece, Roger Attfield and Kerry Zavash caused Finish Line to dig down for more cash and another trophy had to be made. PLACE was captured by Ron Spatz at 6.49 pounds and the coveted WIN for Big Bass went to Lisa Zavash with a 6.97 lunker. Lisa is the wife of Kerry, making them the power couple of the 6th annual Finish Line Bass Tournament. Lisa will join Kerry on the Champion’s trophy, Kerry is already there for winning total weight in 2022.
Finish Line thanks all of the competitors and looks forward to more fun next year. See you at the seventh annual in 2026!!!!
