Buddy Bass charity fishing tournament a success

Grace Beshore (left) with the Biggest Bass winner, Joe Rogers. The bass weighed 5 pounds, 11 ounces.

The ninth annual "Fishing For a Cure" Buddy Bass Tournament, held April 20, in Rich Hill, raised more than $600 in the fight against cystic fibrosis, a deadly genetic disease.

With rain all week, it may have been a little muddy, but the sun appeared and the beautiful weather led to 15 teams entering this year's competition. The tournament is an annual event to benefit Team Grace and all proceeds are donated directly to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Teams of two anglers checked in three fish each and prizes were awarded for total weight and biggest bass. Anthony Harrison and Brad Garver took first place with a total weight of 15 pounds, 12 ounces.

Grace Beshore (center) poses with Buddy Bass tournament winners Anthony Harrison (right) Brad Garver (left) and their fish.

They won $100 -- which they donated back to Team Grace -- trophies, two Abu Garcia fishing reels and tickets for this October's NASCAR Nationwide Series race, at Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kan.

Last year's winners, Joe Rogers and Jeff Fairbanks, came in second place overall with a total catch of 14 pounds, 5 ounces. They won two Abu Garcia reels.

For the second year in a row, Rogers checked in the largest bass of the tournament -- weighing in at 5 pounds, 11 ounces -- and took home the biggest bass cash pot. He donated the pot back to Team Grace.

Grace Beshore (center) poses with Buddy Bass tournament second-place finishers Jeff Fairbanks (right) Joe Rogers (left) and their fish.

Jerry Cornelius and Doug Duncan came in third with a haul of 12 pounds, 2 ounces. With generous sponsor donations, all competitors received door prizes, including hats and fishing gear.

At check-in, everyone enjoyed a smoked pulled pork meal. Sponsors included Natalea, Terry and Dixie Hoeper, Insurtec Insurance, Chadd Duncan and Food Fair, Fat Boyz Baits, Wingfoot Tire Center of Kansas City, Central Power Products of Liberty and International Used Truck Center of Kansas City. Clint McKinley donated the traveling trophies.

Team Grace is a group formed to support Grace Beshore and her battle with cystic fibrosis. Grace is the 10-year-old daughter of Chris Beshore, niece of Natalea Hoeper and granddaughter of Terry and Dixie Hoeper. Cystic fibrosis affects approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States.

According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, cystic fibrosis occurs when, "A defective gene causes the body to produce an abnormally thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections."

In the 1950s, few children with cystic fibrosis lived past Grace's current age, but with donations from events like this and with the strong commitment of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the life expectancy of cystic fibrosis patients has risen to 37 years.

For more about the event, making a charitable donation or more about upcoming events, visit www.walkforgrace.com or contact Chris Beshore at 417-395-2770.