Rating:

5.0 (1 vote)

Visitors from across the state took a leisurely drive along the Montana Bale Trail between Windham and Hobson on Sunday, part of the annual "What The Hay" festival.

The Montana Bale Trail is a 21-mile loop that runs from Hobson through Utica to Windham, with dozens of decorative hay sculptures dotting the roadside.

Other features of the What The Hay event include the Hobson book sale and the Utica Day Fair, with rides, vendors, and food.

What The Hay started between two neighbors, and has grown to be one of the top tourist attractions in the state, and even though the event is light-hearted, there is some good-natured rivalry between the locals.

Visitors to this year's event enjoyed hay art in the form of dozens of creations, including the Geico gecko, the headless horseman, Superman, and other humorous takes on politics, culture, and events.

The People's Choice Awards for the Bale Trail are as follows:

Sculpted Bale

1. 5 Hay Clock Somewhere — Clint Carr Friends and Family
2. Haydless Horseman — Mike Woods, Woods Metal Art
3. Geico G-Hay-cko – Jim and Sue Hicks
4. Despica’bale’ ME — Judy Mikkelsen
5. The C”Hay”ke Boss –Sandra Morrison
6. “Hay Dude” — Nicholas McTurk -McTurk Circle Bar Guest Ranch
7. Honhaymoon is Over – Don & Elaine Miller Family
8. Av-hay-tar — Bar 87 Crew
9. Up Up & HayWay — Don and Marilyn Derks
10. Philhaybrook #75 Bear — Don Derks

Whole Bale

1. Receding Hayr Line — Cynthia Derks and Andy Heap
2. Hayl Damage — Class of 2011 Hobson High School
3. Arizonhay/Mexhayco Do you have your hay — Traci Mikkelsen
4. “Bale”tian White Beer — Tara Mikkelsen
5. “Hay” Lien Fam”Hay”Ly– Freshman Class – Hobson High School
6. Potential Bale Spill -BP — John Campbell
7. Merr”hay” Christmas To All – Christmas Morning — Bill and Sandy Hesselbart
8. Doubale Stuf Orhayo — Nancy and Roger Epkes
9. Hay-R Days — Scott Andersen
10. Birds of Hay Feather — Stacey Derks

Children’s Bales - Thank you to everyone of you who entered a bale.

Hay Koolhayd Guy – Chloe Derks
White Bale Dog – Hayden Hammontree
Hoorhay Denver Broncos — Carter Derks
Hayomatic – Helm Family
Ma”Hay”L Box — Alyssa Thomas
Bosl”Hay”ing Ball Zack Thomas
Gulf of Mex”hay”co — Stanford 5 & 6 grades
R2D2 From Straw Wars — Reed Hammontree
GHay Joe — Parker Campbell
Levi’s Bale — Levi Stevenson
Row Row Row Your Bale — Reba Watson
Bask’Hay’Ball – Jordan Stevenson, Bailey Wertheimer, Morgan Wertheimer, Fanny Royer-Obert

Visit the MontanaBaleTrail website for more information.

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