Contestants rock Prophetstown’s third annual rock-throwing contest

The Rock River became a bit rockier Sunday, when contestants lined up in the 2021 Farmer’s Rock Throwing Classic to see how many times they could skip a rock across the surface of the Rock River.

“We’ve held it for three years,” organizer and head “skipper” Dan Howard said. “Farmer was my dad’s nickname, and he taught me how to skip rocks.”

Kids and adults, complete with their own nicknames, walked on to the outcropping near the boat docks at Prophetstown State Park and tried skipping their rocks, some provided by Howard in a bucket and some of their own choosing.

Some stones made it one or two times across the surface, while others took an early dive.

That is, until the adult men’s division began and Joe Mauck, 26, of Spring Valley, stood ready for his five attempts.

Mauck had a 16-skip effort to beat when he stretched into a wide tossing-stance, and on his second attempt recorded a 17-skip feat, good enough for the winning toss.

“Nathan had 16 just before me, so I knew it was on,” he said, smiling. “You have to stay low, and the trajectory out of your hand is the key.”

Mauck is no stranger to the Rock River or Prophetstown. “My mom grew up here,” and he still has several relatives who live in the town, he said.

Mauck, donning a festive Fourth of July shirt, was having fun with the event, as were all the onlookers, contestants and host.

“This is one of my connections with the river. I visualized my throw and I saw it skipping across the river as a I threw it,” Mauck said, striking an ESPN-like postgame interview tone. “And when it hit 17, I knew I had it.”

“It” was an official Farmer’s Rock Throwing Classic hat, which Howard ceremoniously placed on Mauck’s head.

Mauck is a long way, though, from the P-town Classic record: 29.

“Our record is 29, but the world record is 88. Kurt ‘Mountain Man’ Steiner holds that record,” Howard said, noting that lakes are more suitable for skipping records than rivers.

After the competition, some of the gang of throwers continued the fun by tossing in handfuls of rocks into the river all at once and creating a “machine-gun” spray effect.

“We’re trying to raise the level of the river,” Howard said. “I could do this all day.”