Avoca Quack-Off - Transcript
[Narrator]
At first glance Avoca seems like every other rural community in the state. Quietly getting through another bitter Nebraska winter, patiently anticipating the spring thaw. But each year on the third weekend of January Avoca loses its patience.
Avoca, Nebraska has been home to the Quack-Off Duck Races, an annual winter event that, not surprisingly, began on a frozen pond near a tavern.
[David Seay]
It started back one winter day when a couple guys at the bar were chatting about nothing to do in Nebraska when it was cold. And so they figured it needed to be something and so the bar owner got involved and they decided that what they needed to do is what the ice fishermen did up in Canada when they got bored. And that’s to race ducks.
This is a fund-raiser for the local volunteer fire department. People come from Omaha and Lincoln to enjoy the day. It’s a party all over. It’s a great spectator sport too. They ice down the tennis courts and race four ducks at a time; and it’s just a hoot to watch.
[Narrator]
Participating in the Quack-Off is simple. You show up on race day with your duck, pay a ten dollar entry fee and wait for the starting gun.
Don’t have a duck? No problem, the Quack-Off has over seventy ducks for rent, all bred for speed. Okay, that’s not true. Actually they’re the 4-H project for the kids on the Scholting family farm in nearby Louisville, Nebraska.
The Quack-Off is a flightless race so wings are clipped to keep things fair. Afterall, the race is on the ice not over the ice. Ducks probably aren’t very competitive when it comes to footraces, webbed or otherwise, and that’s too bad. They are very fast.
They all certainly look ready to race, but that might just be adrenalin. But really, how do you tell if a duck is a good racing duck? By size, beak color, web design? There ought to be a Quack-Off forum.
The truth is winning really doesn’t matter since it was determined that the Quack-Off, as it was originally designed, was gambling.
[David Seay]
The Charitable Gaming Commission got involved and said that if it cost to participate in the event and it was a game of chance (and for some reason they don’t think our ducks are skilled racers so therefore it’s a game of chance) and there’s a payout at the end, then it’s gambling. So we had to remove one of those elements and so we decided we had to keep the cost to participate, or the donation to participate, because that’s how we raise our funds. And we had to keep the game ‘cause that’s why people come. So the only thing to eliminate was the prize money.
So now everybody who participates gets a certificate but the top four place winners get a special gift certificate with their name already printed on it, while everybody else has to write their own name in.
[Narrator]
By late morning on race day the Avoca townhall was bustling with folks registering for the races and lining up for a brunch featuring chili dogs and polish sausages, all being taken care of by the Avoca Volunteer Fire Department.
For the serious competitors Gussie’s Bar provided a pre-race environment for considering race technique and strategy.
[Contestant]
I’ve got the clapper gloves. It’s like a shotgun sound so it’ll make them run. It’s all about testosterone.
[Narrator]
The Avoca tennis court is the scene for the Quack-Off races. Spectators begin filling in the front rows. For race participants it was time to pick out a duck, a procedure that requires much consideration and a good eye.
[Contestant]
I think I see my duck.
[Narrator]
With everything in place the only thing left to do was race ducks.
[kazoo charge flourish]
[Narrator]
The Quack-Off is simple. All you have to do is convince your duck, without touching them, to run in a straight line. Preferably fast. Anyone can do it.
The key is communication with your duck. So it’s mostly blind luck.
People come to Avoca from all over Nebraska and neighboring states for the Quack-Off. It’s an event that’s completely unique and certainly not likely to be held in downtown Omaha.
[Contestant]
This is definitely not a Lincoln or Omaha kind of deal. You can only do this in a small town where they don’t have any open container laws. It’s just a one of a kind event and there’s nothing else like the duck races.
[Narrator]
Four ducks race at a time with the top two moving on until a Quack-Off final four has been established. Spectators anxiously awaited the championship race, while ducks were given final words of encouragement and strategy.
[Contestant]
We’ve visualized it, we saw the finish line and we’re just going to go right to it.
We got it...we got it down.
[Contestant]
Let’s have a clean race.
[whistle]
[Narrator]
The races were over and a champion had been crowned. But at the Avoca Quack-Off there’s a lot more than duck racing going on. And in this small Nebraska town people think a winner can smile.
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