Working in radio, I usually cover the same events every year with the same people.

I cover a wide range of events like county fairs, section and state sports, tournaments, boat shows, and community celebrations. I enjoy all them and usually with the same people. This was the case this past weekend at the Canby Sportsmans Club and Canby Fire Relief Association 6th Annual Ice Fishing Tournament on Del Clark Lake just outside of Canby.

The Canby Sportsmans Club has invited KLQP to come out for two days and cover the event. It is one of my favorite events to cover every year. I am not an ice fisherman. I have only ice fished a few times when I was a teenager in the 1970’s.  Back then ice houses were just wooden shacks, nothing like they are today. Some are very luxurious inside, it’s amazing. Del Clark Lake is a man made lake. It’s not very big, so when you get 200 to 300 ice houses on it with a thousand people or so it’s like a small city that pops up. It’s an amazing site.

Again this year I saw my friend Ryson Schmidt. Ryson is 10 years old and loves being on the radio with me. We go way back to when he was 5 or 6 years old. Ryson’s dad Ryan is a member of the Canby Sportsmans Club, so he’s out at the tournament every year. I think we have taken a picture every year. 

However, I first met Ryson at a Canby basketball game I was broadcasting. He must have been 5 years old at the time. During halftime he brought me a bag of popcorn. I thought that was awesome and one of the cutest pictures I have taken. Ryson has a big personality and is amazing on the radio. I told him next year he is going to be my broadcasting partner at the ice fishing tournament.

Other people that I have met on a yearly basis

LQPV’s Rachel Halvorson at state golf. Rachel participated at state golf every year since she was a 7th grader! We have a picture from every year. The best was when she was a state champion!

Steve Storck, President of the Stevens County Fair in Morris. 

Mya Pesek, every year at the Yellow Medicine County Fair and cross country for the Canby-Minneota team

One of my favorites is at the Swift County Fair with my friends Dale and Dick and Pat at the Ribfest.

My cousin Taylor Shelstad when she ran cross country for LQPV-DB.

Can’t forget Ken, Dee Dee and Grace at Section and state dance.

It is so much fun to look back with the same people year after year.