Tournament Tuesday
LYDIA ANN FLYMASTERS 2019
FROM ORGANIZER ROB BURLINGAME —
Fellow Anglers & CfR Supporters,
Thank you again for everyone’s participation and generosity to make this year’s tournament a great success!
Through the years, we have had everything from picture perfect weather to cold and rainy conditions…this year was somewhere in between. Even with the challenging conditions, we had a lot of fish caught and a good number of bigger fish. We appreciate everyone braving the elements and getting out there to chase redfish!
This year was especially memorable because of the many new faces and first timers we had for both participants and sponsors. Just over a month before the tournament, things were looking rough on both fronts and we weren’t sure how everything would turn out. But, we had some rock stars that stepped in to help spread the word and secure new sponsors, ultimately making this one of the best tournaments yet! Special THANK YOU to Palmer Simpson and Ken Kahanek to stepping up in a big way to help out!
Thank you also to all of our sponsors, from the long time supporters to our new faces. Without the great swag, customized donations and monetary support that our sponsors provide, this tournament would not exist and I am extremely grateful for each one of your support! I continue to be amazed by the dedication and generosity that comes from our Texas fly fishing community and it makes me proud to be a part of it! Make sure you take a look at our sponsor page and do what you can to thank and support all of those that give selflessly to make this tournament a success (http://www.lydiaannflymasters.com/2019-sponsors.html).
Since our tournament started in 2008, we have strived to become an integral part in supporting the Casting for Recovery program in Texas. As Susan mentioned during the tournament, CfR uses Texas as a test bed for new programs before they are rolled our nationally. With donations from our tournament along with other support, CfR has been able to test new retreat concepts and ultimately serve more women in their recovery from breast cancer. Over the past few years, they have been able to hold new retreats each year such as Stage 4 retreats and Military Women retreats to help broaden their impact across the state and the nation.
While there are a lot of charitable groups dedicated to breast cancer, what makes CfR unique is that they are the only group I know of that deals with the “after” part of a breast cancer diagnosis, helping the women to push forward with vigor, focus and the knowledge that a whole team has their back, no matter what. If you are able to volunteer at one of their retreats, you can see the transformation first hand and it is nothing short of amazing. That is what makes me passionate about supporting Casting for Recovery!
I have rambled long enough, so now it’s time to share the results you have all been waiting for:
We finished this years tournament with a total of 66 anglers. The boat division was the largest with 52, followed by the kayak division with had 14. Through registrations, raffle and the silent auction, we were able to raise a total of $6,353 that went directly back to Casting for Recovery! That brings our cumulative total raised through the tournament to just over $54,000. Our goal was to break the $50K mark this year and through all of your help, we blew right past that goal!
If you have any ideas of something you would like to include or improve about the tournament, feel free to reach out and let me know. THANK YOU to each of you that participated and helped to make this year’s event a success. I look forward to another great event in 2020 and want to make next year something extra special as it will be our official 10th anniversary tournament!
Tight Lines,
Rob Burlingame
(210) 885-3730 cell
2019 TOURNAMENT RESULTS:
Gross Funds Raised: $10,115
Net Funds Raised: $6,353
Total Funds Donated to CfR (2008-2019): $54,059
Total Number of Anglers: 66
Kayak Anglers: 14
Boat Anglers: 52
Female Anglers: 9 (included in totals)
2019 TOURNAMENT WINNERS:
TOP WOMAN ANGLER:
1st: Sheila Anderson – 29 1/4″ Redfish
BOAT DIVISION – REDFISH CLASS:
1st: Brodie Miller – 30″ Redfish
2nd: Stacy Lynn – 28 7/8″ Redfish *tie
3rd: Jeff Baker – 28 7/8″ Redfish *tie
KAYAK DIVISION – REDFISH CLASS:
1st: Ken Kahanek – 27″ Redfish
2nd: Aaron Gates – 25 1/2” Redfish
3rd: David Beck – 24” Redfish
BOAT DIVISION – OPEN SPECIES CLASS:
1st: Kyle Charles – 21” Black Drum
2nd: Matt Simpson – 18” Black Drum
KAYAK DIVISION – OPEN SPECIES CLASS:
1st: Jim George – 18” Ladyfish
2nd: Walter Ross – 7” Piggy Perch
Category: Tournament Tuesday, Tournaments and Contests
