SAFFORD — Just two-one hundreths of a second was the difference between going home with nothing and going home with $5,000 in prizes.
Geo Ramirez ran the Double R Communications Father Mows Best course in 10.5 seconds, edging out the second-place finisher, who ran it 10.52 seconds.
“My wife just told me about it and she thought it would be a fun thing to do,” Ramirez said. “I said, ‘OK, let’s do it,’ and I just came to have fun.”
Twenty-seven fathers had to run the course on the lawn at Safford City Hall as quickly as possible while pushing or pulling a toy lawn mower, making sure all four wheels remained on the ground.
Ramirez took home a prize package that included: A $500 Visa gift card from Mann Mortgage; a recliner valued at $1,000 from Sparks Homestore; a wristwatch valued at $500 from Clonts Jewelry; a $1,000 lawn care package from Safford Builders Supply/Ace Hardware; a $500 Carter’s Custom Cuts gift card from Keyhole Properties; a Green Mountain Davy Crockett Smoker and pellets from Carter’s Custom Cuts; a $100 gift card to Copper Steer Steakhouse; $50 gift cards to Mack’s Auto Parts/NAPA, Meg’s Place, Gi’Mees, El Charro, Cakes with TLC and Onidah Arms; $25 gift certificates to Rustic Lace and Kainoa’s; two rounds of golf at Mt. Graham Golf Course; green chili olive oil and a sexy barbecue apron from Genaveve’s; and a custom cornhole set from Double R Communications/Kat Kountry.
Sponsors of the event included: Mann Mortgage, Mack Autoparts/NAPA, Five Star Home Center, Valley Furniture and Appliance, Safford Builders Supply/Ace Hardware, Carters Custom Cuts, Keyhole Properties, Clonts Fine Jewelry and Double R Communications.