boone Posted July 31, 2004 Share Posted July 31, 2004 It's getting closer... Ohhhhhhh Yeah The Bourbon Festival is just around the corner. This paper was on the "board" last week. When I first saw it I thought about running the "wearables" for the team. I dress all of them, "NASCAR" style...Everyone knows that Heaven Hill has a embroider in the house I was checking the names on the list and I remembered, when I was on the 2001 team. That year, Max decided to pull out of the festival, in respect for all the folks who lost their lives in 911. That included the barrel rolling team. I was a member of the team but we did not participate in the competition. I had a really good time with the team. It was memorable to say the least . While I was looking at the papers, everybody that went by would say, sign it "JoBettye"...Well...I signed it ... IT'S ON I give all the credit to the Barrel Rolling Team for giving me a "wake up call" on how bad my lungs were due to smoking. I quit August 28, 2001 and have not looked back since This year, if I have the "turn position" ya won't hear me gasping for air. My lungs are back, but I hope the rest of me is ready for this The best part, I've been trained in the art of maneuvering a 500 pound barrel in barrel racing...I will not have to focus on "learning" to move them around. I will put most all of my energy into getting faster and working as a link with the rest of the team to keep the line smooth ..."Focus and rhythm", focus and rhythm, that's the words that the coach is saying to you as you are learning the art ... The prize money is not much for all the hard work involved. I am thankful that Max pays us for the practice time that we put in. We can take pay or take it in "days off" (with pay)...it's our choice. Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeNell Posted July 31, 2004 Share Posted July 31, 2004 Good for you for quitting the smokes! We look forward to seeing those lungs at work on the field. That's really great to have a company team with nice support to back ya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted July 31, 2004 Author Share Posted July 31, 2004 Tonya, The funniest (now, not then) part was when David Hobbs, Vice President of Heaven Hill, came out to the rick to watch us practice. David, stopped the entire set, walking right into the track to see if I was going to be alright I was so embarrassed, I wanted to crawl under a rock and hide His actions convinced me to throw those cigarettes away Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesbassdad Posted July 31, 2004 Share Posted July 31, 2004 There are other benefits to quitting, as well.When I finally quit, my wife confided that previously kissing me had reminded her of licking a used ashtray."Honey, why didn't you say something?""If I had, would you have believed it?""No.""Well, there you are."On the flip side, I attribute at least half of my excess fat to quitting smoking. I had unknowingly used tobacco as an appetite suppresant.Yours truly,Dave Morefield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNbourbon Posted August 1, 2004 Share Posted August 1, 2004 Bettye Jo, generally I am a libertarian when it comes to personal habits, and figure everyone is entitled to their own vices, as long as they are not illegal. Some people consider the Ridgewood Reserve (yes, the defunct one) I'm sipping as I write this a mortal sin. I don't -- I'm of legal age, I bought it legally (this bottle, anyway -- I bought some before the ruling!) and I won't be face-down on my keyboard when I'm finished.That said, my father died of lung cancer at age 60 because of his 2-pack-a-day habit from the time he was a teenager. They removed his entire, useless lung two years earlier, too late to forstall the metastases in the stomach, liver and brain that eventually killed him. It was his right to smoke those cigarettes; but it was flat out wrong for a good man to die so young. Actions have consequences.So, good for you -- I hope that you will enjoy your friends family, children and (eventually) grandchildren for a long, long time. I know they'll enjoy having you around longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike1 Posted August 1, 2004 Share Posted August 1, 2004 How do you choose what barrels to roll? Are some better than others. Are they filled with bourbon ,or are they used barresl filled with water? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelshare Posted August 3, 2004 Share Posted August 3, 2004 Bettye Jo, you have done more for your health than any medicine ever could. Keep up the good work (I believe that every day a former smoker remains tobacco free is work)! I'm sure you get positive feedback from your family and friends, but I don't think you can ever get too much reinforcement for such a worthwhile endeavor. Now, back to the event...I must echo Mike's questions - can you give us the barrel rolling inside scoop? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted August 3, 2004 Author Share Posted August 3, 2004 Tim, Sorry, to hear the news about your Daddy It's sad, to watch the one's you love, loose their battle for life. Bless your Daddy's soul and bless you too. Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted August 3, 2004 Author Share Posted August 3, 2004 When I first joined the team, HH had a track built in the fields near the warehouses. The boards were nearly rot from time and weather, so Max had a brand new one built right behind the bottlinghouse. Complete with a picnic table. That old track, was so sunk in the middle I could hardly get a barrel up to the turn if it was dead to start. A good rolling barrel is smooth, very round...(some can be a bit egg shaped), and all the rivets are even with the bung. Those rivets tell the roller where the bung is. As it's rolling, the roller can "feel" the rivets and keep track where the bung is. This thread gives the how to's on "clocking a barrel" very important and very difficult to master. During the official competition those barrels are filled with water. They usually weigh around 500 pound each. At HH, when we start to practice, they don't fill ten barrels with water The warehousemen, will drop off the barrels filled with "real thing" (full of bourbon) at the rick . When they first pulled up I asked, how in the hell are they gonna get those barrels off that big truck without bustin' 'em? Then, my question was answered...They pitched a huge "tractor trailer" tire out on the ground...Then "Wella" like flowing water, ten barrels rolled out in a drop of a dime. Each barrel, landed directly in the middle of the tire and "softly" bounced off into the grass. I was amazed that something so simple, worked so well The Barrel Rolling event this is sponsored byIndependent Stave Company (barrel makers) John Boswell, owns this very generous company. His son Brad, is President We don't get to pick the barrels. ISC makes the "new barrels" that we use in the competition and fills them with water. They also make the track and the rick to go with it. This event, is located right beside the swimming pool (walking distance) near the grounds of Spalding Hall. ISC also sponsors the "Free Concert" during the festival (Friday night) Charlie Daniels, will perform this year at the Bluegrass Speedway on New Haven Road (31E) How the competition scores work...Simple terms...Ten barrels...Clock starts with movement of the first barrel. Clock stops when the "last barrel" makes it completely, in the rick. Major factors...Money out, bung up and all barrels in contact with each other. They have to be sitting on the rails. (One year, we had all the bungs up until the last barrel hit, that force knocked the first barrel off it's edge (barrel down) it added a lot of time to our final score) ...The time is usually 1 minute and if you "really suck" it's two minutes... Every "bung" that is pointed directly up, you get 10 seconds shaved off your time. Lowest time wins I hope to see and hear alot of ya'll during this year's competition. I'll need the support . Ya see...I am the eldest...the rest of 'em are very young...Well hell...so young, they could be my children Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeNell Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 When my Ben quit, he put on some pounds. I told him I'd rather have some love handles anyday as long as I get to have him around as long as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted August 18, 2004 Author Share Posted August 18, 2004 We have started practicing for the competition. I have alot of work ahead of me I am sore, not painful, just uncomfortable. The first day of practice I missed because they forgot, that I havta go to school on Monday Wednesday and Friday. Sooooooooooooooooo...they set the schedule for 8:30-10:30 Tuesday, Thursday and Friday...Makes it kinda rough getting up that early when at times, I don't get off from work until 3 in the morning...but it's just for a little while and I can handle that...Or can I? The first morning, I got up at 8:03 brushed my teeth...threw on my old work clothes, didn't fix my hair, didn't put make up on...jumped in the Jeep ran into the Mini-mart and got my favorite coffee (John Conti) and made it to the practice track (behind the bottling house) at exactly 8:30... We talked for abit about who was going to do what positions and the times to achieve...We started...I was the lead...the lead has to start the barrels from dead...Actually, putting all the barrels into motion for the team...I was at the corner last time but now, I've got the sucky job, as starter...It's very difficult to start a dead barrel The entire set takes a little over a minute or two...by the tenth barrel I was cookin'...inside and out...by the time I had made the corner with the tenth barrel...I knew I was gonna Oh...Nooooooooo....I pushed a bunch of barrels down to the setter and walked to the side a let it rip...Ran back to the setter and finished the set... Oh Well...Must been the excitement, the heat, and that position cause it's hard as hell to get a those barrels in motion... I am going to bring my camera with me on Wednesday. I will take pictures of everyone. I will also take pictures of the new visitor center. It's really shaping up. The awesome part is the gigantic oak barrel that is built inside. Folks can walk into it for tastings...Pretty unique ...The unveiling and grand opening are scheduled for Oct. 15th... Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyc Posted August 19, 2004 Share Posted August 19, 2004 The unveiling and grand opening are scheduled for Oct. 15th... I'm happy to have my address for that reason alone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeNell Posted August 19, 2004 Share Posted August 19, 2004 Boy, that sure is some dedication! I bet that is quite a workout. Maybe you should start a new round of exercise videos! You're a tough one, gal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted August 19, 2004 Share Posted August 19, 2004 Bettye Jo Boone's Barrel Rolling Workout. Sounds like the title for my next video!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted August 19, 2004 Author Share Posted August 19, 2004 I took a bunch of pictures today...I will post them but grabbed this one first...Something the regular folks don't get to see, much less know about This little device helps the judges decide if the barrel will be counted as "Bung Up"...They place it in the center of the barrel and if the bung touches either end of this gauge it's considered bung up and points will be shaved off their total time...As ya know the lowest time wins After the set...the judges are leaning into the rick...most folks can't see what they are doing...Well...now ya know! They got that what-cha-ma-call-it thing-of-majig to see if the bung is up As you can see by the picture that barrel would be considered bung up Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted August 19, 2004 Author Share Posted August 19, 2004 This is what the visitor center looked like this morning around 8:30...When I left around 10:30 I had to drive through black oil...they were getting ready to pave the road...and the parking lot on the other side of the building. Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepcycle Posted August 19, 2004 Share Posted August 19, 2004 Funny. Bung up in Barrel Rolling is good. In the Navy its bad. Go Figure!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted August 21, 2004 Author Share Posted August 21, 2004 The force behind the Heaven Hill World Champion Barrel Rolling Teams... These two men are the coaches of both the men and the women's teams at Heaven Hill. I don't know if all of you know this but HH is usually #1...Everybody wants to beat us because we rank nearly every year. One year we took every trophy home with us Makes for a very competitive competition I don't have a picture of Fankie Fletcher. She has been our coach for many years but they transferred her to the Distillery (Bernheim) in Louisville...I'm still going to make her a shirt...She still visits the men's team on her own time (days off) and helps with the settings ...Her husband, Jerimy Fletcher, was the men's individual World Champion Barrel Roller The very tall man...6'5" is Kenny Ice. He is "Chief" of all warehouse operations (Superintendent of ALL warehouses) at Heaven Hill...He's approaching his 45th year of service for Heaven Hill A good man! I just love him The other fine man is Jody Filiatreau...Supervisor, Warehouse, Bardstown Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted August 21, 2004 Author Share Posted August 21, 2004 This is Jody Filiatreau...Jody, spends the most time with us...Here he is...workin' the rick...Just flat out jumps inisde and will push them outta there with amazing speed...Saves us alot of time and work Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted August 21, 2004 Author Share Posted August 21, 2004 The track...this is where we practice...it's located right behind the bottling house Team members from left to right...Paula Clark, Martha Hall, Brandi Anderson, Ashey Mattingly, and me...Jodie Filiatreau (coach) is in the back... Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted August 21, 2004 Author Share Posted August 21, 2004 Paula Clark...She sets the barrels for our team...She won the women's individual trophy last year...We are good friends...We were hired the same year Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted August 21, 2004 Author Share Posted August 21, 2004 Hmmmmmmm...this one is not barrel rolling realated...but I thought was interesting...This is the grave marker of William Heavenhill and his wife Susan. It's located under the grove of trees near the barrel rolling track. It's a small graveyard. Most of the tombstones are broken and there rest look like rocks that somebody tried to make their own markers. Most are unreadable, time has taken the names forever. Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeNell Posted August 22, 2004 Share Posted August 22, 2004 Thanks for posting the pics. Great to see a bit about what's involved. And the gravestone...makes one stop and have a moment of silent reverence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 22, 2004 Share Posted August 22, 2004 That is one OLD tombstone Bettyejo. Reminds me of the time when I was a girl scout (about 20 years ago) and for part education and part heritage reasons of your ancestors. Each scout was to go to a cemetery and 'rub' an image with crayon onto paper so that we can relay our family's history. That would have been a "real treasure" to etch and report it to the troop the following meeting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted September 21, 2004 Author Share Posted September 21, 2004 Well...it's over We scored excellent Damn near took every 1st place trophy home with us, EXCEPT for the Women's Individual Team...We placed 2nd. The other results were... Men's individual... 1st...Heaven Hilll...Buck Cheatham 2nd...Heaven Hill....Jerimy Fletcher Women's individual... 1st...Heaven Hill...Paula Clark (second year in a row! ) 2nd...Heaven Hill...Brandi Anderson Men's Team 1st...Heaven Hill 2nd...Jim Beam Women's Team 1st...Jim Beam 2nd...Heaven Hill Several barrels went "off track" on my side. It was EXTREME to say the least. I had a great "side coach" Jerimy Fletcher His words of encouragement helped me make it through. I can't describe how hard it is to get a 500lb. barrel out of the grass onto two rails in a super fast time! EXTREME is the only word that comes close. If I had to roll barrels for a livin'?...ain't gonna happen...No way! It was fun as a game but there is no way I would transfer down there at all!!! Paula did it for 7 years! I gave this competition my best. They gave me this certificate. Spelled my name wrong...It says $100.00 CASH...but there was no money delivered with it. They tell me I have to take the certificate to Bardstown tourist office where the KFB central is located...and they will "Write me a Check"...A check ain't cash to me...and traveling to Bardstown (havta leave early for work) to get it is not the best thought that comes to mind. They gave us a little "Goodie Bag". There was a yellow tee shirt (screened, forest green letters).. with the KFB logo, along with the words 2004 World Champion Bourbon Barrel relay...A little safety magazine (Personal Safety for Seniors)...two Salt River Electric plug caps...a 7 day pill holder...A WAMZ 2004 Kentucky State Fair button...50mm Evan Williams...50mm Four Roses...50mm Old Forester... I know...I know...there are a "Few" items that really puzzle me but that's what was inside those bags. Oh Well...I had alot of fun doing it and will probably "try out" for the team next year Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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