garebel

The way Bobby Williams tells it, his ranch on 100 acres of rural piney hills in East Texas was supposed to be a quiet way to enjoy retirement after a career in the insurance business.

But for years now, he's instead woken up to the roaring engines of all-terrain vehicles, midnight fireworks shows and thousands of drunken revelers who every so often gather across the narrow county road from his property at events like the "Texas Redneck Games" and the "Texas Redneck Muddy Gras."

"We're just a nice calm community and nobody can get any rest, nobody can get any sleep," says Williams, 76. "We've got a problem and I don't know what we're ever going to do to get rid of it. We need something to ban these things."

The latest event ended Sunday with more than 50 arrests and citations, and authorities said Wednesday that they're considering charges against the show's organizer.

The four-day "Redneck Games" took place about 70 miles southeast of Dallas and included an estimated 6,000 people, live music and competitions such as an ugly "butt-crack contest" and the "Mattress Chunk." The goal in the mattress contest was for a team of two to drink a 12 pack of beer, get in a pickup truck and start driving, then climb into the bed and throw the mattress as far as possible.

By the time it was over, more than 54 arrests and citations had been issued on charges ranging from public intoxication to speeding, according to the Henderson County Sheriff's Department. Officials are considering charges against the organizer and landowners where the event was held.

"I'm an old fuddy duddy and all that, but you got a vehicle, you got alcohol, and you got illegal dumping, and you're making a contest out of that?" said Lt. Pat McWilliams, public information officer for the sheriff's department. "We are very fortunate that we didn't have a fatality."

McWilliams said the organizer, Oscar Still of Kilgore, could face a misdemeanor charge for not having a permit. Telephone messages left with Still weren't immediately returned Wednesday.

Texas law requires any gathering of more than 2,500 people to get a permit, which McWilliams said Still didn't have.

Adults had to pay an admission fee of $25 plus $15 for each ATV. Children were free.

McWilliams said the misdemeanor charge carries a fine of $1,000 and 90 days in county jail.

He said it was less clear if there was any wrongdoing by Garland Pool, the owner of the 3,000 acre Pool Ranch ATV Park, a mix of sand, mud bog, prairie and forest where the events were held.

The Pool family was described by many as longtime residents in the area. Garland Pool was at a doctor's appointment and did not return a telephone call seeking comment Wednesday.

During the event, some two dozens troopers with the Department of Public Safety, a dozen agents with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, 38 sheriff's deputies and other local law enforcement were on hand at one point or another to maintain crowd control, McWilliams said.

On its Web site, the Redneck Games has a list of rules, including no underage drinking, a 10 mph speed limit and no fence cutting. "Being a REDNECK is allowed.....IGNORANCE is not," according to rule No. 5.

There were other competitions, including one to see which guy could throw an engine starter the farthest and a "Daisy Duke Show-Off" for women in cut-off blue jeans. Cash prizes ranged from $40 up to $200 per contest.

Williams said he and about 100 neighbors have started a petition to stop the gatherings. But he's not too optimistic, he said as a work detail made up of local inmates picked up discarded beer cans, bags of trash and hamburger wrappers across the street.

"We need someone to tell the people they can't do this, they can't destroy our lives," he said

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You cant trust something that bleeds for 7 days and doesn't die.

May the Fleas of a thousand camels infest the crotch of the person who ticks you off today and may their arms be too short to scratch.

DSOM C6

this dude is gonna snap and shoot one of those ppl in about a month

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Chelsea FC FTMFW

Detroit Power

So, this is every year, right?

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Stangless!

knucklehead11

And this is why I moved away from east/southeast Texas area.

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garebel

yep, i can see being g@y in that neck of the woods might be a little tuff on ya

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You cant trust something that bleeds for 7 days and doesn't die.

May the Fleas of a thousand camels infest the crotch of the person who ticks you off today and may their arms be too short to scratch.

knucklehead11

not redneck != gay
not redneck = smart

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Markstang

So one guy lives on 100 acres. The other guy is on 3,000 acres.... and they complain about noise from the neighbors....

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MWRealEstateCrew #1 (MW official Realtor ) - MW80sCrew - MWJortsCrew

Flyboy 06

b1tches.

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4,166 posts down the drain :meh:

02CamaroZ28

hahahahaahahah the Mattress Chunk

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kozmo

i thought you moved because you failed out of college and your fraternity couldnt get recognized

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#30 MWGC #9

MUSTANGWORLD DEATHMATCH RESULTS: (Ammochief Def. Private Softcore 3-6-09) (Creampuff owns this fight productions balls 3-7-09) (Jay Def. Mr. Skittles 3-29-09)

knucklehead11

I moved to Austin because of the music, the people are cooler, and the weather is nicer. Why I moved to Austin has nothing to do with school. And as far as the fraternity I don't even know if they got recognized or got a charter or what.

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flomo

Sounds like it would fun for about one weekend