YELLVILLE — By late afternoon Friday, no turkeys had come hurtling from the skies at Yellville's Turkey Trot, although plenty of people were on hand to see it if it happened — and to enjoy the other offerings of the festival. Actually, an animal rights group's opposition to the "turkey drop" and its offer of a reward for anyone involved in it may have helped spark the large turnout.
Turkey Trot continues today.
Along with focusing attention on Yellville from across the country, the $5,000 reward offered by People for the Ethical Treatment for Animals may have backfired, with positive economic consequences for the small north central town and turned the unknown pilot of the turkey drop plane into a local folk hero.
This year marks the 66th annual Turkey Trot festival. The event is marked by many ordinary non-controversial events such as a parade, pizza- eating contest, music, entertainment, arts and crafts, the Miss Turkey Trot and Miss Drumsticks pageant and the National Wild Turkey Calling Contest.
The event draws people from across the Twin lakes Area and from across the nation.
This year's festival also has drawn controversy since PETA offered a $5,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of the person who drops turkeys on the festival from a plane.
'Phantom Pilot'
Several years ago, when the turkey drop had been canceled, an unidentified pilot in an unmarked airplane conducted drops any way. The Bulletin dubbed the person "The Phantom Pilot" in a news story, and the name stuck.
With the PETA-induced controversy, the appeal and the legend of The Phantom Pilot has grown significantly.
The Phantom Pilot has a motto, a Facebook page, a theme song sung to the tune of Three Dog Night's "Joy to the World" and a fast-selling T-shirt.
The Phantom Pilot's Facebook page showed 293 people liked the nameless flyer as of Friday evening. Several tongue-in-cheek comments on the page have generated multiple comments of support for the hunted flyer.
Kala Evans, a 24-year-old Yellville resident, said her friends had been discussing the controversy and decided they wanted to show support for The Phantom Pilot.
"Everybody was Facebooking about it and saying they wanted to show support for our town," Evans said. "I just happened to know the T-shirt lady, so I called her."
That call went to Crossfire Tees owner Deanna Burleson.
"She (Evans) called with the idea, and we were up past midnight making the T-shirts," Burleson said Friday. "I've probably sold 50 of them. I'm running home to make more because we had no idea they would be so popular."
Those fortunate enough to have bought the hot-selling tee often were questioned as to where they purchased the shirts.
"People are coming in with their own designs, and they're not very flattering towards PETA," Burleson said. "They're not very happy with PETA. I'm thankful, though. PETA's given me a lot of business."
'Leave us alone'
A random sampling of festival attendees revealed overwhelming support for the turkey drop and The Phantom Pilot.
From Yellville Chamber of Commerce president Travis Doshier to a high school junior, a man in his 40s, a 24-year-old woman and an 83-year-old man who attended the first festival 65 years ago, all say they like the turkey drop and most had little love for PETA.
"There's a group of people that like the turkey drop, and there's a group that doesn't," Doshier aid. "It's a tradition. Personally, I like it, but I can understand why some people don't."
Doshier stressed the chamber of commerce is not involved in and does not sanction the turkey drop.
Cierra Gregory, a 16-year-old junior at Yellville-Summit High School, said she has been coming to the festival since she was born.
"I think it's stupid that PETA is protesting this," Gregory said. "It's been a tradition in our town for years, so why break it? PETA should just leave us alone."
All of those questioned say the main reason they come is to see people they haven't seen in some time, like 40-year-old Yellville resident Jess Tudor.
"I like to come and see people, people I haven't seen in 20 years," Tudor said.
Tudor said he enjoys watching the turkeys drop from the plane and chased them when he was younger. Tudor does not agree with PETA's stance on the event.
"PETA is wrong. Does PETA think it's wrong to keep fish in hatcheries until they're old enough to be shot through a hose into a lake or a river? PETA said something about puppies. Well, if puppies had wings and could fly, it'd be pretty cool to watch that."
Lester Gibons is an 83-year-old native who attended the first Turkey Trot when he was 17 and says he likes to visit with old friends. He also likes to see the turkeys drop.
"People come here to see that. I come here to see that," Gibons said.
One of those who came from very far away to attend Turkey Trot and see the turkey drop is Scott Field of Keller, Texas. Field said he came with his family to relax and attend the festival as a little fall break. Field said he likes the turkey drop and thinks PETA goes too far.
"It makes my blood go cold to see someone abuse a pet," Field said. "PETA needs to get a life, they go too far."
Barbara Allen, president of the North Arkansas Kennel Club and a self-proclaimed animal lover, agreed with Field.
"We don't support PETA," Allen said. "They are a radical group. We're animal lovers and we have no problem with turkeys being dropped from the plane."
PETA responds
PETA did not have a visible presence at Turkey Trot on Friday. When asked if PETA had people at the event, Gemma Vaughan, an entertainment specialist for the organization, told The Bulletin, "We can't disclose that."
Vaughan said PETA has received local support for their effort to see The Phantom Pilot grounded and jailed.
"Since we've offered the reward, we've had a couple dozen Yellville residents call us and express their disdain for this event," Vaughan said.
"The practice breaks Arkansas state law. We have reached out to local law enforcement and Gov. Beebe," Vaughan said. "We will not stop until the participants are jailed."
"We have a video on our website of the 2010 drop," said Vaughan. "It clearly shows birds fatally colliding with buildings and cars and making a horrendous thud. Some people have claimed it's a tradition, that doesn't make it right, or legal. Tradition is no excuse for cruelty."
The festival kicks off at 8 a.m. today with a 5K run with the parade scheduled to start at 10 a.m. The evening will be capped off with a 7:30 p.m. street dance.
A main festival event, the National Wild Turkey Calling Contest begins at 11 a.m. at the Fred Berry Conservation Education Center on Crooked Creek, just west of Yellville off U.S. Highway 62/412. Admission is free as callers compete in five categories from those younger than 16 to previous champions.
Turkey dinners, presumably not comprised of the controversial turkeys, are scheduled to be available at the Yellville-Summit cafeteria 4:30-6 p.m., followed by the Miss Turkey Trot and Miss Drumsticks pageant and a rodeo.
I'm from that town and think PETA is stupid for doing this. Little do they know, we drop turkeys from high buildings now. hahaha!
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