Yamaha Marine and Skeeter Boats became the first
ever presenting sponsors of the annual Dick Hiley
St. Jude® Bass Classic on May 2-4. The tournament,
which took place in Wabasha, Minnesota, celebrates
a community of bass anglers from across the Upper
Midwest who come together once a year in support
of the lifesaving mission of St. Jude Children’s
Research Hospital®. The 27th annual event brought
together 96 competing boats and raised more than
$1.1 million for the kids of St. Jude®.
“Competitive fishing is more than just a sport, it’s
a family,” said Scott Higgins, Division Manager,
Outboard Marketing. “That sense of community
is what drives us to step up when there’s a need -
there’s no greater need than supporting the future of
our children, especially those facing illness. Through
this special tournament, we hope to share the joy
of fishing and make a meaningful difference in their
lives.”
The two-day tournament featured a weekend
full of activities, including live weigh-ins on both
Saturday and Sunday, a celebratory dinner banquet
on Saturday evening and fundraising awards. The tournament concluded Sunday afternoon with an
awards ceremony. Tournament champions J.J. Schultz
and Josh Sie of Mondovi, Wisconsin, walked away
with $25,000 after securing the top spot with a total
weight of 45 pounds, 14 ounces. 63 teams each
raised more than $5,000 to qualify for a chance to
win a ZX®200 Skeeter boat powered by a Yamaha
200-horsepower V MAX SHO® outboard. Wyatt Stout
and Shawn Bergsrud were the raffle winners of the
new boat and outboard package.
In 1999, a group of anglers from Minnesota and
Wisconsin, who shared a common love for both
fishing and the kids of St. Jude®, hosted the first Dick
Hiley St. Jude Bass® Classic. The tournament has
raised more than $8.7 million to date.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Yamaha and Skeeter
for their partnership and support of the Dick Hiley
St. Jude® Bass Classic,” said Gretchen Simon, St.
Jude. “Their contributions have been instrumental
in making this event a success and raising over
$1.1 million for the kids of St. Jude. Together, we
are making a significant impact in the fight against
childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
We look forward to many more years of partnership
and all the ways we will continue to impact the kids
of St. Jude, together!”
