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A contest for the rankest shoes around

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Odor-Eaters smelly shoes contest

The smell of victory was literally in the air as 15-year-old Quannie Burnham took home first place in the fifth annual “Odor-Eaters Rotten Sneaker Contest” at Walmart May 6.

Boys and girls, ages 5-15, competed in the contest hoping that their stinky, wretched sneakers would win them cool prizes like Burnham, who won a trophy, a year supply of Odor-Eaters, and a $250 gift card from Walmart. When asked how he got his sneakers so smelly, Burnham said it didn’t take much effort.

“I just don’t wash them and often I go sockless which is the key,” he said. “I’ve gotten use to the smell.”

Second runner up 10-year-old Sirvondo B., and first runner up 7-year-old Axton Sedillo, both took home some goodies from Odor-Eaters and cash gift cards from Walmart as well.

A panel of Odor-Eaters, “Odorologists,” were on hand to judge the contest.

Odorologists included the author (myself) from local classic rock station “93X”, and Michelle Sanchez and Amy Coats, both dance instructors from the Foundations of Freedom Dance studio.

All came poised to sniff for a winner. These expert sniffers from the Gallup community rated the shoes based on how bad they looked, and, of course, how rotten they smelled.

“My eyes stung a couple times when some of the shoes passed before me.” Coats said.

“One kid’s shoe smelled so bad that it made my hair flat and I usually have it spiked up” Sanchez quipped.

This has been the fifth consecutive year that a Rotten Sneaker Contest has been held here at Walmart in Gallup. It is the only smelly sneaker contest in America held at a local store.

Why? Because the Walmart, here in Gallup, sells more Odor-Eaters products than any store anywhere in America, and the folks from Odor-Eaters like to come here once a year to say, “thank you,” and to have some fun.

“We love coming here, and Gallup has always been so kind to us and it’s so much fun to see everyone get into it,” Odor-Eaters representative Mike Martin said. “Plus, we love coming here for the green and red chili too.”

Prior to the contest, a breakdancing routine entertained the crowd, performed by members of the Foundations of Freedom Dance studio.

When all was “smelled and done” the crowd was treated to free Odor-Eaters products as well as refreshments.

By Dee Velasco
For the Sun