Zink Pro-Staffer Wins '08 World Turkey Calling Championship

by Zink Calls
July 24, 2008

Port Clinton, OH - Buckeye Stater, Shane Hendershot, out-performed a field of true calling professionals this past weekend in Birmingham, Alabama, to emerge the 2008 World Turkey Calling Champion. Hendershot, a recent addition to Fred Zink's northern Ohio-based ZINK Calls Company, was joined by teammate, Josh Grossenbacher, not only in competition but on the award platform as well, with the men walking away with a first and sixth ranking, respectively.

In its 65th year, the World Turkey Calling Championship attracts turkey enthusiasts from around the country. This year, 30 men took part in the Open Division portion of the competition. Following a preliminary round, Hendershot was tied for first with an incredible 452 points; Grossenbacher was a close second, also a tie, with 451. Eighteen callers, or the Top Ten, then advanced to the second and final round. With scores tallied, Hendershot stood alone at the top with a previously unmatched 467 points - the highest ever received during the competition. When the smoke cleared, his teammate had earned a most respectable sixth place, and this after a heated contest to break a three-way tie for the fourth ranking.

In addition to his first place trophy, Hendershot also received $5,000, a one-of-a-kind championship ring, and an all-expense paid trip to Sonora, Mexico, to hunt Gould's gobblers with Muy Grande Outfitters. Zink Calls also matched the cash purse with additional $5,000 dollars, bringing his total winnings to $10,000.00 cash. No novice when it comes to hitting the stage, the young caller's competitive resume' includes such notable wins as the Grand National and the Ohio State turkey calling competition. During his first full year as a Zink Calls Pro-Staffer, Hendershot has won the Ohio contest, placed fourth in the World (2007), and earned the second runner-up position (2008) in the Grand Nationals. A talented caller in his own right, Grossenbacher, now serving fulltime as the turkey products manager for Zink, placed first runner-up in the '07 U.S. Open contest and in the '06 Ohio State Open.

With a reputation for producing a fine line of competitive and field duck and goose calls, Zink Calls has recently made inroads into the world of turkey calling with their introduction of both diaphragm and friction style calls and accessories. Both a Hendershot and Grossenbacher Signature Series line of turkey calls will be available; so, too, will the first in a series of turkey hunting DVDs, each filmed and edited with the same professionalism and over-the-shoulder authenticity as has come to be expected of Zink's already popular 24-7 series of waterfowl DVDs. Calls and video presentations will be available for order or at retail in the Winter of '08.