Pat Cox at Groundhog's Day

A Juggling Scoop for Atlanta Groundhoggers

The real top performer at the 8th Annual Groundhog Day Jugglers Festival in Atlanta didn't win a trophy. As a matter of fact, he never even made it inside the gym. Everyone's most valuable player was David Barash, director of community relations for Ben and Jerry's ice cream, who parked his truck outside and dished up 25 gallons worth of free scoops during the weekend.

"Just tell your friends about it," Barash said. That will undoubtedly happen, because the five flavors he served were superb.

And so was the juggling inside the gym. The friendly confines of the somewhat run-down structure held more than 85 jugglers from 13 states. Some notable scenes were:

Susan Kirby and Robbie Weinstein passing clubs around Benji Hill as he did a five ring pirouette. Larry V riding an ultimate wheel -- a first in GDJF history. Jim Creveling and Art Werger doing takeaways of a four club triple-single pattern. Rebel Bailey passing nine clubs with Mike Stillwell just one year after passing his first club ever. Renee Brachfield, Toni Shifalo and Rebecca Dotson passing clubs in a women-only formation. Mark Lippard stuffing a basketball from atop his giraffe unicycle. Rodger French doing five balls on a rolling globe. Dave McGehee flipping playing cards with deadly accuracy and lamenting the fact that his former best of 150 feet could have gotten him in the Guinness book if he had only known they recognized the category.

The Saturday afternoon competition for the Punxsutawney Phil trophies attracted a dozen acts. After the props had settled, a three-person panel of non-jugglers selected Barry Abrahams for the "Top Dog" trophy, Robbie Weinstein for "First Prize" and Robert York for "Best In Show."  (photo by Bill Giduz)

Other entrants were Benji Hill, Prof. Henry Huggler, Manic Expressions, Al Eisenhower, Tommy Gabriel, Captain Slow, Joel Heidtman and the Young and Nameless Jugglers.

York performed his stylish "Puttin' On the Ritz" ring act, demonstrating that three rings can be anything but boring. Weinstein's three ball routine was dressed up with a five ball shower and five rings. It was the second year in a row he has won a trophy.

Abrahams did one of the more technical acts. He juggled four clubs while balancing a unicycle on his head and later juggled five briefly while riding it. The Nashville , Tenn. , high school senior plays comedy clubs and works summers at the Music Village USA theme park.

1986