2022 Wilder Days Fiddle Off winners

Annually, the small town of Mansfield, Missouri is the setting of a commemoration to Laura Ingalls Wilder, best known for her book series, Little House on The Prairie. The books, and the television series they spawned, were based on her own life growing up in mid 19th century Missouri, and traditional fiddle music played a very significant part in her youth.

Wilders books were written on the homestead in Missouri where she grew up, listening to her Pa’s music (Charles Ingalls) as she reminisced about her earlier years.

Celebrating their annual event, for its 7th year, the backdrop for the celebration and The Fiddle Off, their yearly music competition, is Rocky Ridge Farm. In 1894, this farm was homesteaded by Almonzo Wilders and his bride, Laura. They used their savings for their down payment on an undeveloped piece of land on the outskirts of Mansfield. 

The Fiddle Off was first held in 2017, and is hosted on Saturday of the designated weekend chosen by the  Mansfield residents to commemorate and recognize Laura Ingalls Wilder. On September 24, 2022, the fiddle off was held once again, after missing the last two years during pandemic shutdowns.

Winners in each division were…

Open and Grand Champion Division:

  1. Junior Marriott
  2. Preston Marriott
  3. Tanner Marriott
  4. Makayla Byerly
  5. Anna Lang
  6. Tad Johnston
  7. Sholanda Miller
  8. Jacob Villotti

Accompanist Division:

  1. Tad Johnston
  2. Junior Marriott
  3. Tanner Marriott
  4. Splinter Middleton
  5. Jayce Miller

Senior Division:

  1. Tim Warde
  2. Johnnie Hensley

Junior Division:

  1. Riley Buttress
  2. Natalie Nagel
  3. Dacie Hicks
  4. Katherine Wendt

Pee Wee Division:

  1. Rebekah Marriott

This is a wonderful weekend of live music with a spotlight on the fiddle. A few miles up the road in Mansfield one can catch all the festivities of the Wilder Days.

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About the Author

Pamm Tucker

Growing up in Oklahoma, music runs throughout Pamm Tucker's veins. Her earliest memory of music is standing beside her Grandma's upright, singing. "Trust in The Lord". Little did the 5 year old realize that this was the foundation of things to come. Being very active in 4-H, Pamm was elected as reporter at the age of 9 and held this position for many years. Taking extensive journalism marketing and free-lance writing classes while attending college helped to spark her interest in being a journalist. Her skills helped her acquire the position of journalist for the Northern Oklahoma college school newspaper. An Oklahoma native and no stranger to music, she has performed with the likes of Lulu Roman, Jean Shepherd, Willie Nelson, Tanya Tucker (no relation) Gene Watson and Charlie McClain just to name a few. Even today you can find her tapping her foot to every genre of music.