DAGUPAN CITY – This year’s heaviest bangus winner is 8.04 kilograms. This is considered as one of the heaviest bangus ever recorded in the annals of the Bangus Rodeo, one of the major events of Bangus Festival.
The owner is Frederick Reyes who received P15,000 as cash prize while the next heaviest only weighed 7.6 kilograms and the third one was 7.0 kilograms. The second and third placers won P10,000 and P5,000 respectively.
This year’s longest bangus, however failed to break last year’s record of 80.5 centimeters by measuring only 76 centimeters. The winning bangus is owned by Blas Gabriel Caneng. He received P15,000 prize.
The next longest bangus measuring around 74 centimeters and 70 centimeters received P10,000 and P5,000 respectively.
The winners in the prettiest bangus which were judged for having a clear and well-rounded eyes with fine, smooth and orderly scales; head is small and beautifully crafted; stomach is bulging; grills are red and fresh; tails ideally are not equal in length; the lower fin is shorter; flesh is firm yet soft; odor is pleasant and alluring and its weight is not less than half and not more than one kilo were submitted by Rene Melendez, champion; Dominic Aquino, first runner-up; and Christopher Melendez, second runner-up.
The winners received P7,000; P5,000; and P3,000 as cash prize respectively.
Ryan Doria, last year’s fastest bangus classifier challenge champ, failed to defend his crown against Melecio Melendez, who won P3,000 as cash prize. Fernando Doria finished second with a cash prize of P2,000, while Ryan settled for the third place with P1,000 as his cash prize.
Meanwhile, Joel Serran and Rowena Melendez, last year’s second placer for the fastest bangus eater won the first place this time with a cash prize of P3,000.
Edgar Grado who was in third place last year, finished as the second fastest bangus eater this year along with his new team partner Arlene Lahoco while Abe Abalos and Belen Abalos finished third. Each received a cash prize of P2,000 and P1,000 respectively.
The battle for the fastest deboner was won by Hub Tendinilla who was followed by Bong Abalos and Mehina Abad, lone female winner, finished third.
Bangus Rodeo was chaired by Councilor Marcelino Fernandez and it was facilitated by the City Agriculture Office. (Joseph C. Bacani/CIO/April 22, 2017)