21st Annual 4th of July Pole Vault, Seward, NE

[vaultdogs]

21th Annual 4th of July Pole Vault Competition

Visit our website at vaultdogs.com - http://www.vaultdogs.com/vault/4thofjuly.aspx

We have no early registration, just show up. The Entry Fee for 2011 event is $10.00.

Warm-ups will begin at 8 am and the competition will start at 9 am with the bar at 5 feet. We will have warm-up sessions every hour for 10/15 minutes. It is a rolling competition so show up early to make sure you get in at the height you want.

This is a fun event with music, friendship and high vaults.

Our first 4th of July competition took place in 1991, so this summer will be our 21st competition. Some things have changed since then. The original competition included about 18 top college male vaulters from colleges in and around Nebraska. It was held as entertainment for the crowds gathering for the firework display at Concordia College's football field. Women's pole vault was not a sport and the mullet was a popular hair style... Yes, things have changed.

Since then the fireworks got moved to Plum Creek and we moved the pole vault competition to the downtown streets of Seward, NE. Women's pole vaulting is now a sport on the high school, college and world level. Concordia changed its name to Concordia University. The football field in now turf and there is a big new field house and arena on the hill side where the fireworks were launched from. And thankfully the mullet hair cut is no longer around, for the most part.

Most notably, the biggest change is the amount of vaulters that show up to vault. That small group of 18 has grown into 60-65 boys, girls, men, women and a few of the original 18 still picking up a pole to vault. It is now one of the oldest active street vault competition in the country. It is a great event that gives vault enthusiasts a chance to show their vaulting skills in a relaxed but competitive atmosphere. Over the years the competitive levels have soared, the crowds have grown and have become a favorite of the spectators attending Seward's annual 4th of July activities and celebrations.

Today athletes from around the Nebraska and the United States come to participate and watch the annual event. We have had competitors from NY, IN, IL, MN, TX, MO, KS, SD, CO, OK, NM, WY and CA to mention a few. The competition divisions include, Open, College, High School and Youth for both men and women.

Men's Meet Record, Jeremy Scott, 2006, 18'00"
Women's Meet Record, Natalie Willer, 2008, 13'06"