Cdn. National Oyster Shucking Championships

[Oyster Guy]

Well, the big day is fast arriving. On Friday August 4th in the small town of Tyne Valley, PEI, the best and the fastest oyster shuckers from across the country will be gathering.

The reason.... The Canadian National Oyster Shucking Championships.

This is the show, people. The major league for oyster shuckers.

This decides who will represent our great nation at the World's Oyster Opening Championship in Galway, Ireland in September.

This also entitles the winner to what is most important to an oyster shucker's heart........the bragging rights of being the fastest and cleanest oyster shucker in the country.

I have been working since early July with John Bil (3 time Cdn Champ) at his new digs, The Claddagh Oyster House in Charlottetown.

The list of this year's competitors reads like a who's who of oyster experts in Canada.

We have coming from the West Coast, Robert "Oyster Bob" Skinner of Joe Forte's in Vancouver.

Myself, I am representing both the Bearfoot Bistro in Whistler and The Claddagh Oyster House in Charlottetown.

(As ZZ top said, I'm bad, I'm nationwide)

From Calgary, we have the fast and slick Eric G (fomerly of Catch)

From Toronto, there will be Patrick MacMurray (5 time Cdn Champ and World Champion in 2001) who is the owner/operator of Starfish Oyster Bar and Grill.

Jason Woodside (2004 Cdn Champion) of Oyster Boy.

And quite a few others whom I will posting when the results are final.

This is serious stuff for us oystermen and women and although some people think it's a joke, you try to open 18 oysters in 1 minute, 31 seconds and see how you fare.

Unfortunately, Rodney's in Vancouver is not sending a rep this year but in a way it's not entirely a bad thing.

The attitude of these guys is really tiring after the first 5 seconds anyways.

Stay tuned for the results...............

Keep on shucking

Oyster Guy

[johnnyd]

I'd say this calls for photographs! Will you have clean hands long enough to snap a few Mr. O-Guy? Perhaps during a regional heat in which you won't be participating?

If you prefer to protect cameras from flying bits of shell and oyster-spooge I totally understand!

Good Luck!

[zoe b]

sounds like the competition is fierce!

can'twait to hear more--and I'm wishing I could be there to help dispose of all the by-products of the contest!

Zoe

[Chris Amirault]

Click here for the web page. Oyster Guy (or anyone else who's in the know), what are the criteria on which contestants are judged? I'm fascinated by this!

[Jake]

Yes, definitely pictures! Please! I am in awe of not only the speed of you master shuckers, but how perfectly pristine the finished product is. Any chance of bringing me out to help eat all the shucked material??????

[Kent Wang]

Oyster Guy, your dedication to your craft is impressive. And such a delicious craft, too. Best of luck.

Video is what we need!

[Oyster Guy]

Click here for the web page. Oyster Guy (or anyone else who's in the know), what are the criteria on which contestants are judged? I'm fascinated by this!

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You start by getting a box of 20 Malpeque small choice oysters that have been hand picked by the judging commitee.

Of the 20, you are to open and present 18 on a tray for judging by the panel of judges. The 2 extra oysters are known as "discards".

They are in case of getting a bad oyster or having the shell break on you.

If you present 17 or 19 oysters, you are automatically disqualified.

You would not believe how many people this happens to.

If you take longer than 5 minutes to open 18 oysters, you are automatically disqualified. But at this level, you rarely see novices in this competition.

The criteria is that the oysters have to be ready for consumption.

This means no cut stomachs, gills, bits of shell or grit in the shell.

The oyster meat has to be completely severed from the bottom shell.

Failure to do the above will add 3 seconds for every oyster not perfectly shucked.

They add the penalties onto what is known as your "flat'" or "straight" time.

(This is the amount of time it takes you to open the 18 oysters)

Human blood in the oyster is a big no-no and will net you a penalty of 30 seconds for every oyster found to have a drop in it.

If, while placing the oyster on the presenting tray, it happens to slip off the shell,

you be penalized 25 seconds for each oyster not perfectly nestled in it's shell.

If you break or crack the bottom shell, they add 10 seconds for each oyster.

You have to raise your hands over your shoulders to start and once you have finished shucking and indicated to your timing judge you are done, you cannot even touch the tray of oysters as you will be disqualified.

All in all, a very tough competition.

I will be taking pictures of the competition and the finished plates for everyone as well as the party that always follows this event.

Well, got to go and sharpen my knives.

Keep on shucking

Oyster Guy

P.S. Thanx for the good luck wishes. It really comes down to skill but luck does have a rather significant influence.

Edited August 4, 2006 by Oyster Guy (log)

[johnnyd]

In what are the oysters nestled? Ice? Rock salt? Nothing?

[Oyster Guy]

In what are the oysters nestled?  Ice?  Rock salt?  Nothing?

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Nothing but a baking sheet.

I always lay a bar towel down so that they remain upright.

[Kent Wang]

What species do you find harder or easier to shuck? Is there a general correlation between size and ease of opening?

[Oyster Guy]

My head is hurting and my brain is fuzzy but I feel compelled to tell you the results.

The new Canadian Oyster Shucking Champion is...................drumroll please........

Jason Woodside of Oyster Boy in Toronto!

Using a contraversial and unorthodox move (now known and forever as "The Woody"), he turned in a flat time of 1 minute, 23 seconds for 18 oysters!

The times recorded for this event were the fastest on record and the competition, though friendly was extremely fierce.

I met Jason at the airport when he arrived yesterday and we drove to Tyne Valley and on the way, he confided in me that he had come up with an idea on how to reduce his time but he was worried that it wouldn't be legal.

After some prodding, he told me what he had in mind and it was sheer and utter brilliance but I told him that a lot of people were going to pissed about it.

Upon arrival at the event, I got a copy of the official rules and after scanning them thoroughly, I could not find anything that would prevent him from using this technique in competition and I told him to go for it.

When his turn came up, he placed all 18 of his oysters on the presentation tray instead of on the table and he first removed all the top shells and then spinning the tray on the table, he severed all the adductor muscles while cleaning any shell or grit from the oysters.

There was immediate and loud protests from a lot of the shuckers to the judges as I sat there and chuckled to myself while they looked at the rules and came to the same conclusion that I did. It was a perfectly legal move.

What he did by using this move was to eliminate the need to move the oyster from the table to the presentation tray and saved a least 1 second on each of his oysters. He also managed to phsyce out his competition!

When a couple of the shuckers moaned to me in private about this, I told them quite simply, "Suck it up, buttercup!"

Second place was taken by Eamon Clark of Rodney's Oyster House in Toronto while wearing a camo t-shirt reading "Shuck and awe."

Third place was taken by Rodney Clark (my old and dear friend and mentor and also Eamon's father).

Rodney had the least penalty time with a mere 6 seconds which meant all but 2 of his oysters were perfectly shucked. It was also a heartwarming sight to see father and son on stage together.

Your humble narrator placed 10th overall out of a field of 27 with a flat time of 1 minute, 47 seconds and 2 minutes, 20 seconds adjusted time.

I will be posting the pictures when I get to a computer that I can upload them on.

All in all, a great event and afterwards we all gathered at Patrick Macmurray rented cottage and hoisted more than a few cold ones while a couple of shuckers broke out their guitars and we all sang along till the sun started to make it's appearance.

The thing about oyster shuckers is that we are a very socially diverse group of people that get along very well together. (With the help of a little social lubrication, of course)

More details when I post the photos.

Kent, in answer to your question.

Yes some species are more difficult than others to open.

I find the European Flat or Plate oyster (Ostrea edulis) difficult to open due to it's small and narrow hinge and incredibly strong adductor muscle.

The Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida) is difficult due to it's small size as it doesn't get much bigger than an inch (2.5 cm) in diameter.

The Kumomoto (Crassostrea sikamea) is one of my favourites to open despite it's smaller size because of it's thicker shell.

The Pacific or Japanese oyster (Crassostrea gigas) and the American or Eastern oyster (Crasostrea virginica) are the easiest due to their shape and size and the fact that these are usually the most available oysters in most oyster bars in North America.

Got to get some sleep before my shift tonight.

Keep on shucking

Oyster Guy

[docsconz]

Congratulations OG! I am in awe of the results. I am lucky if I can shuck one in the amount of time you shucked 18 let alone the winner's time. I love that t-shirt slogan "Shuck and awe"!

[johnnyd]

Wow, what a fight!

That's a brilliant move on Jason's part - no wonder the others complained! I was looking at the PEI championship webpage and noticed penalty seconds awarded to all contestants. It seems that perfect presentation just takes too much time, yes? It seems better to forfeit the occaisional grit/shell penalty and accrue the average best time.

Fantastic that you took the time and expense to go in the first place. Bravo! I wish I could have been there!

[Oyster Guy]

Wow, what a fight! 

That's a brilliant move on Jason's part - no wonder the others complained!  I was looking at the PEI championship webpage and noticed penalty seconds awarded to all contestants.  It seems that perfect presentation just takes too much time, yes?  It seems better to forfeit the occaisional grit/shell penalty and accrue the average best time.

Fantastic that you took the time and expense to go in the first place. Bravo!  I wish I could have been there!

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Sometimes, it is better to go balls to the wall and take the penalties especially when you are up against guys (or girls) who can really shuck.

Sometimes it is the person who takes a little longer and shucks a clean plate.

It really depends on your competition and how strong they are that is the deciding factor.

The PEI Shellfish Festival is something you should attend if you can swing it.

Aside from the fun and the food, it will also be the sight of the World's Invitational Oyster Shucking Championship.

Shuckers from Canada, France, Norway, Sweden and the United States will be attending and competing.

It is also the home of the party of the year for PEI, The Shucker's Ball!

It is held in a secret location with cabins available to those attending so that they don't have to drive anywhere. (A good idea and safe)

The tickets are t-shirts with the directions to the party printed upside down on the front of the shirt so that only the wearer will know how to get there.

If you are interested in attending Johnny, pm me.

You seem like a true friend of the oyster(judging from these and other posts I have seen of yours) and that puts you in good stead with us.

Keep on shucking

Oyster Guy

Edited August 6, 2006 by Oyster Guy (log)

[Oyster Guy]

Sorry the photos are so late but here they are.

Packing my oyster knives, I grabbed my backpack and headed out.

Arriving in Tyne Valley, P.E.I. , The home of the contest.

Rodney's truck.

Anthony from Oyster Boy in Toronto was getting some practice at the front door before the contest begins.

The Holy Grail of Canadian oyster shuckers!

The contest for kids to make art out of oyster boxes.

I liked this one with the bear tonging the oysters!

Catching Pat MacMurray horsing around on stage before the contest.

Our competition oysters waiting for us.

Rodney Clark, my old friend and mentor prepping his oysters.

Pat and Eamon about to start shucking.

John Bil, defending Canadian Champ doing his stuff.

At the after party.......