Matt Van Cise continues yelping his way through the history books.
On March 1, Van Cise, of Pennsylvania, cemented his legacy as perhaps the greatest turkey caller ever by winning the 2014 Senior Open World Championship Turkey Calling Contest, held at Mack’s Prairie Wings in Stuttgart, Ark. He now holds a record six World titles, having also won the contest in 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2013. Legendary turkey caller Ben Rogers Lee won five World championships.
In February, Van Cise won the 2014 NWTF Grand Nationals Senior Open, giving him a record-tying five titles in that event (2005, 2006, 2012, 2013 and 2014). Walter Parrott also has five Grand Nationals wins. Van Cise has also won three U.S. Open championships, so he has 14 major turkey calling titles since 2000. Further, Van Cise also won the 2007 Grand Nationals Friction title and was the Grand Nationals Intermediate champ in 1997 and 1998.
At the 2014 Worlds, Van Cise had a score of 293. Second-place finisher Sadler McGraw, the 2012 World champ, scored 282.5, and third-place finisher Billy Yargus, the 2008 Grand Nationals champion, had 280.5. Two-time Grand Nationals Head-to-Head champ Jesse Martin was fourth, with 279, and Josh Grossenbacher was fifth, with 278.5.
Martin and McGraw won the World Two-Man Division, topping second-place finishers Yargus and Van Cise. Jason Conrad won the World Friction contest, edging 2013 Friction champ Steve Morgenstern. Mike Longnecker took the Intermediate title, and Martin won the All-American Locator title.