By CHUCK OFFENBURGER

DES MOINES, Iowa, August 10, 2024 – Anita Van Gundy, of Des Moines, celebrated her 75^th birthday in a big way Saturday afternoon – winning the grand prize and $2,000 in the “Great Cinnamon Roll Challenge of 2024” at the Iowa State Fair.

Her roll was first judged the best in the “Traditional Cinnamon Roll” class.

Anita Van Gundy (second from left) with her championship cinnamon rolls. She’s shown with sponsors of the “Great Cinnamon Roll Challenge of 2024,” Chuck Offenburger, Jamie Buelt and Doug Moore. (Photos here by Mary Riche)

She retired in 2014 after working for years in the office of the Iowa Secretary of State.

The highest finish she’s had previously in a roll baking contest at the state fair was second place in pecan rolls in 2008 when Tone’s Spices sponsored the competition.

The cinnamon roll contest now is sponsored and organized by Jamie Buelt, of Ankeny, owner of a public relations agency and a longtime fan of, and contestant in, state fair food contests.  Joining her as sponsors were cinnamon roll connoisseur Doug Moore of Ames, me and one anonymous donor.  The group of us donated a total of $5,000 for cash prizes and contestant gifts.

Buelt has said the competition has been inspired by my 42-year “quest to find Iowa’s best cinnamon roll,” and write about them in occasional columns.

Van Gundy’s traditional cinnamon rolls on Saturday were judged to be the best among 87 total entries in both classes.

Anita Van Gundy with her champion “Traditional Cinnamon Rolls.”

Second best overall was Marianne Carlson, of Jefferson, winning a total of $1,100, and third place overall was Kim Kietzman, of Altoona, winning a total of $600.

Top placers in the two classes:

Traditional Cinnamon Rolls

1^st, Van Gundy, of Des Moines.  2^nd, DeeDee Kennedy, of Des Moines.  3^rd, Susan Jones, of Winterset. 4^th, Carlson, of Jefferson.

Specialty Cinnamon Rolls

1^st, Carlson, of Jefferson. 2^nd, Kietzman, of Altoona.  3^rd, Matthew Phoenix, of Ankeny.  4^th, Folkert Melchers, of Fairfield.

Marianne Carlson and her winners of the “Specialty Cinnamon Rolls” class.  She called it a “Smoky Bacon Caramel Pecan Roll.”

Six of the judges for the two classes Lana Shope, of Des Moines; Eileen Gannon, of Mingo; Dr. Dan McGuire, of Des Moines; Dianna Sheehy, of Audubon; Doug Moore and Iowa District Court Judge Amy Moore, both of Ames.  I joined them for judging the three overall winners.

I served as emcee during the judging, which required two hours and 10 minutes to complete and attracted an audience that at one point grew to 200 or more people.  Iowa PBS television was doing video of the contest, too, and some of their work is expected to be featured this week during the network’s 9 p.m. Iowa State Fair Highlights shows, which start Monday.

And I’ll be writing more about the cinnamon roll competition in a column during the week.

One of the judges, Lana Shope, with some of the cinnamon rolls entered.

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