TAMU-CT Warriors fall to Waffle Cone ice cream

By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press 

Two Texas A&M University Central Texas professors set out on a mission to topple over the Dawg Bowl Challenge at Waffle Cone on Saturday. 
The challenge was to consume 16 pounds of Waffle Cone’s ice cream within an hour. The prize? Winning $100 and getting to rename the challenge.
In the seven years since the ice cream shop has been open, only five teams have conquered the challenge, said shop owner John Haynes, who personally scooped and weighed all of the ice cream set out before the team from TAMU-CT on Saturday afternoon.
Morgan Lewing, Ed.D., Professor of Education and Bruce Bowles Ph.D., Professor of English, were joined by Paul York, Associate Dean of Student Services. With family, friends and colleagues assembled to watch, the three heard the rules of the contest from Haynes before the timer was set. The rules were simple—if anyone uses the restroom, they lose; if any one quits, they lose; and if anyone throws up, they lose. 
Going into the competition, Bowles said they wanted to put TAMU-CT’s stamp on the contest. He also said it was his first time visiting the ice cream shop. 
Peg Gray-Vickery, provost and vice-president of academic and student affairs for TAMU-CT, was on hand to present cards for the first 20 in the door to receive a free ice cream cone. 
When she heard of the professors’ idea to conquer the challenge and rename the contest for the university, she said she was on board and thought it a great way to kick off the fall semester. 
The trio set to work on the ice cream which had been weighed into two massive stainless-steel dog bowls, exclusively used for the contest. Even Gray-Vickery had a spoonful or two of the ice cream. As time progressed, the three ate more and more slowly. The room grew quieter as the onlookers watched the three continue to eat. 
Haynes said that so far, no one has beat the challenge in 2017, although 49 have tried so far. He gave the TAMU-CT Warrior competitors some good-natured teasing as time ran out. 
Gray-Vickery made three marks on the loser board after the time was up and the three looked at the two nearly-empty bowls in front of them, save for a few small scoops. 
Haynes said the last time someone beat the Dawg Bowl was last year. 
“A lady from California came through,” said Haynes. “She was on a Southern food challenge, visiting different places that have contests like this. She ate it faster than anyone.”
Haynes has seen various techniques by challengers over the years, including one who thought if he stirred the ice cream into a milkshake consistency he’d succeed. He didn’t. 
“It took him 20 minutes just to stir it,” said Haynes. “But people don’t realize, it’s harder to eat a lot of ice cream than they think. My ice cream has 14 percent milk fat, and you need to eat it quickly, before your body catches up with it. It’s the only way to do it.”