Worldwide Rock Tumbling Contest

Tumbling Application

WE ARE OUT OF ROCK FOR THE 2025 TUMBLING CONTEST!!!

All Picture Jasper from Oregon prepared for the contest has been shipped.
At this time we cannot accept any further tumbling contest applications.
Good luck and happy tumbling!

Thank you,
Lori

Click HERE to access the tumbling application in PDF form.

***IMPORTANT***

Contest Entry Fee is $39.
You may have an old entry form – please make sure to use the current form linked above and include payment of $39.

Thank you!

Tumbling Contest Rules

The rock for 2026 is Dead Camel Jasper from Nevada. Entry fee is $39 for 3 pounds of rough rock for continental US residents. This includes shipping the material to you. Outside the USA will be $39 plus any additional shipping.

Three pounds of rough rock will be shipped to you when the application and payment are received beginning January 1, 2026.
Deadline for application is June 1, 2026.
Mail 5 (yes only 5) of your best finished rocks and your name postmarked no later than August 15, 2026 to Tami’s address given below.
Apply early in the year to have plenty of time to tumble. Take your time tumbling!
Cash prizes = $250, $100, and $50 for first, second, and third place winners!

To enter the contest:

Digitally: Download and fill out the application linked above and email the completed form to Tumbling@FeatherRiverRocks.org (save completed document to your computer or print to pdf). Mail your payment to the address below.
Hard Copy: Download, print, and fill out the application. Mail the application in with your payment to the address below.
Payment by Mail is required!
Please make check or money orders payable to “FRLMS” and mail to: Tumbling Contest, c/o Tami Hays, 1336 Euclid Ave, Oroville, CA 95965

How the returned polished stones are judged/graded:

Stones are graded for 5 different characteristics:
Finish
Chips
Polish left on rock
Grinding marks
Overall appearance
Each characteristic is scored from 1 (poor) to 5 (best).
Stones are judged by 4 different individuals (a possible 25 points per judge).
Scores for the 4 judges are added together for a total possible score of 100.

For more information, call Tami at (530) 990-1894 or email Tumbling@FeatherRiverRocks.org

Results will be posted on Facebook and here after the show in mid-September.

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To all contestants: Only the stones in your purchased box may be used. It is not okay to buy several boxes to increase your chances of winning.

If you have any questions about this contest, please email me, Tami Hays, at Tumbling@FeatherRiverRocks.org

Some info floating around on facebook is absolutely false!

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RETURNING YOUR STONES TO FRLMS

Please return your 5 polished stones to:

Tami Hays/Tumbling Contest
1336 Euclid Ave
Oroville CA 95965

I DO NOT need an application form with your stones.

Please clearly mark your full name on or in the shipping box or envelope that you are using to return your stones.

Thank you again for joining in on the fun!

2025 Worldwide Tumbling Contest Results!

Updated: September 15, 2025

The Feather River Lapidary & Mineral Society, Inc. would like to congratulate the top 3 winners of our tumbling contest.

1st place winner: Adam Rittenhouse of Uniontown, Pennsylvania

2nd place winner: Steven Smith of Orchard Park, New York

3rd place winner: Stefan Wawrzynski of Holland, New York

   Well, well, well. Here we are again, and ya’ll have blown my mind with your tumbling skills once again. I haven’t seen this great of work in a long while. As the finished stones came to me and I had to unwrap them all, I just kept shaking my head and mumbling to myself, “the judges are going to have a very tough time deciding first, second and third place”.   And I was right! It was a long day at the club’s rock shop. There was much discussion between them and trips out to the sunshine while scoring these little beauties. But at the end of the day the four of them came to agreement on the top three winners.
   We will send you three your winnings shortly after our annual show at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico, September 20 & 21.   We have a yearly display at said show of all of the returned stones. It is always a big attraction for us. Thank you all.
   I would also like to thank you tumblers for joining in on this yearly endeavor. I have enjoyed emailing with you and phone conversations every once in a while.   Sadly though, due to my physical abilities, I am confidently handing over this competition to two fellow rock hounds: Jim and Tami. I’m counting on all of you to be as kind and generous to the two of them as you have been with me.   Good luck to you in the future. I will be checking with them as often as I can.
   The judges wanted you to know that this year’s contest came down to the most minute of fractures, pits and a bit of polish left in those cracks. My suggestion to you is take the rough and hammer off any end cracks or obvious pits where you can. For those of you that have a grinder, take it off immediately.   While going through the stages of polish, look at your stones dry and in the sun. And if possible, buy the very best grit and polish that is available to you.
   I would like to thank the 4 judges for this year’s contest. It was not easy for them, but they quietly stuck it out till the end – Mike, Susi, Erin, and Kim – hats off to you!
   I would also like to give a big thank you to those club members out there finding, hauling and crushing all the rough rock. Not an easy task. Many long hours behind the wheel and gathering it all is a heavy lift in itself. I would also like to thank our new President, Doug Elliott, for trusting me with this contest throughout the year.
   Keep an eye on the FRLMS website and facebook pages for the 2026 contest information and application. It should be posted some time in November. The sooner you join the sooner you will receive your rough. Many thanks to all the tumblers from the past and those yet to come.   I took a look at next year’s rough and it’s a fabulous specimen. It’s going to be stunning. Good luck to you all!

Lori Millard, Tumbling chair, FRLMS 2025

Score Listing:

Following are the points scored on the returned stone for the World Wide Tumbling Contest, 2025. Contestants with the same score are listed in no specific order.

Here are the points each of you scored: 1 being poor and 5 being the best for each of 5 categories (Finish, Chips, Polish left on rock, Grinding marks, and Overall appearance). I then add each of the four judge’s total scores together to get your final score, the highest being 100 points. I do want to apologize in advance for any misspellings.

At 100 points and the contest winner is Alan Rittenhouse, Uniontown PA

With 99 point and the 2^nd place winner is Steve Smith, Orchard Park, NY

With 98 points and the third place winner is Stefan Wawrzynski, Holland NY

97 points: Larry Sevich, Chagrin Falls OH; Jackie Pariseau, Kasson MN; Mary Davidson, Reno NV; Matthew Wolff, Yorkville IL; Terry Knight, Creston IA

96 points: Austin Sandifer, Alvin TX; Jason Wing, McKinney TX

95 points: Alan Grillo, Roseau MI; Mach and Shaun Ryan, Myrtle Beach SC; James A Van Zee, Pella IA; Anthony Baney, Tyrone PA; Grace Haskin, Hyattsville MD

94 points: Jeffry Hink, Holcombe WI; Tony Oxley, Houghton MI

93 points: Laurie Lehman, Mount Juliet TN; Nathan Keatly, Karloo, Australia; Kevin Hartman, Pinkney MI; Steven Tebay, Rochester MN; Dan Murray, Lake Almanor CA

92 points: Ron Iarussi, Lake Ariel PA; Michael Montera, New Albany OH; Shawn Kuhnel, Keystone SD; Barbara Gibbs, Denver IN

91 points: Todd Adams, Hermiston OR; Kenny Jameson, Mechanicsville MD; Stephen King, Burton MI

90 points: Earl Arnoldson, Salt Lake City UT; Stanley Maynard, Chester VA

89 points: Emily Francisco, Lansing MI; Justin Froelich, Ames IA

88 points: Gary Stender, Custer SD; Adrienne Rowe, Scituate MA; Daniel Kessler, Halethorpe MD

87 points: Hannah Wendel, Mason City IA; Tammy Cox, St. James MO; Dave Benzschawel, La Crescent MN; Robyn Johnson, Newkirk OK

86 points: Jeff Weymier, Appleton WI; Rick Steiner, Oshkosh WI; Kendall Hildebrand, Alpine CA

85 points: Shane Stein, Duluth MN; Jessica Jablonski, Alliance OH; Dale Palmer, Aberdeen IO

84 Points: Michael Chugg, Christmas Valley OR; Paul Vanderlinden, New York NY; Gary Love, Austin TX

83 points: Mary Beth Knish, Clayton NC; William Liberatore, Bridgeport OH; Ron Carlton, Dallas TX; Madeline Campbell, Klamath Falls OR; Ric Datson, Sault Ste Marie MI

82 points: Katharine Pickett, Nampa ID; Phillip Nicholson, Troy MI; Mike LeBard, Billings MT

81 points: Mary Hugueley, North San Juan CA; Randy Gault, Woodhaven MI; Sarah Lingle, Brighten CO; Holly Elliot, Green River WY; Sam Veucasovic, Westminster CO; David B Adams, Portsmouth NH

80 points: Sam Alcorn, Des Arc MO; Karl Griffin, Red Rock AZ; Eric Zambrowicz, Los Angeles CA; Zion Bigelow, Anderson CA; Allen Savcier, North Berwick ME; Jay Massaro, Marathon FL; Casey Konopacky, Stevens Point WI; Nolan and Ryan Kloos, Franklin MA

79 points: Sally Campo, Oroville WA; Andrew Kinslow, Columbia MO; Corey Dockter, Stanton ND; Jimmy Wickham, Marietta GA

78 points: Todd Johnson, Carver MN; Teri Ward, Katy TX

77 points: Necole L Olmstead, Camdenton MO; Scott W Phillips, Lawrence KS

76 points: Corbin Smith, Culver OR

75 points: Martin Stoeckl, NSW Australia; Dan Rocky, Corvallis OR; Mitch Clark, Elkhart TX; Chris Hunt, Rolling Prairie IN; Kristie Gough, Mineral VA

74 points: Stephen Collette, Roselle IL; Boe Gilbert, Stanton ND; Laura Collins, Gaithersburg MD; Jon Zuback, Boone NC; Michael Oller, Eudora KS

73 points: Cheri Goode, HoustonTX; Ross Lester, NSW Australia; Craig Sedwick, Whitefish MI; Gina Boelter, Hebron KY

72 points: Richard Rovin, Milwaukee WI; Shawna Bacheller, Parma ID; Murray Brown, Canada N4X IC9

71 points: Paul Rohlinger, Chula Vista CA

70 points: Chris Thomas, Jenkintown, PA; Benjamin Dowling, Charlestown RI

69 points: Denise Mackenzie, Lexington MI

67 points: Laura Garrison, Hendersonville TN; Alicia R Merrifield, Friendship ME; Jeff Psyck, Vine Grove KY

66 points: Elaine Leffler, San Jose CA; Kim DeDemiacis, Terrington CT

65 points: Austin Willey, Drummonds TN; Matthew Dumayne, Oroville WA; Megan McCrady, Toronto Canada; Eshall Baukman, Malvern PA; Ernesto Perez, Sacramento CA; Lorna Thurman, Mesa AZ

64 points: Krista Howe, Laramie WY; Rose Gregory, Henderson TN

63 points: Grant Vineyard, Altus OK; Jason Hammer, Spearfish SD

62 points: Michael Dankert, Jasper IN

61 points: Stephen A Mullin, Pottstown PA; Ellen Matson, Austin TX; Scott Moehring, Eighty Four PA; Richard Raming, Edina MN

57 points: Morreen Howard, Placerville CA

44 points: Charles Snider, Cleveland GA

43 points: Adam Richmond, Ingleside IL
20 points: Layne Arnoldson, Springfield ID

Lori Millard, Tumbling chair, FRLMS 2025