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2007 Photo Contest Winners

2007 OGE-OPA Photo Contest Winners

2007 Daily Sweepstakes Winner

Billowing fire and smoke high in the sky. Three tiny firefighters are the bottom of view and a skinny flagpole.

JIM RICHARDSON, Pauls Valley Daily Democrat
Workers watch helplessly as a large fuel tank burns out of control at the Wynnewood Refinery. This photo was taken just seconds after a wall of the tank collapsed resulting in an explosion that quickly spread flaming gasoline to another large tank. That tank eventually caught fire, causing an explosion felt for miles away.

2007 Weekly Sweepstakes Winner

A young girl rides a horse around a rodeo barrel while holding her arms and the reins above her head.

STEVE OVERACKER, The Bigheart Times
Tatum Hughes’ legs barely hang past the saddle blanket, but she’s a barrel-racing powerhouse. The cowgirl from Carmen was named the All-Around Cowgirl of the Year in the under six set after the Oklahoma Junior Rodeo Association held its finals in Pawhuska.

December Daily Winner

A small flame on the ground surrounded by ice-covered grass and tree limbs.

TOM FINK, Claremore Daily Progress
Cold Fire: The corner of Weenonah and Seventh Street was a hot spot Monday morning after tree limbs snapped a power line that sparked in the morning ice. Danger related to downed power lines along with efforts to restore electricity to the city’s 18,000 residents have city utility workers on round-the-clock call.

December Weekly Winner

The face, torso and hands of a player holding a basketball surrounded by three players from the opposing team.

CURTIS ALLEN, The Tecumseh Countywide News
Bethel High School’s Jace Johnson looks for a shot.

November Daily Winner

A woman smiles surrounded by many kids facing the same direction with hands in "thumbs up" position.

M. SCOTT CARTER, The Norman Transcript
Shelly Unsicker, a teacher at Central Junior High in Moore, is surrounded by her students who are giving her the “thumbs up” after the Milken Foundation announced that she was named for a Milken Educator Award, which comes with a $25,000 prize.

November Weekly Winner

A serviceman presents a folded flag to a crying woman wearing sunglasses, seated between a man and young boy. Many people sit behind them.

CHRISTY WHEELAND, Coweta American
Brigadier General Thomas Spoehr presents an American flag on behalf of a grateful nation to Pamela and Darrel Carver, parents of Pvt. Cody M. Carver, during committal services at Vernon Cemetery. Pvt. Carver was killed in Iraq on Oct. 30.

October Daily Winner

A clown in colorful dress and face makeup with orange wispy hair and a black hat.

M. SCOTT CARTER, The Norman Transcript
Bubbles the Clown entertains children during the state’s Centennial Parade.

October Weekly Winner

A building on fire with a fire bucket hanging on the right side spraying water toward the blaze and a firetruck underneath.

BILL WALTER, The Hennessey Clipper
Fire meets water in downtown Hennessey. At right is the bucket from the Enid Fire Department’s pumper truck which has a capacity of pumping 1,500 gallons of water a minute. More than 40 firefighters were unable to save the IOOF and Legion buildings.

September Daily Winner

A cowboy falls off with his legs in the air from a brown bronco.

MATT STRASEN, The Oklahoman
Garrett Vig, from Newell, South Dakota, is bucked off his bull during the bull riding competition at the Oklahoma State Fair Rodeo at the State Fair Arena in Oklahoma City.

September Weekly Winner

A cowboy has the reins of a brown horse and white horse.

BARB WALTER, The Hennessey Clipper
A wagon driver makes a run for it during the Pat Hennessey Massacre Pageant, which was reenacted at the Ernest Matousek farm southwest of Hennessey.

August Daily Winner

A young boy wearing goggles and swim trunks in mid-air with the large pink plastic slide behind him and swimming pool below.

KEVIN HARVISON, McAlester News-Capital
Eight-year-old Kiefer Goebel enjoys the last remaining days at Jeff Lee pool in McAlester.

August Weekly Winner

A young girl rides a horse around a rodeo barrel while holding her arms and the reins above her head.

STEVE OVERACKER, The Bigheart Times
Tatum Hughes’ legs barely hang past the saddle blanket, but she’s a barrel-racing powerhouse. The cowgirl from Carmen was named the All-Around Cowgirl of the Year in the under six set after the Oklahoma Junior Rodeo Association held its finals in Pawhuska.

July Daily Winner

A boy in swim trunks and wet hair leaps in mid-air with his feet behind, arms reaching overhead and head back.

KEVIN HARVISON, McAlester News-Capital
Eight-year-old Brody Goebel flies off the diving board at Jeff Lee Pool in McAlester. Goebel and others were taking advantage of the pool during warm, clear weather.

July Weekly Winner

A black road has very large cracks next to dirt and grass. Orange cones set up on side and half a dozen people stand in background.

MARK SHOWELL, Latimer County News-Tribune
ODOT workers inspect Highway 82 five miles north of Red Oak where a landslide caused the roadway to collapse.

June Daily Winner

Standing in a body of water, a woman with eyes closed as water drips form her and mouth open with men on either side holding her around the waist.

TALINA TURNER, Seminole Producer
Becky Votaw takes a breath of air after she was baptized in Sportsmans Lake. The Seminole First Assembly of God held a baptismal service at the lake as the building the church presently uses does not have baptismal facilities.

June Weekly Winner

A yellow jeep with headlights on with water spraying around it. Streetlights, another car and a building in the background.

JEFF RIGGS, Wagoner Tribune
A yellow Hummer gets a bath simply by driving along with other vehicles through high water on Cherokee Street near Casaver Street in downtown Wagoner on Saturday, June 23. More than six inches fell over Northeastern Oklahoma over just a few days resulting in saturated grounds, and flooded streets and yards.

May Daily Winner

Ten baseball players huddle together, with open mouths and smiles.

JERRY LAIZURE, The Norman Transcript
The Sooners go crazy after scoring five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat Oklahoma State 9-8 at the Big 12 tournament at Bricktown Ballpark.

May Weekly Winner

An older woman and man stand in red, blue and white clothes, her hand over her heart and his hand in salute next to his veteran cap.

JAMES GUTZMER, Stigler News-Sentinel
Patsy Wilson and Marvin “Grit” Smith pay respect to the flag on the Haskell County Courthouse lawn on Memorial Day. The event was led by the Stigler chapter of the Veterans of Foreign War.

April Daily Winner

Billowing fire and smoke high in the sky. Three tiny firefighters are the bottom of view and a skinny flagpole.

JIM RICHARDSON, Pauls Valley Daily Democrat
Workers watch helplessly as a large fuel tank burns out of control at the Wynnewood Refinery. This photo was taken just seconds after a wall of the tank collapsed resulting in an explosion that quickly spread flaming gasoline to another large tank. That tank eventually caught fire, causing an explosion felt for miles away.

April Weekly Winner

Half a dozen young cowboys sit on a tall white fence looking to side.

KADESHA BLANCHETT, Stigler News-Sentinel 
Little cowboys look on at the action during the Stigler OJRA Rodeo.

March Daily Winner

A man hugs two young girls, all are smiling.

KEVIN ELLIS, The Norman Transcript
Norman North coach Jay Coleman gets a hug from goalkeeper Elizabeth Longcrier, left, and Sarah Burnett after the Timberwolves' shootout win over Norman High.

March Weekly Winner

A teenage girl laughs as she has a donkey by the rope at his neck and another girl leans over it to push from behind.

ZANE THOMAS, Wagoner Tribune
Wagoner High School senior Amber Cones, left, learns the hard way it’s not easy getting on a donkey as teammate Ashley Ingram laughs. More than $3,000 was reported raised at Donkey Basketball, sponsored by the Grad Nite Committee.

February Daily Winner

A basketball player bends forward with mouth open. Large crowd of fans celebrate in background.

MATT STRASEN, The Oklahoman
JamesOn Curry celebrates at half court in the second overtime of Oklahoma State’s 93-91 win during the men’s college basketball game between Oklahoma State University Cowboys and Texas Tech University Red Raiders in Stillwater.

February Weekly Winner

A man holds his hands in fists in front of his waist next to two girls yelling.

STEVE OVERACKER, The Bigheart Times
Assistant wrestling coach Jason Cole gestures to Charlie Gurley in the final key match against Hobart. In coach sign language, Cole is telling Gurley to break his opponent’s grip across his hip bone, while mat maids Chelsea Donnell and Meghan Moore root Gurley on to a crucial victory.

January Daily Winner

A basketball player with arms bent overhead and head down. Large crowd of fans celebrate in background.

MATT STRASEN, The Oklahoman
Oklahoma State’s David Monds celebrates following OSU’s 105-103 win in three overtimes of the Oklahoma State University and University of Texas men’s college basketball game at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla.

January Weekly Winner

One wrestler pins another's back to the floor, both of their faces appear strained.

STEVE OVERACKER, The Bigheart Times
Kyle Jacquess came onto the mat as a 103-pound fury during Barnsdall’s match against Pawhuska, first tossing Huskie Kevin Walker from the ring then pinning him in short order. After watching the score seesaw for about two-thirds of the evening at Pawhuska's homecoming, Barnsdall stretched out way ahead and won the dual 41-24.