"I husked for 20 minutes and it's treacherous,” Corn husker competitor Ted Richard says.

Hand husking corn is mostly for sport these days, but it’s still hard work.

"50-60 years ago everybody husked by hand," Richard says.

At the Indiana State Corn Husking contest on Saturday in Bremen, around 100 huskers were stalking a national spot in their age groups, but you have to be the top two in your class to advance to nationals. It doesn't come easy.

"The stalks are dry and you have to learn to touch them just right, if not you'll get cut real good,” Richard says.

It’s all about husking as much corn as possible in 20 minutes. Ted Richard was at nationals last year, just kernels away from being the king of corn husking.

"And I unloaded my wagon and they weighed up and I was a pound and half from the first place winner."

He’s hoping for another shot this year. He husked 299 pounds of corn in 20 minutes on Saturday in Bremen.

"If you would have cleaned the kernels out that would have been an extra pound and a half and you could have beat me,” Richard says about what the winner mentioned to him.

Ted's grandson Gage Richard gaining national attention for his husking skills as well.

"I won the nationals three times and the state four,” Gage says.

As the kernels and cobs are counted after this year's contest, it’s all about friendly competition celebrating the lost art of hand husking, but with a bigger focus.

"It's a family event basically and everybody enjoys it,” Richard says. “Spend a lot of family time together."

The national championships will be in Gothenburg, Nebraska on October 19th and 20th. To learn more about the competitions head to www.cornhusking.com

Gage Richard received first place in his class and Ted got second, so both will advance to the national championships.