From Staff Reports
Photos by The Mule Barn
COCHRAN, Ga. — After weeks of friendly trash talk, surprise orders, community deliveries and a final-day battle that came down to the wire, Daniel Cape has won the Mule Barn Showdown.
Cape finished with 465 drinks sold, while Matt Fordham finished with 422 — a difference of just 43 drinks.
For much of the final day Wednesday, however, Fordham appeared to have the advantage.
His supporters came out strong, including Robert Smith with RS Custom Homes and TENTH HOUSE • The Consignment Shop, who purchased 125 “Matts” to be delivered to local schools.
Heart of Georgia Nursing Home in Eastman followed with an order for 50 Matts, while Becky Colson Mullis with Good Thing Realty purchased another 50 for Bleckley Memorial Hospital.
Brian Bazemore then added 25 more, sending drinks to The Citizens Bank of Cochran and Community Bank of Dublin-Laurens County.
The large orders gave Fordham a substantial lead heading into the final stretch.
But Cape’s supporters weren’t finished.
Late Wednesday afternoon, another donor purchased 12 “Daniels” for the Bleckley County Sheriff’s Office. Then, in the closing stretch of the competition, Cape received a last-minute anonymous order that changed the outcome of the race.
When the final drinks were counted, Cape had pulled ahead, 465-422.
While the Showdown provided plenty of entertainment, the real winners were the two organizations benefiting from the competition.
Hunting For The Cure will receive $1,200, while Georgia Canine Rescue and Rehabilitation Inc. will receive $1,800.
In all, the Mule Barn Showdown raised $3,000 for the two causes.
The competition captured the community’s attention over the past several weeks as supporters picked sides, shared posts, placed large drink orders and sent deliveries to schools, businesses and organizations throughout the area.
The Mule Barn thanked everyone who purchased drinks, shared posts, joined the friendly rivalry or simply followed along, as well as Cape and Fordham for being good sports throughout the competition.
Now that the final score has been settled, the Mule Barn faces perhaps its biggest challenge yet: returning to regularly scheduled coffee posts.
After weeks of videos, trash talk and Showdown chaos, normal may take some getting used to.
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