Did you know? Iowans own dozens of Guinness World Records
With news of the effort in Cedar Rapids to set a Guinness World Record for “Largest Inflatable Awareness Ribbon" and a Colfax man's pencil collection being certified as the world's largest, vlog decided to find other world records set by Iowans.
A search of the results in dozens of records with Iowa connections, from the mainstream (a 1896 matchup between the University of Iowa and the University of Chicago is recognized as the first college basketball game) to the obscure (most tricks performed by a pig in one minute).
The latter was set in 2018 by Joy the pig from Newton. Joy, now 11 years old, performed 13 tricks in one minute with help from owner Dawn Bleeker. Joy's tricks included honking a horn, toppling a bowling pin and shaking hands.
Above video: Iowa sets record for the world's largest cornhole competition
One of the most recent world records set in Iowa is the largest cornhole tournament. More than 700 people gathered on the Grand Concourse at the 2022 Iowa State Fair to play cornhole, also known as bags.
A few of the other world records with Iowa connections:
Shortest bull ever. Humphrey the Zebu bull, owned by Joe and Michelle Gardner, measured just 67.6275 centimeters in 2018 at the Kalona Veterinary Clinic.
Largest clog dance. More than 2,600 people participated in the record-setting clog dance in 2010 during Pella's Tulip Time.
Fastest mile joggling backward with three objects (male). Bob Evans, a juggling acrobat from Stanwood, set this "joggling" record in 2017 when he clocked a 6 minute, 45-second mile. Backward.
Farthest distance to throw a rolling pin. Lori La Deane Adams threw a 2-pound rolling pin 175 feet, 5 inches at the 1979 Iowa State Fair.
Most straws crack-whipped from the mouth in one minute. Whip artists April Choi and Bethany Byrnes crack-whipped 55 straws from the mouth in one minute during a 2017 event in Cedar Rapids.
Longest natural beard locks ever (male). At the time of his death in 1927, Hans N. Langseth's beard measured 17 feet, 6 inches. Langseth was born in Norway and immigrated to the U.S. in 1867, settling in Kensett, Iowa. He died at age 81 in Wyndmere, North Dakota. His beard was removed before he was buried at Elk Creek Church Cemetery in Kensett, and in 1967 was given to the Smithsonian Institution, which keeps it in storage and occasionally puts it on display.
Most sticky notes stuck on the face in one minute. Taylor Maurer of Sioux City set the record for most sticky notes stuck on the face in one minute (60) at her home in 2014. She beat the previous record by 2.
Tallest living dog. Kevin, a 4-year-old Great Dane from West Des Moines, was named the tallest living dog in 2024. Kevin is over three feet tall -- nearly a foot taller than the average height for a male Great Dane!
History behind Guinness World Records
The notion of collecting intriguing records was put in motion by Sir Hugh Beaver in the 1950s when he was managing director of Guinness Brewery. As the story goes: He was attending a shooting party in Ireland when he and his companions began to squabble over Europe’s fastest game bird. There was no quick way to solve the dispute.
He asked twins Norris and Ross McWhirter, who were fact-finding researchers, to compile a record book featuring topics that would help solve bar debates.
The first volume was published in 1955, and by 1964, a million copies had been sold. Later, a TV series was added.
Guinness also features a Hall of Fame. Among the inductees was Robert Wadlow, the world’s tallest man, who measured at 8 feet, 11.1 inches (2.72 meters) in 1940. Another Hall of Famer is Lee Redmond, whose fingernails famously measured more than 28 feet (8.65 meters).
In a typical year, Guinness receives about 47,000 record inquiries from 178 countries. Of those, around 8,000 are approved.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this article.
Watch: Videos of world record holders from Iowa