Grand Forks' Jeff Barta -- no stranger to finding hidden things -- found the Potato Bowl Pete Medallion on Monday, the first day of the contest sponsored by Hugo's Family Market.
Barta found the medallion hidden by the southeast entrance of Memorial Stadium on the UND campus tucked between brick and piping.
"You had to be looking for it to see it," Barta said.
The first clue: "Look to the end that goes south, to put those groceries in your mouth."
Barta won $1,200 worth of groceries from any Hugo's Family Market, which sponsored the contest.
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Winning contests is nothing new to Barta, who has found hidden ducks for the Sertoma Duck Race every year that contest was held. He's also found rocks hidden by Grand Forks radio stations in separate contests.
But the $1,200 prize is his family's biggest reward to date. "It'll come in very handy," Barta said.
"It was really surprising that it was found so soon," said Ted Kreis, marketing director for Northern Plains Potato Growers, and member of the Potato Bowl Committee.
"We do this as a family," Barta said. "When we first heard about it, we started talking about it and thinking about where it could be."
They made a list of football- and potato-related places to look, and the old Memorial Stadium topped his list.
"I figured it would have to do with potatoes and football," Barta said. "But I did need the clue to know which direction to go."
Barta will be invited to ride in the parade Saturday, and will receive his prize at the end of the first quarter of the Potato Bowl.
Herald staff writer Lisa Gibson contributed to this report.
