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Members of the Zone 416 tailgating club have their picture taken in front of Reed Arena Saturday. Hunter Shurtleff, Class of 1991, founded the tailgate and has been nominated by Tostitos at a Top five tailgate in the country in 2008.

Aggie tailgate honored in Tostitos nationwide contest

By: Matt Woolbright

Posted: 11/10/08

Hunter Shurtleff, Class of 1991, won a $7,000 grill and a chance to be the Tostitos Beat My Tailgate Challenge winner Saturday at the Texas A&M-Oklahoma football game.

Tostitos named Shurtleff's Zone 416 a Top five tailgate for 2008.

Zone 416 is named after the section of Kyle Field where its founders have season tickets. Bryan Bishop and Shurtleff are the founders of the party and first began with a single easy-up in 2001.

Bishop and Shurtleff are both Class of 1991 and were roommates in the Corps of Cadets.

"These guys are the gods of tailgate," said Peete Markey, a regular attendee since 2003 and Class of 1987.

The tailgate this year features multiple easy-ups, a circus tent, several TVs and, its newest addition, an eight-foot tailgate trailer, compliments of HEB.

The Tostitos contest is nationwide and has selected four other tailgates as well to compete for the champion title. Part of the contest will be an Internet vote.

"We're excited to bring this kind of attention to Texas A&M and to [Aggieland's] great tailgate scene," Shurtleff said.

This tailgate is open to anyone who wants to come and is definitely not age discriminatory.

"It's really fun, my favorite part is winning and the food," said Hunter's daughter, Megan Shurtleff, Class of 2023. "I want to come here someday."

Not only does Zone 416 attract national attention, it is attended by relatives of campus namesakes as well.

Eric Appelt, Class of 1996 said, "This is simply the best tailgate I've ever been a part of."

If the tailgate is voted best on www.tostitos.com, then Shurtleff and seven friends will receive VIP tickets to the 2009 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.