Rusty Harding is one of America's best known boomerang manufacturers. Rusty was the first person that I ever met who threw boomerangs and that I did not teach to throw. Rusty is a lefty. He made a large number of Sporting and competition boomerang models, mostly in the 1970s from his home in Vero Beach, Florida and later from his home in Lebanon, Tennessee in the 1980s and 1990s. Rusty still makes a few boomerangs, but his old classics are becoming valuable collectables. The boomerangs that have the highest collectable value are the Concept models that were made out of lapped boards of hardwoods with angles usually of 70 or 90 degrees and sometimes weighted. His Hurricane Hook and Contender [omega] designs are the most popular sporting models.

This omega boomerang is the Contender, a wonderful Sporting boomerang that was sometimes used in the Australian Round event. This particular one was made in 1984 after Rusty had moved to Lebanon, Tennessee. It is signed and dated February 20, 1984. Rusty also wrote "For Bill Cook" under his signature. It is in very good condition with only a tiny paint chip on one tip. It is painted with red tips and it has the Harding logo stamped on the underside. There are not very many Harding Contenders remaining in this condition.