a contest

[navi tasan]

Which are correct:

1) They had a contest on how far they could throw beer bottles.
2) They had a contest about how far they could throw beer bottles.
3) They had a contest over how far they could throw beer bottles.
4) They had a contest to see how far they could throw beer bottles.

 

[Tarheel]

I would use the fourth one, although any one is possible.

 

[jutfrank]

Number 4 is what you mean.

 

[Barque]

A possibly simpler version: They tried to see who could throw a beer bottle farther.

 

[jutfrank]

A possibly simpler version: They tried to see who could throw a beer bottle farther.

I don't think that's any simpler but it certainly expresses the meaning better.

Even better:

They had a competition to see who could throw a beer bottle the farthest.

It could be that the speaker means 'beer bottles' rather than 'a beer bottle', but I'm assuming otherwise.

(By the way, I don't see how one could justify the prepositions in 1 to 3.)