GRAVETTE — The inaugural Smoke on the Border barbecue event, sponsored by the Greater Gravette Chamber of Commerce, was reported to be a highly successful event by all who participated. Thirty-seven teams competed for $6,040 in prize money at the two-day event held April 1 and 2 at the Hiwasse fire station.
Smoke on the Border was sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, the world's largest organization of barbecue and grilling enthusiasts with more than 20,000 members worldwide. KCBS officials came from Kansas City to preside over the panel of certified judges. This was one of over 500 barbecue contests it judges throughout the world. The competition was also co-sanctioned by the Oklahoma Barbecue Society and the Arkansas Diamond Cup. This allowed the competing teams to score points in several Team of the Year series.
The visitors from Kansas City agreed that Gravette's inaugural event was a real winner, commenting that it was well organized, well attended and well run. One judge commented that she was impressed that it was so well done, considering it was a first-time event, and praised Fred Overstreet, Smoke on the Border chairman, acknowledging that it took a lot of hard work to pull it off.
Competitions were held in the four main categories, barbecued chicken, ribs, pork and brisket. The McNatt family of Hog Tide Barbecue in Aurora, Mo., was grand champion of the event, placing first in the brisket judging, second in pork ribs, ninth in pork and 10th in chicken. MoKan Meatheads, from the Kansas City, Mo., area, took reserve champion honors, placing fifth in pork ribs, sixth in brisket, eighth in pork and 15th in chicken.
Saturday's events were open to the public, with lots of fun activities for those who attended. Free smoked chicken legs, donated by Harps Foods, were provided for visitors; and a host of vendor tents offered everything from barbecue grills to fresh baked bread, cold drinks to arts and crafts items. A highlight of the Saturday events was a Kid's Q contest, with young barbecue cooks competing in two age groups, 10 and under and 11 and up. Jaida Giles, 7, of the Lake Rats Barbecue crew from Grove, Okla., took first in the 10 and under category; and Olivia Kyle, 11, of the Up Sauce Creek barbecue team from Seymour, Mo., won first in the 11 and up division.
Other Saturday events included an Anything Butt contest, where competitors were allowed to cook "anything butt" the four categories that were part of the KCBS sanctioned contest on Sunday. The crew from Cherokee Casino at West Siloam Springs won the Anything Butt contest with their standing rib roast. Finally, the People's Choice event rounded out the evening on Saturday. Each contestant in the category was furnished a pork shoulder to season and smoke as he or she chose. Barbecue guests were able to purchase a taster kit for $10, sample all the entries and vote for their favorite. They selected Wood Hook Barbecue of Springfield, Mo., as the people's choice winner.
Competitors in the KCBS sanctioned contest on Sunday and their order of finish include: 1) Hog Tide Barbecue, 2) MoKan Meatheads, 3) Gettin' Basted, 4) Razorbacks, 5) Up Sauce Creek, 6) Tebo Creek BBQ, 7) Smoke a Little Smoke, 8) Dad's Grillin' Crew, 9) Caveman Cuisine, 10) Hot and Fast BBQ, 11) Habitual Smokers, 12) Smokin' Dan, 13) Lake Rats BBQ, 14) Z-Que, 15) Sizzlin' Bones BBQ, 16) Survivor-Que, 17) PoBoys BBQ, 18) Eli's Pit Crew, 19) The Outlaws, 20) Stripe's Red, White & BBQ, 21) Porkology BBQ, 22) Dirty Goatees BBQ, 23) Meat Rushmore BB!, 24) Smokeville, 25) Kersey Brothers BBQ, 26) Wood Hook BBQ, 27) Kermit's Ex. 28) Bad to the Bone Too, 29) Beneficial Smoke, 30) Blowin' Smoke NWA, 31) Bella-Cue BBQ, 32) Rub N Butts BBQ, 33) Lucky Q BBQ, 34) Cherokee Casino West Siloam Springs, 35) Mr. Bill & Big Baby's BBQ, 36) TD Smokers and 37) Smokin' USA.
Sponsors for the Smoke on the Border barbecue competition included Cherokee Casino of West Siloam Springs, United Rentals, Harps Foods, Austin Drug, Built-Well Construction, Arvest Bank, Gravette Eye Clinic, Grumpy's Peace, Love & Coffee, Teasley Drug, CV's $avers Club, Bank of Gravett, Metal Building Supply, Kountry Moto Gear, Freedom Powersports, Gravette United Methodist Church, Yates Tax Service, BBB Septic, Big Deal Marketing, Ozarks Community Hospital, Impervicote, Blastmaster, The Clorox Company, Waste Away LLC and the city of Gravette. Proceeds from the event will support the Greater Gravette Chamber of Commerce.
Community on 04/12/2017