GRAVETTE — An early morning snowfall and temperatures in the 20s greeted competitors in the second Smoke on the Border Barbecue Cookoff Saturday, April 7, in downtown Gravette; but the unpleasant weather didn’t deter the barbecue chefs as 33 adult teams and 13 youngsters signed in. Trailers, tents and barbecue cookers lined Gravette Main Street and Second Avenue between Akron Street and Highway 72 during the two-day event sponsored by the Greater Gravette Chamber of Commerce. Most teams came from Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma, but one team came all the way from South Dakota to compete. Teams competed for a total of $8,320 in prize money. A $1,000 grant from Smithfield Foods helped add to the prize total.
Smoke on the Border is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, the world’s largest organization of barbecue and grilling enthusiasts with more than 20,000 members worldwide. It is one of more than 500 barbecue contests KCBS judges each year. The event was also sanctioned by the Arkansas Diamond Cup, allowing competitors to score points in several Team of the Year series.
Competitions were held in the four main categories, chicken, pork, ribs and brisket. The Gettin’ Basted barbecue team from Branson, Mo., was judged grand champion in the event, placing second in pork judging, fourth in chicken, sixth in pork ribs and fifteenth in brisket. Brickhead BBQ took reserve champion honors, placing first in chicken barbecue, fourth in pork ribs and eleventh in both pork and brisket. Trophies were awarded to the top three teams in each category and cash prizes were paid to first- through tenth-place teams.
Several area citizens attended Saturday’s events and browsed among the barbecue teams’ displays and a few vendor tents. Free smoked chicken legs, donated by Crystal Lake Foods, were provided for barbecue guests. A highlight of the Saturday events was a Kids Q hamburger contest with young barbecue chefs competing in two age groups, 10 and under and 11 through 15. Ava Mondragon, of the Smilin’ Dragon BBQ team, took first in the 10 and under category. Tyler Jones, 8, of Crossfire BBQ in Ash Grove, Mo., won second place and brothers Luke Higgins, 9, and Ethan Higgins, 8, of Choteau, Okla., won third and fourth place. Brian Russell, of the Kermit’s Ex team, won first place in the 11 and up group. Kayden Noe won second place; Zac Mason, of Survivor-Q, won third place; Abby Jones, of Crossfire BBQ, fourth; Dustin Matney, Blowin’ Smoke BBQ, fifth, Payton Upton, sixth; James Douglass, of Bentonville, seventh; and Joseph Ernst, Big Country BBQ, eighth. Hamburger was donated by Tyson Foods.
Other Saturday events included an Anything Butt contest, in which competitors cooked “Anything Butt” the four KCBS sanctioned meats. Kersey Brothers BBQ won the Anything Butt contest, with Survivor-Q, second; Big Country BBQ, third; Blowin’ Smoke BBQ, fourth; Smokin’ USA, fifth; Darkside BBQ, sixth; Bovine Intervention, seventh; Hot and Fast, eighth; Team Meating, ninth; Mr. Bill’s BBQ, tenth; and Crossfire BBQ, eleventh.
Finally, the evening ended with the People’s Choice event. Each contestant in the category was furnished a pork shoulder to season and smoke as he chose. Barbecue guests were able to purchase taster kits for $10 each, sample all the entries and vote for their favorite. They chose Smilin’ Dragon BBQ, a first-time competitor, as People’s Choice winner, with Crossfire BBQ taking second place and Kersey Brothers BBQ third.
Sunday’s events included a Kid’s Q pork chop competition with pork chops furnished each competitor by Tyson Foods. Tyler Jones was winner in the 10 and under age group, with Ethan Higgins placing second and Ava Mondragon third. Kayden Noe won first place in the 11-15 age group. Joseph Ernst won second place, with Abby Jones, third; Brian Russell, fourth; Payton Upton, fifth; Zack Mason, sixth; and Dustin Matney, seventh.
Fred Overstreet, organizer of Smoke on the Border, thanked Tim Gray, of Blowin’ Smoke BBQ in Bella Vista, for sponsoring the Kid’s Q pork chop competition. An Ozark BBQ Alliance series for kids has been established. An announcement was made that a national Kid’s Q competition is being planned for November with three age divisions.
Competitors in the KCBS-sanctioned contest on Sunday and their order of finish include: 1) Gettin’ Basted, 2) Brickhead BBQ, 3) Razorracks, 4) Survivor-Q, 5), 501 BBQ, 6) Fire Dancer, 7) Mokan Meatheads, 8) Dad’s Grillin’ Crew. 9) Hog Tide BBQ, 10) Royal Smokers, 11) Meat Rushmore BBQ, 12) Hot and Fast, 13) The Boar of Directors, 14) Super Swine, 15) Parrothead Smokers, 16) Smilin’ Dragon BBQ, 17) Smokeville, 18), Kersey Brothers BBQ, 19) Crossfire BBQ, 20) Kermit’s Ex, 21) Blowin’ Smoke BBQ, 22) Smokin’ in the Ozarks; 23) Porkology BBQ, 24) Darkside BBQ, 25) Smokin’ USA, 26) Ole Buddies BBQ, 27) Coach’s Smoke Show, 28) Big Country BBQ, 29) Team Meating, 30) Smokin’ in Style BBQ, 31) Mr. Bill’s Q, 32) The Smokin’ O’s and 33) Ridge Outlaws BBQ.
Sponsors for the Smoke on the Border competition included the Greater Gravette Chamber of Commerce, the city of Gravette, Austin Drug, Built-Well Construction, Crystal Lake Foods, Freedom Powersports, Grumpy’s Peace, Love and Coffee, Harps Foods #311 (Gravette store), Impervicote, InsulBead, Metal Building Supply, P&K Equipment, Reynolds Brands, Royal Oak Charcoal, Smithfield Foods, Teasley Drug, The Clorox Company, Tyson Foods, Yates Tax Service, Gravette Eye Clinic, CV’s Super Saver, Cherokee Casino West Siloam Springs, Kross Kountry Moto Gear, Blast Master, Gravette United Methodist Church, Skyline Printing, BBB Septic, Waste Away LLC, AT&T, Grand Savings Bank, United Rentals, Big Deal Marketing, Ozarks Community Hospital, Dynamic Rhythm, Sophie’s Boutique, The Patio Barber Shop and Tanning and Bombshell Salon. Proceeds from the event will be used to support the Chamber’s events and scholarship projects.