Grill teams go hog wild at contest
Big-time barbecuers took over the Columbia County Fairgrounds on Saturday for the second annual Veterans Day Barbecue Cookoff.
Teams from across the Southeast turned up to compete in categories of whole-hog, ribs and shoulders in the Memphis in May-sanctioned event.
Jack's Old South BBQ SauceCooking Team from Vienna, Ga., took first place in the whole-hog and shoulder categories, earning enough points to become the cook-off's grand champions and take home $3,200.
"That's not too bad for a couple of days work," said Myron Mixon, head cook for Jack's Old South. "This is one of the last barbecue contests of the season, so it's great to go out on top."
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Memphis in May is a national sanctioning body for barbecue contests. Teams travel to cooking contests, primarily in the South, to earn points to compete in the nation's largest barbecue contest each May in Memphis, Tenn.
Smoke Shack head cook Scott McDaniel prepares his display of ribs during the Veterans Day Barbecue Cookoff on Saturday at the Columbia County Fairgrounds.
Photo by Donnie Fetter
Since Jack's Old South already had earned a spot for Memphis before the weekend's contest, the honor of representing Columbia County next May passed down to the North Augusta team Smoke Shack for the second straight year.
"Getting a chance to compete in Memphis is what this hard work is all about," said Scott McDaniel, head cook for Smoke Shack. "We can't wait to represent Columbia County again."
Though the barbecue was a main draw, a ceremony also was held to honor veterans of the Korean War.
Believer's Fellowship Church pastor and Vietnam War veteran Bobby Renew spoke recounted some of his war-time experiences.
During a routine resupply mission, Renew said he and a fellow soldier ran over a land mine. The blast killed his compatriot and severely wounded him. Unable to write to his family about what happened, he said his worried father, also a minister, prayed and was led by God to call then-President Nixon.
Renew said his father managed to get through to the White House where a woman told him that the president was busy.
"My father said, 'Ma'am, you don't understand. God told me to call,"' Renew said. "My father then heard that woman say, 'Mr. Nixon, there's a man on the phone that said God told him to call you.' Nixon told her, 'Well, you better give me the phone then."'
The president made it possible for Renew to call his family and fill them in on his injuries. When he was well enough to travel back to the U.S., government officials also arranged for Renew's family to visit him in the hospital and paid for their travel expenses.
"What I learned from that experience is that God's grace is sufficient for anything that happens in life," Renew said.
Here are the winners from Columbia County's Veterans Day Barbecue Cookoff:
Whole-hog category:
Jack's Old South BBQ Sauce Cooking Team, first place
Allegro Gourmet Cooking Team, second place
Smarr Cooking Team, third place
Natural Born Grillers, fourth place
Hog Lott, fifth place
Shoulder category:
Jack's Old South BBQ Sauce Cooking Team, first place
Natural Born Grillers, second place
Smoke Shack, third place
Boggy Pond BBQ Brigade, fourth place
Allegro Gourmet Cooking Team, fifth place
Rib category:
Pig Pounda Kappa, first place
L&L Cooking Crew, second place
Smoke Shack, third place
Magnolia Smokers, fourth place
Boggy Pond BBQ Brigade, fifth place
Grand champion:
Jack's Old South BBQ Sauce Cooking Team (shoulder)
People's Choice Award:
Boggy Pond BBQ Brigade
Backyard Contest:
Jimmy Lovett