August 25, 2014 Lincoln Daily News.com 2014 Art & Balloon Festival 51
Smokin' Butts BBQ
In their sixth year of KCBS competitions is the
‘Smokin’ Butts BBQ’ team comprised of Lee and
Judy Thompson. The team name was given to them
by a judge at their first competition. Judy says, “we
enjoy cooking as a hobby” and started competing at
“county fairs.” She also notes, “when you do one,
you are hooked.” They smoke their meat for 16-18
hours using various spices. The Thompsons describe
the other teams as “a good group of people and a
good fraternity. We help each other out [and] would
go to the ends of the earth for one another.”
Though only one team wins the grand champion
prize, there is solidarity among the teams as they
banter with one another. Merrill Fuller, a former
competitor, “enjoys meeting people at competitions”
and says “these competitions are like mini-reunions.”
The ‘Backyard BBQ’ competition teams come
mainly from nearby towns. Backyard BBQ gives
amateurs a chance to shine. This competition has just
two categories: Pork ribs and chicken. The “Up in
Smoke on the Square” website says “this fun, BYO
everything competition, except for the free bag of
charcoal provided to each team by Royal Oak, allows
you to get a taste of the full competition experience
without the added stress” and describes it as “more of
a block party than a competition.”
Terry Dobson and Tim “T-Bone” Cliffe of the
‘T-Bone’s Emporium’ team are first year rookies.
Terry says, “It is about fun. We love the social part
and make a lot of friends.” She said, “Food is always
flowing at our table,” so she really enjoys cooking.
In a previous competition their team was one of
nineteen rookies and they finished 36 out of 59 teams,
which they felt good about.
Blue Bear’s BBQ
The ‘Blue Bear’s BBQ’ team from Green Valley,
Illinois is comprised of members Kent, Sally, and
Andrew Caulkins, and all say it is a lot of fun. They
have been involved in seasonal competitions for three
years and do competitions about once a month during
the season. Blue Bears won a Pork BBQ competition,
and received second place in chicken two years in a
row. Sally says they use a special blend of spices and
sauces, and jokingly calls their recipe “an ancient
Chinese secret.”
Though there are only a few winners in each
competition, competitors all say they have fun doing
it and really enjoy the camaraderie between the
various teams.
[By ANGELA REINERS]
