BBQ Winners

What an amazing weekend! WheaEsta 2009 is over and preparations are already underway for 2010. If you are interested in being a volunteer next year or have any comments or suggestions please let the Okeene Chamber of Commerce Director know by calling 580.822.3005.

Fair entry placings will be posted very soon.

The 1st Annual Whea Esta BBQ Cook-off begin on Saturday morning with teams lighting their fires as early as 4:00am. Contestants started their day early and we hope everyone had the opportunity to stop by and visit the teams as they prepared for the competition. Any array of cookers/smokers and cooking methods were on display to the public with a People’s Choice competition starting at 3:30. By purchasing a wristband you could taste all 3 meats from each of the contestants.  

The Cookoff had 3 areas of competition this year:  Chicken, Pork Ribs and Beef Brisket, teams could choose to enter any individual category or all three categories.  Four teams participated in Saturday’s competition:  Espy’s Smoked Meats of Watonga, Pony Express Printing BBQ Team of Kingfisher, Bohemian Joe of Hennessey and Frank Dunham of Okeene.  

The aroma or BBQ filled the are and if you were anywhere in town Saturday, I’m sure it made your mouth water!  From 2:30-3:30 the different meats were judged by 5 judges, of which 2 are Kansas City BBQ Society Certified!  

Prizes and awards were announced during the Indian Taco Dinner with specially designed trophies, gift baskets and prize money being awarded.
First Place in Chicken was awarded to Pony Express Printing BBQ Team (Receiving a gift basket & $50.00), 2nd Place was from Bohemian Joe, (Receiving $25.00), and 3rd Place was from Espy’s Smoked Meats ( Receiving $10.00).
First place in Pork Ribs were awarded to Pony Express Printing BBQ Team ( Receiving a gift basket & $50.00), 2nd Place was from Frank Dunham, ( Receiving $25.00),  and 3rd Place was from Bohemian Joe ( Receiving $10.00).
First place in Beef Brisket was awarded to Pony Express Printing BBQ Team ( Receiving a gift basket & $50.00), 2nd Place was from Bohemian Joe, ( Receiving $25.00),  and 3rd Place was from Frank Dunham ( Receiving $10.00).
The overall Grand Champion of the 2009 Whea Esta BBQ Cookoff went to Pony Express Printing BBQ Team ( Receiving a Trophy, $200.00 and gift basket) and the People’s Choice went to Frank Dunham, ( Receiving a Trophy, $100.00 and a gift basket).

If you weren’t able to join us this year, be sure to stop in next year for a great time and the chance to taste 2010’s best BBQ!