A new addition to the National Western Stock Show will attempt to win the hearts of attendees and judges through their stomachs.
The inaugural National Western BBQ Throwdown will debut Saturday at the stock show. The event will feature 42 local and national teams battling it out over the barbecue, said Morgan Topolnicki, director of scholarship events at the stock show.
The cookoff, which will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the stock show’s opening day, will be held at the H Lot north of the Events Center, and there will be samples for attendees.
About a third of contestants will be showing off their grill skills from out of state, Topolnicki said, including the 2014 top barbecue competition team in the nation, Warren County Pork Choppers from Kentucky.
“We strive to create interesting programming for the stock show each year,” stock show president and CEO Paul Andrews said, “and this concept sounded like a whole lot of fun.”
The 50 judges are certified by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, the world’s largest nonprofit organization of barbecue and grilling enthusiasts, with more than 19,000 members worldwide, according to its website.
Contestants will be judged in four meat categories: chicken, pork, ribs and brisket.
Karrin Murphy, contest coordinator for the Kansas City Barbecue Society, said judges consider appearance, taste and tenderness.
There is a prize purse of $11,000, and the overall champion will get the largest portion of that. There also will be cash prizes and trophies for the top 10 overall winners and cash prizes for the top 10 finishers in each meat category. Along with barbecue sampling, there will be food and drink vendors, live music and cooking demonstrations.
Elizabeth Hernandez: 303-954-1223 ehernandez @denverpost.com or
