This was the fourth year for the Italy Lion’s Club’s (sanctioned by the Lone Star BBQ Society) annual cookoff. According to Arval Gowin (Lions Club president) it was a great success. They had the most entries (cookers) they have ever had. This year there were fifty cooks!

When asked where the cookers were from Gowin said, “They have come from Oklahoma, Austin, and the Dallas Fort Worth area. We only had one cooker from Italy and that was John Morgan. Because we had fifty entries we now are a national level cookoff.”

Gowin explained, when asked where do the proceeds go, “The proceeds we earned from this cookoff go for scholarships, eye glasses and any other need that may arise for the city of Italy.”

One of the cookers was Randy Brumbelow from Terrell and he said, “I have been competing in BBQ cookoffs for about two and a half years. I compete about twice a month. I make my own rub for my brisket. This year I entered my pork butt, beans and my brisket. I got started doing this with my father as a child and decided I liked it and kept on competing in cookoffs.” Brumbelow won third place on his pork butt.

The winners:

Brisket

• 1st place – Anthony Hernandez
• 2nd place – Bubba Garrett
• 3rd place – Joe Jaska

Chicken

• 1st place – Sean (Woody) Woodson
• 2nd place – Robby Pettigrew
• 3rd place – Kevin Riley

Pork Spare Ribs

• 1st place – Sean (Woody) Woodson
• 2nd place – Rick Moritz
• 3rd place – Mickey Perkins

Beans

• 1st place – Bubba Garrett
• 2nd place – Darla Martinets
• 3rd place – Ronny Wade

Pork Butt

• 1st place – Joey Jaska
• 2nd place – Royce Williams
• 3rd place – Randy Brumbelow

See you there next year!