Amazin' Blazin' BBQ Cookoff, Lebanon, TN

August 15-16, 2008
Several weeks ago I found out the Lebanon contest was full. No problem right? I had sent my entry & check in right? WRONG! I had forgotten.....Major Bummer. We called and pleaded our case but rules are rules even for DoRagQ. We found ourselves first on the waiting list. Hey at least we got a first in something. Fast forward to last weekend (8/10/08). No one had cancelled. I called Richard & Gary and told them to make other plans. It was looking like we would be watching from the sidelines. I received a voicemail on Monday around 2:30 PM from a number I did not recognize. As I listened the message said one of the competitors had fallen ill and we were in! While we wish no ill fate on any competitors, it felt good knowing we were in one of the most prestigious and competitive contest in these here parts! DoRagQ would be In Da House!

After contacting Richard & Gary the rest of the week was insane. Work was crazy and every night I seemed to have something work related taking priority over the BBQ. Somehow we managed to get our shit together and Richard & I headed to Lebanon Thursday evening. We arrived and were rewarded with a prime spot right inside the gate. During setup Ziggy & Ole Dave of Ribs & Bibs from Indiana came over and invited us over for pizza cooked in their smoker. That sounded great to us and boy it was some mighty fine pizza! Paul Hood of BigBriq.com came over for a slice & invited us over to Music City Pig Pals site for a taste of Dueling Margarita Machines! Both Paul & Lee (MC Pig Pals) had set up their machines and were churning out Margaritas & Jackaritas for all the early attendees. It was great seeing our BBQ Family in a non-competitive atmosphere. It was like a Who's Who of BBQ. DrBBQ Ray Lampe was there as well as Carolyn Wells of the KCBS, Dan of Rubmasters (Go Predators), David Roper of Jack Daniels, Kathy & John of Wild Bunch Butt Burners, Joe & Voncile of Smokey Mountain Smokers, and our hosts Lee & Bobbie McWright & Paul Hood & many others. It was especially great seeing Mike & Melinda of J-Mack Cookers. We had not seen them since the Christmas party last December. After some socializing Richard & I headed off to Wally World for some last minute provisions. We returned and had a few more Adult Beverages and hit the hay.

By-the-way, the weather was fantastic! Last year we saw temperatures of 100+ this year however we were greeted with high 80's and mild almost cool nights. Perfect weather! Friday morning after breakfast with original DoRagQ member Jeff Edwards we settled in to get prepped. Around mid-morning Buck & Lou of High on the Hawg arrived and set up next to us. The rest of the day was spent prepping for contest & supper. Gary arrived with the "Green Stuff" and we continued our Friday night tradition in the DoRagQ Camp of smoking some Pork Chops & Taters. We threw in some ABTs (Atomic Buffalo Turds) & some fresh sliced tomatoes from the DoRag garden (Thanks to Mrs. DoRag). We were joined for supper by Mark Walker of Wireless Plus, Buck, Lou, & Mickey of High on the Hawg, Ziggy & Ole Dave of Ribs & Bibs, Jennifer Watson (1/2 of Long Dawgs Blue Smoke) and whoever else came along looking hungry. Late arriving guests Amber, LouAnn, & Jeff Edwards showed up after the Titans game. Friday night seems to fly by & soon it was time to fire up the FEs. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention we added another FE100 to our arsenal. More on that on a later post.

This contest takes place on the opening weekend of the Wilson County Fair, one of the premiere fairs in Tennessee & the nation. The sounds of the fair make it a special atmosphere. It can also make for a long night. Seems the roosters have their biological clocks messed up and started crowing about 2 AM! Maybe they were mourning their soon to be smoked cousins. Little did they know how close they came to joining them!

Saturday morning found us behind in getting our briskets & butts up to temperature due to a timing miss-calculation. We came up with a alternative plan that seemed to get us back on track. A decision was made to try some different rub on our chicken. A decision that we hoped would take our average chicken to greater heights. BIG MISTAKE! The lesson we learned was not to change anything at a contest without testing it first in the backyard. So without further A-Dew (how do you spell that anyway?) here are the results: Out of 54 teams DoRagQ finished 22nd. We had a disappointing but deserved 48th in chicken, & a respectable 19th in brisket. We did ourselves proud with a 9th in pork and 2nd in ribs! We actually were tied for first but lost the tiebreaker. WOW! What a turnaround from last years 2nd from last finish in ribs to 2nd from first. (Did I say that right?) I am still floating in the clouds! Congrats to Adams Rib & Wild Bunch Butt Burners for finishing in Grand Champion & Reserve Grand Champion. Other notables were Blinddog's Outlaw BBQ Gang in 5th, Team Allegro in 7th, Music City Pig Pals in 8th, & Ribs & Bibs finishing in 10th.




I want to thank Gary & Richard for their continued support and ideas. They are the "Do" in DoRagQ. I also have to give a shout out to their families for letting them hang out with a person of my questionable character. Props also go out to Rob Marlow (thanks for the hook-up), Jen & Dan Watson, Lou & Buck Buchannon, Joe & Voncile Amore, Bobbie & Lee McWright, Debbie & Mike Davis, Melinda & Mike Ford, and all of the others who have helped us along our BBQ journey. Each one of you have given us encouragement, tips, & ideas that has helped us along the way. Of course I could not do any of this without Mrs. DoRagQ (Kathy) thanks for believing in me & giving me the courage & opportunity to pursue my passions.

PS. Sorry Shotgun Shorty, maybe next time....I love you Gramps.

Gary Silvey's BBQ Cook Off Clarksville, TN

July 11-12, 2008
After a hot but enjoyable 4th of July at the lake with Kathy (wife), CoCo (dog #1), Beau (dog #2), Kathy & Gary (neighbors), & Jeff, LouAnn, & Amber (friends) we prepared to enter Gary Silvey's BBQ Cook Off in Clarksville, TN for the second year. It also marked the one year anniversary of Richard joining DoRagQ. He deserves a trophy for putting up with me & Gary for a year! Richard & I headed out on Thursday late afternoon to get set up. There were only a hand full of teams on site when we arrived. Music City Pig Pals, Team Allegro, Big Briq BBQ, & new friends Getting Piggy With It joined us as early arrivals. After setup Richard & I settled down for our usual Tunes & Brews! We always enjoy having a few cold ones & listening to "Classic Country" on my IPOD. After a few rounds Richard began sounding alot like Jim Reeves! I knew then it was time to turn in for the night.

Friday brought more heat as we began to prepare for inspection. Gary had stayed behind to pick up the "Green Stuff" & would join us later. After getting tagged (inspected) Richard began prepping chicken & ribs while I concentrated on brisket & pork butts. During prep our good friends Lou & Buck of High on the Hawg pulled in behind us. After some socializing we helped them get situated & proceeded to finish up our prepping. By early afternoon we had worked up quite an appetite so we all piled in Buck & Lou's truck & headed for Backyard Burgers. We then made stops at WallyWorld & Food Lion to pick up some last minute supplies. I can't seem to remember much but I somehow ended up with a "Noodle". More on that later.... Back at the cook site Gary soon joined us and DoRagQ was finally IN DA HOUSE!

Friday evening is a great time to visit with friends and make some new ones. We seem to have made it a tradition to throw some pork chops, jalapeno sausage, & potatoes in the smoker and have a "pot-luck" supper. Paul Hood of Big Briq BBQ brought out the Margarittaville Margarita Machine & the party began. We were joined by our friends Mark Walker of Wireless Plus (a DoRagQ sponsor) & Chip Hooper (a future sponsor) who drove up after Chip mowed his grass! (Glad he didn't weed-eat).














Our neighbors Son Seekers, Bobby & Lee McWright of Music City Pig Pals & Shane & Milissa of Smokin' Hose Grillin' Team & their crew joined in on the fun. Good food, good music, good friends & good fun! Time flies when you are having fun & before long it was "Quiet Time". So with the pits up to temperature & briskets & butts rubbed, injected, marinaded, & blessed we commenced to smokin!

It was a long, hot night & we had our share of trouble. My DigiQ was on the blink. Paul Hood came to the rescue. Paul recently became a BBQ Guru dealer & had a few spares. After a quick pit stop to change out the DigiQ we were back on track smokin. I tried to get some shut eye but I never seem to relax during a contest. I keep thinking about what we have to do next. I did manage a few hours of sleep before daybreak. Gary got up & started making boxes while Richard & I manned the pits. Saturday is much different than Friday night. Everyone has their "Race-Face" on. There is a more serious attitude in the air. Time to "get-er-dun".

Turn in went as planned. No surprises, no catastrophes, no mess ups. We had some doubts but overall we were satisfied with what we turned in. The judges however viewed our turn in below average. Out of 16 we finished 11th in chicken, 9th in ribs, 8th in pork, & 10th in brisket, with an overall finish of 11th. Disappointing to say the least. We always strive to be in the top 50%. Anything less is viewed as un-successful. On a positive note, we did not finish DAL (Dead Ass Last) & know one got sick (that we know of). Our friends had much better results! Paul Hood of Big Briq BBQ finished Grand Champion with a 3rd in chicken, 6th in ribs, 6th in pork, & 1st in brisket! This was Paul's first GC in KCBS competition. Paul has competed & won on the MIM (Memphis in May) circuit.







Finishing in the Reserve Grand Champion spot was none other than our friends Lou & Buck of High on the Hawg! Their finishes of 2nd in chicken, 2nd in ribs, 4th in pork, & 11th in brisket gave them their first ever RGC! Congrats! We are proud of & for you!














Were we disappointed? HELL YES! Did we have a good time? HELL YES! Are we gonna keep trying? HELL YES! Stay tuned cuz there is something new coming our way that we hope will help us be a better more consistant team.

Note: I hope the organizers take a long look at their facilities. I would hate to pass up a contest less than 45 miles from my front door but if they don't make some changes we may have to pass this one by in 2009.

Happy Birthday "Shotgun Shorty"!

Jack S. Rife, Jr. celebrated his 90th birthday on July 14th, 2008. Jack (AKA Shotgun Shorty) is my Grandfather and who taught me how to BBQ. Grampo gets his nickname from the old days when he carried several wepons including a shotgun hanging on the gun rack in his pickup truck. He is an avid hunter and expert marksman who is always ready to squeeze one off! While only 5'6" he was a giant to me. He reminds me of John Wayne or Audie Murphy. A honest hard working Texan who served in WWII. While serving in Germany Jack was awarded several medals & awards. A subject I will cover in a future post.

I have been asked "why I love to BBQ so much"? the answer is simple. Some of my fondest memories of Texas & growing up were on any given Friday or Saturday when Grampo would fire the pit up and cook something. Most times it was brisket or cabrito. Sometimes it was a Havelena or deer he shot while hunting. Everyone seemed to congrigate at "Uncle Jack's". Friends, family, hell even people we didn't know would stop by. Grampo always had a cold beer to share. Later her would bitch about the moochers but I know he enjoyed them stopping by. My job was to keep to wood burning, place coals in the pit, check the meat, and get him a cold Budweiser! So my answer to "why I love to BBQ so much" is everytime I fire up the pit I get to re-live those memories. If you don't understand that you never will understand BBQ. You see it's not the rub, injection, or cut of meat. Its not what kind of pit you have or wood you use. Its the concept of family, friends, & tradition that makes good BBQ. I have been fortunate to learn from one of the best. No, Shotgun has never won a BBQ competition but he has won my love & repect and many many others.

So when you see me at competitions having a few beers and listening to old country music, don't think that I dont take the competition seriously. I'm just carring on the family tradition. I can't wait to hand over our first GC trophy to Shotgun Shorty. I love you Grampo.

A Great BBQ Story

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92677223
Check out this story about Snow's BBQ in lexington, Texas. This is what BBQ is all about. Food, Family, Friends, Traditions, and the characters who live and breathe BBQ. I am planning a BBQ Trip someday and I will make sure that Snow's BBQ is on the itenairy.

Here is the link the Texas Monthly which published the "Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas". http://www.texasmonthly.com/magazine/bbq

Dickson Fiddler's Contest

June 27-28, 2008
Gary & Richard thought I was crazy when I told them we had entered the Dickson Fiddler's Contest. Hell, I don't even have a Fiddle much less know how to play one! Its a good thing they had a BBQ contest at the same time. Richard & I headed West of Nashville about 45 miles on Thursday to get set up. We arrived & got set up before dark. After a few adult beverages we turned in for the night.


Friday morning after heading down to Cracker Barrel for some chow we started prepping. Voncil & Joe of Smokey Mountain Smokers invited us along with Buck & Lou of High on the Hawg to lunch at one of the local Mexican eateries during which Voncil was treated to a birthday treat in the form of a shot of Tequila! Happy Birthday Voncil! Shortly after returning to the contest Gary arrived and DoRagQ was IN DA HOUSE! After bringing Gary up to date on all the happenings we were asked by contest organizer Tim Owings to judge the sausage category. Gary & I accepted and off we went. I tell you, judging is not as easy as you may think. We were treated to some very original culinary delights featuring Tennessee Pride Sausage. Some rocked & some rocked our stomachs! Upon completion of judging the sausage category, Buck & Lou of High on the Hawg treated us to a spaghetti supper complete with garlic bread. I didn't know that 6 lbs of spaghetti could feed half of Dickson! The evening was topped off by yours truly making several of my famous DoRag Margaritas. Luckily the Tequila ran out before the "Grills Gone Wild Crew" arrived. We wouldn't want to be seen on one of those cheesy late-night advertisements selling DVDs. No one was lost or hurt and the evening ended quietly.

Saturday brought the chance of rain, gusting winds, and the hope of a good finish. The rains held off, the winds died down, and we finished in the middle of the pack. A 18th place finish in chicken, 8th in ribs, 22nd in pork, & 9th in brisket combined for a 14th place finish overall. Congratulations to Pig-Pak & Team Allegro for finishing Grand Champion & Reserve Grand Champion respectively. DoRagQ friends High on the Hawg finished 6th, Bigbriq.com came in 9th, and newcomers Gettin'Piggy With It in 12th. Thanks to Gary & Richard for their continuing efforts. We continue to pay our dues & keep learning. Until next time....Keep on Smokin!

P.S.I forgot to mention our 2nd place finish in the desert competition! But then that's another story.......Thanks Lou!

Long Dogs on the Rag or Doggie Do BBQ?

June 20-21, 2008
Dan Watson of Long Dawgs Blue Smoke & I waited to the week of the Franklin Simpson County BBQ Cookoff to decide to enter. We both had planned to take a few weeks off but after talking about it all week we decided to hook up together and cook. On Thursday Dan headed to Franklin Kentucky which is North of Nashville about 40 miles. The cookoff was held in the City park next to a river. Each site had power & water hookups and grass was green and cut like a high dollar golf course. A great setting for a contest. Mark Sexton the contest organizer did a fantastic job taking care of the cooks. We had entertainment on Friday night and a steak dinner to boot!













Our combined efforts resulted in 10th in chicken, 1st in ribs, 5th in pork, & 7th in brisket with a 5th overall. Not bad for a last minute contest. Congratulations to Debbie & Mike Davis of Lotta Bull for taking the Grand Champion. Smokey Mountain Smokers took Reserve Grand Champion. DoRagQ Compadres Bigbriq.com finished 3rd, Team Allegro 8th, & Pig Smokers in Paradise rounded out the top 10. DoRagQ plans to add this cook to our schedule in 2009. It was a beautiful setting, well organized, and just plain fun! Thanks Dan & Jen for putting up with me. Can't wait to do it again!

The BBQ Song

CMA Musicfest BBQ Cookoff, Nashville, TN

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Sundrop Country Cookoff, Pulaski, TN

May 9-10, 2008
Not much to tell. We stunk! Just when you think you have it all figured out; you have a Pulaski! We finished 13th in chicken, 23rd in ribs, 23rd in pork, and 27th in brisket. The only positive things were we were consistent and didn't finish DAL (dead ass last)! Congratulations to Jiggy Piggy (Grand Champion) & our friend Barry of Swiggin Pig (Reserve Grand Champion). The rest of the overall top ten were 3rd Wild Bunch butt Burners, 4th Team Top chick, 5th Tennessee Butt Burners, 6th Bill & the Dixie Chicks, 7th Big Daddy Q, 8th Smokey Mountain Smokers, 9th Late Night Whiskey Smokers, & 10th High on the Hawg. Way to go Buck & Lou. Our only consolation is knowing we had some company down at the bottom. Several teams who are usually in the running joined us with low scores. All we can do is move on to the next one and keep practicing and hope we don't have another Pulaski!

High on the Hog, Winchester, TN

April 19th, 2008 marked our return to Winchester's High on the Hog contest. It also was the first since the passing of Fred Gould. Fred had a profound impact on the BBQ community and was a big part of the High on the Hog contest. I had met Fred at last years High on the Hog contest. Fred was one of those people who made you feel like you had know him for years. Fred will be missed but remembered fondly in the hearts of many.

The High on the Hog contest also marked the one year anniversary of meeting current DoRagQ Team member Richard Finley. Richard's contributions to our team cannot be measured. He has become a close and dear friend and I look forward to many many years of BBQ and friendship. Thank you Richard!



Ok, now that we have gotten some things off my chest, let's tell you about the contest. I picked Richard up on the way to Winchester. Gary had to work and would catch up with us later. We had the same spot as last year, right on the lake beside the boat ramp. We noticed the lake was quite a bit higher that last year. We had great weather for the most part. Only a small shower Friday night. Once set up, Richard and I began preparing the meat. Once completed we had some time to visit. There were 52 Teams competing including close friends Music City Pig Pals, Ulika, Lotta Bull, Buttrub.com, High on the Hawg, Wild Bunch Butt Burners, Swiggin' Pig, Big Brig.com, Pig Smokers in Paradise, Governors B-B-Q, Scenic City Smokers, J.C.'s Pit Crew, Sun Bear BBQ, and Porkenstein to name a few. It was good to see everyone again. Kinda like a family reunion. Gary arrived late afternoon and DoRagQ was IN THE HOUSE! The rain cut down on our socializing so we just retired to Casa DoRag and got ready for the long night ahead.

Saturday morning brought sunshine and the hopes of a respectable finish. Gary's turn in boxes looked great and all that was left was to let the Judges do their thing. Once turn in was completed, Gary had to head back home for a prior commitment and left Richard and myself to attend the awards. We finished 18th in chicken, 29th in ribs, 3rd in pork, and 46th in brisket. That placed us 22nd overall. While not a great finish, I was happy with getting to "walk" in pork. I was most dissapointed with our brisket. I really thought we had cooked the best one yet. I was ok with our chicken finish and still scratching my head trying to figure out our ribs. Still not a bad finish considering the level of competition.

The Grand Champion went to Bareknuckles BBQ, with Team Bobby-Q getting the Reserve Grand Champion call. Other notables were 3rd Wild Bunch Butt Burners, 4th Buttrub.com, 6th Music City Pig Pals, 7th Ulika, 9th Lotta Bull, and 11th High on the Hawg.

All in all we can't complain. We are still getting use to our new trailer, cooker, and technique. Thanks to Gary and Richard who "complete me". I could not and would not want to do this without them. To see pictures from this contest, click the link below.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/doragq/sets/72157605602919589/

Porkin in the Park 2008

April 5, 2008 marked DoRagQ's first competition of the 2008 season. Heavy rains and cool weather did not dampen the spirits of the 29 Teams that converged on the Clarksville Fairgrounds. Richard & I left Nashville on Thursday hoping to get a prime spot while Gary joined us on Friday. This was also the maiden voyage of DoRag's new Toy Hauler and new cookers. The comforts of a dry warm place to rest and prep made a world of difference compared to the primitive E-Z Up of last year. I don't know how we made it through last year!

Richard and I got some sleep between heavy rains on Thursday night and woke up early on Friday to grab some breakfast. We came upon a out of the way dinner that cooked up a mean omlete. After feeding our faces we returned to prep the meat. It seemed to take longer than usual, I guess we were a little out of practice. We finished up the pork, brisket, and ribs about the time Gary showed up. We let him relax for a few and then started in on the chicken. We brought extra chicken so we fired up the new FEC100 and made some supper. After supper the organizers asked us over for some left overs from a fish fry. Needless to say we all had plenty to eat. We then adjourned to the confines of Casa DoRag and started making our turn-in boxes. Once completed we all turned in for some shut eye.

Saturday brought us hopes of warmer, dryer weather. While it was dryer it wasn't much warmer. We stumbled through our routine trying to remember what to do next. We somehow managed to get everything turned in on time and there were no reports of ill health! When the dust settled, 2007 KCBS Team of the Year "Cool Smoke" took Grand Champion with "Learn 2 Q.com" finishing Reserve Grand Champion. Nashville based team Ulika finished a strong 3rd, with Jacks Old South & Smokey Mountain Smokers rounding out the top five.

Other locals, Pig Smokers in Paradise and High on the Hawg finished 6th & 9th respectively. DoRagQ placed 15th in the 29 team field with a 14th in chicken, 26th in ribs, 13th in pork, and 8th in brisket. We are not sure what happened to our ribs. We thought they were a winner and we normally finish strong in that category. For complete results go to: http://www.kcbs.us/events.php?year=2008&month=04&id=1065

Overall, not a bad start to our sophomore season. New environment, new smokers, and new ideas take time to get the kinks worked out. We have high hopes heading into Winchester. Until then, Peace Out!

We Be Bonified!

On Saturday March 1st, me and my lovely & talented wife Kathy and the coolest sister-in-law ever Patti attended the KCBS Certified Judge's class held in Lewisburg, TN. We sat and listend as KCBS Representive extroadaire Ron Harwell shared what a KCBS Judge needs to know to fairly judge a contest. Assisting Ron were Bill Gauge and Wayne Lohman. Also in attendance were some of the best known BBQ faces in Tennessee such as Linda Gould, Tana Shupe, and David Roper. The class had 41 attendees from several states. the food was prepared by Buck & Brenda of High on the Hawg, Dan of Long Dawgs, Blue Smoke, and Gary & Richard of our very own DoRagQ. After several hours of instruction and tasteing, Ron asked us to face the West and raise our right hands. We then took the KCBS Judges Oath and became BONIFIED KCBS CERTIFIED JUDGES! YEEEEHAWWWW!

2008 Contest Schedule

4/4/2008 Clarksville, TN
4/18/2008 Winchester, TN
5/9/2008 Pulaski, TN
6/7/2008 Nashville, TN
6/27/2008 Dickson, TN
7/11/2008 Clarksville, TN
8/15/2008 Lebanon, TN
9/5/2008 Cookeville, TN
9/26/2008 Owensboro, TN
10/3/2008 Gallatin, TN
10/10/2008 Lewisburg, TN

DoRagQ Winter Update.

Time to come out of hibernation and get ready for the 2008 Competition BBQ season! Actually we have been pretty busy during the winter. In October we purchased a 18 foot Predator Toy-Hauler which will be used to haul our equipment and also to help us get some comfortable rest while competing. In November we purchased a new Stumps Elite 6 Competition Smoker. These additions should help us improve our sophmore competition season. Looking back in 2007 we had some highs and some lows. We learned some things and we had a great time. In 2008 we are looking to step it up a bit and we think these additions will help us produce a consistant product for judging.

In 2007 Wireless Plus signed on as DoRagQ's primary sponsor. We enjoyed having them aboard and appreciate their support. We are happy to announce Wireless Plus will be returning as primary sponsor for the 2008 season! Thank you Mark Walker & Joe Davis for helping us out. Your support and friendship means a great deal to us. We look forward to bringing you the fruits (and leftovers) of our labor. If you need a Motorola 2 way radio system please give them a call. They are the best in the Middle Tennessee area.

A Pig A Day, Icons of Barbecue 2008 Calendar

Be sure to get the 2008 Edition of "A Pig A Day" Icons of Barbecue Desk Calendar. If you like BBQ you will love this! We were lucky enough to be one of the last ones asked to be in the 2008 calendar. I received my copy and was BLOWN AWAY! It is the coolest gift you could give somebody. DoRagQ's day is October 13th 2008. It has our logo and a short paragraph about our Team. Each day features a team, resturant, festival, contest, or product. They are $12.99. Check it out at http://www.bbqcalendar.com

The Jack 2007 (Part 2)

It had been almost a week since The Jack. What an incredible experience. I can't imagine what it would be like to compete. Just attending the festivities was somewhat overwhelming. I want to congratulate all that participated. Several teams that we have competed with were there. Lynchburg's own Late Night Whiskey Smokers finished 8th overall, Smokey Mountain Smokers finished 14th, J-Mack Cookers finished 25th, and Lotta Bull finished 40th. It gives me great pride to say I have cooked with some of the BEST BBQ'rs IN THE WORLD. Who knows maybe someday the DoRags will make it to Lynchburg! I want to offer congratulations to Grand Champion Moonswiners, and Reserve Grand Champion Habitual Smokers. Great job!

I also want to thank Brenda and Terry of High on the Hawg for "Hookin us up". Brenda and Terry were working as volunteers and just so happened to get assigned to the grazing table. The grazin table is where the left over food is brought from the judges tables. The food is usually laid out for the volunteers to enjoy. Several small bites seemed to make it our way. I actually said "No More Please". I think I gained 5 lbs without drinking a beer! Like the judges, we did not know who cooked what we sampled, I was somewhat surprised to learn that in my opinion the Q that we cook was is some cases as good as what we sampled. I expected to taste something out of this world and except for one piece of chicken, I was disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying there wasn't some unbelievable BBQ turned in, we only sampled a fraction of the turn in. In a way it renewed my confidence that our product is at least in the same ballpark.

In closing, The Jack is a special place and time for those who compete and those who attend. A time that many won't soon forget. I can't wait for next year!

The Jack 2007

The Jack 2007
Originally uploaded by bcis93

Richard Finley and I spent most of Saturday attending the festivities at the 19th Annual Jack Daniels World Invitational BBQ Championship Cookoff in Lynchburg Tennessee. Richard & I met in Shelbyville around 8 AM and rode together to Lynchburg arriving around 8:45 AM. Check out The Jack 2007 photo set on my Flickr site. Over the next few days I will post more about the exciting day.

2007 Goats & Music Festival

October , 2007
Lewisburg, TN

Gary & Billy
Originally uploaded by bcis93

Two thirds of DoRagQ.

2007 Gallatin

2007 Gallatin
Originally uploaded by bcis93

The DoRagQ Crew.

Fiddlin', Brewin', & Barbq'n

September 28-29, 2007
Nashville, TN

Grand Champion - Cool Smoke
Reserve GC - Lotta Bull BBQ
78 Teams
DoRagQ Results
Chicken - 35th
Ribs - 16th
Pork - 56th
Brisket - 75th
Overall - 62nd