Fort Smith’s Bordertown Bash featured 33 cooking teams from around the country

 

story and photos by Joel Rafkin
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It was smokin’ at Fort Smith Park — not just the meats but the 33 teams that battled the scorching temperatures to compete in the ninth annual Bordertown Bash barbecue competition on Saturday.

The event, hosted by the Fort Smith Barbecue Society, raised money for the Fort Smith Boy’s Shelter and also donated a large portion of the leftover food to the shelter.

For the first time, all the judges (42) were certified by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, said Daniel Moore, event organizer. It’s a big deal, he added, referring to next year’s competition where potential entrants will consider the previous year’s judging pool when deciding whether to enter.

The teams competed in four categories: chicken, pork ribs, pork shoulder or butt and beef brisket. The judges evaluated the entries on appearance, taste and tenderness. The grand champion walked away with $1,000 in prize money while the reserve champion took home $500 of the $8,000 total prize pool. Cash prizes were also awarded for first through eighth place in each of the categories.

Winners based on overall points from the four categories are:
• Grand Champion: Habitual Smokers, Springdale
• Reserve Champion: Butcher BBQ, Chandler, Okla.
• 3rd: Caveman Cuisine, Carthage, Mo.
• 4th: Stu’s Q BBQ, Oklahoma City
• 5th: Hardway BBQ, Aurora, Mo.
• 6th: Buffalo’s BBQ, Sperry, Okla.
• 7th: Little Pig Town, Owasso, Okla.
• 8th: Hog Tied Bar-B-Que, Bentonville
• 9th: J & J Redneck BBQ, Winfield, Texas
• 10th: Pig Dawg, Tulsa

Teams travel from all over the United States to enter these competitions. In addition to the prize money there is sweat equity, bragging rights and cumulative points to be earned. This is serious business.

"You’re probably in sad shape because I like ’em today," said Jan Worsham to her husband Jim as she sampled a rib the team from Winfield, Texas entered. Usually if we like them, the judges don’t, she said.

New this year is a triad competition. The first of the cook-offs was in Springdale on May 1. Bordertown Bash was the second event and the third event is Bikes, Blues and BBQ in Fayetteville on Oct. 1-2. The team with the highest number of points that has competed in all three events will receive $1,000.