ACREAGE BACK-TO-BACKS - APRIL 16 & 17
Two Outstanding Cookoffs!
ACREAGE REGIONAL – SATURDAY APRIL 16
First the excellent news: twenty (20) Red cooks, plus Qualifiers in all three; therefore, an assured Regional for next year! More good news: six (6) new ICS Members (and not all did Red); Vickie will soon receive the forms and money from my bride Marshall…which you can read to mean that it will be done in a timely fashion, as compared to if “her husband” were to do it.
Nice weather (albeit a somewhat warm in the early afternoon), great entertainment that included superb bands, the Chili Chicks, plus fun stuff for the young ones to do; a huge crowd…and to the delight of the all who purchased “tasting kits” (the bulk of the crowd), there was plentiful Peoples’ Choice for everyone! Chili for the crowd was available up to and beyond the close of Peoples’ Choice balloting (5 PM).
Credit for the above goes to essentially ALL COOKS, not just the large number of those cooks who “officially” entered Peoples’ Choice with a minimum of two gallons. Those who had not done so, not only gave away their remaining competition chili, but also jumped in by “customizing” and warming canned chili (with beans) provided by the organizers; it was a total team effort and needless to say, Robert and his committee who put the event together could not have been happier.
Now to the results:
Peoples’ Choice
3rd Place Bucked Up Chili
2nd Place Shredded Heat
1st Place Voo Doo Chili [donated Prize Money to the charities & wants to do Manchester Peoples’ Choice (at the “Big Show”, in his words); I suspect that may be more than OK with Carol & Vickie - email from me to follow]
Booth & Showmanship
1st Place Chris Everhart – Colorado Chili Cowboys (reigning WCCC Champion)
Salsa
3rd Place Beverly Calhoun (first time ICS)
2nd Place Scott Sprouse
1st Place Don Van Lehn
Verde
3rd Place Linda Patterson
2nd Place Tim McAfee (qualified in Red & Salsa; got close to Hat Trick)
1st Place Jan Sprouse Weltikol (2/3 to Hat Trick; Red to go)
Red
3rd Place Paul Nunn
2nd Place Doug Roy
1st Place Scott Sprouse (2/3 to Hat Trick; Salsa to go)
CHILI CHICKS REGIONAL – SUNDAY APRIL 17
Talk about a “throwback to a time long ago” in the “Chili World”!
We had a de-facto olden days “backyard cookoff”; just cooks & judges, no set-up if you cooked the day before (overnight security in the park), no Booth & Showmanship, no entertainment other than some cooks’ music from iPods or other, no crowd, no People’s Choice…great fun, lots of socializing and all very relaxing. Short day as well: Verde stove lighting at 9, Red at 10, Salsa turn-in at 11, Verde at noon, Red at 1 and everybody on the road towards home by 2:30…much appreciated since the bulk of the cooks had significant drives.
We even had prize money; since he already had contracted the park for two days (and was not going to use it), Robert added up the entry fees, subtracted the ICS Sanctioning fee and divided the remainder as cash awards. Add to that 3 WCCC qualifiers…and chili life doesn’t get a whole lot better.
Unfortunately, due to the relatively late decision & announcement, plus many cooks who had made other (hard) plans before learning, we only had 11 Reds; therefore, the cookoff will become a District next year (same format). However, my sense is that with normal advance notice, plus word of mouth about what a great fun and relaxing event it was, I would be surprised if we don’t exceed 20 cooks for next year’s District…and thanks to the new rules, it too will be a qualifier.
Now to the results:
Salsa
3rd Place Allen Case
2nd Place Beverly Calhoun (second time ICS; see Saturday above…and look out!)
1st Place Scott Sprouse (Hat Trick, getting two thirds of it between Saturday & Sunday; per Dick’s list, looks like he’s the eighth Hat Trick winner of the season)
Verde
3rd Place Allen Case
2nd Place Tim McAfee (still real close to his Hat Trick – his third Verde second place this year; two this weekend)
1st Place Larry Weltikol (2/3 to Hat Trick; Red to go)
Red
3rd Place Larry Weltikol (two places short of his Hat Trick)
2nd Place Sue Sprouse
1st Place Doug Roy
Again, two outstanding cookoffs! I feel comfortable saying that I speak for all who were there, as I offer our enthusiastic compliments and thanks to Robert Trepp and his team for such a superb job.
For Marshall and me, two to go for the 2011 “Chili Year”. We’re looking forward to seeing many of you at Snowshoe (Fire on the Mountain) July 8th & 9th, then in Manchester for the WCCC in October…wearing our parkas, ski masks and thermal underwear, being from South Florida,
Sergei Kowalchik
Chief Judge
