2011 year in review

This was a year to remember for 57 Smokehouse BBQ team and the first of many in the competitive BBQ circuit. I will say that this whirlwind of a ride has fulfillled alot of my dreams and passions and has fueled a fire in me that makes me want to do this every weekend. Our year started in Dublin and I thought we would do pretty good with what we had been doing in the backyard(boy was I wrong). I have so many people to thank for helping me make this dream come true but most of all I have to thank my wife Amber for walking this dream with me. Having a sponsor this year allowed us to cook so many more contest than we could afford and a HUGE thanks goes out to Greens Electric and all their support. The friendships that we have made over the last 9 months have been life changing for Amber and I, we are from the nightclub culture and we are accustomed to "friends" wanting to know what we can do for them. We got our first call the second contest we were in at the Fire Ant Festival and the really got the fire in the belly burning. Lane Packing Company yielded no calls but was a blast anyway. Hawkinsville was without a doubt our worst showing to date. Barnesville was our first taste ofthe FBA and the big boys of BBQ we cooked right beside Jacks New South and for the compitition ther we did fairly well. Plains contest wa also a butt load of fun and we got a call in ribs and met President Jimmy Carter. the summer break was next which was fine with Amber being very pregnate at this point but it drove me crazy. What the break did do though was give me time to bring a very strong new member to the team that could help us with the many weak points we had. Glen and Melanie Musick ( QUE THE MUSIC BBQ TEAM) joined us for the first contest of the fall leg. We got 4 calls including a first in Chicken with a perfet 600 score. Kennesaw was the first KCBS we cooked and there were alot of teams at this event and we had so much fun cooking all the catagories and my first Wagyu brisket (9th place). Ft. Valley was the next GBA event we cooked and got a call in Pork Loin in this event. We skipped the Sumner contest and the last one we cooked was the Gordon event. Brent Cannon (Kinchafoone Cookers) joined us for this contest too cooking the ever dreaded Loin and we got calls in all three catagories for this contest as well. The winter layoff is upon us now and there will be some changes in the future for 57 Smokehouse BBQ team as well I will be looking for additional sponsorship to help offset the cost of doing so many contest. BBQ is addictive-Contest are addictive-Cooking is addictive but it is a very expensive hobby.

In short this was an eyeopening year of learning something I though I had down pretty good. I have been coached and mentored by some excellent people this year and will take all I have learned and in 2012 we a setting our goals high and expect to fulfill them.



MY THANKS

Amber-for indulging my addiction and helping me fulfill a dream
Bobby- For carting my sorry ass around to all these contest
Chuck- For sponsorship and friendship and all the other goodies
Glen and Mel- for being mentors and team mates and friends
Carl and Mary- for being mentors and friends
Brent- for new friendship you are welcome on our team anytime