Cold weather and barbecue
Second annual Kansas Winter Q set for February in Great Bend

By DALE HOGG
Barton County Barbeque Committee

It's a story of fire and ice as the Barton County Fair Board and its Barbecue Committee invites cookers from across the nation to brave the harsh central Kansas winter for the second-annual Winter Q barbecue cook off. The event is set for Feb.13 and 14, 2009, at the Expo Complex west of Great Bend.

In its first year, news of the competition spread like a wildfire, attracting 42 completive teams both professional and novices. So far, Barbecue Committee Chairman Kent Romine said, there are between 60-80 teams eying it this time around. In case of bad weather, the snow dates are Feb. 20 and 21.

"This is the first contest of the season in Central USA,"Romine said. "A lot of cookers are anxious to get started and this is the perfect opportunity."

Due to the cookoff's remarkable popularity last year, contestants,judges, table captains and other volunteers were cramped into Expo I building. In 2009, the event will spill over into the adjacent Kansas Army National Guard Armory. Expo I hall will house the professional cooks as well as activities for the public.

Things will get cooking at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, in Expo I with the cooks meeting and , from 6-8 p.m., the public sauce tasting. For a fee that benefits the BCFA, participants can use barbecued meat to sample and vote for sauces prepared by contestants. At the same time, Romine said there will be an "auctioning of the cooks" during which the public can bid on baskets of barbecue prepared by the cookers, with all proceeds going to the bathroom/ shower expansion at fairground. Successful bidders may pick up their prizes Saturday, Feb. 14, after the contest.

At 7 p.m. Friday, the appetizer contest will take place in the armory for judges and contestants. This is more of as social fellowship for the close knit completive professional BBQ community.

Action will start Saturday, Feb. 14, with first category turn-in at 11a.m. in the armory. Categories will come in in half -hour intervals with the awards ceremony set for 2:30 p.m. in Expo I.

"We get some really big names in for this," Romine said. Numerous national winners have already committed to take part, and there may also be a team from England. This is a big event.

In addition to the cookoff, on Thursday, Feb.12, Romine said there will be a judging school from 5:30-9:30 p.m. in the armory. Since the contest is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society and contest organizers want as many certified judges to take part as possible, this is an opportunity for folks to get their credentials.

"These guys take this very seriously," Romine said. "They come a long ways and spend a lot of money, so they expect quality judging."

For more information on any of the events, contact Romine at 620-793-2985 or visit www.kansaswinterq.com. All the entry information and forms are available on the site.

Romine said there will also be info on the 10th-annual Central Kansas Barbecue Cookoff, 
www.centralkansasbbq.com and 5th annual Chest to Chest brisket national cookoff contest, www.chesttochest.com set for July 10th and 11th in Great Bend.