Committee enjoys success of Florence Labor Day event
The Florence community continues to bask in the success of the 69th annual Florence Labor Day Celebration and first annual KCBS Barbecue Cook-off and the Florence Labor Day Committee can chalk up this year's event as a definite success.
"We've had numerous positive comments about the event," said this year's chairman Trayce Warner.
The barbecue contest was a hit with 35 teams from Kansas, Missouri, Texas, and Oklahoma who competed for $3,000 in grand prize money.
JP Custom Smoke of Wichita, with head cook John Patty, was the grand champion with 653.143 overall points. The team received an invitation to compete Oct. 6 and 7, at the American Royal barbecue contest in Kansas City, Mo., and the Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational, Oct. 27 and 28, Lynchburg, Tenn.
Pig In Pig Out of Wichita, with head cook Derek Cochran, won reserve champion and $1,000 with a total of 652 overall points.
Forty-nine judges were sworn in by the honorable Michael Powers, Chief Judge of the Eighth Judicial District. They were from Florence, Marion, Peabody, Burns, El Dorado, Kechi, Hutchinson, Winfield, Osage City, Park City, Dodge City, Lenexa, Alta Vista, Grand Island, Neb., and Aurora, Colo.
There were four categories of chicken, pork ribs, pork, and brisket with prize money of $150, $100, and $75 being awarded for the first three places.
The winners were:
Chicken: first place, Up In Smoke, head cook Bryce Heikes, of Dodge City; second, JP Custom Smoke, John Patty, Wichita; third, Hurry Up and Wait, Bill Emmons, Derby.
Pork ribs: first, Buffalo's Barbecue, Donny Teel, Speery, Okla.; second Pig In Pig Out, Derek Cochran, Wichita; third, QSS, Mark Grico, Lenexa.
Pork: first, Sauce Plant Barbecue, Dale Brown, Ponca City, Okla.; second, KC Jakes Barbecue, Jack Dunlap, DeSoto; third, Hurry Up and Wait, Bill Emmons, Derby.
Brisket: first, Bubba and Jeff's Barbecue, Erick Burkhart, Clarksburg, Mo.; second, Pig In Pig Out, Derek Cochran, Wichita; third, JP Custom Smoke, John Patty, Wichita.
Organizers of the contest were Les Allison, Sara Neal, and Ron Goodwin. Jon and Clara Williams of the Kansas City Barbecue Society, were contest representatives who oversaw the competition.
Florence resident Dave Longshore won first place in the poker run. Proceeds of $125 were donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Marion County.
Horseshoe pitching tournament winners were Kenny Remmers, first; Bob Hartnagel and Michelle Montgomery, second; and Mike Bright and Jay Nolan, third. Montgomery was the first female winner ever of the event.
"With the return of maps of the Saturday garage sales, to Matt Engels' performance at the street dance, it was a great weekend," Warner said.
She added there was a "great" attendance at the barbecue competition and hog roast, and appreciated the participation of McPherson Pipe and Drum Band, and Patriot Riders in the parade.
