DIDSBURY - Members of what’s billed as the largest society of barbecue enthusiasts in the world gathered at Didsbury Agricultural Society’s grounds recently for some serious competition.
Didsbury Lions Club sponsored a charity Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) Master Series competition held July 26 – 27 just north of Didsbury in Mountain View County.
Thirty-two teams from across western Canada were entered.
When time eventually ran out on Sunday and points tallied, Calgary’s SmellaQue was named grand champion and Regina, Saskatchewan’s Prairie Smoke & Spice was named reserve champion.
It is a strictly controlled affair, said Didsbury Lions Club President Carey Hamelin.
Everything from the amount of physical space teams compete in, what they use to grill, cuts of meat to turn in times, are all regulated.
Each team can only have one main chef but as many assistants as needed.
There are four rounds: the first is chicken, the second pork ribs, third is pork shoulder and the final round is beef brisket.
Contestants have a certain amount of time to prepare and turn in their entries.
Scores are assigned to three distinct categories: appearance, taste and tenderness. These categories hold different weights in the overall scoring process.
It is same scoring used the world-over as KCBS has sanctioned events in North America and Europe.
One of the teams entered in the Didsbury Lions’ event is from Didsbury.
And while Barry Kreiser and his Kreiser Barbecue team did not end up on top in the local event, they have already punched their ticket to compete at the next American Royal World Series of Barbecue event in Kansas City.
The team was the grand champion at the Smokey Skies BBQ Competition in Kipling, Saskatchewan in June.
It won’t be the first time the team has competed on the world stage. The team won a category at last year’s American Royal World Series.
Kreiser is also a Didsbury Lions Club member and is the reason the club has gotten involved in sponsoring a KCBS-sanctioned event for the last six years, said club president Hamelin.
He and a host of club volunteers worked a concession on the ag society’s grounds over the weekend as a fundraiser for the club.
It featured Italian Stomboli sausage and beef brisket prepared by Kreiser.
“You’re eating meat made by a world champion,” Hamelin said proudly.
The concession was busy as Crooked Horn Junior Rodeo Association held a two-day rodeo at the grounds at the same time as the barbecue.
Funds raised will go toward community projects, said Hamelin.
The club’s signature project is its shuttle bus.
“It’s available for anybody so you don’t have to be disabled you don’t have to be a senior although we obviously accommodate those individuals but it’s for everyone,” said Hamelin.
It operates every Wednesday in town and makes a trip to Olds once a month.
