Page 34 - March2022 Barbecue News Magazine

CHRISTY JONES
bigdsqtn@gmail.com
Walking into the Show Me Center arena, smoke wafting to- wards the rafters, you get the sense this event will be like none other. Some people thought they’d only see an indoor BBQ event when pigs
Shannon Earnest in his space, they all worked to- gether to assess tempera- ture control and grill grate temperature. While Mike had promoted the inaugural SCA event in Alaska, this was his first to get behind the grill. Cooking in a roped off section allowed the au- dience to watch each cook’s technique. But as Mike can attest, most cooks in the SCA are willing to share
some advice regardless of tents or trailers.
Rodney and I traveled to the event to hang out with friends and cover the event for the magazine. An 11:00
fly. For cooks like Mike Bowles, who traveled down from Alaska, the chance to cook in the warmth of the indoors was one worth the trip. Mike and his wife Amanda make up Happy Bison Barbecue out of Palmer, Alaska. With family nearby and the opportunity to cook both a barbecue and steak contest in one event, they got to make the most out of their trip.
Nurse Violet Delacruz trims chicken thighs for team Smokin Thighs & Saving Lives
Calvin Stalls with team Rapped with Smoke from Freeport, IL.
pm phone call asked if we could fill in the spot for a cook who could not make it. Thanks to this willingness to share, I lost my camera, man and Rodney was fully stocked to slip in and pick up a 7th place call. In what other sport can you show up empty-handed and your competition makes sure you have everything you need?
Bob Gonzales is one of
Mike drew first to cook
out of the three cooks
in his pod. He would get to test out the Smokin Brothers pellet grill first. With cooks the caliber of Rodney Jones and
Frank Davis, Carrie Ashcraft, and SCA Rep Jim Altic are all smiles.
the best event promot- ers out there, “Cooking is communal. At most events, cooks
are sharing space under a tent with other teams.” Talking to cooks, they validated sharing the 10 x 10 feet space on
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MARCH 2022
Mike & Amanda Bowles from Palmer, AK were featured on the Jumbotron.