Well the weather cleared up and stopped raining. I learned a lot by watching everyone else setting up and what I need to do next time, but we managed. I set up right between the two teams that get first or second in all the cookoffs around here. There are both great groups of guys. Everything went great with cooking, our temps were staying right where I wanted them throughout the day. There were only 7 teams total. When we served the judges and the people started buying their ribs the teams next to me had lines 20 people deep with no one in my line, Oh well, no worries. Eventually they started funneling in and I started to hear some reviews and I was pleased. We then the judging came down and they started by announcing the 7th place team first and Ive never been so nervous, please dont let me be last, not me, then 6th, not me then 5 and 4th, not me, cool now Im in the money, 3rd place goes to the guy who won last year, 2nd place NOT ME. Thats right first time out the smoke gods were smiling at me 1 ST PLACE and $500, but believe me the money was secondary. Thanks for all the help in here and I cant wait until the next one.
