REGINA — As Canadian Western Agribition wrapped up it's final day, barbecue enthusiasts gathered to witness the first-ever awards ceremony for the Agribition BBQ Supreme competition.
For the first time ever, the exhibition welcomed contestants from across Western Canada to compete for both prize money and titles in a two-day grilling competition sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society.
Teams took part in four categories, including chicken, pork and beef as their protein canvasses, showing off their expertise and secret recipes made for the grill.
The competition awarded top ten ribbons for each category, with the reserve champions receiving a banner and the grand champions a BBQ Supreme belt buckle.
Arrowhead North BBQ, a competitive family team hailing from White City, Sask., emerged victorious as the Overall Grand Champion of the entire competition, taking home the first-ever title at Agribition’s 50th anniversary show.
“We are so excited to win,” said Scott Schomos, from Arrowhead North. “I can’t think of a better facility than what Agribition has to host a barbecue competition, so we’re so excited to win the first-ever contest here.”
Schomos and family travel all over to compete in grilling competitions such as this one, in both Canada and the United States.
Arrowhead North BBQ started competing back in 2013, travelling regularly to contests until the pandemic cancelled events and restricted travel. The Agribition BBQ Supreme is the first competition the Schomos family has been able to enter since.
So, winning an inaugural title so close to home was like extra icing on the cake, said Schomos — or, more topically, extra barbecue sauce on the brisket.
“It’s great to see the people that we’ve kind of built relationships with over the years, through these contests, and it makes it that much sweeter to win one close to home,” said Schomos.
Schomos also said it felt pretty special to be at Agribition to grill, and he hopes organizers continue to bring the competition back to the international exhibition in years to come.
“This is a great event,” said Schomos. “When you think about what the spirit of Agribition is, and to tie it in with a barbecue contest, I think the relationship is phenomenal.”
Arrowhead North BBQ also took home the first place award for pork shoulder, and the second place awards for both chicken and beef brisket.
And, as the overall grand champions, Arrowhead North BBQ also won a ticket to compete at the American Royal in Kansas City, Mo. as well as a chance to be drawn to compete in the Jack Daniels World Championships in Lynchburg, Tenn.
The top three winners from the five total categories are:
Chicken:
1st: Prairie Smoke & Spice BBQ
2nd: Arrowhead North
3rd: Smokin’ Outlaws
Pork ribs:
1st: Homestead Smoke Shack
2nd: SmellaQue
3rd: Prairie Smoke & Spice BBQ
Pork shoulder:
1st: Arrowhead North BBQ
2nd: SmellaQue
3rd: Porky Jr.’s BBQ
Beef brisket:
1st: Triple 3 BBQ
2nd: Arrowhead North BBQ
3rd: Smooth Smoking
Overall:
1st: Arrowhead North BBQ
2nd: SmellaQue
3rd: Prairie Smoke & Spice
