Candy Sue's Competition Schedule 2016

[CandySueQ]

I officially invite any Pit member to come see me at any event! Team name -- BBQr's Delight.

February 5-6, 2016 — 2nd Annual Twin City Mardi Gras Cook Off (IBCA sanctioned), Monroe, LA
Nice event! Steak cookoff on Friday night with entries for barbeque turned in on Saturday. BBQr’s Delight got an 8th place call in Brisket!

March 11-12, 2016 — Smoke on the Shores (KCBS sanctioned), Nashville, TN
Parked right by the shore, right next to Dad’s Grilling Crew! Did not have a good cook — but even if it was the best ever, the competition was incredibly stiff. 2014 and 2015 Teams of the Year were cooking! Along with lots of teams in the list of best cooks in America. Never helps when you’re tweaking recipes, trying new things and overcook your chicken. 46 out of 49 teams, but I got a wonderful comment card from a judge confirming that the taste was really good. Better luck next time!

March 25-26, 2016 — Hammond BBQ (KCBS sanctioned), Hammond, LA
One of my favorite events! I’ve cooked it every year since 2005. The Pellet Jambo is no more. Made it through the contest on a borrowed Yoder 640. 25th out of 58 teams.

April 1-2, 2016 — Blues Hog BBQ & Music Fest (KCBS sanctioned), Jackson, TN
Last year this event was July 4th weekend. BBQr’s Delight did really well last year, even winning a Gateway Drum smoker painted with the Blues Hog logo! It’s really just too pretty to cook on.

April 29-30, 2016 — Smokin’ on the Prairie BBQ Cook-off (KCBS sanctioned), Stuttgart, AR
A first year event and the first contest in the State of Arkansas. Mack’s Prairie Wings, a sporting good store, is the sponsor of this event. It’ll be the first contest that counts for the Arkansas Diamond Cup! http://www.arkansasdiamondcup.com

May 6-7, 2016 — George County Firefighters Association BBQ Challenge (KCBS sanctioned), Lucedale, MS
These folks actually issued a personal invitation to come cook their contest! How could I say no?

May 20-21, 2016 — Sam’s Club National BBQ Tour (KCBS sanctioned), Southaven, MS
May is for Mississippi for BBQr’s Delight! Skipped the Sam’s Club tournament last year. If BBQr’s Delight is one of the top 6 teams, advance forward to round 2 in Marietta, GA on
July 2nd.

Going forward —

June 3-4 -- Variety Children’s Charity BBQ Bash, Memphis, TN
June 10-11 -- Delta Smoke BBQ Contest, Wynne, AR
July 8-9 -- 15th Annual Bordertown Bash, Fort Smith, AR
August 5-6 -- Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival, Dillard, GA
September 9-10 -- The Tony Stone Cookeville Cookoff, Cookeville, TN
September 23-24 -- Bryant’s Buzzin BBQ Bash, Bryant, AR
Sept 30-Oct. 1 -- Hog Wild BBQ Festival, Corinth, MS
October 7-8 -- Go Hog Wild Arkansas BBQ Championship, Sheridan, AR
October 28-29 -- Dickson County Smoke Fest, Dickson, TN

These are only events that BBQr’s Delight will cook competitively. Candy Sue might also be found at Memphis in May (May 13, 2016) and at the Jack in October!

[Jerod Broussard]

Dillard Bluegrass, was those the same guys that were on the Andy Griffith Show??

[CandySueQ]

Don't think so. Dillard is the name of the town. It's a fine place to be up the mountains in Georgia in August!

[Clarkgriswald]

Any chance Candy you will be coming around the Wisconsin area?

[CandySueQ]

No plans to head that way this year. It's kinda far from Arkansas!

[Clarkgriswald]

Aww it's not that far.

[BigBear]

Good luck with your competition cooking this season CandySueQ . One thing I have noticed when looking at the KCBS schedule - there don't seem to be many competitions in Texas. Why is that and do you see that changing any time in the future? The bug might bite me if I could go watch a few contests but most are so far away.

[CandySueQ]

There's a few in Texas and more across the Red River in Oklahoma. One of the best in Texas is in Bedford on Labor Day weekend. Check ibcabbq.org for more Texas contests.

[BigBear]

I'll do it CandySue. Thank you!

[Nate]

CandySueQ , do you have your 2017 schedule figured out yet and/or will you let us know?

[LA Pork Butt]

It sounds like you will be away from home more than home. That is quite an ambitious tour.

[JPGators17]

Winter would be a great time to come join us down here on the Florida BBQ Association circuit. http://fbabbq.com/

[CandySueQ]

I didn't cook a number of my going forwards! Didn't make it to Memphis, Cookeville, Corinth or Dickson. I helped in the judging area at Fort Smith. 2016 competition wise was full of trials! On the way to Hammond, LA in March, the firebox door fell off the back of the Jambo. I declared the pellet fire system DOA! Dumped the pit and went home to grab the 22.5 WSM. Did alright on it and a borrowed Yoder 640. The next weekend was Jackson, TN -- I fired up the Woodmaster Minihog with one burner (fan is burnt out on the other side) and managed to get calls in pork butt and brisket. The disaster at that contest was running into Killer Hogs trailer! No damage to Malcom's rig but my awning was ripped off the Viva. Into the shop it went. I'd committed to cook Stuttgart, AR the last weekend of April. Jambo wood firebox door was back, but no RV. Off I went in the Ford Edge with a canopy, a couple of tables and the Jambo with a full load of wood. It RAINED!!! 6-1/2 inches with 40 mph wind gusts. I decided about 9 pm to go home to sleep (only about 30 miles from home). It took an hour and a half to get back to the contest site at 3:30 am! I finally arrived to find that I had 3 matches to light the fire. It took all 3. Got 1st in pork and 10th overall. Amazing! I decided that I was too old to cook under a canopy again.

Next commitment was to Sam's Club in Southhaven. I should have stayed home! IBCA contest in Delight, I still should have stayed home. Wynne, AR wasn't a win either. Viva went back in the shop to finish repairs. After being in the shop for one month (longer), I begged the dealer to trade the Viva for a 2015 Travato. It only took more money, but I'm much happier with the red van.


The folks at Yoder built a Cimarron Pellet cooker for me. First trip in the Red Van was to pick up the Red Cooker! 4 days later I was off to Dillard, GA to cook. Took a side trip to Mississippi State to get some cheese cannonballs. Made it to Dillard just fine, Georgia peaches were in season. I brought back a bushel of peaches and a 3rd place trophy for Grits! This is breaded and smoked "grits balls" with Asian-inspired shrimp underneath.


I took the rest of August off. Next contest was an IBCA in Fordyce, AR. I was DAL in Steak but finished 3rd overall in the BBQ contest. Got a very prestigious invitation to the contest in Meridian, TX -- unfortunately it's the same weekend as the Jack and that's on the work schedule. Next weekend there was a contest in Pine Bluff, AR, 9th in ribs was my best. Should have stayed home, but it is home! Weekend after was Bryant, AR. I did well 5th overall. A friend cooked with me for his master judge, and he talked me into turning in pork sauceless -- that was a mistake!

Way back in April I had signed up for Cowboy Charcoal's Fire & Ice women pitmaster competition. Ranking was done by overall points at KCBS contests. I was amazed to find out after Bryant I was in 12th place. I had one more contest to cook during the qualifying period, Sheridan, AR. I took 5th overall there, which pushed me up to the top 10 in women's teams. I was going to the World Food Championships in Orange Beach, AL! Fire & Ice was a two part contest. We had to cook a "signature" dish on Friday night, arena style on provided cookers. That was 50% of the score, the other half was overall results in the BBQ contest the next day. I got 2nd in the Friday night cook with "Pork & Surf" which was a crab stuffed pork tenderloin with bacon wrapped crab stuffed shrimp on top of Nappa slaw with Ramen Noodles. I got beat by a burger by about 1/4 of a point! Ended up 4th overall out of the ladies, I was Last out of all the Ladies in BBQ. Bad tables because I did not have a bad cook!


2016 --- not a bad year, but not a great one either. Normally, I cook about 20 events a year. I did 15 this year, but they were a hard 15.

As far as 2017, I'm heading to Atlanta for the KCBS Banquet. It's always bugged me that former directors don't tend to attend, so I'm going. I'll have a side trip to Buckhead Beef where I can get some Snake River Farms brisket UNFROZEN!!!

First contest will be IBCA in Monroe, LA the first weekend of February. More to come -- I'll start another thread!

[Nate]

What is the northern most comp you will come to and cook at?

[Spinaker]

I would love to go to one of these. Might have to make a road trip out of it!!! You have a very busy comp schedule!! But after seeing that set up your rolling around in, I am sure its an absolute blast !!!