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| I was pleased to say Congrats to Bob of Two Old Men & A Grill for winning his 9th? Grand Champion KCBS Title this year. I lost count. He's the first one who greeted us in Shelby, NC |
I recently took my trip to Shelby, North Carolina to the ORIGINAL
Hog Happnin' to learn hard from organizers Joyce and Jerry Gardner. Ironically, Bob from Two Old Men and a Grill was the very first friendly face I had met. He greeted me when I arrived and talked to me about Barbecue galore. Suffice to say, he was the Grand Champion. Congrats to you my new friend!
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| Wife made me stop to snap this photo going into Shelby. The back roads are long and windy, and the cotton fields are amazing. |
I wanted to learn all about the other side of life as it pertains to the Kansas City Barbeque Society side of festivals. The KCBS calls it the Organizer Training. I call it Priceless Enlightenment. I did this because of my
HoggingUp festival coming up next June. Sure, I have been participating in and even helping some festivals for 30 years, but what makes a KCBS one different? What do competitors want? What do they need? What makes them tick? What is the judging all about? What makes a good festival for them? What makes Joyce and Jerry's so successful each year? Why do judges drive half way across the country to judge barbecue (unpaid)? I was amazed at the answers and learned so much. The dedication, commitment, and expertise of all involved makes these type things come together in a miraculous way.
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| The old metal North Carolina sign now lines a truck bed. Upcycling at it's finest. Photos of the truck to come in the days to follow. |
Now I guess you are wondering why I drove nine hours from my home in Baltimore to go to small town Shelby, North Carolina. My wife looked up and researched the some 380+ Kansas City Barbeque Society festivals and found that Shelby's is one of the older and most loved ones here on the East Coast. Very popular with the folks who go there each year. Why? We attribute that to the dedication of Joyce and Jerry Gardner. We thank them for having us and we'll tell you more soon. I have so many great pictures and stories to post, it will surely take me a month. Everything from Joyce and Jerry's kindness to my first Livermush Sandwich. Oh yeah, stay tuned.
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| Thanks for reading. |
