TUESDAY - July 10, 2007

ED COOLEY

ED COOLEY "COOLEY COOL" PASSED AWAY ON TUESDAY MORNING AFTER AN EXTENDED ILLNESS. A CELEBRATION OF ED'S LIFE WILL BE PLANNED FOR LATER THIS MONTH.

CONDOLENCES MAY BE SENT TO HIS WIFE:

KAREN COOLEY

4861 W. 96th ST.

INGLEWOOD, CA 90301

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Fire on the Mountain Regional

The 16^th Annual Fire on the Mountain Regional Cookoff was held July 6^th and 7^th at Snowshoe West Virginia.

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As has become almost monotonously routine, the Snowshoe Mountain Resort folks did their usual superb job in putting on this very large cookoff. Even the weather deity cooperated, with three of the most gorgeous days imaginable.

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If you were there, you know. If you were not, imagine sunny blue skies with some puffy white clouds highlighting; unlimited visibility enhancing the spectacular panorama of the surrounding mountains; an invigorating morning chill, followed by a mid-day in the mid 70s, followed by wonderful evening chill…if it can get any better, I don't know how.

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Almost 80 cooks (16 new ICS cooks – see Carol smile) and a ton of spectators came to enjoy this special event at the top of the mountain. And enjoy they did; with continuous entertainment on stage, a myriad of things for the younger set to do – rock wall climbing, face painting, trampolines and bungee, chair lift rides, paddle boats on the lake at the bottom of the ride, to name but a few – all complementing the wonderful chili and salsa provided by the cooks.

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The afternoon of Friday the 6^th was dedicated to the Salsa and Chili Verde competition. This was followed by a great cook's party that evening in the Village center; the party adjoining a "Block Party" for everybody, but with controlled entrance to just the cooks/judges for the food and "beverages".

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On Saturday the 7^th (07 – 07 – 07), the Traditional Red Regional cookoff took place. In addition to all the previously mentioned which make Fire on the Mountain such a special cookoff, the cooks compete for the largest 1^st Prize of the circuit outside of the World Championship - $10,000.

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To say that the competition (in all three events) was intense, would be a gross understatement. Over half of the Salsa and Verde cooks were former World qualifiers (to include a former Verde World Champion – Jeff Nester); over a third of the Traditional Red cooks were also former World qualifiers.

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Now for the results:

Friday

Salsa - 22 cooks

3^rd Place Jerry Workman

2^nd Place Larry Lentz

1^st Place Christian Parker (will represent Fire on the Mountain at the WCCC)

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Chili Verde - 22 cooks

3^rd Place Christian Parker

2^nd Place Gail Donovan

1^st Place Dave Cobb (will represent Fire on the Mountain at the WCCC)

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Saturday

Best Booth Headhunter Chili

Showmanship Pirates of the Chili Bean

.Traditional Red - 69 cooks

Actually, there were 71 registered. However, one team decided early (around stove lighting time) that they were having such a good time, that they did not want the concentrating on their turn-in chili to interfere with their partying; a second cook (former World qualifier, who had cooked Friday) withdrew because of a physical ailment.

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Finals Table – 17 cooks

Kevin Simmons, Christian Parker, Dick Steinert, Jim Parker, Carrie Lentz, Laurin Staley, Larry Lentz, Gail Donovan, Madeline Galford, Jessie Forbes, Howard Kahle, Sandra Moyers, Ed Garner, Jeremy Sheets, Jack Ware, Kim Eckley, Ghon Eckley

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Red Rookie of the Year Howard Khale

("Whitey Blakemore Memorial Award)

Red Best of W Virginia Ed Garner

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Places

4^th Place Kevin Simmons

3^rd Place Ed Garner

2^nd Place Larry Lentz

1^st Place Carrie Lentz* (will represent Fire on the Mountain at the WCCC)

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*Carrie is the first three time winner of Fire on the Mountain.

If you expand that to the "Lentz Chili Dynasty", the number of wins is (I believe) something like seven…even to the most casual observer, it is obvious that they are doing something right

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In summary, a superb event thanks to terrific job by everybody involved: Chairperson and organizers, volunteers and, as always, the cooks without whom there would not be a cookoff

Sergei Kowalchik

Head Chili – Chief Judge

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