SATURDAY - May 17, 2008

ACREAGE MUSIC AND CHILI FEST – DISTRICT COOKOFF

Cutting to the chase: South Florida has a great new ICS cookoff!

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The first annual Acreage Music and Chili Fest took place on April 26, 2008 in Loxahatchee FL (just west of West Palm Beach), at the beautiful Acreage Community Park. Robert Trepp and his team did such an outstanding job that, had I not known otherwise, I would have never recognized that it was a "first time cookoff".

The cookoff's organization and logistics were superb, the entrainment terrific, the location ideal. To round things out, even the weather cooperated with a gorgeous South Florida day.

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However, by what is perhaps the best measure, the cookoff was a major success; every participant made a point of saying what a great time they'd had…and that they were already looking forward to next year's event. This same sentiment was echoed by every person in the (quite large) crowd with whom I had contact.

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Now to the results:

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Non ICS (and critical for the crowd's ability to sample chili)

Restaurant Division (as judged by the judges)

3^rd Place Gun Club Café – Mike, Mark and Becky

2^nd Place Kocomos Island Grill – Don Pascalli

1^st Place Sneaky Pete's – Don Pascalli

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People's Choice Open (as voted by crowd ballots)

3^rd Place Steve LeBlanc

2^nd Place Indian Trails

1^st Place Thomas Dragner

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ICS

Best Booth

1^st Place Chris Everhardt – Colorado Cowboy Chili

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Showmanship

1^st Place Chris Everhardt – Colorado Cowboy Chili

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Salsa (9 cooks)

3^rd Place Sue Ann Zornes

2^nd Place Don Stewe

1^st Place Doug Roy - will represent Acreage Music and Chili at the WCCC

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Chili Verde (8 cooks)

3^rd Place Don Stewe

2^nd Place Mike Grimes

1^st Place Doug Roy - will represent Acreage Music and Chili at the WCCC

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Traditional Red (12 cooks)

3^rd Place Priscilla D'Agostino

2^nd Place Don Stewe

1^st Place Ken Burke – qualifies for the WCCC Semi-Finals

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Doug Roy completed his "Hat Trick" by winning Salsa and Verde; congratulations Doug! Don Stewe had two seconds and a third; great job Don, you're obviously "in there" and it is only a matter of time.

Once again, congratulations to all the winners and a special "attaboy" to Robert and his team for putting on such an outstanding event. I fully expect that next year the cookoff will cross the "Regional" threshold, giving us another "South Florida direct qualifier" for 2110.

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Sergei Kowalchik

Chief Judge

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Tampa Chili Fest Regional

May 17, 2008

Salsa - 17 entries

3rd - Randy Gilchrist

2nd - Ron Dahlgren

1st - Joel Gilchrist

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Red - 21 entries

3rd - Sue Sprouse

2nd - Ken Burke

1st - Ron Dahlgren

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