WEDNESDAY - Aug. 12, 2009

NEW MEXICO BACK 2 BACKS

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New Mexico, Land of Enchantment.  Well, it lived up to the billing on the weekend of 8/8 and 8/9.  The crew at the Route 66 Hotel Casino were extremely accommodating and so was the weather.  We had temperatures in the low 90's, a light breeze to cool things off from time to time and monsoon took a break for the weekend.  Nothing but clear blue skies!  When I showed up on Friday night, the set up looked like a mini-worlds, with the casino supplying tents, tables and chairs.  They even set up a monster wash station so the cooks wouldn't have to take all their gear up to the room to wash (avoiding that lovely red ring around the bathtub so many of us have left housekeeping to cleanup) Skip Sayre and all the folks we dealt with at the casino were a dream to work with, nothing we needed was more than 5 minutes away if we requested it.  The casino itself was a nice change from prior years, with beautiful pillowtop beds in the rooms, high roofed ceiling in the gambling area so it did not reek of cigarettes, good food and bars.  Yes, this casino does serve liquor, if you so desire it.  There was a classic car show in conjunction with the cookoffs, which brought in over 250 vehicles and a nice crowd.  Bob and Kathy Plager came down from Colorado along with Al Henry to help out in the judging area and scorekeeping.  They were all an immense help in keeping both days running very smoothly.  We had cooks come in from Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Texas and of course, New Mexico.  Saturday, the Southwest Regional, had 16 reds, 7 greens and 8 salsas competing.  Sunday, the New Mexico State Championship, the numbers went to 18 reds, 7 greens and 7 salsas.  The results were as follows:

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8/8/09

Southwest Regional

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Peoples Choice

1st Place - Elaine Montoya-NM

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Salsa

3rd Place - Bruce Jones - TX

2nd Place - Mike Herrera - AZ

1st Place - Louis Gonzales - TX

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Verde

3rd Place - George Lott - CO

2nd Place - Barbara Herrin - TX

1st Place - Bonnie Tomasek - CO

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Red

5th Place - Honey Jones - TX

4th Place - Steve Tomasek - CO

3rd Place - Dave Wright - AZ

2nd Place - Donna Foley - TX

1st Place - Bonnie Tomasek - CO  (Hat Trick Winner)

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8/9/09

New Mexico State

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Peoples Choice

1st Place - Edwina Mora

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Salsa

3rd Place - Bruce Jones - TX

2nd Place - Barbara Herrin - TX

1st Place - Mike Herrera - AZ

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Verde

3rd Place - Ed Huffman - CO

2nd Place - Pam Wright - AZ

1st Place - Barbara Herrin - TX (Depending Champion)

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Red

5th Place - Harold Timber - NM

4th Place - Donna Foley - TX

3rd Place - Sue Schools - TX

2nd Place - Dave Wright - AZ

1st Place - Steve Tomasek - CO

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