About half of the fifty judges rating the Throwdown barbecue will be from Colorado; sadly, Adrian Miller, our state’s barbecue/soul-food expert and a James Beard Award-winning author, won’t be among them, because he has a prior engagement. But you can purchase sampling tickets to judge some of the ’cue competitors yourself, Topolnicki says, and local food-truck vendors, including Big Bubba’s BBQ, will also be on hand for those hankering for a big, messy plate of meat. The contest is free to watch if you’ve purchased grounds admission tickets ($10-$19).
And that’s just a taste of the fun in store at the National Western Complex today; events also include fiddle championships, a rodeo, the “Thank a Farmer Magic Show” and much, much more. Find a complete schedule at nationalwestern.com. Yee-haw!
Jan. 10-25, 2015