The Raider Red Meats Barbecue & Ribeye Championship will be held Aug. 24-25, highlighting cooks locally and nationwide while raising scholarship funds for Texas Tech University students. Sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society, the competition serves as the Texas state championship and is open to competitors around the nation. Thirteen states were represented last year, and a collegiate division will be included for the second straight year.

"Having a big-name sanctioning body over our event like the Kansas City Barbeque Society really sets us apart," said Tate Corliss, director of Raider Red Meats. This marks the 10th year for the cookoff, which involves CASNR students throughout the process, working all aspects of the event, including the sponsor dinner.

"It's a great thing for the students to be involved with the Barbecue and Ribeye championship," Corliss said. "They get to interact with people from across the country who are lessening their financial burden, and the sponsors get to interact with some of the students who are receiving funds from their donation."

Offering $15,000 in cash and prizes, the KCBS-sanctioned event is the Texas State Championship. The event begins at noon on Friday (Aug. 24) with cook team check-in and meat inspection. Team entry fee is $275 and cooks are invited to compete in a steak contest and four meat divisions: chicken, ribs, pork and brisket.

Program officials add that the Raider Rumble will start at 5 p.m. on Friday (Aug. 24). The event, which is open to the public, features four pit masters going head to head in a steak cook-off. At 7 p.m. there will be a KCBS cooks meeting for those competing in the KCBS portion of the program.

Saturday's festivities begin at 11 a.m., but there will be a KCBS judges meeting starting earlier at 10:30 a.m. Deadlines on Saturday for turning in submissions in the various categories are:
• Noon: KCBS chicken
• 12:30 p.m.: KCBS ribs
• 1 p.m.: KCBS pork
• 1:30 p.m.: KCBS brisket
• 2:30 p.m. KCBS steak
• 4 p.m.: Award ceremony

The KCBS, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and enjoying barbecue, is one of the world's largest organization of barbecue and grilling enthusiasts with more than 20,000 members. The group sanctions more than 500 barbecue contests worldwide. From volunteering to actual event production, members offer assistance to civic and charitable organizations who organize events.

Additional Reporting by George Watson

CONTACT: Michael Orth, chairman, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-5653 or michael.orth@ttu.edu

0807NM18 / Editor's Note: Questions on the Raider Red Meats BBQ & Ribeye Championship can be submitted to Corliss at tate.corliss@ttu.edu or Ben Weatherly at ben.weatherly@ttu.edu. Those interested can also visit the Raider Red Meats website