By Barby Harris O'Brien

A large crowd of chili cookers took over Yett Memorial Park this past weekend. More than 49 teams signed up with their perfect recipes for the first Blanco Cooks for the Cure Cook-off. The top ten CASI (Chili Appreciation Society International Inc), winners were:

CHILI

1st Place – Shoot-a-Mile - John Goforth, Comfort, Texas

2nd Place – Wampoo Chili - Robert Schrader, San Antonio, Texas

3rd Place – Brandy Page-Smith

4th Place – Line Shack II – Reva Weatherly, Canyon Lake, Texas

5th Place – James Bauer

6th Place – Moose Chili - Mary Rhienhart, Canyon Lake, Texas

7th Place – Spitfire Chili - Doyle Smith – San Antonio, Texas

8th Place – Biker Babe – Melodie Smith – San Antonio, Texas

9th Place – Red Hot Lovers - Jana Daily – Cedar Park, Texas

10th Place – Choctaw2 Chili - Barbara Schuler – Leander, Texas

SHOWMANSHIP

1st Place – Hot Muffler Chili – Gunter Woodson – Austin, Texas

2nd Place – DB Cattle Company – Lisa Edwards – Kendalia, Texas

3rd Place – Dead Booth Chili – Laury McCullough – Austin, Texas

SALSA

1st Place – Barbarita Chicken Ranch – Barby Harris O’Brien, Blanco, Texas

2nd Place – Irma Martinez

3rd Place – DB Cattle Company – Lisa Edwards - Kendalia, Texas

4th Place – Hazel’s Hot Stuff – Hazel Sanchez – San Antonio, Texas

5th Place – 5-C Cooking Team - Johnny Campbell – Meadow Lakes, Texas

6th Place – Eds – Ed Garza – San Antonio – Texas

7th Place – The Hall Foundation – Woodie Hall – Wimberley, Texas

BEANS

1st Place – DB Cattle Company – Lisa Edwards - Kendalia, Texas

2nd Place – Line Shack II – Reva Weatherly, Canyon Lake, Texas

3rd Place – The Hall Foundation – Woodie Hall – Wimberley, Texas

4th Place – Barbarita Chicken Ranch – Barby Harris O’Brien, Blanco, Texas

5th Place – The Kims – Kim Faverly – Blanco – Texas

CHICKEN

1st Place – Line Shack I – Billy Bob Weatherly, Canyon Lake, Texas

2nd Place – Line Shack II – Reva Weatherly, Canyon Lake, Texas

3rd Place – Hot Sauce and Company - Auretio Martinez – Austin, Texas

4th Place – DB Cattle Company – Lisa Edwards - Kendalia, Texas

5th Place – The Hall Foundation – Christi Hall – Wimberley, Texas

RIBS

1st Place – The Hall Foundation – Woodie Hall – Wimberley, Texas

2nd Place – Line Shack II – Reva Weatherly, Canyon Lake, Texas

3rd Place – Pumpkin Run – Jeff Gunderson - Austin, Texas

4th Place – Line Shack I – Billy Bob Weatherly, Canyon Lake, Texas

5th Place - DB Cattle Company – Lisa Edwards - Kendalia, Texas

6th Place – Phil Barnes

7th Place – Ken Shopwell

8th Place - Barbarita Chicken Ranch – Barby Harris O’Brien, Blanco, Texas

MARGARITAS

1st Place - Barbarita Chicken Ranch – Barby Harris O’Brien, Blanco, Texas

2nd Place - The Kims – Kim Faverly – Blanco – Texas

DESSERT

1ST Place – Barbarita Chicken Ranch - Loretta James – Somerset, Texas

2nd Place – Barbarita Chicken Ranch – Kathleen Carrillo – Bulverde, Texas

3rd Place – Barbarita Chicken Ranch – Jennifer Harris – San Antonio, Texas

4th Place – Barbarita Chicken Ranch – Pat Jones – San Antonio, Texas

5th Place – Barbarita Chicken Ranch – Mary Iguichi – San Antonio, Texas

PET PARADE

1st Place – Hot Pink Top Hat

2nd Place – Two Girls – Lampasas, Texas

3rd Place – Barbarita Chicken Ranch, Clara Bell Vogel, Aimee Marie O’Brien & the chicken family - Blanco, Texas

The first ever Pet Parade was the most exciting event of the day, with Maddox Myane dressed in his pet costume, and Kim Faverly with Odie and his sunglasses following the Pink Barbarita Golf Cart pulling the chicken family with Clara Bell and Aimee as the rest of the group followed. It was a little touch and go with Ms Toot, a scrumptious bull dog trying to take a bubble bath as balloon bubbles filled her bath tub (wagon). And of course, what’s a parade without a lamb. From Beeville, Texas the DB Cattle Company lead the showmanship lamb like a pro. And from Lampasas, Two Girls, two fantastic bulldogs’ ballerinas impressed the group behind the Hot Pink Top Hat puppy dog lead by his owner dressed in Hot Pink Top Hat as well.

A very special thanks goes out to our local sponsors: Myane Realty, Jerry Myane, James Sloan, Super S Foods and all the staff and Hoppy for judging (eating and eating and eating) before he took back samples to is co-workers, Taco Cabana, Stone Oak, and Jimmy Klepac, Klepac Nursery. A super special thanks goes out to all the local volunteers, especially Tony and Candy Floreke, Choppy Romero, Darrell West, Kathleen Carrillo, William Aguirre, Loretta James, Jennifer Harris, Mary Iguichi who worked endlessly to pull this event together. And finally a really big thanks goes out to all those of you came out to support the Susan G. Komen for the Cure with the penny collection that took in $114.53 cents, and the very generous Landing Group who enjoyed a wonderful pancake breakfast that took in more than $300.00.

Final numbers are all not in yet, however, organizers believe this was a very first time successful event. For those who missed it, mark your 2010 calendar now for next year, the first weekend in February.