April 28, 2012 - This weekend we were in Decatur for the first annual Smokewood at the Oakwood BBQ Competition. Weather was a bit rough and may have scared off a few teams, but the tough competition was definitely there. There were teams competing from Peoria to Plainfield to Decatur -- some pro, some amateur and some first-timers who really impressed everybody. Everyone had nice setups but the real challenge was keeping them on the ground. Ralph's Market, the hosts, were very accommodating.

Thank you to Mosaic for the facilities and awards ceremony location. Thanks to Dave, Nate, DJ and Duane over at Marquis Beverage for their great hospitality.

A very special thank you to Hap and Becky Zook for all of their help with this event and in showing great sportsmanship in presenting us with a trophy from their 2010 Leroy competition. We look forward to being a part of their event on June 9, 2012.

Everyone had a good time and the great smells lured in the locals. We definitely plan to attend this competition again as we see it getting better and better each year. A big congratulations to Smokin' J's for their Grand Champion win at Oakwood!