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Event Offers Swine Dining

Thousands of residents show up at the annual Pig Jam for games, music and some of the best barbecue around.

Tribune photo by MICHAEL SPOONEYBARGER

Manuel Mitchell of Tampa prepares his ribs, chicken, and turkey legs during the 6th Annual Plant City Pig Jam State BBQ Championship Saturday, November 22, 2008 in Plant City, Florida.

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By CHERYL KUCK

wkuck@tampabay.rr.com

Published: December 10, 2008

12-10-2008 - The event included live music, children's games, college football on big screen TVs and, of course, mountains and mountains of barbecue cooked by 79 teams. A total of $15,000 in prize money was handed out to the competing teams.
"This is our biggest year so far, " Pig Jam co-chairman Jodi Smith said. "We just continue to grow. I think setting the now traditional date of the Jam as the weekend before Thanksgiving was a great  choice for both local people as well as visitors." Pig Jam co-chairman Jodi Smith said.
Smith and co-chairman Chris Sparkman have been involved with the event since its inception by the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce.
Smith remembers when a very excited chamber board member, Mark Poppell of Poppell Insurance, came to a meeting and told of visiting the Big Pig Jig in Vienna, Ga. He told the chamber board, "If they can do it there, we, at the crossroads of I-75 and I-4, can do it here!"
Poppell is passionate about barbecue. He and his cooking team partner, Fred Williams, have been "barbecuing for about 12 years" and travel to various locations in Florida and out of state.
Pig Jam contestant Jim Everett of Lakeland calls barbecuing, "a red-neck sport. I cook with different teams and mostly travel Central Florida. It's a sport, but it's a serious sport. Competitors put out fake labels for their spices and would guard their ingredients with their lives."
Poppell remembers, "That first time we dedicated barbecuers took to the road, we traveled six hours to get to a location where we could set up and compete," Poppell said. "Nobody can do it just for the money. You have entry fees, transportation costs, and you have to buy your own product. If I'm competing, the first thing I do is go to Felton's Market [in Plant City] and ask to examine their best cuts of meat."
The Pig Jam is a Kansas City Barbecue Society sanctioned event. All judges are certified to judge proficiency in each meat category of pork, chicken, pork ribs and beef brisket.
Annually, the chamber presents a judging school conducted by the Kansas City organization so that local residents can become certified judges. On receiving their certification, class members can judge any sanctioned event throughout the United States.
Poppell, who was a ninth-place finishing professional contestant at the Pig Jam, said, "There is nothing that could make this hometown boy happier than bringing in the first-place grand champion prize.
"During competition I lay awake and set my alarms for every time my meat attains its proper temperature, and I'm always planning for the next event."
To learn more about the Plant City Pig Jam, go to www.plantcity.org or call (813) 754-3707.

AWARD WINNERS
ADULT DIVISION
First grand champion professional trophy and $3,000, Swamp Boys BBQ team, Winter Haven
Second prize and $2,000, Blazen BBQ, Texas
Amateur team winner, the Porkin' Ain't Easy team, Lakeland
YOUTH DIVISION
10 AND YOUNGER
Chicken, first place, Jack Roberts, Arcadia
Anything Goes, first place,: James Thomas, Tampa
11 TO 15 YEARS OLD
Chicken, first place, Lindsay Moore and Chloe Day, Tampa
Anything Goes, Kenny Webster, Dover
Grand Champion, Kenny Webster, Dover
Youth division winners received trophies, ribbons and goodie bags.

Tribune Correspondent Cheryl Kuck can be reached at wkuck@tampabay.rr.com

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