TURN-IN TIMES & PRIZE MONEY

CHICKEN - NOON
PORK SPARE RIBS - 1:30 PM
BRISKET - 3 PM

$25 Jackpot Beans - 10 AM Saturday

All awards will be given out at approximately 4:30 PM. All decisions of the judges are final.

Any questions regarding the rules & regulations, you may contact:
Tara Watkins at 936.634.6644,  TWatkins@LufkinTexas.org
OR Brannon Ferrara at 936.635.3638

PRIZE MONEY - 80% payout

OFFICIAL RULES & REGULATIONS

1. A contestant or team consists of one Head Cook and no more than three assistants. Contestants may load in the BBQ Cook-off grounds (1200 Ellen Trout Dr., Lufkin) beginning Wednesday, September 18 - Friday, September 20 from 10 AM - 3 PM, but MUST be in place by 5 PM Friday, September 20. If you need to arrive after 5 PM, please call to make arrangements. AFTER UNLOADING PLEASE IMMEDIATELY REMOVE YOUR VEHICLE!

2. All competitors will bring their own meat to the site RAW…No pre-marinating, precooking, or pre-spicing before checking in on location. Categories for the competition are as follows: BEEF, BRISKET, CHICKEN, AND PORK SPARE RIBS

3. You may COOK with sauce but DO NOT add sauce, marinade, sop, or juice to meat or container once the meat is prepared for judging. No garnishing or markers allowed for the judge’s portions.

4. Cooks are to prepare and cook barbecue in as sanitary a manner as possible. Cooking conditions are subject to inspection by the Big Axe BBQ Committee and/or County and State Health Inspectors. Conditions found to be unsanitary will be grounds for disqualification from this cook-off. Fires must be wood, wood substance or pellets.

5. A BBQ Pit may include gas or electricity for starting the combustion of wood or wood products but NOT to complete cooking. No holes, open fires, or dug pits will be allowed.  however, a burn-down barrel will be allowed but MUST have some type of safety barrier placed across the top and around the sides of the barrel. Precautions MUST be made to prevent any fire threat. All teams must have at least ONE fire extinguisher on site.

6. Contest meats must be delivered to the designated judging location. Contest meats will be judged on Saturday, September 21.

7. Head Cook must attend the Cooks Meeting Friday at 6 PM for explanation of the rules. Tray pick-up at 4 PM – 6 PM; additional tray pick-up on Saturday 9 AM – 10 AM.

8. Requirements for IBCA - Chicken: one (1) fully jointed chicken half; Pork Spareribs: eight (8) individual pork spareribs; Brisket: eight (8) full slices.

9. BLIND JUDGING: You will receive 1 tray per category. Each of these trays will have a numbered ticket so that the judges do not know which team’s food they are tasting.

10. Any lewdness or any form of vulgarity will NOT be allowed. NO pyrotechnics or explosives are allowed. Any intentional use of the above by a team will result in disqualification, removal from grounds and, elimination from the tournament.

11. Music Bands, and/or sound equipment within your team area is allowed. HOWEVER, excessively loud music and/or sounds that interfere with announcements, scheduled live bands and entertainment on stage, or that intrude upon or interfere with the comfort of fellow contestants will NOT BE ALLOWED OR TOLERATED. Offenders will receive no more than three warnings from representatives of Texas State Forest Festival and non-compliance will be grounds for disqualification from the Cook-off and expulsion from the Barbecue Cook-off Grounds.

12. QUIET TIME is midnight Friday night until 7 AM Saturday morning. All teams will need someone with their grill/smoker at all times. Please be respectful of the neighborhood around the event site, especially on the overnight shift.

13. Limited covered spaces of 20’x20’ will be available. Larger spaces available upon request. There is limited electricity available in the BBQ area. Please bring generator if needed. All cooking facilities, rigs, props, or show articles must fit within your team’s contest space.

14. The Head Cook for each team will be responsible for the conduct of his team, guests or invitees. Additionally, the Head Cook will be responsible for his team’s compliance with the rules and regulations herein set forth. EXCESSIVE USE of alcoholic beverages will be grounds for disqualification. Contestants may NOT give, offer, sell, or donate alcoholic beverages to the general public. You will only be allowed to bring in beer during the load in time. Additional alcohol cannot come in during the day. Only the team members will be allowed to drink and will be issued an armband indicating that they are on the team. People walking through the cook-off area or visiting cook-off teams will NOT be allowed to drink in the BBQ area. Beer and wine will be available to the public in the food pavilion ONLY. If a team member is caught serving the public, your team will be disqualified IMMEDIATELY.

15. IBCA contest rules apply. Texas State Forest Festival reserves the right to make additional rules and regulations as the situation warrants. Decisions of Texas State Forest Festival are final.

16. Texas State Forest Festival, its members or directors, The City of Lufkin, and all participating landlords will not be held responsible for theft or damage to equipment or bodily injury of any kind.

17. Animal(s) of any kind WILL NOT BE PERMITTED in any contestant’s contest space nor will any animal(s) be permitted on the BBQ Competition Grounds, EXCEPT for seeing-eye dogs.

In consideration of the privilege of allowing our team and by entering the competition, the Contestants, to compete in the Big Axe BBQ Competition, we release and discharge the Texas State Forest Festival and the Lufkin/Angelina County Chamber of Commerce, its successors and assigns including its officers, directors, members, servants, agents, employees, and legal representatives from any claims, present and future, known and unknown, in any manner for any loss or damage or injury to my person or property or Contestant('s) agents, servants, family and/or employees, regardless of how such loss, damage or injury is occasioned and by whom. Contestant further agrees that Contestant will protect, indemnify and hold harmless the Texas State Forest Festival and the Lufkin/Angelina County Chamber of Commerce from any claims, suits, and/or judgments, including the cost of defense of any such claim and/or suit and/or judgment(s) brought by anyone as a result of any loss, damage or injury, personal or otherwise, to any person or property occasioned by any action or inaction of Contestant, either solely or in conjunction with the Big Axe BBQ Competition at the Texas State Forest Festival.

The Texas State Forest Festival and the Lufkin/Angelina County Chamber of Commerce retain exclusive publicity rights to all shows/ events, held in conjunction with the Big Axe BBQ Competition. By signing below, the Contestant gives the Lufkin/Angelina County Chamber of Commerce permission to use photos and videos without compensation or prior permission of the Contestant. Contestants agree to abide by all Rules and Regulations of the Washer Tournament and the Texas State Forest Festival, published or
otherwise presented.