What a fashion predicament Thursday night's opener of the three-day World Championship Bar-B-Que Contest presented. With temps in the windy 40s, handwarmers, heavy-duty dusters and furs were not unexpected. But the bare midriffs, exposed decolletage and peek-a-boo thighs were a chilly surprise.
Apparently, when it comes to Rodeo Houston, hottie fashion trumps cold temps. Just ask the Tito's Vodka girls serving up fire water in the Wild Game Crew tent. Even in the swank warmed environment, these ladies in sexy bar maid costumes admitted to goose bump-producing chills.
Of course, the warmest spots on this nippy night were at the 300 or so barbecue stations where glowing coals and steaming pots kept things toasty — and smoky.
At a far end of the vast village of barbecue denizens, the Wild Game Crew, led by Rodger Sumicek, Michael Poujol and Trey Schwarz, was warming up for three nights of entertaining 2,500 guests for a total of 7,500 partygoers. Whew! While this group's barbecue team was cooking elsewhere, they brought in Pappas Bar-B-Q to handle the heavy duty catering.
Who needs a disco ball when you have three disco saddles? Glittering saddles in silver, red and blue rotated above the dance floor.
"What sets us apart from the rest of the barbecue crowd," Schwarz said, "is everything we do here is first class." That level of accommodating guests is due in no small part to tent sponsors, Choice Energy and Breakwater Energy.
The Young Guns Band would perform in the swank party tent on Thursday and Saturday nights and Skyrocket would keep the dance floor jumping on Friday night. Who needs a disco ball when you have three disco saddles? Glittering saddles in silver, red and blue rotated above the dance floor while sparkling wagon wheels and longhorns decorated the tent walls.
Even their guests' most basic needs were looked after. No green porta-potties for this crowd. The guys brought in a luxury potty trailer complete with a uniformed attendant.
Adding an unexpected note to the proceedings was the Belly Up Rod and Gun Club, a group of guys from New Orleans, some of whom have been participating in this competition for 20 years. Their chosen attire for the opening night was, according to the gents, "pimp clothes." Indeed, their orange, pink and red suits, fedoras and white shoes were eye-catchers in the generally western-clad crowd. More than a few ladies stopped them for photographs.
That was the play for the Cayenne Social Club with an alligator on the grill and crawfish and shrimp gumbo in the boiling pots.
Thursday is typically sponsor night, when the cook-off teams invite in their corporate friends who have provided underwriting for the elaborate party set-ups and entertainment. That was the play for the Cayenne Social Club, celebrating its 20th anniversary with an alligator on the grill and crawfish and shrimp gumbo in the boiling pots. Cathy and Ellis Spangler founded the band of rodeo revelers as a spin-off of another group. On this night, they would feed 200.
"My husband rounded up all of his rowdy friends. They got together in our garage and they put it together," Cathy Spangler explained of the group's origins.
While the barbecue tents are private parties, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is working to make everyone feel a part of the fun. The $15 admission for adults includes a barbecued beef sandwich, beans and a bag of chips. The food is available at the Rockin' Bar-B-Que Saloon, where either a live band or DJ will keep the party going throughout the competition. And live entertainment will keep The Garden rocking through Sunday.
Total visitors Thursday night were estimated at 60,000 with that number growing every day with the grand total of visitors expected to reach at least 300,000 for the three days.
Gary Pinkerton of Pinkerton's barbecue stokes the fire smouldering beneath the cabrito for the crowd of 1,100 expected at this party.
