Rodeo Cook-Off 2011-The Texas Mardi Gras

Introducing the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Annual Cook-Off, not only delicious but also a really good party and a grand site to people watch. It’s Texas at its finest and an event Bill and I look forward to every year.

So, this is how it works: for a whole weekend several hundred teams of BBQ masters cook their hearts out competing for best brisket, ribs, other meat, etc. etc. You can buy a ticket and get into the whole party, but each team has their own tent (they win awards on tent designs/decor too), so essentially its a giant party of private parties. You kind of have to know someone to get to the real party (ie. free drinks, food, music, and clean porta-poties), its like the Texas version of Mardi Gras, beads included. Luckily we do know someone, my dad! He’s been volunteering with The More or Less Cookers for years and this year he’s actually a sponsor.

Come to think of it, I really really should have taken pictures of the food. But honestly it was too delicious and we ate it too fast.

But there were lots and lots of beads.

This is Bill with my dad’s girlfriend Christine. She’s a total blast! Dave and Busters was also a sponsor of the More or Less Cookers booth so they were there too, with a spinny wheel giving away drink holders, beach towels, and $10 Free Play certificates!

This is our annual father, daughter cook-off photo. I’ve got ’em going back to when I shot with real film (yeah, I’m that old).

And this year our good friends Kim and Dean joined us. They were new to the whole Cook-Off event so it was a blast to take them.

This is not the More or Less booth, but just one of the many, many, many booths to check out. Please note the two guys sitting on the roof at the bottom right of the image. They are cowboy robots that drink their beer and shoot their guns. Yeah, I said cowboy robots.

And as the evening goes on things get more and more interesting. Yes, that man is wearing a trench coat made out of Crown Royal bags. We tend to head out around dusk before things get just a little too crazy (and slightly dangerous) for my taste.

That said, I must give mad props to all the police that work this event, they come from all precincts and sections of the city and surrounding areas. A good friend of ours is a Houston PD officer and heads up the troops. He and the rest of these men and women stop their day to day lives for the nearly month long rodeo event and dedicate that time to keeping people safe. So I thank all of you, I am forever impressed and grateful for everything you do for our city.

Also, none of these events could happen with out all of the great sponsors who spend their hard earned dollars to support each of these teams and the event as a whole. If anyone is interested in sponsoring the More or Less Cookers or would like more info about the cook off please feel free to leave a message and I can get you in contact with the correct people. And if you are planning a vacation next March consider Houston, the Rodeo is WELL worth it!