by James Coulter
The Annual Ribs on the Ridge in Haines City has proven to be a favorite barbecue competition for many local barbecue teams. So, it only made sense that the event served as the third and final leg of the Florida Triple Crown of BBQ.
Despite the cloudy weather with a chance of rain, Ribs on the Ridge experienced an exceptional turnout last Saturday with an increase of new teams and plenty of attendees, said Gerald Richardson, Deputy Parks & Recreation Director.
Ribs on the Ridge served as the third and final leg of the inaugural Florida Triple Crown of BBQ, a county-wide barbecue tournament offering teams a chance to win a grand prize of $1,500. The other two legs of the competition were Lakeland Pigfest and Grills Gone Wild in Davenport.
Heavy Smoke BBQ was the Grand Champion in the professional division, with Poppa Pig being the reserve champion. Meanwhile, in the backyard division, Curly Bird BBQ was the grand champion and Belly Bustin Bistro was the reserve champion.
“The turnout this year was good and we were thankful the rain stayed away on Saturday,” said Richardson. “In regards to the teams, they really love the fact that we are able to spread them out and they are not cramped up on top of each other as well as the fact that Haines City has grown to be one of the favorite stops for a lot of team. In regards to attendees, they love the family atmosphere, music entertainers, and the huge variety of food vendors, marketplace vendors, and our kids zone.”
This year’s event, especially being part of the Florida Triple Crown of BBQ, and even in spite of the weather, drew in more teams in both the professional and backyard divisions than in previous years, Richardson said.
“With the increase of new teams attending this year we look to continue to grow the event in number of teams as well as attendance,” he said. “We look forward to continuing to be a part of the Florida Triple Crown of BBQ and are making plans for new additions to the event next year!”
