World Championship Bison Cook-off

03/06/2021

As with the twenty-sixth annual Santa Anna World Championship Bison Cookoff, the 2021 event has been cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Organizers said that in the light of the ongoing health crisis, the annual event could not go ahead safely.

While the state of emergency has been somewhat relaxed in Texas and Governor Abbott said this week that Texas would be 100% open by the time of the event, we must put our friends, neighbors, and loved ones’ health and safety first.
Event coordinators had hoped to delay the decision anticipating that Covid-19 concerns might lessen by the third weekend in May but advisories and recent statements by health agencies have made it clear that it would not be safe to hold the competition this year.
Santa Anna World Championship Bison Cookoff will return full steam ahead in 2022.

04/29/2020

The twenty-sixth annual Santa Anna World Championship Bison Cookoff has been cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The event, the longest running and largest cookoff in west central Texas, had been due to attract more than 3,000 people to Santa Anna the third weekend in May. However, organizers said that in the light of the health crisis, the annual event could not go ahead safely.

It is the first time the World Championship Bison Cookoff has been cancelled in its twenty-six-year history. The cookoff joins a long list of events that have been lost because of the epidemic.

A state of emergency has been somewhat relaxed in Texas and Governor Abbott said this week that further easing would be considered April 27. “We must put… health and safety first,” the governor said.

Event coordinators said that while numerous cooks and spectators save and plan for the cookoff each year, organizers had hoped to delay the decision anticipating that Covid-19 concerns might lessen by the third weekend in May. Health advisories and recent statements by the governor have made it clear that it would not be safe to hold the competition this year.

Santa Anna World Championship Bison Cookoff will return full steam ahead on 14-15 May in 2021.

05/19/2019

TWENTY-FIFTH ANNUAL WORLD CHAMPIOSHIP BISON COOKOFF UNBEATEN BY INCLEMENT WEATHER

Neither rain nor wind nor mud up to the ankles could keep forty-two of the best barbecuers in Texas from throwing down their succulent offerings to the gods of barbecue in Santa Anna, Texas last Saturday. The silver anniversary twenty-fifth edition of the bison cook-off put together one of the strongest fields of competitors in many years.

After the teams met in the center of the Old Armory Civic Center for the awards ceremony at the end of the festival, John Truesdell from Andice, the winner of the bison category, asked at the Judging Coordinator’s table, “Will I get my name on a plaque on the big trophy? I want my name up there. There are some names up there!”

Forty-two teams took home $4000 in prize money with Bobby Haggerton from Lake Brownwood the big winner of the day. Haggerton racked up places in every category: first in ribs, second in bison, third in brisket, and fifth in chicken, outcooking his competition to score the Overall Points Champion and earning invitations to the Jack Daniels Cook-off in Memphis and the American Royal Invitational in Kansas City this fall.

Other winners of the day were Truesdell in bison, Tommy Doughtery from San Saba in beef brisket, and Aletha Patterson from Comanche in chicken. With third place ribs and ninth place brisket, Patterson pulled down enough points for Reserve Champion Overall as well.

Nineteen Coleman County wood-burners notched ten places in the four categories, with Josh Daniels walking up three times-- seventh in chicken, eighth in ribs, and fifth in bison. Cindy Pelton came up twice for seventh in brisket and fourth in chicken. Mitch Guthrie notched eighth in brisket, Luann Saverance tallied third place chicken and David Strickland held eighth chicken. In the bison competition, Tom Guthrie racked fourth and Shelby Guthrie placed ninth.

While the rain, wind, and threats of tornado held down the size of the Funtier Day crowd, the unequivocal success of the event proved that Texans are serious about their barbecue, and a little ole tornado ain’t gonna get in the way of some wood burning. Visitors chowed down on plates of buffalo meat with all the trimmings, while all across the park and armory, craft vendors, artisans, and co****le competitions brought smiles to faces all around.

Winners are listed below:
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5-18-2019 WORLD CHAMPIONSIP BISON COOKOFF, Santa Anna, Texas
Judging Coordinator: Debbie Williams, Bangs, Texas 42 teams

CHICKEN 1. $400 Aletha Patterson, Comanche
2. $250 Eddie Williams, Bangs
3. $150 Luann Saverance, Coleman
4. $100 Cindy Pelton, Santa Anna
5. $50 Bobby Haggerton, Lake Brownwood
PORK SPARE RIBS
1. $400 Bobby Haggerton, Lake Brownwood
2. $250 Don Kerns, Menard
3. $150 Aletha Patterson, Comanche
4. $100 Paul Knight, Goldthwaite
5. $50 Eddie Williams, Bangs
BEEF BRISKET
1. $400 Tommy Dougherty, San Saba
2. $250 John Truesdell, Andice
3. $150 Bobby Haggerton, Lake Brownwood
4. $100 Paul Knight, Goldthwaite
5. $50 Charles Tant, Wichita Falls
BISON BRISKET
1. $500 John Truesdell, Andice
2. $300 Bobby Haggerton, Lake Brownwood
3. $150 Steve Carrigan, Abilene
4. $100 Tom Guthrie, Goldthwaite
5. $50 Josh Daniels, Santa Anna

$200 OVERALL POINTS CHAMPION: BOBBY HAGGERTON

05/10/2019

Locals, don't forget to enter the County Beef Championship sponsored by Circle C Cattlewomen. The entry fee is $10 and you must reside in Santa Anna. The winner receives $200 and the right to the perpetual trophy until next year's event.
Facebook.com/CircleCCattleWomen

CattleWomen support the livestock industry and its' environment through communication & education.

05/09/2019

Hey Cookers! We have now officially filled the 40 spots to compete in the Bison Brisket Category. If you still want to come and compete in the other categories we would still love to have you.
Following is the list of the towns (in no particular order) represented in this year's event:
Bangs, Georgetown, Santa Anna, Early, Midland, Coleman, Sidney, Comanche, Bruceville, Goldthwaite, Menard, Brownwood, Argyle, Lampasas, Abilene, Richland Springs, Austin, Brady, San Saba & Round Rock.
Gonna be a great event!

05/09/2019

One lucky individual will go home with this trophy on May the 18th. This is a one of a kind piece of art created and donated by two talented local artists. Jerry Ellis of Mesquite Time fashioned the awesome piece of mesquite wood and Bill Modawell of Texas Crafts and Gifts laser engraved the inscription into the wood. Thank you gentlemen!

04/12/2019

A friendly reminder to our 2019 participants. If you want the points you accumulate during this State Championship to go toward Cooker of the Year you will need to have a current membership with the Lone Star Barbecue Society. The membership form is available at www.lonestarbarbecue.com/membership
Don't miss out!