The 10th Annual Rip’s Ribs Cook-Off is set for this Saturday in downtown Eastland. The fun-filled competitive day will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will end with the Awards Ceremony beginning at 5:30 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend to watch the cooks compete for cash, trophies and bragging rights for a year. Vendors of all types will set up for those in attendance.
In addition to the cook-off, the 3rd Annual Wine Festival will be held under the “big tent” where you can purchase wine tastings, wine by the glass or bottles to take home from 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. We are excited to host Blue Duck Winery, Broken X Winery, The Winery at Willow Creek, Skies Over Texas, and D’vine Wine.
Entertainment throughout the day will be provided by high school and college Jazz Bands from all over the Big Country. Wylie High School will kick off the day at 9:00 a.m. followed by Brownwood HS, Clyde HS, Smith MS, Hardin Simmons, Angelo State, Cisco College and Tarleton State University.
2023 RIP’S RIBS JUDGES
OLI PETTIGREW
TV/Podcast/Live Host Online Influencer
A feature on international and national television screens for the past 16 years, there is hardly a country on Earth where you haven’t been able to catch Oli on the small screen. Oli’s quick wit for story telling
led to a number of nominations and wins as well as an 8-year stint on national television in the USA. Oli is a relatively new Texas transplant who has been gaining attention for his musings and observations on all things Texan as @ThatEnglishmaninTexas on TikTok and Facebook. Racking up millions of views with his wry observations of America’s most unique state.
JULIE DENNIS
Manager, Natty Flats Smokehouse
Julie Dennis is a woman of many hats. She is a Mother, entrepreneur, artist, and renowned foodie. As early as grade school she helped her father prepare food in his many convenience stores. The old Quickway grocery in Cisco where the Dennis’s “Broasted Chicken” & potato wedges were legendary. Julie attended Tarleton State University where she majored in Fine Arts. After owning a successful business in Arlington she found her way back to her roots and answered the call to help manage her family’s privately owned BBQ restaurant, Natty Flat Smokehouse. Julie loves the arts, as well as food & drink, but above all, Family.
DYLAN SMITH
KRBC, Chief Meterologist
Dylan grew up and lived in Texas his entire life. He lived near Corpus, then moved to San Antonio. Dylan attended Texas A&M and graduated with a B.S. in Meteorology. He moved to Abilene about 6 years ago and has made his way to Chief Meteorologist of KRBC for over 3 years now. Dylan says that he knows a lot about weather … but the second thing he knows most about is BBQ.
DERRICK WORRELS
President, Ranger College
Derrick Worrels currently serves as the President at Ranger College. President Worrels has served over 29 years in Higher Education. He leads a team focused on increasing access, improving support, advancing economic success in the Ranger College service area, and creating a culture of care. Before he became President at Ranger College, President Worrels served as Senior Vice-President and Vice-President for student services at Ranger College. He also served as Enrollment Development Coordinator, Athletic Director, Adjunct Professor, Assistant Dean, and Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Fl. While in this role, President Worrels started Project Hype (Helping young people excel). Project Hype was a program to mentor young minority males in middle and high school. President Worrels also served as a basketball coach for over 15 years at the community college and NCAA Division I level, molding the lives of young men and women. As a result of his coaching and administrative prowess in Florida, President Worrels was recently inducted into the Florida Community College Basketball Hall of Fame.
Having grown up in a housing project in Tampa, Florida. President Worrels has had firsthand experience with the poverty, violence, and crime that hinder so many American youths from pursuing education. As a first-generation college student in the 1980s, he attended Hillsborough Community College with a
firm commitment to making a difference for himself and people facing similar struggles. He has been committed to saving students drowning in the areas that low-income, first-generation, and at-risk students suffer from. His mission has shifted slightly from saving drowning students to ensuring they never fall into the dangerous waters that prevent them from completing their education.
President Worrels earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Asheville, his master’s degree in psychology from National Louis University, and his master’s coursework in counseling from Liberty University. President Worrels is completing his doctoral degree in community college leadership at Kansas State University.
MARY HUTTON
Owner, Hutton’s BBQ
Mary is the owner and operator of Hutton’s BBQ. Besides cooking bbq, she also helps her husband and father-in-law with their two other businesses; ARA (diesel mechanic shop) and Hutton’s Fabrication (their US-patented custom-built smokers). Mary is a stay-at-home mom and has four amazing children that she homeschooled. Mary also has a granddaughter and another grandbaby on the way. Mary has been barbecuing for over 20 years.
DR. DREW CASSENS
Tarleton State University Assistant Professor
in the Department of Animal Science
Dr. Drew Cassens is an assistant professor in the Department of Animal Science. His research interests include meat color, tenderness, and quality. Dr. Cassens focuses on industry applications to enhance the shelf-life of beef cuts, along with cooking or enhancements techniques to improve tenderness of meat products. Dr. Cassens received his B.S. and M.S. from Texas A&M University and Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University. In addition to his research appointment, Dr. Cassens teaches Meat Science courses and is the Meat Judging Coordinator at Tarleton. His passion for mentoring allows him to provide all his
undergraduate and graduate students with the skills to be successful in the meat and food industry.
BILL MYERS
Long-time resident and known as the “Best Rib Cooker” on his cove.
A long-time resident of Lake Leon and is known as the best rib cooker on his cove! He is a retired drilling supervisor for the oil field, which means he knows a little something about everything.
Bill has competed in several Texas State Cook-Off Competitions and knows his way around a pit and rib bone. In his retirement, Bill can be found out fishing on his boat or enjoying camping and
firing up the grill on reach weekends at NASCAR’S Texas Motor Speedway with fellow race enthusiasts.
Read… Everything you need to know about Saturday’s lineup of events at Rip’s Ribs Cook-Off
