Blake West, Kenneth Morris, Ryan Mathison, and Clayton Turner with Meat Heads BBQ claimed the Grand Champion title at the 4th Annual Freestone County Go Texan Cook-off held at the W.L. Moody Reunion Fairgrounds in Fairfield on Friday, April 25, and Saturday, April 26. The friends, who are members of the Teague High School Class of 2027, won $1,000, a trophy, a belt buckle, and bragging rights.
Scotty Bryce with East Texas Smokers came out with the Reserve Champion honors at the event. They won $500, a trophy, and a belt buckle.
There were a total of 25 teams that competed over the weekend in the cook-off.
“Overall, this weekend was a success even considering we lacked teams, the Freestone County community made more than up for it,” committee members Jessica Corley-Rieves and Mika Scott said. “Thank you to our supporters. The money raised goes to scholarships, local sponsors, fair add-ons, and many other local organizations.”
Chris Hoag with Circle H won the Cook’s Choice ($325), Dessert ($200), and Beans ($225).
The Top 10 in brisket were 1st - Cash Money Services (Chad Whiteside), 2nd - Big Salinas BBQ (Randy Salinas), 3rd - Meat Heads BBQ (Blake West), 4th East Texas Smokers (Scotty Bryce), 5th Redneck Cookers (Jeff Wyatt), 6th - Burnin Money (Brad Olenick), 7th Misfits (Mika Scott, Jay Jeffress), 8th - Bad Dawg BBQ (Clay Wright), 9th Stabbin’ Waggin’ (Benjamin Dockery), and 10th - Leftover Cookers (Belle Johnson).
Rib winners were 1st Meat Heads BBQ (Blake West), 2nd - Burnin’ Money (Brad Olenick), 3rd - East Texas Smokers (Scotty Bryce), 4th - Whisk Takers (Sandra Bragg, Tina Whiteside, Kallista Chavers), 5th - Smoke Patrol (Tyler Moore), 6th - Big Salinas (Randy Salinas), 7th - Cash Money Services (Chad Whiteside), 8th - Stabbin’ Waggin’ (Benjamin Dockery), 9th - Hide-A-Way Ranch (Randall Kendrick), and 10th - BFE & Buddies (Ben Bonner).
The Top 10 in chicken were 1st - Stabbin’ Waggin’ (Benjamin Dockey), 2nd - Bad Dawg BBQ (Clay Wright), 3rd - East Texas Smokers (Scotty Bryce), 4th - Smokin’ Hot (Toni Olemick), 5th - High Proof Cookers (William Crouch), 6th - Burnin’ Money (Brad Olenick), 7th - Hide-AWay Ranch (Randall Kendrick), 8th - MD Construction (Mike Daniel, Kay Jeffress), 9th - Circle H BBQ (Chris Hoag), and 10th - Spanky Deep BBQ (Spanky Solis).
On Friday night, Duffy Douglas Music provided the entertainment as 12 teams competed in horseshoes. AJ Sandlin and Coleman Walthall won the horseshoes tournament with Chris Mc-Daniel and Jake Jones taking second place and Yancy Bean and Rex Bean third place.
The Texas Unlimited Band performed on Saturday night as 39 teams competed in the cornhole tournament. When all was said and done, Sameer Zaver and Rick Gollnisch came out as champions. Marcus Perkins and Curtis Oldenburg took second place as Myesha Pittman and Dustin Sanders claimed third place.
The next event for the Freestone County Go Texan will be the Freestone County Fair. Horseshoes will be on Monday, June 16; washers on Tuesday, June 17; and cornhold on Wednesday, June 18. The 2026 sponsorships will open in Nov.
Hudson West, Wyatt Morris, Kasen Turner, Hadlee West, Graidee West, and Maddie Mathison show off their face paintings at the Freestone County Go Texan Cook-off.
Chad Whiteside, JoJo (dog), and Lucas Chavers with Cash Money Services win first place with their brisket.
Two-year-old Boone Riggs shows off his snake he had painted on his arm at the Freestone County Go Texan Cook-off on Saturday. Photos by Mitchell Pate/Recorder-Chronicle
