Lots to thank this week

We hosted the Pepper Eatin’ Showdown Saturday at TNT Fest and for our first time to try it, I could not have hoped for the event to go any better.

I have a lot of folks to thank for that.

First off, I’d like to thank our sponsors — Legacy Texas, CCA, Beyond Faith and Jack County Auto Sales. Thank all of you for taking a chance on this wacky event.

I’d like to thank Doug Angell, our pepper sponsor, who helped convince me that pickled was the way to go and provided some great peppers. We’ve got about a gallon left if anyone wants to stop by and try some. 

Angell, along with Jack County Justice of the Peace Stacy Spurlock, Wayne Morris of AM A/C and Home of Texas, Megan Moore of Jacksboro Healthcare and the newspaper’s own Cindy Long were our fabulous judges.

Larry McLaughlin from Lowe’s Market hooked me up with the milk plus extras for our contestants after the contest.

I made the pepper trophies out of paper mache (of course) with the help of my husband, Brian, who made the stands, but Bahl’s Trophies in Graham worked with me on the plates that went on them. Mr. Bahl was very gracious and helpful despite last minute changes and poor communication on my part. He has all of my future trophy and award business.

Thank you to all of our contestants. We were able to fill our 15 participant max thanks to Ken Hargrave (first place), Kyle Hammond (tied for third), Brandon Martinez, Brandy Beardsley, Jack Lamberson, Jeremy Drennan (tied for third), Kevin Baker, Justin Barton, Cynthya Barnes, Scott Smith, Faye Lewis, Kris Lopez, Benito Regalado, Tom MacDonald and Brian Peoples (second place).

Altogether, they were a fun bunch of brave souls to take this on.

Thank you to Greg Tiller and James Murrah with our radio station out of Graham KWSA Q94.7 for promoting the event and TNT Fest the week before with radio spots and the day of with an on-site remote broadcast. 

Thanks especially to James for wrangling the contestants to sign up and emceeing the event. James is one of our press operators who occasionally does radio work and he is a natural. Give him a microphone and crowd and he is in his element. 

James can frequently be seen announcing and/or organizing professional wrestling shows in the area. He is hosting a CWP event Saturday, July 9 at the Mineral Wells VFW Post 2399 and will announce the TOP event Saturday, July 16 at the Mineral Wells Expo Center.

I would also like to thank my mom, who came all the way from Olton to help me out (and shop Junk Utopia), and my husband, who helped in many ways, but whose greatest contribution was the idea itself.

A big thank you goes to the City of Jacksboro for hosting TNT Fest — five years in and it keeps getting better!

Thank you to the city council which supports the event in a myriad of ways from portable restrooms to emceeing. Thank you to Mike Smith for his can-do attitude and Ashley MacDonald for her efforts.

There were also a few very polite gentlemen on the city staff who helped me at different points during the day with setup or hauling supplies. 

Thank you Tom MacDonald, Justin Barton, Mason Hull and Jack Lamberson — three of which also participated in the contest.