Out of This World Competition BBQ Team
By GENE GOYCOCHEA, cbbqa
Director and past President SAN DIEGO, California -- Southern California is the home of
Out of This World Competition BBQ Team. The
team members include Gary Tackett, Renae Tackett and Gene Goycochea. They have been working together as a team since the
beginning of the year 2000 barbecue season.
The star of the team is Gene's incredible mobile barbecue smoker. Inside this 55 ft long trailer, pulled by a semi, lurks an Ole Hickory restaurant-type smoker. Gary Tackett
Gary Tackett is the team's Pitmaster. Gary has been cooking barbecue for many years. Gary began competing in barbecue contests in 1977, when his team name was Tackett's Portable Cajun Oven in 1997. Gary recalls, "It was a tough couple years in the beginning." His wife, Renae, adds the feminine touch and is responsible for the appearance of each team entry. In October 1998, Gary completed a KCBS Certified Judge's Class in Santa Cruz to get a better perspective on how the judging is done. It was at that time that Gary met Gene Goycochea, when they judged that weekend's contest. By the end of the weekend, they had agreed to team up for the next competition year. Gene Goycochea
Gene Goycochea is the team's promoter. Gene brings to the team a broad background in competition barbecue. Gene has been a member of teams that competed in many of the most prestigious events in the U.S. and overseas. When Gene met Gary in 1998, he realized that they could achieve even better results by working together as a team. Gene proposed the name and theme of the new team and the rest is history. 2001 SeasonThe 2001 barbecue season was the first year that the team competed under the Bristol Farms banner. "This has been a year of consolidation and constant improvement", says Gary. "The competition level seems to get tougher each year, but we're finally ready for the challenge." Best Pork of the Year 2001Gary means that Out of This World finally achieved success and recognition with its major award of Best Pork of the Year 2001, awarded by the Southern California Barbecue Association to the team with the most top-five finishes during the year. During 2001, Out of This World achieved two first place wins as well as a third place and fourth place finish in pork shoulder barbecue category. California State ChampionshipLast September, the team won its first Grand Championship. With its win at the BBQ 4 Kids California State Barbecue Championship, Out of This World won an invitation and entry for two of barbecue's four "majors". Just as tennis has its four major championships (Wimbledon, the French Open, U.S. Open and Austrian Open) and golf has its four majors (British Open, U.S. Open, Masters and PGA), so barbecue has four majors: the American Royal, the Jack Daniels, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and Memphis in May). Out of This World looks forward to competing in at least two of these four majors in 2002:
"But before then," Gene says, "we plan to take home a few more First Place and Grand Championship trophies."
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