For 49 years, the True Heart of Texas has hosted the World Championship BBQ Goat Cookoff,. And, for 40 of those years, one of the consistent competitors has been McCulloch County’s very own Charlie Avery. Finally, after a lot of effort over a long time, Avery won the Championship this year when the goat he and is team prepared at the Cook-Off was judged the very best out of over 200 competing entries.
What began in 1974 as a small fundraiser for the local Jaycees with 16 cooking teams, Brady’s World Championship BBQ Goat Cook-Off has grown into the largest and longest-running of its kind in Texas. With more than 200 team entries each year that draws cookers and visitors from across Texas and beyond each Labor Day Weekend, the event includes not only a cook off, — plus an arts and crafts fair, children’s games, washer and horseshoe pitching tournaments, and live Texas music.
For 2023, the Goat Cook-Of returned to a one-day event with the traditional Friday night welcome dance, with all the Cook-Off activities during the day on Saturday, with the event wrapping up Saturday night with the big concert.
2023 World Championship Goat-Cookoff Winners:
Goat –
1st – Charlie Avery
2nd – Melissa Richardson
3rd – Tristin Hiedelberg
Super Bowl –
1st – Scott Evans
2nd – Burl Wiggington
3rd – Richard Ledezma
Mystery Meat (Chicken this year) – Scott Evans
Marguerita – John Jenkins
Ribs – John Jenkins
Hospitality – Charlie Avery team
Showmanship – Go Ahead & Get Your Some
Best Rig – Fishing Shirt from Midland
