Back in the days when cowboys herded cattle long miles to the railhead to ship them to market, there was no more welcome sight at the end of the day than the chuck wagon. Getting those little doggies to move along fostered quite an appetite.
Nowadays, the La Plata-Archuleta Cattlemen’s Association honors that heritage with a Chuck Wagon Cook-Off during Durango Fiesta Days, which itself also honors that part of our history. Saturday marked the 10th anniversary of this annual event, and the cattlemen’s association now has it down to a well-oiled machine.
There was a lot to learn to get it to this point.
Jerry Zink “took the bull by the horns,” as Barbara Jefferies puts it, and did serious research, visiting existing cook-offs, studying the rules of the American Chuck Wagon Association and basically setting up the whole first year. Jefferies, along with her husband, Ned, has been the head wrangler ever since.
The rules are simple, the execution, not so much.
Using utensils and foodstuffs that would have been available to the cooks on the trail, each wagon is responsible for preparing beef, potatoes, bread, beans and dessert. The variety of approaches is as creative as chefs anywhere – beef ranged from stew to brisket and chicken-fried steak. They’re cooking over open fires, using Dutch ovens and cast iron skillets, and it is hot, hard work.
Prizes are given in each of the food categories and for the wagon’s authenticity (some are reproductions, some are refurbished from the late 1800s and early 1900s), with the overall prize being an engraved Dutch oven.
Davin Montoya will be doing some trash talking next year, because he and his crew – wife, Teresa Montoya, Val Hobson, Dean Hobson and Linda Odell – won first place for wagon, meat and dessert, and second place for potatoes and bread, coming in first overall and winning $1,000.
Davin Montoya had competed on another team until last year, when his Hesperus ranch, also known as Montoya Cattle Co., decided it needed a chuck wagon of its own and purchased an 1880s-style wagon for use on the ranch and for special events.
Coming in second and taking home $650 was Rafter 76, which came all the way from Golden for the competition. Rafter 76 took first place in beans and potatoes, second place in dessert and third place in meat. Head cook Monte Deckerd, also known as “Grumpy,” has a day job as a corporate lender with the U.S. Bank’s Energy Lending Group, but he’s no slouch as a cook. He was ably assisted by Scott Dingle.
Third place winner Rocking W Outfit also took home a check for $650, with a second place in meat and third places in wagon, beans, potatoes and dessert. The Rocking W is owned by head cook Bud Winbourn out of Cortez, with crew members Eldon Simmons and Glen Simmons. The overall winner last year, Winbourn has a collection of eight to 10 wagons, including two surreys (ah, but do they have fringe on top?), and three chuck wagons.
Harry Baxstrom’s Poverty Flats wagon out of Bayfield, with team members Lavenia Taylor, Vince Taylor, TJ Taylor and Ann Harold, took second place for beans and third place for bread. And Canyon Trails Ranch from McElmo Canyon outside Cortez took first place for bread and second place for the wagon. Head cook Rodney Carriker and crew members Bill Vicary, wife Kristie Carriker, and Martin Winslow make a mighty fine biscuit.
I have had the honor of being a judge for many years, and this year my team took on the bread category. (Hence my knowledge of Carriker’s biscuits.) The judging has become more codified over the decade of the cook-off, and the judges spent serious time rating their entries.
I’m not going to “incriminate” my fellow bread judges, but they were among these folks, who included Chris Burgess, Simone Crouchelli, Joe Layton, state Sen. Ellen Roberts, Donna Sullivan, Karen Zink, Kathy Burgess, Ron Dunavant, Katie Middleton, Chuck Sullivan, La Plata County Commissioner Julie Westendorff, Kim Tracy, Bob Kujath, LaVina Mars, Donnie Somner and Cindy Winn.
This event used to be all local – local wagons competing, locals enjoying the fruits of their labors. Now it has become regional chuck wagons cooking for an international clientele. A young woman from France heard about it and wanted to learn more, giving it “ooh là là” reviews.
It didn’t hurt that Joe Ice was on hand to provide a Western music soundtrack for the evening, and it is a true family event, with all ages chowing down together.
A word of warning for next year – this event sells out fast. Last year, tickets were sold out about 20 minutes before opening. This year, they were sold out before the doors opened at 5 p.m. So, no lollygagging!
HHH
Leading the way out of the July birthdays and into the August celebrations are Harlan Steinle, Wally Mason, Suzanne Sullivan, Doug Mason, Alona Grinnan, Lea Douesnard, Jill Carlson, Annelore Miller, Alice Crapo, Cheryl Birchard, Sally Folk, Sienna Latham, Bryan Welker, Jim Ottman, Sydney Beekman, Tom Hamilton and Mark Epstein.
HHH
My classmates and I are just about recovered from our Durango High School 40th class reunion in June, but the organizers of the 50th reunion for the Class of 1963 are still counting down until theirs, which will take place Sept. 13-15.
Despite the wonders of our interconnectedness these days, there are still quite a few people they are seeking so they can notify them about the events.
So here goes on the “Where are they now?” front: They’re looking for James Baker, Alice Barry, Phil Barry, Carol Bartelt, Whelan Bayman, Linda Brewer, Linda Butler (no relation to yours truly), Joanne Colley, Connie Cooper, Sandra Cossell, Carolyn Cowsert, Gary Hebert, Dianna Hughes, Pat Ibarra, David James, Lois Kasal, Monique Lindsay, Josie Maez, Bill Maiser, Mary Martinez, Dennis Cross, Claudia DeRosier, Bob Downs, Karen Fielding, Loretta Garcia, Mike Garcia, Morris Glover, Mary Gomez, Linda Gorsuch, Eugene Gutierrez, Shirley Hazen, Katherine Martinez, Mary Meyer, John Newby, Gail Percell, Valletta Ray, Naomi Tucson, Orren Wagner and last, but not least, Jack Williams.
If you know any of these folks or what has become of them, please let the organizers know by emailing Charley Gremmels at sharris@frontier.net. She’s also on Facebook, if you’d like more information,
Members of the classes of 1962 and 1964 also are invited, and anyone who would like to share photos or memorabilia are asked to get in touch as well. Got something that reminds you of The Malt Shop? Paul Koss’ The Cellar Restaurant? Homecoming? Let them know.
HHH
Enjoying their anniversaries in the lull between Durango Fiesta Days and the La Plata County Fair are Bob and Mary Sieger, Bob and Betsy Morriss, Preston and Renee Knight, Gary and Pat Russell, Mark and Barb Ugai, Ed and Sonya Wilmett, Ed and Karla Dudley and Johan and Julie Kleva.
HHH
Here’s how to reach me: neighbors@durangoherald.com; phone 375-4584; mail items to the Herald; or drop them off at the front desk. Please include contact names and phone numbers for all items.
I am happy to consider photos for Neighbors, but they must be high-quality, high-resolution photos (at least 1 MB).
