10 th Annual Smokin' on the Rio
State Championship BBQ Cook-Off
Smokin' on the Rio State Championship BBQ Cook-Off was established in 2004 by a group of local businessmen with the goal of raising money in support of youth agricultural projects in the Rio Grande Valley. The profits generated from the event have been used to purchase student projects at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show's Sale of Champions. Smokin' on the Rio feels it is very important to promote the involvement of students in the agricultural lifestyle that develops leadership, responsibility, and dedication. The main goal is to insure that all students in the auction get a fair return on their livestock investment, which in turn will give them the desire to participate again and invite their friends to join them.
This year at Sale of Champions, Smokin' donated over $40,000, making them the #1 buyer of the entire sale for the THIRD year in a row. In addition, they spent almost $8,000 at the Shop Project Auction and donated most of the picnic tables purchased back to the Stock Show.
In nine years they have contributed to over 350 students with almost $400,000 going to the youth of the Rio Grande Valley.
The 2012 event yielded a record breaking 150 cooking teams from as far away as San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas and over 6,000 attendees.
Smokin' on the Rio is held every year during the last weekend of February at the RGV Livestock Show Grounds in Mercedes, Texas.