Daughters of two Tryon officials recently showed their fathers a thing or two about cooking barbecue.
Allison Hermann, 14-year-old stepdaughter of Tryon Town Manager Justin Hembree, and Madison Arrowood, 13-year-old daughter of Tryon Police Chief Jeff Arrowood, won the grand championship in the Future Legends of BBQ competition Oct. 8 at Camp Mondamin in Flat Rock.
Their team, “Hogs and Kisses,” also won first in ribs, first in sauce, third in the competitor choice category with their twice-baked potatoes and third in the theme category. They were competing against 17 other teams. The competition is for youth ages 7 – 17.
Hembree, who is a member of his own barbecue team, Fast Eddie’s Fine Swine, said hearing the girls’ team called during the awards was much more exciting than the first time Fast Eddie’s Fine Swine was called.
“Some folks may think it was Jeff and I who did the work on this,” Hembree said, “but I can honestly say that Madison and Allison did everything with the exception of feeding the smoker and cutting the ribs. This was truly their win.”
The competition was judged by the Kansas City BBQ Society (KCBS).
This year’s third annual Future Legends of BBQ Competition, a benefit for the Henderson County Young Leaders Program, featured Mike Mills, known in the barbecue world as “The Legend.” Mills has been world champion four times and grand world champion three times, in addition to winning many other barbecue titles.
“They won more money and more trophies in one day than we have in two years,” said Hembree. “In my opinion, their ribs would have held up in any KCBS competition. In fact, I wish we had turned those ribs in at the Tryon event this year. I could not be more proud of both girls. They were simply awesome.”