For the third year running, Ducks Unlimited’s annual banquet on May 8 will feature a barbecue sauce cookoff between Yorkton media outlets.
The supper will be ribs featuring four sauces created by local media celebrities. The judging is done by attendees of the event.
Ron Skinner, chair of the local Ducks Unlimited committee, said the addition of the competition has been very well received.
“We wanted to change it up a bit,” he said. “It’s been a lot of fun.”
Competing for the 2015 “Sauciest Duck” award are Will and Reader from Fox-FM, GX94’s Danny Ismond, CTV’s Tyler Esquivel and Yorkton This Week’s Thom Barker.
Of course, no sooner had the competition been announced than the trash talk started.
“Just so you guys know, I’m taking the trophy back this year,” said Ismond, who won it the first year, but didn’t compete last year.
First timer Barker took the opportunity to jab back.
“We’ll see how he does against some real competition this year.”
The ribbing (pardon the pun) is all in good fun and for a good cause. All the money raised from the 34th Annual Banquet will support local waterfowl habitat conservation projects. Skinner said the organization hopes to take in $20,000 to $25,000 by the time it is all said and done.
Skinner said the committee has also been trying to diversify the event by making corporate sponsorship more affordable. A Diamond sponsorship is only $700 and includes eight banquet tickets, eight raffle passports and unlimited refreshments. A Gold sponsorship is four tickets and passports plus unlimited refreshments. Single tickets are $50.
In addition to the cookoff, there will be a silent auction. Two highlights of the auction are a Roughriders game package and a concert package to go see The Who live in Saskatoon in October.
Also, DUC will raffle off a smoker. Those interested in sponsoring habitat will get one chance at the smoker for each square mile of habitat at $150 per mile.
The event kicks off at 5:30 p.m. on May 8 at St. Mary’s Cultural Centre. Call 306 782 2108 for tickets.
