Fort Stockton’s most notorious annual barbecue cookoff is back and once again, it’s for a great cause that can be a blessing for many.

Some of the best barbecuers in the state will converge in Fort Stockton at Rooney Park on Sept. 23-34 to compete in the Richard Reeves Memorial BBQ Cook-Off.

The third annual State Championship Cookoff will have $20,000 in guaranteed prizes for top 10 placers in each division, as well as grand champion and reserve champion.

Last year’s event drew around 50 teams and raised around $9,000 for the Richard Reeves Memorial.

Nathan Reeves, who started the memorial in 2005 with his brother Chad Reeves after their father Richard passed away from cancer, said that he hopes this year’s event will be the biggest yet.

“We’ve had about 50 teams every year and we expect bigger this year,” he said. The memorial was started to help those in need with cancerrelated medical expenses and his since been able to raise over $100,000 for local residents and many more outside the area.

“When we first started out the money just went to cancer. We gave to people with cancer. Then we kind of got to where people with major medical issues, we’ll help with them,” Nathan said.

To receive help from the memorial individuals are asked to message the Richard Reeves Memorial Facebook page or Nathan Reeves personal Facebook page.

“Just contact us on Facebook. The only thing that we require, at first a lot of people would send a thank you card to me. I said post your story on our Facebook page because then all the people who sponsor and donate money see it,” Nathan said. “That’s all I ask.”

Well-known local barbecuer Jimmy Stephens, who is a close friend of Nathan, set the Richard Reeves Memorial Barbecue Cook-Off into motion four years ago.

Stephens had participated in the Reeves Memorial Fishing Tournament and Golf Tournament but wanted to add another event to help raise money for a good cause.

“Jimmy and his kids had always cooked at our golf tournament. Jimmy has always gone to the fishing tournament and stuff,” Nathan said. “He come up to me one year and said Nathan, I want to do a cookoff for the Richard Reeves Memorial.”

The cook-off will begin Friday, Sept. 23 at 6 p.m. at the Large Community Hall with the salsa competition, followed by the margarita competition at 6:30 p.m., and steak at 7 p.m.

On Saturday, the youth will have a cook-off in the morning (age 4-10 and 1117 age groups), followed by the state championship cook-off of chicken, brisket, and ribs (spare or baby back) in the afternoon.

Nathan and Stephens said that the event is in need of judges and is open to anyone who is willing. There is no charge or requirement to be a judge.

If you’d like to sign up for the barbecue, individuals or teams may do so on Friday before the start of the competition. For mor info, contact Stephens at 432-290-0124.