Sheriff’s office steaks claim to Bubba Bowl victory cup
Jim Barefield (right) and Matthew Wilburn hold the Bubba Bowl trophy they earned for winning the steak-eating contest Monday at Texas Roadhouse in Christiansburg. Photo by Travis Williams | The Burgs.
CHRISTIANSBURG — For the second time this year, some of Montgomery County’s finest men battled it out at Texas Roadhouse to prove which of the local municipalities is the speediest of plate cleaners.
Their weapons of choice this go-round? Forks and steak knives, as each of the two-man teams was tasked with finishing off a combined 4 pounds of meat — 2 pounds per man —– in the restaurant’s annual Bubba Bowl steak-eating contest held Monday night.
The fastest duo to clean their plates would not only earn six entrees and 10 appetizers, but also the right to display the official Bubba Bowl cup in their office.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and Christiansburg Police Department enlisted two teams each for the contest, while the Christiansburg Fire Department was represented by one.
Prior to the contest, Texas Roadhouse manager and contest director Zach Kennedy said he believed the key for contestants would be to cut the steaks into pieces as small as possible in hopes of limiting chewing. The contestants’ jaws will tire long before they’re full, Kennedy said.
Unlike the rib-eating contest in June, there was a $40 entry fee per team for this contest. Kennedy, in his opening remarks, announced to the contestants and crowd that the $200 collected would be matched by Texas Roadhouse and donated to the Special Olympics.
Kennedy then gave the final countdown, and the sawing and chewing began, with many of the contestants getting assistance from their favorite steak sauce.
A little more than eight minutes into the competition, Montgomery County Investigator Matthew Wilburn’s plate was empty. His official time was marked at 8:01.12.
Wilburn’s no stranger to crossing the finish line first. He was also the first individual to empty his plate during the rib-eating contest, but because it was a team event, Wilburn didn’t take home the trophy.
This time, Wilburn’s story would have a different ending. His teammate Jim Barefield swiped his plate for the final time and stopped the clock at 9:39.22, giving the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office the victory.
Following the contest, both winners agreed the key to their win was simply to keep their mouths moving, despite their tiring jaws.
“[I was] chewing something every time I was cutting,” Wilburn said.
Both men also agreed that 2 pounds of steak might just be their starting point.
“I could eat something else right now,” Barefield said.
The Roanoke Times | 381-1643
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