"It's like going to a Super Bowl."

That is how a pitmaster from Richer describes the experience that is staring him in the face.

Rob Turner is owner of Bigg Smoak BBQ. Turner says it was about five years ago that a friend posted pictures of a pork butt he cooked. What looked like a charred meteorite to Turner, ended up being what triggered the idea of entering the world of barbecue. From backyard grilling to weekend competitions, Turner is now waist deep in what he considers a very expensive hobby.

Turner entered his first competition in June of 2014 in Niverville. He was named Grand Champion and says after that he was hooked. Since then he has entered other competitions across Canada and even the northern United States.

In May, Turner took his team to Kenora, where he ended up winning. That win opened a new door for him.

"Winning that competition, we won an invite to the American Royal in Kansas City," says Turner.

That means in October, Bigg Smoak BBQ will compete against the best of the best. Turner says there will be 180 other Grand Champions from across North America and overseas.

"It's a once in a lifetime thing because you have to win to get there," he says.

In winning Kenora, Turner is also entered into a draw to compete at the Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue. Four Canadian teams will get to compete. Turner says if he could finish in the top fifty per cent in Kansas City he would be ecstatic.

His team at the American Royal will consist of about seven people. Turner says by the time all is said and done, it will probably cost between $8,000 and $10,000 to take that trip. In an effort to try and recoup some of those costs, a barbecue fundraising social is being planned for September 17th at Pat Porter Active Living Centre in Steinbach.

Turner has a few other competitions before heading south to Kansas City. There is a competition in North Battleford, Saskatchewan August 6th and 7th and then the Winnipeg BBQ and Blues competition August 19th and 20th.

"I've always loved cooking," says Turner. "My mother she taught me how to cook and then we got into barbecue and I just love it, I love the rush of it, I love meeting people."

According to Turner, the barbecue family is like no other. He asks where else can you find two hundred teams competing against each other, but not one disagreement or argument.

He says his goal is to one day open either a restaurant in Steinbach or a food truck that offers southern barbecue.