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Mark Lambert stands flanked by a row of trophies that would make any high school sports program envious. Each one, wrapped in flames and topped with a pig on a spit, came from a win for Lambert and his Sweet Swine o’ Mine team at the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest held each year at the Memphis in May festival.
Lambert, despite his many wins, was not satisfied. He wanted another.
“You get the same goosebumps and the hair on the back of your neck stands up every time you win,” he said.
Competition barbecue over the years has taken on a life of its own. For insiders it's viewed like a sport. Some people golf or build fantasy football teams. These men and women tend fires and concoct secret sauces. And the cook-off in Memphis, which filled the air with scent of roasting swine, resembled a massive tailgate, even in 2021 when the crowds and competitors were curtailed due to COVID-19. As the competition circuit has grown, so has the prize money at the biggest events. This year, Memphis in May doled out $142,350 in prize money, making a win there about way more than bragging rights.