Tar Heel BBQ Championship
Nov. 1, 2008
In the last few years there has been much talk about the effect of
the home building industry on the economy. This has actually been
happening longer than a few years.
Enter Mr. H.B. Pigg.
When the Cleveland County Home Builders first became acquainted with
Mr. Pigg in 1992, he was a little down on his luck.
However, Mr. Pigg was still able to help the community by sponsoring
a BBQ cook-off with 13 teams and contributing $5,500.00 to build a fire
safety house which is still in use today for teaching children the
proper ways to escape a fire. For two more years he worked with
the home builders and their charity, the South Mountain Children’s
Home, giving them some much needed funds for their care of children.
By 1995, thanks to artist Susan Evans, he got off the grill, put on
some clothes, got himself a nail apron and a hammer and a blueprint and
actually looked more like a home builder! For the next three
years, he helped his friends the home builders again donate over
$10,000.00 to Hospice.
In 1997, he had prospered to the point of having a car, a hot rod at
that, and 70 classic cars had been added to the cook-off.
It was now officially called the Hog Happnin’.
In 1998, the cook-off was sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue
Society. The Children’s Homes of Cleveland County was chosen as
the charity, and Margie Christopher, director, added a face to the
cook-off by having the children visit the teams on Friday night.
It has become a tradition each year that the children eat hot dogs and
have fun with the teams that night.
In 2000, the cook-off was proclaimed a North Carolina State
Championship, which meant the winner receives an automatic invitation
to the American Royal in Kansas City and is placed in the pool of teams
to be drawn for the Jack Daniel’s in Lynchburg, Tennessee. The
Hog Happnin’ had contributed over $50,000.00 to these and other
charities in the county, including the Life Enrichment Center, an adult
daycare.
In 2002, Mr. H.B. Pigg added a bike show, and a new logo was
born. (We even let him change clothes, and he got a new nail
apron!) The Hog Happnin’ gave the Children’s Homes of Cleveland
County over $15,000.
2003 was the first year the Hog Happnin’ was involved with the U.S.
Lawn Mower Racing Association, and custom-built lawnmowers came from
all over the country to race for the over 2,000 spectators who filled
the grandstands at the fairgrounds. That year the event had 47
cooking teams competing in the KCBS cook-off. Over 225 show cars
from a 50-mile radius and 30 show motorcycles gave the crowd some
beauties to behold. Cindy and Ed Howard, now in charge of the arts and
crafts show, overhauled it and had 42 vendors display their works. Over
$23,000.00 was raised for the Children’s Homes and Friends of Charlie
Vanhoy.
The 2004 event has just finished with 45 cooking teams from as far
away as Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, Ohio, West Virginia, Illinois,
Pennsylvania, not to mention our good old standbys from the Carolinas
and especially the faithful Cleveland County teams; 210 show cars, and
62 bikes. The arts and crafts boasted 52 vendors. By the
end of the day, Ed and Cindy were already making plans for 2005!
Over $150,000 has been raised for charities since that first cook-off
in 1992.
At the annual Home Builders Christmas dinner, a check for $20,186.50
was presented to the Children’s Homes of Cleveland County; one for
$750.00 to Friends of Charlie Vanhoy in his bone marrow drive; and
$1,000.00 to the Kiwanis Club for their support of the Hog Happnin’
with the lawn mower racing and support of the Victory Junction Gang.
Mr. H.B. Pigg and the home building industry have provided much
economic success, not to mention many well-filled stomachs, to
Cleveland County.
Driving nails has indeed paid off!