Vincent Hampton came up with a strategy before he ripped into 14 ribs in six minutes.
First, eat a big meal between 18 to 24 hours before. Then, eat eight to 10 smaller meals the day of. But most importantly, don’t eat an hour before.
“I’ve been YouTubing all morning to prepare for this,” Hampton said.
Hampton, a board member of the Boys & Girls Club of Alachua County, competed Sunday in the Adam’s Rib Co.’s Charity Rib Eating Contest at the First Magnitude Brewing Co., at 1220 SE Veitch St.
For an unlimited supply of slow-cooked St. Louis-style ribs and a glass of beer, about 30 visitors paid a $10 entry fee to raise money for the Boys & Girls Club of Alachua County. The only rule was the racks of ribs had to be consumed in three minutes, said Adam Brewer, the owner of Adam’s.
Beginning with two elimination rounds, each contestant had only a black plate, a bottle of water and an empty stomach to make it to the final round. Brewer filled their plates with hearty helpings of meat before the match began, dipping into the prepared supply of more than 300 pounds of sauceless ribs.
After the first two rounds weaned out the small of stomach, the final contestants were called to the table one last time for the final round. There was about $350 in prizes in store for the top three eaters, Brewer said.
Winner Zach Lewis had won the contest before but still said he felt nervous.
Suffering from meat sweats before the final round, David Rountree, the director of development and communications at Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, soldiered on into the three-minute final.
Although Rountree made a valiant effort and consumed 18 ribs, he ended up taking home third place and about $50 worth of prizes. His win, however, came at a cost, Rountree said.
“I’m still a little sweaty,” Rountree said. “This one will last for a couple days.”
Ten-year-old Taylor Brewer competes in the annual Adam’s Rib Co. Charity Rib Eating Contest Sunday at the First Magnitude Brewing Co. “He’s fired up and has been talking about it all day,” said his mother and co-owner of Adam’s Rib Co., Michele Brewer.
