KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) – The American Royal World Series of BBQ welcomed more than 450 teams to Kansas Speedway, including two blind pitmasters competing for a trophy.

For 125 years, American Royal has welcomed barbecue experts to Kansas City, whether in the West Bottoms or at Arrowhead Stadium. On Saturday, in the rain, hundreds of teams kept the smokers and grills hot as the competition officially got underway.

Blind Butt Unlimited showed that the competition really is open to anyone who can cook a barbecue, as their two leads, Brenda Harrison and Shane Howard, have varying levels of blindness.

They smoked stereotypes last year, where they finished 106th overall out of over 480 teams.

“It’s not too bad. It was only our fourth competition,” Howard said. “This year, we intend to do much better, as long as the judges accept us to do better.”

Harrison outlined other ways they plan to educate people and encourage people at their tent, which is at #347 this weekend, through items available for people to use or have. They have a blindfold, glasses that when worn can show what vision is like with different eye diseases, a blind Barbie and more.

“We just like to get out and bring disability awareness to the barbeque,” ​​Howard said.

She said they are fairly new to the blind, but Howard is not new to BBQ, so they want to open doors for people to learn more about them and their mission.

“When I season, I angle my hand at about a 25-30 degree angle and let the friction hit the inside of my hand as I go over a bunch of ribs,” Howard said. “We use a lot of touch and feel.”

Thomas Green with Mr. Greens BBQ traveled from Milwaukee, Wisconsin with his team members.

“He wins anyway. Rain, snow, sleet, it doesn’t matter. Go, go,” he said. “Take advantage of every opportunity you get, use the experience, learn from it and just be prepared.”

Green and his team worked hard in the rain on Saturday, with food on the grill, covered with a cover and a positive spirit for what was to come.

“Don’t take it for granted. Practice before you get here, practice it in your head over and over,” he said.

Everyone wants to taste victory, but Harrison said it was more about their experience at the eighth competition.

Harrison said, “We’re winning just by standing here and bringing awareness to what disabled and blind people are able to do.”

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