September 16^th, 2006 dawned clear and blustery in Monument Colorado as intrepid chili cooks from all over found their way to this beautiful Colorado town for the 3^rd annual High Country Chili Cookoff.  We had some veterans and former winners in attendance and some new faces to welcome to the fun and intensity (or is that insanity?) that is Competition Chili Cooking.  It really was a gorgeous day for a chili cookoff; partly cloudy and just cool enough to want chili but warm enough not to need a jacket.  Thanks go to the volunteers that brought heavy blocks and rope to help keep the tents from blowing away in the wind.  

Cooks battled for top spots in Red, trying to get those last precious points for Terlingua, Green, Showmanship, and People’s Choice.

 The Town of Monument really got behind the event.  A few blocks away were a huge Farmers Market with items from A to Z and everything in between.  There was live music and demonstrations by the local emergency response teams. 

Soon the smell of chili was being carried on the breeze to entice the attendees at the other events to the cookoff.  As usual, the crowds were entertained by tastefully decorated booths and wildly decorated chili cooks. (or is that the other way around?)