Eaters Head to Buffalo

Top IFOCE eaters are preparing to compete at the U.S. Buffalo Wing-Eating Championship at the third annual National Buffalo Wing Festival on Labor Day Weekend on September 5, 2004, at Dunn Tire Park in Buffalo, NY, home of the chicken wing.

Ed ‘Cookie’ Jarvis of New York, the number two-ranked eater in America, will defend his championship title against the strongest field of chicken wing-eating specialists to date. Jarvis’ toughest challenge may be from top-ranked American eater and archrival, 100 lb. Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas of Virginia.

Thomas, who holds titles in oysters, hard-boiled eggs and cheesecake, placed high in an early round last year only to place second to Jarvis in the final event. Jarvis, who also holds titles in cannoli and ribs, has been beaten by Thomas in several recent events.

Also competing will be corned beef hash and onion champion Badlands Booker, who has been on a tear lately, and cabbage and shrimp champion Charles Hardy, who has posted a string of impressive placements during the past few months.

In the list of top competitors is corn on the cob eating veteran Joe LaRue of Florida; butter champion Don “Moses” Lerman; and Buffalo’s own Jim Reeves, a multi-discipline eater and local favorite.

The 12-minute, all-you-can-eat contest will be sanctioned by the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE), the governing body of all stomach-centric sport. This is an IFOCE event and the IFOCE will handle all registration through info@ifoce.com. Participants must be 18 years of age or older.

The 3rd Annual National Buffalo Wing Festival, which will be held at on September 3, 4 and 5, Labor Day weekend, is expected to draw upward of 50,000 chicken wing aficionados to the City of Buffalo. The festival will feature the America’s Best Wings competition as well as the Mega Car and Truck Show, Baby Wing Contest, Miss Buffalo Wing Pageant and the official Running of the Chickens. Attendees will also have the opportunity to try more than 100 different varieties of Buffalo wings from eateries across the nation.