Mulerider Smoke Show Cook Team
For Sherman Glass, it was only his third time to cook steaks competitively. It turned out to be his best.
Glass and the four other members of the team Muleriders Smoke Show from Southern Arkansas University won the 2025 World Championship Steak Cook-Off at the Magnolia Blossom Festival.
Glass, an instructor of agriculture education at SAU, first began cooking at the Blossom Festival just two years ago when he was teaching agriculture education at Magnolia High School. “We built a grill at Magnolia High School, and that’s kind of how I got into grilling,” said Glass.
In 2023, Glass and his team from MHS placed 32. His team jumped up to 16th place in 2024. “I had a feeling I could make it into the top 10 this year, but I was really surprised when we won first place,” said Glass.
Dr. Copie Moore, associate professor of agriculture science at SAU, said Glass approached her with the idea of cooking in the Steak Cook-Off back in the fall of 2024. ” Sherman started having this crazy idea,” laughed Moore. “He said, ‘Copie, we should cook in the festival this year.’ And that’s how we started.
They were joined on the team by Emma Cook, a May 2025 graduate in agriculture education from SAU, Hannay Boyte, a former SAU graduate and the current County Extension Agent for Columbia County, and Copie’s daughter, Sadie Moore, who is taking concurrent credit at SAU as a high school student.
For Moore, it was her first year cooking, and she had to change a previously scheduled family vacation to participate in the competition. “I had no idea what it was going to entail. I cook steaks for my family, but that’s not a big deal,” said Moore.
Glass said he enjoyed participating in the steak cooking when he taught at MHS and wanted to continue doing so at the event. “I liked the competition. And we’re the Ag Department, so it kind of made sense for us to be cooking in it,” said Glass.
In the week leading up to the Steak Cook-Off, the steak team had the enviable task of tasting several different recipes to help select the one they would use at the Blossom Festival. “Sherman bought steaks every day and brought them to the school to cook,” said Moore. “He’s got a recipe that he has perfected.”
Glass said he’s been tinkering with the recipe since the first time he competed in the Cook-Off.
“I mixed my own seasoning,” said Glass. “It’s something I’ve been working on over the last three years. I just change it up a little bit.”
However, Glass said the recipe is just one ingredient to a winning steak. “You’ve got to get the grill marks right; it’s got to look right. And you’ve got to get the doneness right. Those things take some practice.”
Glass and Moore both agreed it was a memorable and rewarding day for the cooking team from SAU. “It was a good, fun, hot day,” said Glass. “We knew our number,” added Moore, referring to the team’s assigned number for the award ceremony. “When we heard it called, we jumped up—we were both a little surprised but excited.” After a full day of hard work, teamwork, and sizzling competition, the SAU team walked away with the first-place trophy. It was a proud finish to a standout moment—one that may not come often but won’t be forgotten.
About SAU:
SAU, located in Magnolia, Arkansas, provides students with a complete college experience in a caring environment of service, innovation, and community. With more than 100 degrees in four distinct colleges and the School of Graduate Studies, SAU initiates new degree programs to fit the needs of career and professional trends of today. As part of this commitment, SAU proudly offers the Next Step Guarantee program, ensuring that students receive the necessary resources, career guidance, and support to transition successfully from college to their chosen careers or graduate studies. To learn more about SAU, visit www.saumag.edu.
