SAN ANTONIO – The Western Heritage Parade and Cattle Drive in downtown kicked off the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo season on Saturday.
Twenty-five teams competed in this year’s Vaquero Cook-Off at Market Square. This is also the second year the rodeo event will award a $20,000 scholarship to the winning team.
The event has two categories: adult and junior.
Twelve adult teams and 13 high school teams faced off to see who could satisfy judges and people walking by during the event.
Somerset High School won first place in last year’s Vaquero Cook-Off and the $20,000 scholarship. Two girls from last year’s team returned to compete again this year.
“We’ve been getting ready since the beginning of the year. But like I said, we’re pretty confident,” Somerset High School senior Yara Lopez said.
“It’s great if this helps them to exceed if it helps them to go to college, to go to culinary school, to get that education,” said Karen Dudek, 2025 Vaquero Cookoff committee sub chairman and coordinator. “I mean, if you taste their samples today, you’re going to see some tremendous chefs coming out of these groups of kids.”
In the Junior Vaquero competition, teams can create three kinds of food: fideo loco, charro beans and the Cook’s Choice, which is any traditional Mexican dessert.
Homeschooled students Chesid Vess, Klaire and Audrey Belzung, who placed second last year, said they aim for victory and plan to pursue culinary school.