Wyoming’s Five Best Competitive Eating Contests

Coney Island, New York, is famous for its annual 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. Here in Wyoming, we prefer more exotic fare...like brains.

This is our completely unofficial, totally subjective list of the five best competitive eating contests in the Cowboy State.

1. The Brain Eating Contest at Cheyenne Zombie Fest - Held for the first time last year, this terrifying tournament was part of the annual Zombie themed film festival, which draws of hundreds of ghoulist guests to the Capital City every fall. Mmmm, brains.

2. The Pumpin Pie Eating Contest at Smashtoberfest in Powell - Part of Powell's annual Autumn Festival is a demolition derby called "Smashtoberfest". Hosted by the local restaurant Hansel and Gretels, hundreds of pumpkin pies are devoured in this gluttonous gala.

3. The Flaming Gorge Jalapeno Eating Contest at Jubilee Days in Laramie -  Perhaps the most painful feast in Wyoming, this tournament is held in conjuction with the annual Laramie Brewfest. Sadly, there's never enough beer to cool down the competitors in this contest.

4. The Watermelon Eating Contest at SummerFest in Rawlins - More watermelons are destroyed as this event than a Gallagher concert. Held by Rawlins DDA Main Street, this is one of several eating contests held at SummerFest each July, which also includes the popular "commode race" down Main Street.

5. Challenge Month at the Pony Grill and Bar in Sheridan - Introduced in February 2013, this event features four weekly eating contests, including the sirloin steak dinner challenge, BBQ dinner challenge, the two-person spaghetti and meatball challenge and a kids cheeseburger challenge for children 14 and under.

In addition to annual tournaments, several Wyoming restaurants also feature food challenges on their everyday menu.

Diners at the Paintrock Inn in Hyattville, Wyoming, are given one hour to consume their gargantuan 4.5 lb. Big Daddy Burger.

Former Olympic Gold Medal winning wrestler Rulon Gardner once offered the Rulon Burger Challenge at Rulon's Burger Barn in his hometown of Afton, Wyoming. The challenge promised patrons a spot of their "Wall of Fame" and a free meal if they could finish the 1.5 lb. burger in less than 20 minutes.

The biggest of all burger challenges in the Cowboy State is hosted by JC Burger and Catering in Casper. Their epic "Ring of Fire" includes a collosal burger topped with 16 patties and smothered in green chili. If you can take it down in under 30 minutes, you'll win a free meal every month for six months.