®ACWA Welcomes You
The ACWA Board of Directors, its officers and members would like to welcome you to the online home of the American Chuck Wagon Association.
About Our Association
Get To Know Us
The American Chuck Wagon Association started out as a small group of Old West enthusiasts and has expanded to world wide association preserving the American past through competitions, demonstrations, charity and school events and other venues.
Our work is funded by donations, honorariums and memorials; cookbook, note card & cap sales, as well as membership dues.
Youth & the ACWA
In the ACWA, the youth have just as much fun as the adults!
To see one young lady's testimony, check out this link.
Madison's testimony
The American Chuck Wagon Association offers competitive cook offs for youth and encourage their participation in the cook-offs.
Kudos to the Saints Roost Museum crew for adding a special event to go with their youth cookoff on Friday.
Area schools were contacted about bringing students on a field trip. There were busloads coming and going a good portion of the day.
The students were wonderful and the three host wagons enjoyed sharing
their camps and telling them a little about the history. Thank you to all those Clarendon folks for a great event.
To further encourage youth participation, the association periodically honors a young cook with the Rookie of the Year award.
In 2010 Gatlin Duncan was chosen for that award.
In addition, the association offers a scholarship to selected individuals each year. 2010 Scholarship Winner chosen
General Store
Want to take home some of that authentic, Old West taste and style? Now you can with ACWA Cookbooks, beautiful note cards and caps!
Chuck Wagon Catering
Many of our members offer catering services. Contact one of them to bring some of the finest chuck wagon cooking to your next event.
ACWA News & Events
President's Message
The sun was nearing the eastern horizon, not yet up, just illuminating the morning sky. Stars were turning themselves off, slipping into their daylight sheaths to rest up for the next nights show. The cook rolled one last time in his bedroll, then reluctantly surrendered the infinite possibilities of sleep for the infinite workload of day. Kindling a mesquite fire in the fire pit he placed the coffee pot, prepared the night before, over the virgin flames where it would boil. Facing the sunrise the cook reflected,” this is what makes it all worthwhile.” The beginning of day at one of the many chuck wagon cook offs held each year throughout the United States.
Chuck wagon competitions exemplify the perfect blend of our country’s heritage and tradition. Though the Old West doesn’t begin or end with the chuck wagon, it is this symbol which continues to intrigue over a century after its creation. The chuck wagon competition is a wonderful way to preserve our history and heritage.
Whether you are one of the many ACWA members, or an interested visitor, I want to thank you for choosing the American Chuck Wagon Association website. In these pages you will find information about our association, guidelines for conducting a cook off, helpful tips for competing, and resources for constructing an outfit, preserving a chuck wagon, restoring a vehicle, or enjoying our history.
At the ACWA we are proud of our efforts to promote youth and education. We have a growing scholarship program and will assist in youth events as well as school programs.
ACWA members are involved in all aspects of chuck wagon use, from catering to competition cooking, from education to restoration. Contact the ACWA and allow us to assist you in preserving the heritage of this uniquely American vehicle. Again, thank you for visiting the American Chuck Wagon Association website.
Bill Thompson
President
American Chuck Wagon Association
January 25, 2012- The 2012 annual meeting will be held in Amarillo, TX on Nov. 10, 2012 during the WRCA Championship Rodeo! Tickets go on sale in June and the Saturday night performance sells out quickly. We hope to reserve a block of tickets for members to purchase, so check here first if you are interested in attending the rodeo.
A Little History
In 1996 at a chuck wagon competition in Amarillo, Texas, a small group of Old West enthusiasts and wagon masters talked about an association.
The mission would be to preserve the heritage of the chuck wagon and its use in the short, but significant, era of the cattle drives.
In 1997, in Bryson, Texas, by-laws and articles of operation were adopted and the American Chuck Wagon Association was off and running.
Today there are members in 31 states, Canada, Germany and Switzerland.
Members participate in Cook off competitions, demonstrations, catering, charity events, school visits and many other activities to fulfill that original mission and even surpass the dreams of those organizers.
Thank you for visiting our site and we hope you will visit one or more of our chuck wagon events.
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Chuck Wagon Supporters
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