First Moo-Off Called To Determine Winner At Cousins Subs Moo-La-Palooza
Milwaukee, WI – It was a beautiful summer day at the Wisconsin State Fair Grounds. Children had their hands full of prizes and sweets. The crowds pulsed with yelling and laughter. But it was a different scene at Cousins Subs Amphitheater and Bazaar. The air was a little thicker, the temperature hotter, and only whispers were heard. The audience sat in suspense as the judging forms of the fourth annual Cousins Subs Moo-la-palooza were calculated. A stage assistant whispered into the emcee’s ear and after a moment of hesitation, a tie was announced and a Moo-Off called.
“In four years, we’ve never had a tie,” said Cousins Subs Vice President of Marketing Larry Weissman. “But we’ve seen the competition get remarkably better and we were prepared for such an outcome.”
The crowd cheered for their favorite mooer as Rod Knapp of Muskego, Wis. and Ed Sayles of Genesee Depot, Wis. made their way back to the stage. Sayles had an advantage as he had won Cousins Subs Moo Trials, an online video contest, the month before and was automatically entered into the contest. Most mooers like Knapp had to arrive hours early to secure their place in line. After each contestant gave several of their best moos and worked the crowd for extra support, judges announced first-time contestant Rod Knapp as the winner. Knapp was awarded the coveted moo jacket, a $1000 prize check and Cousins Subs sandwiches for a year.
“Mooing is something I’ve done for a long time to make my nieces and nephews laugh,” said Knapp. “When I heard about this contest I knew I had to give it a try. I didn’t realize how many good mooers are out there but it feels good to come out on top.”
Cousins Subs Moo-la-palooza began four years ago as a fun way to celebrate the agricultural heritage of the fair and raise money and awareness for Wisconsin 4-H Foundation. Cousins Subs has given nearly $10,000 to the organization by donating $20 per contest participant and proceeds from t-shirt and hat sales. The money and awareness generated support over 100,000 youth that participate in life and leadership skill programs.
“We are so impressed by the attention and support the contest generates,” says Wisconsin 4-H Foundation Director Pat Harrington. “It truly is the world’s most famous mooing competition and we are so glad to be a part of the fun.”
The contest was moved from Central Mall to Cousins Subs Amphitheater and Bazaar this year to accommodate the growing crowd and participants. International morning news program Fox and Friends followed the contest from start to finish this year and networks around the country shared the results of the contest with their viewers.
Registration for Cousins Subs Moo-la-palooza is free and open to anyone five years of age and older. The reigning champion gets an automatic entry in the following year’s contest and the remaining one-hundred spots are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information and event photos, visit www.cousinssubs.com/moo. Check back later for information about next year’s contest.
About Cousins Subs
Cousins Subs is based in Milwaukee, Wis., and is a national sub sandwich chain with stores throughout the Midwest and on the West Coast. The tradition of Cousins Subs started in 1972, when two transplanted cousins from Atlantic City saw the need for an East coast–style sub shop in their new hometown. They patterned their subs after the hoagie, grinder, hero and sub sandwiches they enjoyed back East. And with a dedication to delivering quality subs at fair prices, they opened their first restaurant. From the start, the two used bread baked fresh every morning and insisted on using only the finest, freshest ingredients.
