Last year's Landowner's Challenge -- a yearly contest sponsored by Lone Star Beer to judge who the truest Texan is among a group of finalists -- bestowed its winner with nearly two acres of land in Independence, Texas.
This year's Landowner's Challenge will be held tomorrow night at Griff's and has a much more summery prize for the man who is this year's truest Texan: lakefront property on the shores of Lake Conroe. But before that person can buy a boat to go with that dock, he has to complete a series of challenges first.
And of the three men that are competing for that prize, one of them is Guadalupe Valenzuela, a native Houstonian who has worked in the oilfield industry most of his life and is a father to four. There couldn't be a better representative for Houston than an oilfield worker and family man who loves a cold beer.
"I have been practicing each of the Challenges since I got the news! My friends come over every evening to play washers and we drink Lone Star Beer since it is all that is allowed in my house. At work they have formed a 'Team Lupe' group, and my children have even made flashcards for the trivia," Valenzuela said.
Flashcards? Washers? They're all part of the challenge.
The three contestants will compete in a range of different activities: a washer toss, tub fishing for Lone Star beers, Texas trivia and a fish cleaning contest. Leo Martinez from Poteet and Joyce Yosko from Floresville will be Valenzuela's competitors, all of whom are eager to win the deed to land with a lovely waterfront view.
Valenzuela plans to use the land as a weekend and summer getaway for his wife and kids if he takes home the prize, so come out to Griff's tomorrow, June 24, and cheer him on. The event runs from 7 to 9 p.m. and is completely free. A fish fry -- of course -- will be held beforehand with proceeds benefitting Noah's Kitchen, a local nonprofit dedicated to feeding Houston's homeless.
Oh, and one last thing: I'll be judging the fish-cleaning contest tomorrow night. And although I promise to keep my Houston bias from interfering with my judgement, that doesn't mean you have to. Come out and give Valenzuela the support that only the Bayou City can give.
