GROVES — Organizers with the Texas Pecan Festival are calling this year’s festival a success and old timers have said this was one of the largest attended festivals in years, according to the Groves Chamber of Commerce and Tourist Center.

Congratulations to the following individuals who took part in the various events during the annual festival.



Pecan Toss

Winners ages 3-8: First place, Brock Bergeron; second place Landon (the child’s last name wasn’t entered)

Winner ages 9-15: Ayden Bergeron

Grand prize winner: Ayden Bergeron



Pet Show

Best dressed (dog): First place and Pet of the Year Dudley, (a dachshund dressed as a Chia pet). Owner is Wendi Reed

Second place: (three way tie) Coco, owner is Hunter Humphreys; Pumpkin, owner is Paige Pritchard; and Teddy, owner is Jessie Miller

Third place: Dallas, owner is Chelsey Morvant



Largest pet (dog)

First place: Harley Davidson, owner is Greg Ross

Second place: Axel, owner is Jody Lightfoot



Most unusual dog

First place: Sura, owner is Lori Methvin

Second place: Quiggly, owner is Jessica Moore



Most unusual pet: Casey (dog), owner is Thad King



Best bird/cat, etc.

Winner: Asu (sphynx cat), owner is Drew Pickerill



Smallest pet (dog)

Winner: Buddy (Chihuahua), owner is Mary Meaux



Cutest pet (dogs)

First place: Jake, owner is Jessica Brown

Second place: Stormie, owner is Alicia Forster

Third place: (Tie) Jack Daniels, owner is Garrett Masters; and Mollie, owner is Jace



Pie Eating Contest

First place: George Pierce

Second place: Sarah Pierce

Third place: Rodney Lewis



Cooking with Pecans

Appetizers —

First place: Vivian Fisher, recipe: Hot chocolate roasted pecans

Second place: Hazel Gones, recipe: Party cheese mold

Third place: Vivian Fisher, recipe: Pecan dates



Entrees —

First place: Vivian Fisher, recipe: Pecan honey roasted pork tenderloin and apricots

Second place: Hazel Gones, recipe: Honey pecan chicken

Third place: Vivian Fisher, recipe: Oven fried pecan cornmeal chicken



Desserts —

First place: Hazel Gones, recipe: Triple delight pecan pie

Second place: Rhonda Nunley, recipe pecan pie cupcakes

Third place: Brooke Rogers, recipe: Strawberry supreme