News : Top Honors for Cummings at Cook-Out Contest; first place for Richards

Cook-Off King Phil Cummings, with IFBF Pres. Craig Hill and Iowa State Fair Queen Elizabeth Glover.

In her first try at the State Fair, Dawn Richards won First Place in the Beef category.

Dawn's winning entry in Beef.

Dawn's winning recipe.

Phil Cummings with his lamb entry.

Helane Cummings was the Showmanship winner.

Beef Winner: Dawn Richards, with IFBF Pres. Craig Hill and Iowa State Fair Queen Elizabeth Glover.

Marshall Whitaker entered the State Fair contest after winning at the Benton. Co. Fair.

The Cummings family of Benton County came home with three honors from the 51st Annual Farm Bureau Cook-Out Contest, and Dawn Richards of Vinton earned a First Place trophy for her beef entry.

Phil Cummings, Center Point, won 1st Place in the Lamb Category at the Iowa State Fair for Iowa Farm Bureau’s 51st Annual Cookout Contest with his Mediterranean Lamb Pops recipe.

Cummings also was crowned the 2014 Iowa Farm Bureau Cookout Contest Grand Champion beating out 50 other grillers. He received $200, a crown and a permanent trophy for being the overall winner.

Phil's wife, Halane Cummings, won 1st Place in the Showmanship Category of the 51st Annual Cookout Contest of the Iowa Farm Bureau at the Iowa State Fair.

The couple's daughter, Molly, received 2nd Place in the Pork Category with her Scotch Eggs with Curry Dip recipe. All 2nd Place winners won $100.

For Dawn Richards, it was her first time to compete at the State Fair. The entrants from Benton County won earlier at the Benton County Fair to earn the right to compete in Des Moines this week.

"It has been a great day," said Richards. "A very special thanks going out to the best husband/assistant I could ask for. Thanks to the Fareway meat dept for picking Blue Ribbon steaks. Getting 1st place in Beef is pretty good for my 1st time at state. Congrats to the Cummings family; Benton county rocks!"

Dawn's husband, Brett, earned the Cook-Off King honors in 2011; winners of the top honor are no longer eligible to compete. The Richards are known locally for their Smoken' on the Cedar catering and grilling service.

Click below for a video taken during the contest:

Video clip