MOUNT VERNON — Celebrating the ingenuity and fabrication talents of the American spirit, the Monster BBQ Build Off on Saturday challenged local teams of competitors to modify an ordinary grill or build a barbecue pit from scratch, then cook the best-tasting ribs ever.

Held at Producers Livestock on Columbus Road, the build and cook-off was created as an event to raise money for Hospice of Knox County and to provide an informal setting for local companies to interact with the community.

Chris Jones of United Precast Inc. said today that the event was a success. He said the weather cooperated and there was a good turnout. The following companies received awards:

•Monster Energy Peoples Choice Award, selected by the people in attendance — Team Dumpster Diners of Allied Waste under the direction of Richard “Shorty” Stiltner.

•Monster Pit Build Award, First Place — Wildboar Smoke Wagon, Coldwell Banker Quest, led by John Nussbaum.

Second Place — Dumpster Diners, Allied Waste, Richard Stiltner.

Third Place — Robertson Truck Sales, Ethan Robertson.

•Best Ribs Award, First Place, Custom Cutters with head cook Chip Street.

Second Place — Smitty’s Real Pit BBQ, Kevin Smith.

Third Place — Knox Concrete Construction, Chuck Jarvis.

Judges for the pits and cookers were Barry Jacobs, Central Ohio Fabricators; Kenny Daughriety Jr., Service Welding Supplies; Louie Blubaugh, Blubaugh Body and Frame Service; and Pam Rose, principal of Columbia Elementary School.

Raters for the ribs included Jeff Boucher, Parkside Restaurant and Flappers Bar and Grille; Sheriff David Barber, Knox County Sheriff’s Office; fire chief Shawn Christy, Mount Vernon Fire Department; and Lyle Beveridge, E.S. Beveridge and Associates Inc.

Mount Vernon Mayor Richard presented the awards.

United Precast’s Monica Pryor said that the final total of the benefit to hospice has not yet been determined.