Former champion back on top following 2024 World Slopper Eating Championship in Colorado

Last year's champion has been dethroned and a former champ is back on top following the 2024 World Slopper Eating Championship at the Colorado State Fair.

Competitive eaters from around the world gathered in Pueblo on Aug. 31 to take on the sixth annual slopper-eating challenge. The man to beat this year was defending champion James Webb , who stunned former champion Geoff Esper in 2023, beating him by just half a slopper.

The 2024 competition was stiff with Webb, Esper, and 2023 third-place finisher Mohamed Mbengue all in contention again this year, but it was Esper who emerged on top.

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How the competition (and the sloppers) went down

For those that don’t know, a slopper is an open-faced cheeseburger, smothered in the velvety embrace of savory Pueblo green chile. It's a symphony of flavors that combine for a can't-miss dish that embodies the soul of Pueblo.

The annual state fair competition sees who can eat the most 9-ounce sloppers in an eight-minute period. The record for the most sloppers eaten in that time frame is held by Esper with an impressive 37.5 sloppers. The competition is a highly touted one with fans and competitors coming from near and far to take part. The winner of the contest takes home the title and a check for $4,000.

This year, Esper took home the title of world champion with a total of 31.5 sloppers. Webb took home second with 31, marking the second year in a row that the winner was decided by just half a slopper.

Esper now has three world slopper-eating titles to his name. After the event, he spoke about what it was like to stomach this year's contest.

“I feel good, I felt like the sloppers taste really good this year,” Esper said. “I knew James (Webb) was going to be on top of his game too, I just tried to do the best that I could. I think I slowed down a little bit the last half of the contest, I wish I would have eaten a little quicker, but I had a good start, so it helped me carry through.”

Esper also spoke about how a major league eater prepares for a competition like this, and what it's like to compete.

“We do practices and stuff, and we do quite a few contests each year, so each contest helps you practice for the next one, and it's just like every other sport, you have to practice," he said. "I don't know if I have a single favorite contest but this type of contest, the small-town local fair contest, I like those much better than the big spectacle ones.”

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Esper said he is just a teacher from Massachusetts and that anyone can compete in this type of contest. He said he started off doing local restaurant contests before moving into a top ranking.

Esper's next competition will take place in a few weeks in New Jersey for a pork roll-eating contest.

Christopher Abdelmalek is a sports reporter for the Pueblo Chieftain and can be reached at cabdelmalek@gannett.com or on Twitter: @chowebacca . Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Former champion back on top following 2024 World Slopper Eating Championship in Colorado