2022 Hot Pepper Challenge Sees Waters Three-pete
Scenes from 2021’s contest
Three women and five men bravely took the stage for the Nampa Farmers Market Hot Pepper Challenge, Saturday, September 24, 2022.
The annual contest pits contestants against the hottest peppers in the world beginning with relatively low heat peppers like the Aji Ayuyos (1000 to 2000 Scoville Units) Jalapeno (2500 to 8000 Scoville Units) and progressively increases the heat with each pepper.
As they ate the peppers, one by one contestants bowed out, succumbing to the heat storm brewing in their mouths and stomachs.
This year’s contestants made it to the 13th pepper on the list – the Peach Moruga clocking in at 1 million Scoville Units after downing such peppers as the Orange Cream Ghost, Fatali, and Devil’s Tongue.
Previous two-time winner Toby Waters made it a three-pete and collected $300.00 for his efforts.
Rob Houghton took second place winning $200.00 and third place went to Cameron Cox who pocketed $100.00.
Organizer and Board President Bob Wagner said he had 12 more peppers ready to go including the Chocolate Bhutlah (2.1 Million Scoville Units) and the Carolina Reaper (2.2 Million Scoville Units).
After the contest, Waters announced he is retiring from competition, saying, “It’s time to give someone else a chance.”
2021 Winners:
1st Place: Toby Waters
2nd Place Joshua Ast
Third Place Arthur Nephew
2019 Winner:
Toby Waters
Watch video coverage of 2021’s event HERE:
https://www.kivitv.com/news/hot-pepper-eating-contest-wows-crowd-at-the-nampa-farmers-market