King of Kovbasa: Martensville butcher crowned top Sask. sausage maker

A crowd of nearly 800 gathered at Saskatoon’s Prairieland Park last week, ready to partake in a beloved tradition that’s as fiercely contested as it is fun.

The air was alive with the sounds of Ukrainian music as dancers twirling in vibrant costumes added to the spectacle. The bar buzzed with energy, and a steady flow of vodka shots topped with sliced pickles kept the crowd’s spirits high.

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Everyone had came together for one purpose – to crown the 2025 King of Kovbasa.

This year marked the 23rd annual King of Kovbasa event, hosted by the Ukrainian Canadian Professional & Business Association of Saskatoon. (The Saskatchewanderer/Submitted)

The evening wasn’t just about tasting sausage — it was about celebrating pride, tradition and a bit of friendly rivalry as well. Winning the coveted title is no easy feat, and the competition was fierce.

“There’s definitely people there that take it very seriously,” Trent Ens said with a grin.

“They get very animated and very upset if their favorite doesn’t win. I’ve actually seen people flip tables over at King of Kovbasa. We saw a guy get taken away in a police car. It gets pretty serious sometimes, and that’s really part of the entertainment.”

Ens, the owner of Smokehaus Meats in Martensville, has competed in every event since 2008.

At first glance, it might seem like something trivial or just a quirky contest. But to Ens and other sausage-makers in the region, King of Kovbasa isn’t just about sausage; it’s about pride.

“There’s no money you can pay to win the King of Kovbasa,” he explained. “You just have to make the best sausage.”

And for the third year in a row, that’s exactly what he has done.

Listen to Ens on Behind the Headlines:

Trent and Tanya Ens of Smokehaus Meats in Martensville took home the crown at the 2025 King of Kovbasa event. This was the pair’s third win in a row, and seventh overall. (The Saskatchewanderer/Submitted)

The competition, hosted by the Ukrainian Canadian Professional & Business Association of Saskatoon, isn’t open to just any kind of sausage. It’s about the craft of making the perfect kovbasa, a specific type of Ukrainian sausage.

“This is a fully cooked sausage,” Ens explained. “It’s pork, sometimes pork with beef added, and sometimes with little chunks of ham in it. The seasonings vary slightly from time to time and place to place.”

But no matter the variations, there are key characteristics that are universal to this beloved sausage.

“It would always be in a hog casing, and it would always be cured and smoked and then fully cooked in the smokehouse so that you can then eat it cold or heat it up however you like,” he said.

Kovbasa, a staple in Ukrainian cuisine, has deep roots in the country’s farming and meat-curing traditions. The name itself is derived from the Ukrainian word for sausage, and its history goes back centuries. Over generations, kovbasa became a symbol of Ukrainian culinary culture. Today, it’s not just a food but a symbol of heritage, craftsmanship and community pride, particularly in places with strong Ukrainian roots like Saskatchewan.

Ens believes the strong ties to Ukrainian heritage are a big part of why people take the annual event so seriously.

“It seems like something that should be frivolous, but it’s not,” he explained.

“And I think that’s just because of where we live. It’s because we’re in Saskatchewan, and it’s because the Ukrainian influence is so extensive here. There’s so many Ukrainians and it’s such a big part of what our culture is. Sausage making gets taken very seriously. And it would be the same as people fighting over whose pierogies or cabbage rolls are better, because you know that happens too!”

Each year, 12 sausage makers from across Saskatchewan contribute their best batches of kovbasa, vying for the coveted title.

Each year, 12 sausage makers from across Saskatchewan contribute their best batches of kovbasa. The crowd votes for their favourite through a blind taste test. (The Saskatchewanderer/Submitted)

The competition uses a blind taste test, ensuring that each sausage is judged purely on its own merits. A tray of sausages numbered is delivered to each table, and attendees vote for their favorites in four categories: appearance, texture, flavour, and overall best. It’s a fair system, designed to let the quality of the sausage shine without bias, and every vote counts.

For the sausage makers, it’s an incredible opportunity to showcase their craft. Ens recalled how Smokehaus Meats was a relatively unknown business when he first entered the contest.

“We probably had 30 customers at the time, my wife and I and one employee,” he said.

“So I don’t know what it was that made them ask us, but the first year we won two of the awards, and as I was walking up to the stage I heard people saying, ‘There’s a butcher shop in Martensville? Since when is there a meat shop in Martensville?’ Nobody had ever heard of us.”

Since then, Ens has seen his business grow extensively. He credits part of that success to the exposure Smokehaus Meats has received from the annual competition.

“People think that the winner gets all kinds of publicity and business, but it’s really everybody. Because everybody’s sitting and eating that sausage, and those people do not go the next day to buy the winner; they go to buy the one they liked. So if you’re competitor, even if you’re not getting first place, you’re still making fans there.”

Kovbasa, a staple in Ukrainian cuisine, has deep roots in the country’s farming and meat-curing traditions. Ens believes Saskatchewan’s strong ties to Ukrainian culture play a big role in the passion people display at the annual King of Kovbasa event. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

While the event provides valuable exposure for all the competitors, at the end of the day everyone’s still aiming for that coveted crown.

Ens recalled some moments in years past when the rivalry has led to a bit of suspicion.

“We’ve had a couple of times where not too far ahead of the event, we’ve had some suspicious-looking people in the store,” he laughed. “Our staff would whisper, ‘I think that’s somebody spying for someone else!’”

Despite these moments of playful tension, Ens believes that for the most part, the competition is all in good fun.

“Most of the sausage makers, we know each other outside of that event. Just because we’re all in the same industry, and the local, small-scale sausage-making business is not a huge industry,” he said. “It’s nice to see each other there. You don’t get to see each other often, because you’re always busy working your butt off in your own store.”

That competition adds to the excitement of the event, but for Ens the key is to balance his competitive drive with good sportsmanship.

“I don’t personally start any fights there,” he said with a laugh. “I don’t scrap with anybody and all that, because I want to be asked to participate again next year. So I’m on my best behaviour there.”

In the end, Ens’ dedication to perfecting his sausage has truly paid off. He has claimed the title of overall King of Kovbasa seven times, including the past three years.

For Ens, being the King of Kovbasa isn’t just about the trophy — it’s the people, the tradition, and the shared experience that make this competition truly unforgettable.