The GBA Florida State Championship Goes to Bubba Grills

The GBA Florida State Championship Goes to Bubba Grills

Tropical Storm Andrea tried to put a damper on GBA Goin’ Coastal in Fernandina Beach, FL, even spawning a tornado that passed near the contest site on Thursday night. Contest organizer Jay Robertson and the City of Fernandina Beach took it all in stride and put on a great contest. Twenty eight teams vied for the GBA’s Florida State Championship. Another 20+ teams were on hand to compete in the Fun Cook and there were numerous vendors and live musical entertainment throughout the day Saturday.

Grand Champions Bubba Grills

Lonnie & Shannon Smith of Bubba Grills took home the state championship banner and the Grand Champion trophy with the top scoring entry in the Ribs finals. This was the third Grand Championship of the current contest year for Bubba Grills.  Another husband & wife team, Kevin & Kerry Sparks of Lawdawg BBQ, captured the Reserve Grand Championship by making finals in both Pulled Pork & Ribs along with 11th place in Loin.

Reserve Grand Champion Lawdawg BBQ

First Place Loin Sauced Hogs Smoke Shack

The Loin category was extremely competitive. Sauced Hogs Smoke Shack continued their strong showing this season taking first place. Anarque came in second place. Third place with to Bethel Smokers. Fourth thru seventh places were separated by only 1.4 points.  Bubba Grills took the fourth place award followed by Smoke Ring Aficionados in fifth place. Pig in a Pokey and Ninja Pig BBQ finished sixth and seventh respectively. Also finishing in the money were Fat Redneck BBQ Co. (8th), Two Smokin’ White Boys (9th) and Smokin’ AJs (10th).

Smokin’ AJs Buster Davis topped the field in Pulled Pork with Sauced Hogs Smoke Shack as runner up. Lawdawg BBQ took third place honors.  Fourth place went to Just Smoke N  Around with Bubba Grills in fifth place.  Bubmeisters edged out Captain Jack’s BBQ Crew for sixth place. Smolkin’ 42 BBQ finished eighth with Two Smokin’ White Boys and Just Pig Out rounding out the top 10.

First Place Pork Smokin’ AJs

Bubba Grills Grand Championship Ribs topped the category. Thomas Henry of Budmeisters came in second place and Lawdawgs BBQ was once again third. There was a tie for fourth place with Two Smokin’ White Boys getting the nod over Munchee’s Smokehouse on the third tiebreaker. Sixth thru tenth place went to (in order) Heavenly Hawgs, Bethel Smokers, Just Pig Out, SWT BBQ & Smokin’ 42 BBQ.

Kason Gray of Wicked Lickin” BBQ Crew

The GBA would like to congratulate 14 year old Pitmaster Kason Gray of Wicked Lickin’ BBQ Crew who was cooking in his first competition and got the 3rd place call in the Fun Cook Ribeye Steak Challenge.

Just one contest remains in the 2012-2013 contest season for the GBA. The finale will be the Pig N Swig BBQ competition held at Powers Pavilion in Newnan, GA on July 12 & 13.  The GBA will take the rest of the summer off before starting a new contest season with the GBA State Championships at the ComSouth Hambone Jam in Fort Valley, GA on Sept 6-7, 2013.

Full results for GBA Goin’ Coastal.  Top three place scores (in red) are final round scores. All other scores are preliminary round scores.