Category: Contest Reports

Oct 03 2026

2026 Byron BBQ Fest-Ribpublicans-Grand Champion

Many many thanks to Selina Hall and the team at the Byron Welcome Center and Byron Convention Center . We were at Beautiful North Peach Park for the 4th Annual Byron BBQ Fest. It was the best one yet! The field was 23 strong and the Byron Community came out strong to support the event! Warren Abrams, along with Jerry and Ewa Belcastro did a fantastic job! You guys are great! Congratulations to Ribpublicans Grand Champion and Reserve Champions Free Smoke BBQ. Congratulations to People’s Choice winner B-Rad’s BBQ and 1st Place Stew Out Smokin’.

Reserve Champion: Free Smoke BBQ

1st Place Pork Ribpublicans; 2nd Place Pop’s Smoke on the Hill; 3rd Place Three Brothers BBQ

1st Place Chicken Total Loss BBQ; 2nd Place Pop’s Smoke on the Hill; 3rd Place 51Que

1st Place Ribs Free Smoke BBQ; 2nd Place Ribpublicans; 3rd Place Big Daddy’s Meat House

Sep 17 2026

2026 Doc Holliday BBQ GBA State Championship-I’m Your Huckleberry BBQ-State and Grand Champions

Congratulations to I’m Your Huckleberry on earning both the Grand Championship and the GBA State Championship and Blue Smoke Q on Reserve Champion.

Congratulations to Shark Bite BBQ on the Brisket State Championship and to Mike Ratterree on the Tony Thurston Award (honorable mention Ford Royal).

Thank you Greg Sebastian and his outstanding Rep Team—Assistant Reps Warren Abrams and Edward Vesely, Scorer Lois Sebastian, and Meat Inspector Jim Dehne. Y’all absolutely killed it this weekend! Thank you for your hard work, professionalism, and dedication to the GBA. Thank you to Will Doss and his team for another outstanding contest.

Reserve Champion: Blue Smoke Q

Loin Results: 1st Place I’m Your Huckleberry BBQ; 2nd Place Rustic Que; 3rd Place Big Slick BBQ

Pork Results: 1st Place Off the Chain BBQ; 2nd Place Quenut BBQ; 3rd Place Blue Smoke Q

Rib Results: 1st Place Big Daddy’s Meat House; 2nd Place Grills Gone Wild; 3rd Place Leron’s BBQ

Brisket Results: 1st Place Shark Bite BBQ; 2nd Place Holy Smokes; 3rd Place The Look and the Cook BBQ

Tony Thurston Award: Mike Ratterree (honorable mention Ford Royal)

May 09 2026

2026-IAW Whoo Wants Smoke BBQ Competition

The GBA was proud to be in Eatonton, GA for the Whoo Wants Smoke BBQ Competition benefiting The Table Foundation, Inc. — and what an incredible event it turned out to be! Thank you Organizer Otis Harrison!

Hosted at St. John AME Church, the day was packed with:
 2 Church Teams
8 IAW Teams
A couple hundred enthusiastic community supporters

Great music
Free health screenings
Kids’ bounce houses Outstanding People’s Choice BBQ

And when the smoke cleared… People’s Choice SOLD OUT! 👏

7 Foot BBQ Giant took home the People’s Choice Award — congratulations on a big win!

Church Division Champion: L & M Barbecue

 IAW Champion: LeRon’s BBQ

 A big thank you to Jerry and Ewa Belcastro for doing a fantastic job as Assistant Reps—you helped make this event run smoothly!

❤️ Great BBQ. Great people. Great cause. That’s what GBA is all about.

Mar 31 2026

2026-Fire Ant Festival-Off the Chain takes Grand Champion

The Fire Ant Festival is in the books! Congratulations to Off the Chain on winning back to back Grand Champions, and Big Baer’s BBQ for winning Reserve Champion. We had 9 different teams making finals. Congratulations to all who walked.

Grand Champion: Off the Chain – (Cooking with Off the Chain -accepting the award Ewa Belcastro)

Reserve Champion: Big Baer’s BBQ

Loin Results: 1st Place-Off the Chain; 2nd Place- Union Street BBQ; 3rd Place- Pig-EEE-licious

Pork Results: 1st Place- Shark Bite BBQ; 2nd Place-Bad Rooster BBQ; 3rd Place- The Look and The Cook

Rib Results: 1st Place- Rustic Que; 2nd Place- Big Baer’s BBQ; 3rd Place Grills Gone Wild

Chicken Results: 1st Place- Flaming Hogs BBQ; 2nd Place- Off the Chain; 3rd Place- Bad Rooster

Mar 31 2026

2026-IAW-Hawkinsville BBQ Cook-Off & Karaoke Contest-5 Teams competed

GBA BRINGS THE HEAT TO HAWKINSVILLE! 

What a weekend at the Hawkinsville BBQ Cook-Off & Karaoke Contest! The Georgia BBQ Association rolled into the Harness Training Center ready to cook, laugh, and make memories—and that’s exactly what happened.

We may have only been five teams strong under the arena, but don’t let the numbers fool you… the flavor, camaraderie, and FUN were off the charts! 

A huge shoutout to our host Aaron Colley for the hospitality and for inviting the GBA to enjoy the Arena! We are hoping to come back even stronger next year! If we do, you want to plan to be there!

👏 And special appreciation to Brian Bond and Jim Dehne for keeping everything running smooth and steady all weekend long.

Chicken Wings Results: 1st Place- Free Smokes BBQ; 2nd Place- Smoke Ring BBQ; 3rd Place- J.Piggy’s BBQ

Pork Results: 1st Place Flaming Hogs BBQ; 2nd Place Free Smoke BBQ; 3rd Place J. Piggy’s BBQ

Brisket Results: 1st Place- Free Smoke BBQ; 2nd Place- Smokin’ AJ’s; 3rd Place- J. Piggy’s BBQ