Category: GBA Documents

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 Smokin on Blackshear BBQ & Balloons-Grills Gone Wild-Grand Champion

What a weekend to remember! With 31 Pro Teams and 9 IAW Teams, Blackshear was full of smoke, flavor, laughter—and some incredible hot air balloons lighting up the sky.

A huge thank you to Linda Hawkins and the Veterans State Park crew at Georgia Veterans State Park for hosting such a fantastic event. From the beautiful balloon displays to a well-run cook-off, the entire weekend was first-class.

It was an exciting finish with all three category winners still in contention—and a huge congratulations to Grills Gone Wild on their FIRST EVER Grand Championship! That’s a moment no one there will forget.

Reserve Champion Rustic Que

The quality of food was outstanding, and we were excited to award three 600 stickers in the preliminary round: Loin – Rescue Smokers; Pork – Off the Chain; Pork – Against The Grain

Loin Results: 1st Place Grills Gone Wild; 2nd Place Rustic Que; 3rd Place Rescue Smokers

Pork Results: 1st Place Against the Grain; 2nd Place Off The Chain; 3rd Place Big Daddy’s Meat House

Ribs Results: 1st Place 319 Que; 2nd Place Rustic Que; 3rd Place The Look and The Cook

IAW Results

  • Loin – Meat Show
  • Pork – Almost There BBQ
  • Ribs – Meat Show
  • Best of Blackshear – Meat Show

Oct 02 2025

2025 Bryon BBQ Fest – IAW

The Byron BBQ Fest is officially in the books, and what a wonderful weekend it was!

It was such a joy to see everyone who came out to participate — and especially to reconnect with teams who make this contest their one stop each year. That makes Byron extra special!

A heartfelt thank you to Selina Hall and the Byron Welcome Center for the fabulous hospitality at North Peach Park. We couldn’t have asked for a better setting.

Behind the scenes, Brian Bond and Ewa Belcastro kept the scoring running smoothly, while Edward Vesely stepped up as Assistant Rep, supporting Jerry Belcastro and Jim Dehne as they gained more experience as Rep Trainees. The teamwork made for a smooth and enjoyable weekend all around. Most of all, a big thank you to every single team who fired up their pits, braved the weekend, and made this contest such a fun and spirited event. Your dedication and passion for BBQ are what make gatherings like this so memorable. 

Chicken Results: 1st Place-Dad’s BBQ; 2nd Place-Free Smokers BBQ; 3rd Place-K&E Little Smokers

Pork Results: 1st Place-K&E Little Smokers; 2nd Place-Gittin’ Piggie Widit; 3rd Place-Smokin’ Deez Butts

Ribs Results: 1st Place-Rat Daddy BBQ; 2nd Place-Flyin’ B BBQ; 3rd Place-Heavy Metal Hogz

Stew Results: 1st Place-K&E Little Smokers

THANK YOU to our 2025 Georgia BBQ Association TEAM of the YEAR Sponsors- A BETTER BUILT FENCE CO .& DEXTER MEAT CO

Aug 27 2025

2025 Sylvester Swine Festival – Dad’s BBQ takes Grand Champion

A HUGE thank you to Karen Gaughf Singletary and the City of Sylvester for once again rolling out the red carpet and putting on a stellar event for the Georgia Barbecue Association (GBA) family.
27 incredible teams came ready to battle it out in Loin, Pulled Pork, and Ribs… and if that wasn’t enough, Mother Nature threw in a Friday night monsoon just to test everyone’s grit.
These pitmasters proved they’re tough as nails — this contest was not for the faint of heart!

Grand Champion: Dad’s BBQ

Reserve Champion: The Look and The Cook BBQ

Loin Finals: 1st Place Pig EEEE Liscious; 2nd Place Bite My Butt BBQ; 3rd Place The Look and The Cook BBQ

Pulled Pork Finals: 1st Place Big Butts BBQ; 2nd Place Big Daddy’s Meat House; 3rd Place Real-liscious Q

Rib Finals: 1st Place Dad’s BBQ; 2nd Place The Look and The Cook; 3rd Place Big Daddy’s Meat House

Congratulations to our 2 new Master Judges: John Kelley and Rhonda Hitch

THANK YOU to our 2025 Georgia BBQ Association TEAM of the YEAR Sponsors- A BETTER BUILT FENCE CO .& DEXTER MEAT CO