Category: updates

Mar 28 2016

Lang BBQ Smokers Tops Tough Field at Fire Ant Festival BBQ Bash

Virtually all of the top teams in the Georgia Barbecue Association (GBA) along with several heavy hitters from Florida made their way to Ashburn, GA for the 2016 edition of the Fire Ant Festival BBQ Bash. The 35 teams had to contend with off and on rain throughout the weekend. Still, the judges had to work really hard as the ‘Que was outstanding. It was the finals round judges, however, who had the toughest (& best) job of the day; judging the top three entries in each category.

The Fire Ant Festival has become known for having among the biggest trophies in all of BBQ. The chain saw carved awards for Grand, Reserve and 1st place in each category each topped 100 lbs.

When it came time for the last call of the day, only two teams were still in the hunt for the Grand Championship. Thomas Henry of Budmeisters BBQ had won both the Loin & Pulled Pork categories. Lang BBQ Smokers, led by Darryl Strickland, was the top team in Ribs. The final tally gave the edge to Ribs and Lang BBQ Smokers took home the Grand Championship trophy & a $2500 check.

Grand Champion – Lang BBQ Smokers

Bull Rush BBQ, Pitmaster Bryan Mroczka, took 4th place in both Loin & Ribs plus 8th in Pulled Pork to accumulate the highest cumulative score in the preliminary rounds and the Reserve Grand Championship.

Reserve Grand Champion – Bull Rush BBQ

1st Loin – Budmiestes BBQ

Budmeisters topped the field in Loin. Ashburn’s own Raymond Poore of REAL-Licious Q took 2nd with CaJenn Smokin Que coming in 3rd place. CaJenn, led by Billy Jennings, had a perfect 600 score in the Loin preliminaries. Bull Rush BBQ grabbed 4th place followed by Real South BBQ in 6th and Hard Rock Hill BBQ in 7th place. Eighth place went to Killer Swine BBQ in a tiebreaker over Smokin 42 BBQ Tenth place went to Rescue Smokers.

1st Pulled Pork – Budmeisters BBQ

In Pulled Pork, it was once again Budmeisters BBQ getting to 1st place call. Barbecue Crew was runner up with Fixin 2 Pork Q in 3rd place. Real South BBQ earned the 4th place award. Smokin 42 BBQ grabbed 5th place; Raging Smoke BBQ grabbed 6th and Bubba Grills took 7th place. Bull Rush BBQ walked in 8th place. Dixie Que edged Double D Cooking team by 0.3 of a point for 9th place.

Lang BBQ Smokers Grand Champion Ribs topped the category with Bubba Grills taking 2nd place and Rescue Smokers taking 3rd. Bull Rush BBQ got their second call for 4th place. Just Blowing Smoke won the tiebreaker over Hootie Q for 5th place. Fixin 2 Pork Q walked in 7th place. REAL-Licious Q edged Southern Tailgates for 8th place by .03 of a point. Barbecue Crew rounded out the top 10.

Brisket Challenge – Captain Jack’s Freedom BBQ Team

The contest held a special Brisket Challenge with 22 of the teams in the field participating. Jack Fallin and Captain Jack’s Freedom BBQ Team notched a perfect 600 score to win the Brisket Challenge. They had to be perfect to win, because Lang BBQ Smokers took 2nd place with a score of 599.7. Bull Rush BBQ added to their big day with a 3rd place finish. Raging Smoke BBQ took 4th place and Poverty Hill Smokers came in 5th place.

The GBA was very proud to be back at the Fire Ant Festival & thanks all the fantastic volunteers who worked extremely hard to keep everything flowing smoothly. The GBA looks forward to being back in Ashburn in 2017.

Final Standings: 1st, 2nd & 3rd place scores are from finals rounds. All other scores are preliminary round scores.

		LOIN			PULLED PORK			RIBS
1	598.2	Budmeisters BBQ	1	596.9	Budmeisters	1	598.8	Lang BBQ Smokers
2	594.4	Real-Licious Q	2	596.4	Barbeque Crew	2	595.8	Bubba Grills
3	591.8	Cajenn Smokin Que	3	591.9	Fixin2 Pork Q	3	588.7	Rescue Smokers
4	599.4	Bull Rush BBQ	4	598.8	Real South BBQ	4	598.2	Bull Rush BBQ
5	598.8	Real South BBQ	5	597.9	Smokin 42	5	596.11	Just Blowing Smoke
6	598.5	Hard Rock Hill BBQ	6	597	Raging Smoke BBQ	6	596.1	Hootie Q
7	595.8	Bubba Grills	7	595.1	Bubba Grills	7	595.5	Fixin’2 Pork Q
8	595.11	Killer Swine BBQ	8	594.6	Bull Rush BBQ	8	594.6	REAL-Licious Q
9	595.1	Smokin 42	9	593.3	Dixie Que	9	594.3	Southern Tailgates
10	594.5	Rescue Smokers	10	593	Double D Cooking Team	10	593.4	Barbeque Crew
11	594.2	Poverty Hill Smokers	11	591.6	Capt. Jack’s Freedom BBQ	11	592.1	Poverty Hill Smokers
12	593.3	Generations BBQ	12	591.6	Buffalo Tucks Comp. Team	12	591.5	Bite My Butt BBQ
13	589.3	Raging Smoke BBQ	13	590.6	Hootie Q	13	591.5	92 BBQ
14	589	Capt. Jack’s Freedom BBQ	14	589.3	Just Blowing Smoke	14	589.7	Dixie Que
15	587.6	Double D Cooking Team	15	589.2	Forget Me Not BBQ	15	588.6	Killer Swine BBQ
16	587.2	Barbeque Crew	16	588.1	Rescue Smokers	16	588.5	Smokin 42
17	586.6	Ole Sparky’s BBQ	17	587.9	REAL-Licious Q	17	588.3	Real South BBQ
18	586.2	Fixin’2 Pork Q	18	586.7	Generations BBQ	18	586.7	Smoke Show
19	585.9	Southern Hogs	19	586.6	Hard Rock Hill BBQ	19	586.6	Budmeisters BBQ
20	585.6	Southern Tailgates	20	585	Lang BBQ Smokers	20	586.5	Southern Hogs
21	583.6	Just Blowing Smoke	21	584.1	Bite My Butt BBQ	21	586.5	Ole Sparky’s BBQ
22	581.4	Vienna Volunteer Fire Dept.	22	583	Southern Hogs	22	586.4	Buffalo Tucks Comp. Team
23	580.3	Smokaholics	23	582.7	Smoking Outlaws	23	586.2	Raging Smoke BBQ
24	578.1	Smoking Outlaws	24	582	Smokaholics	24	585.4	Cajenn Smokin Que
25	576.4	92 BBQ	25	581.4	Ole Sparky’s BBQ	25	584	Hard Rock Hill BBQ
26	575.8	Hootie Q	26	581.1	Vienna Volunteer Fire Dept.	26	583.3	Smoking Outlaws
27	574.6	Forget Me Not BBQ	27	580.1	BIG Ox Barbecue	27	583.2	Forget Me Not BBQ
28	573.6	All American BBQ	28	579	All American Smokers	28	583	Johnson Boys BBQ
29	571.4	Dixie Que	29	578.7	92 BBQ	29	581.7	All American Smokers
30	571.3	Buffalo Tucks Comp. Team	30	578.4	Southern Tailgates	30	575.4	Capt. Jack’s Freedom BBQ
31	569.1	Lang BBQ Smokers	31	577.5	Johnson Boys BBQ	31	574.2	Vienna Volunteer Fire Dept.
32	568.8	Johnson Boys BBQ	32	577.4	Cajenn Smokin Que	32	573.2	Generations BBQ
33	563.2	Bite My Butt BBQ	33	576.3	Killer Swine BBQ	33	568.2	Smokaholics
34	562.6	BIG Ox Barbecue	34	574.8	Smoke Show	34	567.2	Double D Cooking Team
35	0	Smoke Show	35	572.5	Poverty Hill Smokers	35	560.6	BIG Ox Barbecue

Reserve Scores: Preliminary round scores only

		Loin	Pulled	Ribs	Total
1	Bull Rush BBQ	599.4	594.6	598.2	1792.2
2	Bubba Grills	595.8	595.1	599.7	1790.6
3	Real South BBQ	598.8	598.8	588.3	1785.9
4	Budmeisters BBQ	599.4	599.7	586.6	1785.7
5	Rescue Smokers	594.5	588.1	599.7	1782.3
6	REAL-Licious Q	599.7	587.9	594.6	1782.2
7	Smokin 42	595.1	597.9	588.5	1781.5
8	Fixin’2 Pork Q	586.2	599.1	595.5	1780.8
9	Barbeque Crew	587.2	599.7	593.4	1780.3
10	Raging Smoke BBQ	589.3	597.0	586.2	1772.5
11	Hard Rock Hill BBQ	598.5	586.6	584.0	1769.1
12	Just Blowing Smoke	583.6	589.3	596.1	1769.0
13	Cajenn Smokin Que	600.0	577.4	585.4	1762.8
14	Hootie Q	575.8	590.6	596.1	1762.5
15	Killer Swine BBQ	595.1	576.3	588.6	1760.0
16	Poverty Hill Smokers	594.2	572.5	592.1	1758.8
17	Southern Tailgates	585.6	578.4	594.3	1758.3
18	Capt. Jack’s Freedom BBQ	589.0	591.6	575.4	1756.0
19	Southern Hogs	585.9	583.0	586.5	1755.4
20	Ole Sparky’s BBQ	586.6	581.4	586.5	1754.5
21	Dixie Que	571.4	593.3	589.7	1754.4
22	Generations BBQ	593.3	586.7	573.2	1753.2
23	Lang BBQ Smokers	569.1	585.0	599.1	1753.2
24	Buffalo Tucks Comp. Team	571.3	591.6	586.4	1749.3
25	Double D Cooking Team	587.6	593.0	567.2	1747.8
26	Forget Me Not BBQ	574.6	589.2	583.2	1747.0
27	92 BBQ	576.4	578.7	591.5	1746.6
28	Smoking Outlaws	578.1	582.7	583.3	1744.1
29	Bite My Butt BBQ	563.2	584.1	591.5	1738.8
30	Vienna Volunteer Fire Dept.	581.4	581.1	574.2	1736.7
31	All American Smokers	573.6	579.0	581.7	1734.3
32	Smokaholics	580.3	582.0	568.2	1730.5
33	Johnson Boys BBQ	568.8	577.5	583.0	1729.3
34	BIG Ox Barbecue	562.6	580.1	560.6	1703.3
35	Smoke Show	0.0	574.8	586.7	1161.5

Dec 04 2015

GBA Judge Training Class

The GBA will hold a Judge Training Class on Jan 23 in Fort Gaines, GA. The cost of the class is $35 & is limited to 54 registrants. You must be a GBA member to take the class. If you are not already a member, please complete the online membership application on the GBA website before signing up for the class.

To register for the class, click on the Events tab on the top menu & scroll to the class announcement.

Nov 01 2015

Holy Smokes Has The Wiggle & Twist To Win Johnson Co.

The first Johnson Co. Wiggle & Twist Festival included a Georgia Barbecue Association (GBA) competition. The unique festival name pays tribute to the old Wrightsville & Tennille Railroad. The old rail route had such a winding path that it picked up the nickname “Wiggle & Twist”. The festival and contest were held at the Wrightsville American Legion Post along with the Johnson Co. Chamber of Commerce. A large crowd turned to enjoy the sights & sounds of the BBQ competition; lots of vendors & great music. Holy Smokes, Gary & Dion Lanton, from nearby Dublin won both the Pulled Pork & Rib categories to claim the Grand Championship.

Grand Champion – Holy Smokes

Tifton’s Smokin’ 42 BBQ had a 599.7 preliminary score in Loin along with a 6th place in Pulled Pork and 7th place in Ribs to win the Reserve Grand Championship.

Reserve Champion – Smokin’ 42 BBQ

1st Loin – Bubba Grills

In the Loin finals, Bubba Grills edged Rescue Smokers by just 0.4 of a point to win the category. Smokin’ 42 BBQ finished third. The competition was close throughout the field as there was a 3 way tie for 4th place between Fiddlers BBQ, CaJenn Smokin Q and H & J Cooking Team. Fiddlers BBQ won the tiebreaker to take 4th place. CaJenn then won the next tiebreaker for 5th and H & J took 6th place. Georgia Boys claimed 7th place just ahead of Johnson Boys BBQ in 8th. Ninth place went to Real South BBQ and Holy Smokes got the 10th place call.

The Pulled Pork finals was almost as close as the Loin finals. Holy Smokes won the category by only 0.8 of a point over Real South BBQ. Old Henry’s BBQ may have gotten the loudest ovation of the day with their 3rd place call. The BBQ Ninja took 4th place; Georgia Boys took 5th and Smokin’ 42 BBQ took 6th place. Southern Hogs edged Bubba Grills for 7th place by 0.3 of a point. CaJenn Smokin’ Q and H & J Cooking Team finished 9th & 10th respectively.

Holy Smokes Grand Championship winning Ribs topped the category. Fiddler’s BBQ was the runner up. Fat Daddy P’s BBQ, in the first competition, got the 3rd place call. Rescue Smokers grabbed 4th place with The BBQ Ninja in 5th. Sixth place went to H & J Cooking Team with 7th place going to Smokin’ 42 BBQ. Real South BBQ took 8th place. Johnson Boys BBQ walked in 9th place and Bubba Grills rounded out the top 10.

In the Cooking for Fun Division, Mama’s Que & Stew won the Pulled Pork category with Big Papa BBQ in 2nd & Smokin’ Snowballs in 3rd. In Cooking for Fun Ribs, Big Papa BBQ walked last. Master Basters took 2nd and Smokin’s Snowballs, again, took 3rd place.

Cooking For Fun Pork – Mama’s Que & Stew

Cooking for Fun Ribs – Big Papa’s BBQ

The GBA thanks all the coordinators and volunteers of the Johnson Co. Wiggle & Twist for their outstanding hospitality including a delicious Friday evening welcome dinner for all the teams & GBA officials. The group put on a great first year event & the GBA is looking forward to returning next year.

Full Results: (note in the GBA standings 1st, 2nd & 3rd place scores are from the finals round. All other scores are from the preliminary rounds.)

		LOIN			PULLED PORK			RIBS
1	595.4	BUBBA GRILLS	1	597.9	HOLY SMOKES	1	599.4	HOLY SMOKES
2	595	RESCUE SMOKERS	2	597.1	REAL SOUTH BBQ	2	594.6	FIDDLERS BBQ
3	594.2	SMOKIN’ 42 BBQ	3	587.9	OLD HENRY’S BBQ	3	589.7	FAT DADDY P’S BBQ
4	591.2	FIDDLERS BBQ	4	592.2	THE BBQ NINJA	4	594.8	RESCUE SMOKERS
5	591.2	CAJENN SMOKING Q	5	591.5	GEORGIA BOYS	5	591.9	THE BBQ NINJA
6	591.2	H & J COOKING TEAM	6	589.9	SMOKIN’ 42 BBQ	6	590.6	H & J COOKING TEAM
7	585.9	GEORGIA BOYS	7	587.5	SOUTHEN HOGS	7	588.7	SMOKIN’ 42 BBQ
8	582	JOHNSON BOYS BBQ	8	587.2	BUBBA GRILLS	8	584.5	REAL SOUTH BBQ
9	580.9	REAL SOUTH BBQ	9	586.6	CAJENN SMOKING Q	9	582.3	JOHNSON BOYS BBQ
10	579	HOLY SMOKES	10	585	H & J COOKING TEAM	10	581.2	BUBBA GRILLS
11	576.6	OLD HENRY’S BBQ	11	582.6	RESCUE SMOKERS	11	580.4	OLD HENRY’S BBQ
12	571.5	SOUTHEN HOGS	12	581.7	FAT DADDY P’S BBQ	12	578.7	SOUTHEN HOGS
13	570.5	THE BBQ NINJA	13	576.8	FIDDLERS BBQ	13	573.8	CAJENN SMOKING Q
14	562.7	FAT DADDY P’S BBQ	14	567.2	JOHNSON BOYS BBQ	14	558.8	GEORGIA BOYS

		Loin	Pulled	Ribs	Total
1	SMOKIN’ 42 BBQ	599.7	589.9	588.7	1778.3
2	HOLY SMOKES	579.0	598.8	598.8	1776.6
3	RESCUE SMOKERS	599.1	582.6	594.8	1776.5
4	H & J COOKING TEAM	591.2	585.0	590.6	1766.8
5	BUBBA GRILLS	595.8	587.2	581.2	1764.2
6	FIDDLERS BBQ	591.2	576.8	595.8	1763.8
7	REAL SOUTH BBQ	580.9	595.2	584.5	1760.6
8	OLD HENRY’S BBQ	576.6	598.8	580.4	1755.8
9	THE BBQ NINJA	570.5	592.2	591.9	1754.6
10	CAJENN SMOKING Q	591.2	586.6	573.8	1751.6
11	FAT DADDY P’S BBQ	562.7	581.7	595.7	1740.1
12	SOUTHEN HOGS	571.5	587.5	578.7	1737.7
13	GEORGIA BOYS	585.9	591.5	558.8	1736.2
14	JOHNSON BOYS BBQ	582.0	567.2	582.3	1731.5

Cooking For Fun:

		PULLED PORK			RIBS
1	591.5	MAMA’S QUE & STEW	1	589.8	BIG PAPA BBQ
2	589.8	BIG PAPA BBQ	2	584.2	MASTER BASTERS
3	587.5	SMOKING SNOWBALLS	3	579.4	SMOKING SNOWBALLS
4	575.7	MASTER BASTERS	4	576	SPANK YO BUTT BBQ
5	0	SPANK YO BUTT BBQ	5	573	MAMA’S QUE & STEW

May 24 2015

A Grand Time in Fort Gaines for Dobey Q

The Fort Gaines 200 committee pulled out all stops for an amazing contest in the 1st Annual White Oak Pastures BBQ Challenge. It all started with a beautiful venue on the banks of the Chattahoochee River. The Challenge stepped up a notch when White Oak Pastures presented the People’s Choice competitors with their pasture raised chickens for the contest. Smoke over Bluffton won both the People’s Choice and the BBQ Queen’s choice with their pulled chicken

In the GBA competition, David Hair & Dobey Q’s pulled pork finals entry edges out the rib box of 92 BBQ/Assassin Smokers by 0.6 of a point for the Grand Championship. That was a testament of how competitive the contest as for the first time in anyone’s memory, 9 different teams made the finals round in the three GBA categories.

Grand Champion – Dobey Q

Just Blowing Smoke – Robin & Amy Bowles and Rick Goldstien – made finals in Ribs while also taking 4th place in Loin and 5th place in Pulled Pork to take home the Reserve Champiionship.

Reserve Champion – Just Blowing Smoke

First Place Loin – CaJenn Smokin Que

CaJenn Smokin Que continued their recent hot streak by winning the Loin category. I Go Low & Slow, cooking in their first GBA event, took 2nd place while Real South BBQ took 3rd place. Fourth place went to Just Blowing Smoke with 5th place going to Fiddler’s BBQ. Rib Ticklers captured 6th place followed by Dobey Q in 7th and LawDawgs BBQ in 8th place. Ninth went to 29 BBQ and 10th went to 92 BBQ/Assassin Smokers.

Dobey Q led field in Pulled Pork with Fiddlers BBQ as runner-up and H & J Cooking Team coming in 3rd place. 92 BBQ/Assassin Smokers won the 4th tiebreaker over Just Blowing Smoke for 4th place. The sixth place call with to McDaniels Pit Stop BBQ with the 7th place call going to Real South BBQ. Rib Ticklers took 8th place with 29 BBQ taking 9th and Old Henry’s BBQ rounding out the top ten.

First Place Ribs – 92 BBQ/Assassin Smokers

The best Ribs of the day went to 92 BBQ/Assassin Smokers. Just Blowing Smoke took second. McDaniels Pit Stop BBQ made the Rib finals in their first professional contest and came in 3rd place. Old Henry’s BBQ walked in 4th place and Fiddler’s BBQ grabbed fifth. Rib Ticklers took 6th place, Chattahoochee Smoke took 7th place and Real South BBQ took 8th place. 29 BBQ and Dobey Q finished 9th and 10th respectively.

The GBA is looking forward to a return trip to Fort Gaines in 2016. The GBA will take a few weeks off the conclude the 2014-2015 contest season with the Brookhaven BBQ Bash on Fourth of July weekend.

Full Results: (1st, 2nd & 3rd place scores are from finals rounds. All others are preliminary round scores. )

		LOIN			PULLED PORK			RIBS
1	596.2	CaJenn Smokin Que	1	597.9	Dobey Q	1	597.3	92 BBQ/Assassin Smokers
2	594.3	I Go Low & Slow	2	594.5	Fiddler’s BBQ	2	596.1	Just Blowing Smoke
3	591.5	Real South BBQ	3	589.6	H & J Cooking Team	3	588.6	McDaniels Pit Stop BBQ
4	592.5	Just Blowing Smoke	4	589.31	92 BBQ/Assassin Smokers	4	586.9	Old Henry’s BBQ
5	590.1	Fiddler’s BBQ	5	589.3	Just Blowing Smoke	5	586.3	Fiddler’s BBQ
6	588.8	Rib Ticklers	6	587.3	McDaniels Pit Stop BBQ	6	586.02	Rib Ticklers
7	586	Dobey Q	7	586.9	Real South BBQ	7	586.01	Chattahoochee Smoke
8	583.3	Law Dawgs	8	585.7	Rib Ticklers	8	586	Real South BBQ
9	578.7	29 BBQ	9	582.4	29 BBQ	9	585.8	29 BBQ
10	576.5	92 BBQ/Assassin Smokers	10	582.3	Old Henry’s BBQ	10	585.7	Dobey Q
11	576.3	Smokey Times	11	582.1	Law Dawgs	11	582.4	Knawty-Hawg
12	576.2	McDaniels Pit Stop BBQ	12	582	Blue Smoke BB	12	575.1	Law Dawgs
13	574.3	Hi I Que	13	579.9	CaJenn Smokin Que	13	574.7	Smokey Times
14	573.3	Chattahoochee Smoke	14	577.3	Smokey Times	14	573.6	CaJenn Smokin Que
15	572.5	Knawty-Hawg	15	571.8	Chattahoochee Smoke	15	569.4	I Go Low & Slow
16	571.3	H & J Cooking Team	16	571	Hi I Que	16	565.7	H & J Cooking Team
17	570.5	Blue Smoke BB	17	563.2	Smoke Over Bluffton	17	563.2	Smoke Over Bluffton
18	565.5	Smoke Over Bluffton	18	562.3	I Go Low & Slow	18	561.7	Blue Smoke BB
19	561.9	Old Henry’s BBQ	19	0	Knawty-Hawg	19	557.6	Hi I Que

	Reserve Scores	Loin	Pulled	Ribs	Total
1	Just Blowing Smoke	592.5	589.3	590.6	1772.4
2	Fiddler’s BBQ	590.1	594.8	586.3	1771.2
3	Real South BBQ	597.6	586.9	586	1770.5
4	Dobey Q	586	590.2	585.7	1761.9
5	Rib Ticklers	588.8	585.7	586.02	1760.52
6	McDaniels Pit Stop BBQ	576.2	587.3	596.4	1759.9
7	92 BBQ/Assassin Smokers	576.5	589.31	590.6	1756.41
8	CaJenn Smokin Que	594.5	579.9	573.6	1748
9	29 BBQ	578.7	582.4	585.8	1746.9
10	Law Dawgs	583.3	582.1	575.1	1740.5
11	H & J Cooking Team	571.3	594.3	565.7	1731.3
12	Chattahoochee Smoke	573.3	571.8	586.01	1731.11
13	I Go Low & Slow	599.4	562.3	569.4	1731.1
14	Old Henry’s BBQ	561.9	582.3	586.9	1731.1
15	Smokey Times	576.3	577.3	574.7	1728.3
16	Blue Smoke BB	570.5	582	561.7	1714.2
17	Hi I Que	574.3	571	557.6	1702.9
18	Smoke Over Bluffton	565.5	563.2	563.2	1691.9
19	Knawty-Hawg	572.5	0	582.4	1154.9

Apr 21 2015

GBA Election Update

2015 is an election year for the Georgia Barbecue Association (GBA). The offices of President and Vice President are up for vote. The election will be for 2 year term beginning September 2015. The candidate qualifying period for these offices closed on April 15, 2015. The following have qualified to seek office in the upcoming election:

President – Danny Meadows (Incumbent); Scotty Lawson

Vice President – Jim Sewell (Incumbnent)

Voting will be conducted online via the GBA website — www.bbqga.com. The voting period will be from June 1 to June 10, 2015. Only current, active members may vote. A link to the voting page will be posted on the website when voting opens.

Congratulations to the candidates & best of luck