Contest Reports – Georgia Barbecue Association

Apr 15 2025

Smokin’ on Blackshear BBQ & Balloon Festival 2025-Rescue Smokers takes Grand Championship

Wow—What a Day at Smokin’ on Blackshear!

The GBA was proud to be part of the Smokin’ on Blackshear BBQ & Balloon Festival at the stunning Georgia Veterans State Park. This year, we had the unique opportunity to run two contests in one, and what a turnout it was!

24 Pro Teams and 10 IAW (In Association With) Teams brought the heat, heart, and flavor. With 9 turn-in windows and 33 hardworking judges, and an outstanding GBA Rep Team that included the Warren’s Warren Phelps And Warren Abrams, and Brian Bond along with assistance Jerry and Ewa Belcastro, we pulled off an incredible day of BBQ magic.

Huge thanks to Linda Hawkins and her amazing organizing team—your hospitality and effort made everything run like clockwork. We’re so grateful for your dedication!

This wasn’t just about the competition—it was about community and camaraderie. Everyone had a blast, and the spirit of BBQ family was strong.

Pro Division Finals

Grand Champion: Rescue Smokers

Reserve Champion: Leron’s BBQ

Loin Results: 1st Place-Rescue Smokers, 2nd Place-Hot Ash Q, 3rd Place Hog Harris

Pork Results: 1st Place-Leron’s BBQ Competition and Catering, 2nd Place-Big Daddy’s BBQ Pit, 3rd Place-Big Butts BBQ

Ribs Results: 1st Place-The Look and the Cook, 2nd Place-Bite My Butt BBQ, 3rd Place-Rescue Smokers

IAW Division Results

Best of Blackshear (IAW Overall Winner): Meat Show

Loin Results: 1st Place Deez Butts, 2nd Place Smokin Aces, 3rd Place Dad Bod Grillin’ Squad

Pork Results: 1st Place-Meat Show, 2nd Midnight Smokin Crew, 3rd Place-Smokin’ Aces

Ribs Results: 1st Meat Show, 2nd Place Midnight Smokin’ Crew, 3rd Deez Butts

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

Apr 15 2025

GBA-DYFCA Spring Fest at Shorty Howell Park

On Saturday, April 5, 2025, the Georgia Barbecue Association (GBA) proudly participated in the DYFCA Spring Fest at Shorty Howell Park in Duluth. The Duluth Youth Football and Cheer Association (DYFCA) hosted this event to raise funds for scholarships that help kids who might not otherwise be able to afford the chance to play football or cheer. What a fantastic cause—and an even better day!

The GBA showed up strong with 11 teams cooking up some incredible chicken and ribs. The competition was fierce, and the flavors were on point!

Chicken Results:

1st Place – Cool Hand Cue, 2nd Place – Off the Chain BBQ, 3rd Place – Zips BBQ

Rib Results:

1st Place – 1909 Mountain Smoke, 2nd Place – Free Smokes BBQ, 3rd Place – Zips BBQ

It was great to head north of Atlanta and give some Metro-area judges a taste of appreciation for all the miles they travel south to support GBA events in Macon and beyond.

It was a proud GBA moment when a few teams refused to accept their prize money and told to the Organizer to pit it in the scholarship fund – you know who you are!

Special shoutout to Brian Bond (Scorer) and Warren Phelps (Assistant Rep)—you two were dialed in and did an outstanding job!

Apr 14 2025

Fire Ant Festival BBQ Bash 2025 – Hold Your Horses takes Grand Championship

The Georgia Barbecue Association was in beautiful Ashburn, Georgia, this weekend for the Annual Fire Ant Festival. This year’s festival theme—“The Greatest ShowAnt”—set the perfect tone for an unforgettable weekend of food, fun, and fierce BBQ competition! The BBQ Bash featured an impressive $12,500 payout for competitors!

Grand Champion – Hold Your Horses BBQ defended their 2024 Fire Ant Festival Grand Championship and kept the title in Pulled Pork! , Yep, Back-to-Back Grand Championships at the Fire Ant Festival!

Reserve Grand Champion – Hog Harris BBQ

THE COMPETITION

A strong field of 33 teams battled it out in the GBA-sanctioned categories: Loin, Pulled Pork, and Ribs. Nine different teams made it to the finals, meaning 28% of the field had a shot at the Grand Championship after the preliminary round!

Loin Results – 1st Place Hog Harris BBQ, 2nd Place Place Meat By The Fire, 3rd Place K&E’s Little Smokers

Pulled Pork Results – 1st Place Hold Your Horses BBQ , 2nd Place Real-Licious Q, 3rd Place The Look and the Cook BBQ

Rib Results – 1st Place Flying B BBQ, , 2nd Place Leron’s BBQ, 3rd Place Hot Ash Q

Brisket Champion – Come ‘n Get It

Kids Burger Challenge Champion – Ella Mizell of Heavy Metal Hogs!

People’s Choice: Leron’s BBQ

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

Mar 21 2025

BACK to BACK Grand Championships for THE LOOK and the COOK BBQ Team with their win at the Firehouse BBQ in Donalsonville, GA

Wow what a weekend! The GBA would like to tip its hat to Tori Gravlee and the Donalsonville DDA for hosting the Firehouse BBQ Festival this past weekend in Donalsonville GA. We had 21 Pro Teams who split over $10,000 in prize money! HUGE THANK YOU to all of the amazing GBA Judges and Reps that made the track down South for some great BBQ. Congratulations to The Look and the Cook on going Back to Back, winning the Grand Championship with their 1st Place Ribs. We would like to give Keith Bowen and the Fish Fry Crew a huge shout out for frying up some of the best Catfish ever, Great Hush Puppies, French fries, and all the other sides and deserts. Thank you to Lisa Oliver O’Neal who coordinated the sides for the Fish Fry. Donalsonville was the first of three

Leron’s BBQ had the most consistent cook of the day pulling off the Reserve Grand Championship.

LOIN CATEGORY

Bite My Butt BBQ took 1st Place in Loin, Flying Pig BBQ was 2nd Place Loin, and Shark Bite BBQ pulled in 3rd Place Loin.

PORK CATEGORY

1st Place Pork was Big Daddy’s BBQ Pit, almost destroying that poor table, 2nd Place Pork was Leron’s BBQ, and 3rd Place Pork Com’n Get It.

RIB CATEGORY

1st Place Rib The Look and the Cook, 2nd Place Rib Rescue Smokers, and 3rd Place Rib Big Daddy’s Meat House.

Loin, Pork, & Rib Category Results

Reserve Grand Scoring

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

If you’re looking for quality in your fencing needs, look no further than A Better Built Fence company. They install both residential and commercial fencing, serving the entire metro Atlanta area.

Dexter Meats is your go-to shop for quality meats, whether you’re competing on the circuit or in your backyard! They also offer ready made meals, and can cater any size gathering.

Also thanks to our 2025 Product Sponsors:

Mike’s Garage Doors – Need an overhead door? Got one that needs a little work? Call Mike Ratterree to schedule an appointment.

Bubba Grills – looking to upgrade your cooking game? A Bubba grill is definitely the way to go.

Sunflower Apparel and Promotions – If you’re in the market for team shirts, hats, aprons, etc.

Mar 03 2025

2025 Tifton Rhythm & Ribs BBQ Grand Champions – “The Look & The Cook BBQ”

The 12th Annual Tifton Rhythm & Ribs BBQ Festival at Fullwood Park in Tifton, GA was nothing short of spectacular—truly a “Party in the Pines”! The weather was perfect, setting the stage for an unforgettable weekend filled with coast-to-coast music, mouthwatering food, incredible craft vendors, a thrilling dog show, engaging cooking demonstrations, a spirited kids’ cook-off, multiple ancillary competitions, and some of the best BBQ action around!

With 34 Backyard Teams and 34 GBA Pro BBQ Teams, the competition was fierce, but the camaraderie was even stronger. The dedicated, welcoming, and hard-working Team in Tifton, Georgia, made sure this event was one for the books!

GRAND CHAMPION was The Look and The Cook BBQ (Winning with their Amazing Ribs Scoring a 593.7!) Squeezing out the win over the 1st Place Loin (592.6) and the 1st Place Pork(592.4).

RESERVE CHAMPION was 319Q edging out the Rescue Smokers by 2.4 points.

LOIN CATEGORY

1st Place Loin – Shark Bite BBQ (scoring a perfect 600 in the prelims!), 2nd Place Loin – 319Q, and 3rd Place Loin – Rescue Smokers.

PULLED PORK CATEGORY

1st Place Pork – Pig-eee-licious (scoring a perfect 600 in the prelims!), 2nd Place Pork – Smokey Mountain BBQ (with a perfect 600 in the prelims!, in their first ever GBA event!), 3rd Place Pork – The Look and The Cook BBQ.

RIBS CATEGORY

1st Place Ribs – The Look and The Cook BBQ, 2nd Place Ribs – 319Q, and 3rd Place Ribs – Big Daddy’s Meat House.

Finals Notifications

Category Results

Reserve Scoring

A huge THANK YOU to all the teams, judges, vendors, volunteers, and the amazing citizens of Tifton for making this event a BBQ lover’s dream come true! We can’t wait to do it all again next year!

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

Also thanks to our 2025 Product Sponsors:

Mike’s Garage Doors – Need an overhead door? Got one that needs a little work? Call Mike Ratterree to schedule an appointment.

Bubba Grills – looking to upgrade your cooking game? A Bubba grill is definitely the way to go.

Sunflower Apparel and Promotions – If you’re in the market for team shirts, hats, aprons, etc.

Category: Contest Reports

Smokin’ on Blackshear BBQ & Balloon Festival 2025-Rescue Smokers takes Grand Championship

GBA-DYFCA Spring Fest at Shorty Howell Park

Fire Ant Festival BBQ Bash 2025 – Hold Your Horses takes Grand Championship

BACK to BACK Grand Championships for THE LOOK and the COOK BBQ Team with their win at the Firehouse BBQ in Donalsonville, GA

2025 Tifton Rhythm & Ribs BBQ Grand Champions – “The Look & The Cook BBQ”