Awards
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Competition
I began competing in 1998 – it was the most logical way I knew to meet the most people interested in BBQ.
I was extremely driven to climb the ladder to reach BBQ Champion status. I knew this would be great credentials for Butt Rub®.
Having been a part of the competition world for 21 years (1998-2019) has been a pure joy and a privilege. Traveling all over our great country and the world representing BBQ and our amazing heritage cuisine has been such a gift.
Thank you to the BBQ community, friends and supporters for this amazing journey…so far!
Product Awards
Competition Highlights
- Competed in over 337 BBQ events in 21 states, 19 countries (US, Austria, Switzerland, England, Holland, Germany, Czech Republic, Belgium, Australia, France, Sweden, Norway, Italy, Slovenia, Scotland, Canada, Finland, Ireland, Poland), currently the World Record.
- 2023 American Royal Barbecue Hall of Fame
- Winner of 39 Grand Championships, 25 Reserve Championships, with Grand Championships received in three different decades
- Featured on The Food Network (The Circuit; 2003, Bama-Que; 2006) Original featured BBQ Chef for BBQ AllStars (OLN Network 2005)Original featured Champion on Barbeque Championship Series (VS Network 2006
- 4 time National Category KCBS Champion(Pork 2002, 2007/ Brisket 2003, 2007)
- 7 time Top 10 overall KCBS Champion (2001 – 2007)
- 2017 Jim Beam BBQ Hall of Fame Inductee
- 2015 Gary Wells Sportsmanship Award
- 2006 World Brisket Champion
- 2002 NBBQ News Cook of the Year
- 2001 American Royal Invitational Grand Champion Award featured on Al Rokers BBQ Special, Food Network
Grand Champion
August 2016
Smoke in the North
Gothenburg, Sweden
April 2012
Tony Stone Low & Slow BBQ Competition
Zaandam, Netherlands
October 2011
Jim Beam Barbeque Classic
Springfield, Kentucky
August 2011
Georgia State Championship, Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque
Dillard, Georgia
May 2010
Brushy Creek BBQ Championship
Round Rock, Texas
May 2008
Lakeside Showdown Bar-B-Que Cook-off
Lake Bryan, Texas
July 2007
Up in Smoke BBQ Bash
Mason City, Iowa
March 2007
Hammond Smokin’ Blues & BBQ Challenge
Hammond, Louisiana
May 2006
Oklahoma Joe’s World Brisket Championship
Kansas City, Kansas
April 2006
High on the Hog
Winchester, Tennessee
March 2006
Mitchell Company BBQ Championship & Hog Wild Festival
Mobile, Alabama
August 2005
Georgia State Championship, Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque
Dillard, Georgia
April 2005
High on the Hog
Winchester, Tennessee
August 2004
Kentucky State Championship
Crestwood, Kentucky
January 2003
Florida State Championship
Lakeland, Florida
March 2002
Greater Gulf States BBQ Championship
Mobile, Alabama
August 2001
Amazin’ Blazin’ Tennessee State Championship
Lebanon, Tennessee
March 2001
Beach, Blues, & Barbeque
Flagler Beach, Florida
April 2000
Baker/Charlton Pig Out
St. George, Florida
September 2015
Bohemian Bluegrass & BBQ
Prague, Czech Republic
October 2011
Lyons Barbecue and Music Festival
Lyons, Georgia
August 2011
Madison Ribberfest
Madison, Indiana
July 2011
Grillstock BBQ & Music Festival “King of the Grill” Award
Bristol, England
June 2008
Kiwanis Club Tennessee State BBQ Championship
Lawrenceburg, Tennessee
April 2008
Grilling on the River
Columbus, Mississippi
June 2007
Blue Rdge BBQ Festval
Tryon, North Carolina
Jan 2007
Gator Hammock 7th Annual Wild Pig & Pepper Jam
Felda, Florida
May 2006
Sun Drop Country BBQ Cookoff
Pulaski, Tennessee
March 2006
Smoke at the Rock
Rockingham, North Carolina
Sept 2005
11th Annual Riverfest/Alabama State Championship
Decatur, Alabama
July 2005
South Carolina State Championship Festival of Discovery
Greenwood, South Carolina
December 2004
Christmas on the River
Demopolis, Alabama
July 2003
Pig in the Park Barbecue Festival
Charleston, South Carolina
November 2002
Lions Gulf Coast BBQ
Slidell, Louisiana
October 2001
American Royal/KC Masterpiece International Invitational
Kansas City, Missouri
July 2001
Illinois State Championship
Shannon, Illinois
July 2000
Illinois State Championship
Shannon, Illinois
July 1998
Red White & Que
Greenville, South Carolina
Reserve Grand Champion
June 2016
Camargue BBQ Festival
Saintes Maries de la Mer, France
September 2016
Nordic Alliance Championship
Sweden/Norway
September 2014
Tennessee State Cookville Cookoff
Cookville, TN
August 2011
Pigs & Peaches BBQ festival
Kennesaw, Georgia
Nov 2007
Carolina Smokin’ Fall Fling
Lumberton, North Carolina
April 2006
Pigs in the Garden
Charleston, Missouri
Oct 2005
Leadership Clarksville BBQ
Clarksville, Tennessee
June 2004
Blue Ridge BBQ Festival
Tryon, North Carolina
Nov 2003
Gulf Coast Lions BBQ Festival
Slidell, Louisiana
Aug 2003
Kentucky State Championship
Crestwood, Kentucky
June 2003
10th Annual Blue Ridge BBQ Festival
Tryon, North Carolina
Sept 2002
Riverfest & Alabama State Championship
Decatur, Alabama
June 2000
Barbeqlossal World Pork Expo
Indianapolis, Indiana
Sept 1998
Kentucky State Championship
Louisville, Kentucky
December 2014
Christmas on the River
Demopolis, AL
July 2012
Grillstock BBQ & Music Festival
Lyons, Georgia
Nov 2007
Hog Hapnin’
Shelby, North Carolina
Dec 2006
Christmas on the River
Demopolis, Alabama
Dec 2005
Christmas on the River
Demopolis, Alabama
Jan 2005
Gator Hammock 5th Annual Pig & Pepper Jam
Felda, Florida
Nov 2003
Plant City Pig Jam
Plant City, Florida
Oct 2003
Florida State Championship
Brooksville, Florida
June 2003
Wild Turkey’s 2nd Annual Tennessee State
Lawrenceburg, Tennessee
April 2003
1st Annual River & Spires Barbeque
Clarksville, Tennessee
April 2002
High on the Hog BBQ Competition
Winchester, Tennessee
May 2000
Mississippi State Championship
Benton County, Mississippi
KCBS National Awards
2007
#10 Team on Chicken
#6 Team on Ribs
#1 Team on Pork
#1 Team on Brisket
2nd Runner Up – Team of Year
2006
#5 Team on Chicken
#5 Team on Pork
#8 Team on Brisket
2nd Runner Up – Team of Year
2005
#3 Team on Chicken
#10 Team on Brisket
#13 Team on Pork
3rd Runner Up – Team of the Year
2004
#6 Team on Brisket
#13 Team on Ribs
#13 Team on Chicken
7th Runner Up – Team of the Year
2003
#1 Team on Brisket
#4 Team on Ribs
#8 Team on Chicken
5th Runner Up – Team of the Year
2002
#1 Team on Pork
#2 Team on Brisket
1st Runner Up – Team of the Year
National BBQ News Cook of the Year
2001
#4 Team on Chicken
#2 Team on Pork
6th Runner Up – Team of the Year
Photo Gallery
“While the Worlds of a Culinary Institute of America trained Chef and a BBQ Champion are really quite different, the very best of both Worlds clearly seem to share a common characteristic. Both have that personal involvement in a labor of love that makes their end result so superior.”
– Brian Heinecke, National Barbecue News, 1998
