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Hickory Hangover

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Hickory Hangover is a competition BBQ team from Madison, Alabama. The team consists of 3 core members: Brian Walker, Jay Honea, and Greg Walker (Brian’s Dad, known as Poppi). Brian and Poppi have competed in Whistlestop, a local bbq competition, every year since 2013. In 2018, Jay attended Whistlestop and hung out with the team. He had a great time, and thought competition bbq looked fun. Brian wanted to start cooking more local competitions, and Jay was looking to get into competition bbq, so they joined forces and have been cooking together ever since. Brian and Jay live less than a mile apart, so they get together frequently and practice their competition recipes. 

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Hickory Hangover competes in 20-30 competitions per year. They primarily cook KCBS (Kansas City BBQ Society) events, but they also cook in the SCA (Steak Cookoff Association) and BCA (BBQ Competitors Alliance) when scheduling permits. 

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Hickory Hangover is coming off a great 2021 season that had several highlights: they won KCBS Backyard Chicken Team of the Year, finished 6th overall against the best cooks in the world at the KCBS World Invitational Open, and won the inaugural Madison Railyard Fest. They’ve won 4 Grand Championships, 5 Reserve Grand Championships, many 1st place categories, and 2 180s (a rare perfect score in Chicken and Pork).

JT Smoke Shack

JT's Smoke Shack is a competitive BBQ team from Athens, AL, that started competitive BBQ in 2010.  The team is made up of 3 members, John Noel, Tim King and Arnie Zayas.  Bill Guyer of Erie, PA is a part time member of the team as well and will usually be able to join us for 1 competition a year.  We do local competitions and typically do 3-4 contests per year.  We have won reserve champion at Whistle Stop in Huntsville, AL, Riverfest in Decatur, AL and Smoke on The Falls in Gadsden, AL.  We are still searching for our first Grand Champion call.

 

We cook because we love to eat and enjoy the fellowship that goes along with good BBQ.

Mad Rocket Barbecue is a competition BBQ team from Huntsville, Alabama. The team consists of 3 members, Justin Crisp, April Crisp, and Anna Crisp. Mad Rocket started competitive BBQ in 2022 making their debut at Smoke on the Falls in Gadsden, Alabama, while receiving a 7th place rib call that hooked them in for the long run.

Mad Rocket Barbecue competes in 10-15 contests a year. Members of the KCBS (Kansas City Barbecue Society) and the ABA (Alabama Barbecue Association).

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Mad Rocket Barbecue has several key highlights since their beginning: 2023 KCBS Backyard Team of the Year Chicken (4th Place), along with three 2023 Grand Championships, one 2023 Reserve Grand Championship, two 2023 PERFECT 180 Cooks (Dessert and Chicken), five Top 3 overall Finishes, ten Top 10 overall finishes, and two Top 10 Kids Que finishes.

Mad Rocket Barbecue

Norala BBQ Team

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Justin & AJ both developed a passion for BBQ by watching BBQ Pitmasters. They both had a long desire to enter the competition world, but due to nervousness and inadequate equipment it wasn’t until a work colleague of AJ’s encouraged him to enter an unsanctioned contest “Smoke on the Sod 2020” that ignited the fuse and desire to compete!

 

In 2021, when the partner couldn't attend "Smoke on the Falls," AJ sought assistance from Justin, then part of "Mighty Meat." Despite Justin's subsequent split from his partner, a decision was made to form a team. A successful practice cook in March solidified their partnership. Now, three years later, they collaborate with another partner, Tevyn Young, as his work schedule permits; (Tevyn is their imaginary teammate, some times other people see him other times only they see him).

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Norala has several key highlights since their beginning: Three years in the KCBS circuit, 2022: 10th place rib team of the year, 2023: 1st place rib team of the year, Four Grand Championships (GC), Four Reserve Grand Championships (RGC), Two chicken category wins, Six rib category wins, and 26 top 5 category calls.

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