World Barbecue Championship Automatic Qualifiers Announced

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Posted Jan 31, 2013

The road to the World Food Championships in 2013 is starting to come into focus. The World Food Championships announced today how the best BBQ teams and chili cooks in the world can qualify to compete in the championship finals this fall in Las Vegas.

In addition to the Top 5 overall finishers in the 2012 World Barbecue Championship, the WFC will be sending invitations to the Grand Champions of the following competitions to compete in the World Barbecue Championship:

KANSAS CITY BARBEQUE SOCIETY

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

Lakeland Pig Festival – Lakeland, FL
BBQ Championship & Hog Wild Festival – Mobile, AL
Great Southern Tailgate Cookoff - Amelia Island, FL
Bixby BBQ n Blues Festival - Bixby, OK
Pork in the Park – Salisbury, MD
Dana Point BBQ - Dana Point, CA
Tony Stone Low and Slow – Zanndam, Netherlands
Whistle Stop Festival & Rocket City BBQ – Huntsville, AL
Stagecoach Music Festival BBQ Championship – Indio, CA
Bakersfield’s Biggest Baddest BBQ Championship – Bakersfield, CA
Arizona Barbecue Festival - Scottsdale, AZ
Bloomin’ BBQ & Bluegrass – Sevierville, TN
Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que – Evans, GA
Blue Ridge BBQ Festival – Tryon, NC
Central MD Swinetastic - Frederick, MD
Colorado BBQ Challenge – Frisco, CO
Iowa State BBQ Championship – Marshalltown, IA
Great Lenexa BBQ Battle – Lenexa, KS
Safeway National Capital Barbecue Battle – Washington DC
I Love Barbecue & Music Festival – Lake Placid, NY
Pork & Brew State BBQ Championship – Rio Rancho, NM
SC Festival of Discovery – Greenwood, SC
New Jersey State BBQ Championship – North Wildwood, NJ
Up in Smoke BBQ Bash – Mason City, IA
Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival – Dillard, GA
Santa Anita Park Winners' Circle BBQ Championship - Arcadia, CA
Madison Ribberfest Barbeque and Blues – Madison, IN
Winnipeg Barbecue & Blues Festival – Winnipeg, MB
Wyoming State BBQ Championship – Worland, WY
Smokin’ in Mesquite BBQ Challenge – Mesquite, NV
City of Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival – Bedford, TX
Colorado Pork & Hops Challenge - Grand Junction, CO
Blue Springs Barbeque Blaze Off – Blue Springs, MO
Decatur Jaycees Annual Riverfest – Decatur, AL
Cherokee Strip Cookoff – Ponca City, OK
Murphysboro Barbecue Cook Off – Murphysboro, IL
Roots n Blues n BBQ – Columbia, MO
Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship – Shawnee, KS
Bikes, Blues & BBQ – Fayetteville, AR
American Royal – Kansas City MO (invitational)
American Royal – Kansas City MO (open)
Sam’s Club National Championship – Bentonville, AR
Cherokee Pignic – Canton, GA
Hog Happnin’ – Shelby, NC
The National BBQ Cup – Cumming, GA
Chubby Hubby BBQ Bash - Mesa, AZ
Show Low BBQ Throwdown - Show Low, AZ
Salute to Service BBQ Challenge - Mesa, AZ
Holbrook Ace in the Hole BBQ Cook-off - Holbrook, AZ
Best of the Basin BBQ Championship - Midland, TX
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Region 1 Finals - Hendersonville, TN
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Region 2 Finals - Midwest City, OK
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Region 3 Finals - Rockford, IL
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Region 4 Finals - Las Vegas, NV
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Region 5 Finals - Chesapeake, VA
Char-Broil Pig Bowl - Columbus, GA

INTERNATIONAL BARBEQUE COOKERS ASSOCIATION

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

Smokin’ on the Rio – Mercedes, TX
LaGarto Community BBQ – LaGarto, TX
Traders Village BBQ – Grand Prairie, TX
Terrell Heritage Jubilee, Terrell, TX
Central Texas Roughneck BBQ Cook-off - Luling, TX
Ft Worth Cops 4 Kids – Ft Worth, TX
Montgomery County Fair – Conroe, TX
Central Market's Thrill of the Grill - Plano, TX
TBIPAC BBQ Throwdown – Marksville, LA
Lil Earl's Hometown Throwdown - Marshall, TX
Texas Independence Day Celebration and Cook Off
Party in the Pits – Ponchatoula, LA
West Vol. Fire Dept BBQ – West, TX

MEMPHIS BARBECUE NETWORK

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

MBN Invitational – Columbus, MS
Time Warner Cable BBQ and Blues – Charlotte, NC
Murphysboro Barbecue Cook Off – Murphysboro, IL (MBN GC)
Pigs in Flight - Memphis, TN
Octoberfest - Cleveland, MS
Brenau BBQ Championship - Gainesville, GA (MBN GC)
Statesboro Music Festival/Battle of the BoroQue (MBN GC)

FLORIDA BAR B QUE ASSOCIATION

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

Suncoast BBQ Bash - Venice, FL
Viking Fest BarBCookoff - Ft Myers, FL
Citrus Center Boys & Girls Clubs "Smoke on the Water" BBQ – Winter Haven, FL
Smoke on the Water BBQ and Bluegrass Festival – Thomaston, GA
Barnesville BBQ & Blues Festival – Barnesville, GA
Smokin on the Suwannee BBQ Festival – Live Oak, FL
Old Florida Outdoor Festival – Apopka, FL
Central Florida's BBQ Blowout – Winter Springs, FL

TEXAS GULF COAST BBQ COOKERS ASSOCIATION

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

Hold’em Hit Em Club BBQ Cookoff– Houston, TX
San Antonio Rodeo BBQ Cookoff – San Antonio, TX
Humble Rodeo & BBQ Cookoff– Humble, TX
Texas Gulf Coast BBQ Cookers Association Invitational – Montgomery TX
Pasadena Labor Day Cookoff - Pasadena, TX

PACIFIC NORTHWEST BBQ ASSOCIATION

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

Fire IT Up II - Florence, OR
The Bull's Eye Canadian National Championship – Whistler, BC
Tree Top Skewered Apple BBQ Championship – Selah, WA
Smokin in the Root - Stevensville, MT
Washington State Spring BBQ Championship - Monroe, WA
Cheney Jubilee - Cheney, WA

LONESTAR BARBECUE SOCIETY

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

BBQ & Goat Cook-Off State Championship – Goldthwaite, TX
Winstar World Casino Championship BBQ Cook-off – Winstar, OK
National Championship – Meridian, TX
Melody Oaks Ranch BBQ Cookoff & Music Festival – Pritty, TX
Hill Country BBQ & Chili Cookoff – San Marcos, TX

GEORGIA BARBECUE ASSOCIATION

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

ComSouth Hambone Jam – Ft. Valley, GA
Florida State Championship - Fernandina Beach, FL
Brenau BBQ Championship - Gainesville, GA (GBA GC)
Statesboro Music Festival/Battle of the BoroQue (GBA GC)

SOUTH CAROLINA BBQ ASSOCATION

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

SC Peach Festival – Gaffney, SC
Pig on the Ridge – Ridgeway, SC
Darlington Cookoff - Darlington, SC

SOUTHERN BBQ NETWORK

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

Smoking at the Farmer’s Market – Columbia, SC
Smoke at the Lodge - Summerville, SC
Uniquely Union Invitational - Union, SC

NEW ENGLAND BBQ SOCIETY

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

Polish BBQ Battle - Gardner, MA

CANADIAN SOUTHERN BBQ ASSOCIATION

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

Smoked to the Bone - Ottawa, ON
Q'ing for Life - Kitchener, ON
BBQ Fest Rickard's - Quebec City

MID ATLANTIC BARBECUE ASSOCIATION

Based on the Grand Champion of the following event:

Que and Cruz - Louisa, VA

UTAH BARBECUE ORGANIZATION

Based on the Grand Champion of the following event:

Wild West BBQ Shootout - Wendover, NV

ST LOUIS BBQ SOCIETY

Based on the Grand Champion of the following event:

St. Louis Home fires Wildwood BBQ Bash - Baldwin, MO

INDEPENDENT EVENTS

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest – Houston, TX
Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest– Memphis, TN
Naperville’s Exchange Club’s Ribfest – Naperville, IL
Jazz & Rib Fest – Columbus, OH
Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off – Reno, NV

WFC SPECIAL INVITATIONS

TBD

If a Grand Champion is not able to accept the invitation and participate in The World Food Championships, invitations will be extended to the Reserve Grand (or runner up) of the same competition, and subsequently to the Ribs Champion if necessary. In the event that more than one of these special invitation events are won by the same BBQ team, additional events will be added to the invitation roster.

The WFC will be using the "competitor series" process developed by the Kansas City Barbeque Society for its official rules. This will provide a judging process that is both blind and fair, so that all teams are guaranteed a level playing field. All invited teams who qualify will receive a direct email message from the WFC on how to register and opt into the event.

Additional qualifying events and opportunities will be announced at a later date.

In addition to BBQ and Chili, the World Food Championships will crown champions in five other food categories, culminating in a Final Table showdown with celebrity judges performing an edible elimination. More than 400 competitors from around the world are expected to compete in this year’s event, which will again feature an incredible prize purse and new perks.

Rules for the WFC are subject to change, but all decisions made by the WFC competition committee are final.

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