Every year, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Competition is vast and fierce, and this one was no exception. More than 250 teams entered. This year marked the first time that international teams also competed, with three hailing from Great Britain and Japan.
There can be only one grand champion, though, and that honor went to Bulldog Mountain Cooking Crew 2. Chief cooks for the team were Rick Tatum, Ryan Wade and Mike Wells Jr. Wells’s advice to teams was quoted in a press release from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. He said, “Just love your product, cook it slow and low and never stop trying.”
The Bulldog Mountain Team 2 landed top honors in ribs, and Team 3 scored first runner-up in chicken. Their closest competitors also won multiple awards. The Washington County Go Texan team was first runner-up overall and nailed the top spot in chicken and the Go Texan Best Barbecue award. Second runner-up team, Xtreme Texas Cookers 4, were deemed best in brisket.
The complete list of winners is below.
Overall Grand Champion: Bulldog Mountain Cookin’ Crew 2
First Runner-Up: Washington County Go Texan
Second Runner-Up: Xtreme Texas Cookers 4
Brisket Champion: Xtreme Texas Cookers 4
First Runner-Up: Cool Smoke (2015 Jack Daniel’s Invitational Winner)
Second Runner-Up: Valero Texas Gasoline Alley Cookers 1
Ribs Champion: Bulldog Mountain Cookin’ Crew 2
First Runner-Up: Comcast Business 4
Second Runner-Up: Grills Gone Wild Iowa (2015 American Royal Winner)
Chicken Champion: Washington County Go Texan
First Runner-Up: Bulldog Mountain Cookin’ Crew 3
Second Runner-Up: Damnifino Team 3
Go Texas Best Barbecue: Washington County Go Texan
Runner-Up: Lavaca County Go Texan
Dutch Oven Dessert Champion: Jasper County Go Texan
First Runner-Up: Red’s Young Guns
Second Runner-Up: Refugio County Go Texan
Specialty Awards
Most Colorful Team: Holy Cow Cookers
Runner-Up: Devil’s River Mountain Men
Go Texan Most Colorful Team: Metro Go Texan 4: Road Dog Cookers
Runner-Up: Jasper County Go Texan
Most Unique Pit: Fowl Feathered Cookers
Runner-Up: Lost Village Cooking Team
Best Team Skit: Brazos County Go Texan
Runner-Up: Holy Cow Cookers
Cleanest Team Area: Chevy Cookers
Runner-Up: Limestone County
Go Texan Recycling: Calhoun County
Recycling: Brisket Cases
This article appears in Feb 25 – Mar 2, 2016.