Alabama Barbecue Association

10/03/2026

Congratulations to ABA members Barking Pig BBQ on making finals in pork and whole hog at Arlington today. Bring home that GC team.




Just got a visit from TWO golf carts! Barking Pig is one of the 3 finalists in Whole Hog AND Pulled Pork at the Arlington BBQ Burn-Out! Our first Whole Hog competition! More good juju our way needed! We get a visit from the judges (twice) for Part 2 later this afternoon. And we haven't even turned in ribs yet!

09/27/2026

Congratulations Barking Pig BBQ on knocking the rust off at Sizzle and Smoke. Great to see you guys visiting AL !

09/26/2026

Congratulations to ABA members LeelaQ for making finals in MBN ribs at Praise The Lard!!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Hoc8zWKPE/?mibextid=wwXIfr

09/20/2026

2026 – 2027 Alabama Barbecue Association Officers & Board of Directors

Garreth Price - President
Cody Howard - Vice President
Brian Godsy - Secretary
Bill French - Treasurer
Don Byford - Member Liaison
Michael Slaten - Director of Communications
Spencer Mobley
Shanon Graham
Gene Skillin

09/17/2026

Let’s welcome another organizer to the ABA team.
Thank you Leah for joining.

Here’s your chance to not only earn bonus points on steak and ribs but a chance at those coveted Golden Tickets to Steak Cookoff Association Worlds in Pensacola FL in March.
#𝐈𝐫𝗼𝐧𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐈𝐫𝗼𝐧

09/14/2026

Alabama Barbecue Association: https://www.alabamabbq.org

Mike Gannon BBQ Cookoff (Professional & Backyard): https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14kH4xL2RqX/?mibextid=wwXIfr

The Butcher’s Smoke & Flames Barbeque Cookoff (Backyard Only): http://www.butchersmokeandflames.com/

08/06/2026

Best of luck to Dang Good BBQ Competition Team on the Jack draw today! We are all pulling for you!!

07/31/2026

The votes are in!

First and foremost, we’d like to extend a sincere thank you to every ABA member who took the time to vote in this year’s board election. We had an outstanding 63% voter turnout, and we’re incredibly proud to see so many members actively engaged in the future of our association.

The margins were very tight, which speaks to the quality of every candidate. After the votes were counted, the three candidates elected to fill the vacant ABA Board seats are:

🥇 Don Byford – Wee Daddy’s BBQ
KCBS Judge, Organizer, and Cook

🥇 Michael “Sloth” Slaten – Lenox and Son
KCBS & SCA Cook Team and Judge

🥇 Cody Howard – Rollin Smoke BBQ
KCBS Cook Team

Congratulations to each of you! We look forward to serving alongside you as we continue building the future of the Alabama Barbecue Association.

To everyone who was willing to put your name in the hat and serve, thank you. Your willingness to give back to the organization is appreciated more than you know. We’ll be electing three more board members next July, so if you weren’t elected this time, keep those wheels turning and be ready to step forward again.

Finally, we’d like to recognize our outgoing board members for their dedication, countless hours of service, and commitment to helping reestablish the ABA into the organization it is today.

👏 Carol Bigler
👏 Brian Walker
👏 Myron Berry

Thank you for everything you’ve done for the ABA. We appreciate your leadership and look forward to seeing each of you out on the BBQ trail again soon!

Congratulations once again to our newly elected board members, and thank you to every member who continues to make the Alabama Barbecue Association stronger.

07/26/2026

Been a great month in Steak Cookoff Association for ABA members . Congratulations to Dal Luther on winning overall grand at Lynchburg’s Smoke in the hollow and Sugar Tree and sealing his ticket to World Food Championships in Indy this Oct.

But that’s not all, Hell On Squeals Steak Division made some noise as well, Momma Squeals finished 2nd in shrimp and 2nd in catfish to take the Ancillary Overall grand home in Sugar tree.

Congratulations to all who heard their number called in July!