Smithfield King of the Smoker Competition Announces Pitmaster Line Up for 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Nov. 21, 2016 -- Smithfield and Big Poppa Smokers proudly announce an elite list of the nation’s best competition barbecue pitmasters, 24 of which will be competing in the 2016 Smithfield King of the Smoker Competition. This invitation only list includes Iowa’s Smokey D’s, who won the 2016 American Royal Open in October and Cool Smoke, winners of the 2016 Jack Daniel’s Barbecue Invitational. Smithfield King of the Smokers will take place on Saturday, December 3 at the Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage, California.

2016 Competitors

• Iowa’s Smokey D’s (Des Moines, Iowa)
• Cool Smoke (Richmond, Va.)
• Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q (Decatur, Ala.)
• Clark Crew BBQ (Yukon, Okla.)
• Gettin’ Basted (Springfield, Mo.)
• Grey Street BBQ (Avon, Ind.)
• Hickory Prime (Dahlonega, Ga.)
• Jambo Pits (Fort Worth, Texas)
• Jo-Bawb’s BBQ (Gilette, Wyo)
• Little Pig Town (Owasso, Okla.)
• Lucky’s Q (Denver, Iowa)
• Moyers BBQ (White, Ga.)
• Myron Mixon (Unadilla, Ga.)
• One2BBQ (New Berlin, Ill.)
• Porky Butts BBQ (Omaha, Neb.)
• Redneck Scientific (Clayton, N.C.)
• Sauced! BBQ Team (Charlotte, N.C.)
• Shake ‘N Bake BBQ (New Haven, Mo.)
• Smokin’ Triggers (Alvarado, Texas)
• The American Dream BBQ (Tecumseh, Okla.)
• Warren County Pork Choppers (Bowling Green, Ky.)
• 3 Eyz BBQ (Owings Mill, Md.)
• 4 Legs Up BBQ (Great Bend, Kan.)
• 913 BBQ (Olathe, Kan.)

King of the Smoker is the brainchild of music entrepreneur and competition barbecue pitmaster Sterling Ball of Big Poppa Smokers. Smithfield, who is the name sponsor of the event, will provide premium pork butts and ribs to all competing teams from their Smithfield Prime line of superior pork products. In addition to the pork and rib categories, competitors will also turn in chicken and brisket submissions in accordance with Kansas City Barbecue Society rules. Teams will be competing for more than $75,000 in prize money, with the Grand Champion taking home $11,000. There will be cash prizes for the top five submissions in each of the KCBS categories.

Smithfield King of the Smoker is open to the public at 1 p.m. on December 3, with tickets currently on sale at EventBrite.com. Tickets are $10 each and 100 percent of proceeds will benefit two worthy charities: The Casey Lee Ball Foundation for Pediatric Kidney Disease and Operation BBQ Relief. The Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa is located at 71333 Dinah Shore Drive, Rancho Mirage, California, 92270. To view a complete list of competing teams, please visit Big Poppa Smokers on Facebook.

About Smithfield
A leading provider of high-quality pork products, Smithfield was founded in 1936 in Smithfield, Virginia. From hand-trimmed ribs, loins and bacon and slow-smoked holiday hams to marinated tenderloins, Smithfield brings artistry, authenticity and a commitment to heritage, flavor, and handcrafted excellence to everything it produces. With a vast product portfolio including smoked meats, hams, bacon, sausage, ribs, and a wide variety of fresh pork cuts, the company services retail, foodservice, and deli channels across the United States and 30 countries abroad. All of Smithfield's products meet the highest quality and safety standards in the industry. To learn more about how Flavor Hails from Smithfield, please visit www.Smithfield.com,  www.Twitter.com/SmithfieldBrand, and www.Facebook.com/CookingWithSmithfield.  Smithfield is a brand of Smithfield Foods.

About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $14 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Nathan's Famous®, Farmland®, Armour®, John Morrell®, Cook's®, Kretschmar®, Gwaltney®, Curly's®, Margherita®, Carando®, Healthy Ones®, Krakus®, Morliny®, and Berlinki®. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com.

Media Contact:

Green Olive Media for Smithfield
Cecelia Strong
[email protected] 
(917) 371-6247