EDITOR

Brian Justice

The High on the Hog barbecue festival recently completed its 39^th chapter as a successful precursor to its landmark fourth-decade event in 2027 with the focus this year being the nation’s historic birthday.

The festival’s theme coincided with the nation’s quarter-millennial anniversary and was appropriately titled “250 Years of America,” serving as a side element to major celebrations around the Fourth of July.

Event organizers Brenda Long, Nancy Hibler and Jeannie Bates said the event this year continued its longstanding tradition of exposing participants and spectators to world-class barbecue with some added culinary dimensions for kids.

High on the Hog Kids Q featured a Mystery Box category for children ages 2-4 with Anything Hamburger categories for 5-9 and 10-15 age groups.

The category allowed children the opportunity to try their hand at backyard cooking for the two older age groups, gearing them up for future competition as adult barbecue competitors. Veteran barbecue teams assisted the young cooks in preparation and cooking, giving them a firsthand view of how the big-timers do it.

The Mystery Box segment featured the youngest age group preparing special treat boxes, including pudding cups and other dessert varieties, giving them a firsthand hint of competition but in a safe manner away from the heat due to their tender ages.

The festival is a premier Kansas City Barbeque Society contest located at Winchester City Park and extended from May 9-17 with the winners being determined on May 16.

The Franklin County Kiwanis Club has been the event’s organizer for the last 23 years, leading the stellar attraction as it continues to grow annually.

Long said that the long-standing collaboration with the KCBS has always been outstanding, and 2026 was no exception.

“It’s been a great working relationship,” she said, adding that plans are to continue it well into the future, especially with the 40^th-anniversary event set to occur in 2027.

Another High on the Hog collaboration that’s been ongoing nearly as long as the KCBS partnership is the working relationship with PrimeTime Amusements, which has provided the carnival for the past 22 years.

Long said big plans for the 40^th-anniversary carnival are already in the works.

Category winners this year included:

— Grand Champion High on the Hog 2026 — Puddleduck BBQ, Buzz Hundley from Spring Hill, Tennessee, total score of 357.1544.

— Reserve Grand Champion — Big Fluff BBQ, Chandler Burns from Calhoun, Georgia, total score of 355.4516.

— Chicken, featuring three teams with a 180 score: first place, Armstrong Smoke Co., Rick Armstrong, from Burns, Tennessee; second place, Dogpatch Q, Alan Nichols from Belews Creek, North Carolina; third place, Mind If I Smoke, Michael Williams from Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia.

— Ribs: first place, Big Fluff BBQ, Chandler Burns from Calhoun, Georgia; second place, Puddleduck BBQ, Buzz Hundley from Spring Hill, Tennessee; third place, Budget BBQ, Adam Weber from Murfreesboro.

— Pork: first place, Bentley Que, Derrick Cole from Spring Hill, Tennessee; second place, Puddleduck BBQ, Buzz Hundley from Spring Hill, Tennessee; third place, Big Fluff BBQ, Chandler Burns, Calhoun, Georgia.

— Tacos: first place, Hell on Squeals, Cliff Asby from Meridianville, Alabama; second place, LWS Smokin’ Aces, Allan Turner from Altoona, Alabama.

— Sliders: first place, Grill of Fortune BBQ, Eli Tucker from Huntsville, Alabama; second place, Hell on Squeals, Cliff Asby from Meridianville, Alabama.

— Desserts: The top six teams received a perfect 180 score, and the top three teams were given the choice to divide prize money and let the winner be determined through a computer format.

Garnering first place in the dessert category was LWS Smokin’ Aces, operated by Teresa Turner from Altoona, Alabama, who made a peach-cobbler cheesecake in a waffle cone.

— Kid’s Q, Age 2-4: Busy Bean BBQ, Elizabeth Langford; Pretty ‘n Pink, Bailey Raffaniello; Grill of Fortune BBQ 2.0, Emma Tucker..

— Anything Hamburger, Age 5-9: first place, Pork Life Jr., Levi Cook; second place, The Lions, Jakobi Greenway and Nora Greenway; third place, Dirty South Jr., Cash Ashley.

— Anything Hamburger, Age 10-15: first place, Wise Guy No. 1, James Wiseman; second place, CPR BBQ, Michael Traughber; third Place, Wise Guy No. 2, Andrew Wiseman.