Selections have been announced today for the 2014 Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational Barbecue. This competition, affectionately known as “The Jack”, is an invitation-only contest that pits championship BBQ teams against one another on the grounds of the Jack Daniels distillery (“The Hollow”) in a cook-off to determine BBQ supremacy.
Over 90 teams were selected this year from the United States, Canada, and 17 other countries. Leading the way this year is 2013 Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational Barbecue champion Cool Smoke, featuring pitmaster and BBQ celebrity Tuffy Stone. Also joining Cool Smoke in The Hollow as automatic qualifiers this year is Iowa’s Smokey D’s BBQ (winner of the 2013 American Royal Open), Bar-B-Que Commanders Cook Team (winner of the 2014 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo), and Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q (winner of 2014 Memphis in May).
Another route for automatically qualifying for The Jack is winning seven contests that meet criteria for inclusion into The Jack. Joining the competitors’ list based on this qualification are Blazen BBQ, Texas Pepper Jelly, The American Dream BBQ Team, TRUEBUD BBQ, and Warren County Pork Choppers.
The full list of invited teams is below. Congrats to everyone who received an invitation!
AUTOMATIC INVITATIONS
| Cool Smoke | Richmond, VA | 2013 Jack Daniel’s |
| Iowa’s Smokey D’s BBQ | Des Moines, IA | 2013 American Royal |
| Bar-B-Que Commanders Cook Team | Beaumont, TX | 2014 Houston Livestock |
| Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q | Decatur, AL | 2014 Memphis In May |
| Blazen BBQ | Hillsboro, TX | Seven Wins |
| Texas Pepper Jelly | Houston, TX | Seven Wins |
| The American Dream BBQ Team | Tecumseh, OK | Seven Wins |
| TRUEBUD BBQ | Tonganoxie, KS | Seven Wins |
| Warren County Pork Choppers | Bowling Green, KY | Seven Wins |
| Parrothead Smokers | Dakota Dunes, SD | Competed Nine Years |
| QUAU | Brimfield, IL | Competed Nine Years |
| Findley’s Barbecue Team | Ft. Wainwright, AK | AK State Winner |
| Pork Barrel BBQ | Upper Marlboro, MD | DC State Winner |
| Aporkalypse Now | Springfield, VA | DE State Winner |
| Ice Harbor Brewing Co. | Kennewick, WA | ID State Winner |
| Que and a Half Men | Rockland, MA | MA State Winner |
| ZBQ | Cumberland, RI | ME State Winner |
| Lonestar Smoke Rangers | Rapid City, SD | MT State Winner |
| Smokin’ Aces | Chicopee, MA | RI State Winner |
| Dizzy Pig | Fairfax, VA | VT / WV State Winner |
CONTEST STATE REPRESENTATIVES
| AL | Red Eyed Smokers |
| AR | Fire Dancer BBQ |
| AZ | Knife Pork and Spoon |
| CA | Smokey Luv BBQ |
| CO | Sizzlin’ Bones BBQ |
| CT | Smokin’ Hoggz BBQ |
| FL | Big Papa’s Country Kitchen |
| GA | Palmetto Smokehouse |
| IA | Pig Skin BBQ |
| IL | Smoke Me Silly |
| IN | one2bbq |
| KS | Smoke N Babes BBQ |
| KY | Pappy Q |
| LA | We Be Smokin’ |
| MD | Drilling and Grilling BBQ Team |
| MI | Big Brothers BBQ |
| MN | Spitfire |
| MO | Brew ‘N’ Bar-B-Que |
| MS | The Blue Bloods |
| NC | Diggin Que – GA |
| NE | Big T’z Q Cru |
| NH | Fire Down Below |
| NJ | Chix, Swine, & Bovine BBQ |
| NM | One Slice at a Time |
| NV | Porketeers |
| NY | Good Smoke BBQ |
| OH | Brutus and Company |
| OK | Butcher BBQ |
| OR | Movin’ the Chains BBQ |
| PA | Lo’ –N– Slo’ BBQ |
| SC | Under the Radar |
| SD | Jo-Bawb’s BBQ |
| TN | Tenacious Q |
| TX | The Dim Fiefelmann Cookers |
| UT | BBQ Pit Stop |
| VA | 3 Eyz BBQ |
| WA | Wine Country “Q” |
| WI | T-Mac Smokin |
| WY | The Celtic Pig |
HOME STATE DRAW
| CT | Ack-Que |
| DE | GoneHoggin.com |
| IN | Fowl Butt BBQ |
| MN | The Smoking Hills |
| MO | R Butts R Smokin |
| MS | Killer Hogs |
| NC | Fatbacks BBQ and Rib Shack |
| NE | Tattoo Bob’s Bar-B-Q |
| NH | Can U Smell My Pits BBQ |
| NJ | Jacked Up BBQ |
| NM | High Desert Holy Smoke BBQ |
| SD | Charcoal Loungers |
| VA | Degüello BBQ |
WILD CARD
Swiggin’ Pig
CANADIAN TEAMS
House of Q
Prairie Smoke & Spice
Blackstrap BBQ
Swinefellows
INTERNATIONAL TEAMS
| Australia | The Meat Sweats |
| Austria | Salzburger Barbecue Bulls |
| Bahamas | Gone Fish’n |
| Belgium | BBQ+ |
| Denmark | BBQ Team smoke it all |
| Germany | Sieben Schwaben |
| Ireland | Wild Geese |
| Italy | BBQ4All |
| Netherlands | iQ |
| Norway/Denmark/Holland | The European Allstar Barbecue Team |
| Poland | Polish BBQ Kings |
| Puerto Rico | Slowly Smoked |
| South Africa | Team Chesanyama Braai-B-Que |
| Sweden | Flaming Pig BBQ |
| Switzerland | Grill-ueli Team |
| United Kingdom | Bunch of Swines |
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