any link on the actual ways to qualify, I seen the various ways in the past but can't find it on the website now
To compete at "The Jack," domestic teams must have in the past year
won a state championship with 25 teams or a competition of 50 teams, or have won an event considered an automatic to the event like the American Royal, Memphis in May or Houston World Championship Bar-B-Que. More than 25,000 people descended on Lynchburg to bask in the aroma of award-winning barbecue and to celebrate 20 years of one of America’s favorite pastimes.
"To get to the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Barbecue, you’ve got to prove yourself all season on the competitive barbecuing circuit," said Lynne Tolley, KCBS certified barbecue judge and great-grandniece of Jack Daniel. "And when you finally earn your right to compete here, it’s an all-out battle of tongs and smoke to claim our top prize."
In addition to honoring the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion, the Jack Daniel’s event awards first-place prizes in seven categories: pork ribs, pork shoulder, beef brisket, chicken, Chef’s Choice (domestic)/Home Cookin’ from the Homeland (international) and sauce (which must contain a little of the hometown product) and dessert. The winners of these individual categories are:
Pork Ribs – Carcass Cookers – Pueblo, Colorado
Pork Shoulder – Butcher BBQ – Chandler, Oklahoma
Beef Brisket – Bubba & Jeff’s BBQ – Lees Summit, Missouri
Chicken – 4 Legs Up BBQ – Great Bend, Kansas
Chef’s Choice – I Que – Hopkinton, Massachusetts
Home Cookin’ from the Homeland – World Barbecue Team - Switzerland
Sauce – Pellet Envy – Leadwood, Kansas
Dessert – 4 Legs Up BBQ – Great Bend, Kansas
Grand Champions get $2,500, bragging rights to winning what competitors call the most prestigious barbecue contest in the world and the chance to come back and defend their title next year.
Reserve Grand Champions get a cash prize of $1,500.
That buys a lot of beer.
