Black mobile barbecue trailer with Willingham's branding, parked on a grassy lot at night with equipment and an American flag nearby.

Championship Record

Memphis · Kansas City · Lynchburg

Willingham’s® was never built on one moment. Not one win. Not one era. Not one pitmaster. Not one generation. For forty-five years, the brand has stood for championship barbecue with standards.

5

World Grand Championships

24

World Category Wins

45

Years of Championship BBQ

EST. 1983  ·  W’ham®! The Best! No Brag, Just Fact.

For four and a half decades, Willingham’s® World Champion BBQ has competed at the top tier of American barbecue, earning five World Grand Championships and twenty-four World Category Wins at Memphis in May, the American Royal, and Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational. The work continues.

The Headlines

  • 2× Memphis in May World Championship Grand Champion — 1983, 1984
  • 3× American Royal World Series of Barbecue Grand Champion — 1984, 1991, 1994 (Farmland)
  • 24 world first-place calls at Memphis in May, the American Royal, and Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational
  • Eleven consecutive years in the Memphis in May top ten — 1990 through 2000
Black mobile barbecue trailer with Willingham's branding, parked on a grassy lot at night with equipment and an American flag nearby.

On the Pit

Highlights of the cooking team’s record across major championships, regional invitationals, festivals, and perfect-score finishes.

  • 2026 — First Place Pork (Perfect Score / 180) — Festival of Discovery, Greenwood SC
  • 2026 — 10th Place Beef — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
  • 2025 — Fourth Place Chicken (Perfect Score) — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
  • 2025 — Third Place Pork (Perfect Score / 180) — Royal Oak 6th Annual Invitational, Roswell GA
  • 2024 — Fourth Place Chicken (Perfect Score) — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
  • 2024 — First Place Pork — BBQ Boogie & Blues, Calhoun GA
  • 2024 — First Place Turkey Smoke (Perfect Score) — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
  • 2022 — Third Place Ribs — World Food Championship, Dallas TX
  • 2021 — First Place Brisket (Perfect 180) — BBQ Boogie & Blues, Calhoun GA
  • 2017 — People’s Choice — Sip & Swine BBQ Festival, Lawrenceville GA
  • 2016 — 2nd Place Beef — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
  • 2013 — First Place Ribs — Atlanta BBQ Festival, Atlanta GA
  • 2013 — First Place Chicken — Pigs and Peaches, Kennesaw GA
  • 2011 — People’s Choice Best Butt in Town — Canton Pignic, Canton GA
  • 2001 — First Place Chicken — Big Brother, Big Sister Charity BBQ, Lafayette LA
  • 2000 — Second Place Whole Hog — Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational, Lynchburg TN
  • 2000 — Ninth Place Whole Hog — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
  • 1999 — Third Place Whole Hog — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
  • 1999 — Grand Champion — Mississippi State BBQ, Ashland MS
  • 1998 — First Place Whole Hog — Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational, Lynchburg TN
  • 1998 — Fourth Place Whole Hog — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
  • 1998 — Grand Champion — Mississippi State BBQ, Ashland MS
  • 1998 — Grand Champion — Blue Ridge BBQ Championship, Tryon NC
  • 1998 — Grand Champion — Primm Valley BBQ Championship, Primm Valley NV
  • 1997 — Fifth Place Whole Hog — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
  • 1997 — Grand Champion — Mississippi State BBQ, Ashland MS
  • 1996 — Sixth Place Whole Hog — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
  • 1996 — Grand Champion — St. Jude / VFW BBQ Festival, Memphis TN
  • 1995 — Seventh Place Whole Hog — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
  • 1994 — First Place Brisket — Massachusetts State Championship, Lexington MA
  • 1994 — First Place Chicken — Massachusetts State Championship, Lexington MA
  • 1994 — Peoples Choice Ribs — Massachusetts State Championship, Lexington MA
  • 1994 — First Place Shoulder — Blue Ridge BBQ Championship, Tryon NC
  • 1994 — First Place Ribs — American Royal World Series of BBQ (Farmland), Kansas City MO
  • 1994 — First Place Brisket — American Royal Invitational, Kansas City MO
  • 1994 — Eighth Place Whole Hog — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
  • 1994 — Grand Champion — Massachusetts State Championship, Lexington MA
  • 1994 — Reserve Grand Champion — Blue Ridge BBQ Championship, Tryon NC
  • 1993 — First Place Pork — Jumer’s Casino BBQ, Rock Island IL
  • 1993 — First Place Brisket — Jumer’s Casino BBQ, Rock Island IL
  • 1993 — First Place Ribs — Pig and Pepper Championship, Carlisle MA
  • 1993 — First Place Pork — Pig and Pepper Championship, Carlisle MA
  • 1993 — First Place Brisket — American Royal Invitational, Kansas City MO
  • 1993 — First Place Pork — American Royal Invitational, Kansas City MO
  • 1993 — Fourth Place Shoulder — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
  • 1993 — Grand Champion Chicken — American Pitmasters
  • 1992 — First Place Ribs — St. Jude/VFW BBQ Festival, White Haven MS
  • 1992 — First Place Ribs — Star Tribune’s Peoples Choice, Minneapolis MN
  • 1992 — First Place Ribs (Peoples Choice) — BBQ Festival, Norfolk VA
  • 1992 — First Place Poultry — Great Yankee BBQ, Boston MA
  • 1992 — First Place Pork Shoulder — Great Yankee BBQ, Boston MA
  • 1992 — First Place Ribs (Peoples Choice) — Great Yankee BBQ, Boston MA
  • 1992 — First Place Lamb — American Royal Open, Kansas City MO
  • 1992 — First Place Brisket — American Royal Open, Kansas City MO
  • 1992 — First Place Anything But Pork — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
  • 1992 — First Place Skinners Pasta — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
  • 1992 — Fourth Place Shoulder — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
  • 1992 — Grand Champion — Star Tribune’s Peoples Choice, Minneapolis MN
  • 1992 — Grand Champion — Peoples Choice BBQ Festival, Norfolk VA
  • 1992 — Grand Champion — Great Yankee BBQ, Boston MA
  • 1991 — First Place Whole Hog — Arkansas State Championship, Blytheville AR
  • 1991 — First Place Whole Hog — Covington Jaycee BBQ, Covington TN
  • 1991 — First Place Ribs — Covington Jaycee BBQ, Covington TN
  • 1991 — First Place Whole Hog — City Fest 91, Tuscaloosa AL
  • 1991 — First Place Shoulder — City Fest 91, Tuscaloosa AL
  • 1991 — First Place Whole Hog — Christmas on the River, Demopolis AL
  • 1991 — First Place Ribs — Christmas on the River, Demopolis AL
  • 1991 — First Place Beef Brisket — Pine Castle BBQ Festival, Orlando FL
  • 1991 — First Place Whole Hog — Pine Castle BBQ Festival, Orlando FL
  • 1991 — First Place Shoulder — Pine Castle BBQ Festival, Orlando FL
  • 1991 — First Place Spare Ribs — National Rib Cook-Off, Cleveland OH
  • 1991 — First Place Shoulder — American Royal Invitational, Kansas City MO
  • 1991 — First Place Brisket — American Royal Invitational, Kansas City MO
  • 1991 — Fifth Place Shoulder — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
  • 1991 — Grand Champion — Christmas on the River, Demopolis AL
  • 1991 — Grand Champion ($25,000) — National Rib Cook-Off, Cleveland OH
  • 1990 — First Place Spare Ribs — National Rib Cook-Off, Cleveland OH
  • 1990 — First Place Wings — American Royal, Kansas City MO
  • 1990 — First Place Pork Shoulder — American Royal Open, Kansas City MO
  • 1990 — First Place Brisket — American Royal Invitational, Kansas City MO
  • 1990 — First Place Whole Hog — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
  • 1990 — Third Place Whole Hog — Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational, Lynchburg TN
  • 1990 — Grand Champion ($25,000) — National Rib Cook-Off, Cleveland OH
  • 1989 — First Place Pork Ribs — Iowa State Fair BBQ, Des Moines IA
  • 1989 — First Place Beef Tenders — Iowa State Fair BBQ, Des Moines IA
  • 1989 — First Place Ribs — Mississippi Valley BBQ Festival, Davenport IA
  • 1989 — First Place Beef/Tender — Mississippi Valley BBQ Festival, Davenport IA
  • 1989 — First Place Lamb — American Royal Open, Kansas City MO
  • 1987 — First Place Spare Ribs — World’s Best Ribs, Richmond VA
  • 1987 — Grand Champion — World’s Best Ribs, Richmond VA
  • 1986 — First Place Brisket — South Fork Ranch BBQ, Dallas TX
  • 1986 — First Place Poultry — South Fork Ranch BBQ, Dallas TX
  • 1986 — First Place Ribs — South Fork Ranch BBQ, Dallas TX
  • 1986 — Grand Champion — South Fork Ranch BBQ, Dallas TX
  • 1985 — Second Place, Beef — First International Barbecue Cookout on Galway Bay, Ireland
  • 1984 — First Place Pork — American Royal Invitational, Kansas City MO
  • 1984 — First Place Lamb — American Royal Invitational, Kansas City MO
  • 1984 — First Place Brisket — American Royal Invitational, Kansas City MO
  • 1984 — First Place Ribs — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
  • 1983 — First Place Ribs — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
  • 1981 — Second Place Ribs — Memphis in May, Memphis TN
Group of people on an outdoor stage posing with a large ceremonial check and trophy under blue stage lights.

On the Stage

The product line’s record — W’ham® sauces, seasonings, rubs, and Big Shanty Smokehouse signatures judged at sanctioning-body competitions.

Two men in caps and work shirts inside a metal kitchen, one holding two plastic cups while others toast in the background.

Behind the Brand — Media & Marketing

Recognition for the brand’s storytelling, photography, and marketing craft at sanctioning-body competitions.

Pitmaster Paul Holden pouring sparks from charcoal chimneys into the cooker at a Memphis in May contest, with the Willingham’s World Champion BBQ seal visible behind.
2nd Place BBQ Character Photography NBBQA Awards of Excellence 2026

Special Honors and Recognitions

  • 2012 — John H Willingham — American Royal Barbecue Hall of Fame Legacy Induction
  • 1999 — Best Ribs — The Memphis Flyer, Memphis TN
  • 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998 — Best Cooker in the World — Memphis in May (four-time recipient)
  • 1996 — Best Que Offshore — Freeport McMoran Invitational, Gulf of Mexico
  • 1995 — The Quinn Award for Barbecue Excellence — Jonesboro AR
  • 1995 — The “Sony’s” Best Barbeque in America, Long Island NY
  • 1991/1992 — Sanctioned Tour Cook Team of the Year — Memphis in May (cumulative honor)
  • 1989 — The Hickory Switch Award (Best “Que” in Memphis) — Memphis TN
  • 1986 — Gold Buckle Award Champion — South Fork Ranch BBQ, Dallas TX

Notable Media Appearances and Television

  • 2021 — Featured on Martynas Starkus’ Pasaulio Puodai (Pots of the World) on LRT.LT television, filmed at Memphis in May
  • 2014 — Featured in an Oprah.com article tied to a Steve Harvey / Family Feud interview
  • 2013 — Featured on Adam Richman’s Fandemonium — Travel Channel “Tony Stark of BBQ” segment filmed at Memphis in May
  • 2001 — Featured as “Best BBQ in Memphis, TN” by Chili Pepper Magazine
  • 2001 — Featured on FoodNation with Bobby Flay (Food Network), Season 2 Episode 17 “Memphis, Tennessee” — the W’ham® Turbo Cooker visible at ~18:30
  • 2000 — Frito Lay’s / Cross Creek Ranch BBQ & Barn Dance, McKinney TX
  • 1999 — Featured on Food Network with Al Roker
  • 1998 — Featured on Home Cooking with Amy Coleman and the NBC Today Show BBQ Special
  • 1997 — Featured on At Home on the Grill (PBS) and on Prime Time Live at Memphis in May

Watch

Selected video from forty-five years of championship barbecue — Memphis, the offshore rigs, network television.