ThermoPro' Competitive BBQ Teams Win Big at World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest 2025
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The 2025 World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (WCBCC) has come to an end, and there's one thing we can say for sure: World-class BBQ champions rely on ThermoPro meat thermometers to win gold!
If you're serious about BBQ, then you need to be a part of this famous competition. ThermoPro was very proud to be a part of this historic event that attracts competitors from around the world. And, having sponsored some of this year’s competitors, we are overjoyed to report that some of our favorite teams have been recognized for their efforts with championship gold.
World-Class BBQ Champions Use World-Class Meat Thermometers
Blues Hog BBQ: 2025 Reserve Grand Champion – Whole Hog
A well-deserved congratulations go out to Blues Hog BBQ who was named Reserve Grand Champion in the Whole Hog Category! Not only that, Blues Hog's accomplishments at this year's World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest also include winning 2nd Place in the Poultry Category and 3rd Place in the Exotics Category.
Blues Hog BBQ is a Missouri-based competitive BBQ team that has won over 35 Grand Champion titles and over 40 Reserve Grand Championship titles. Led up by Head Pitmaster Tim Scheer, Blues Hog previously won top honors as the Overall World Champion and Whole Hog World Champion at the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest in 2022.
Tim has a deep familiarity with the ThermoPro products his team uses to get a competitive edge over the competition. “ThermoPro’s wireless system let us dial in temps and focus on flavor. It kept our cooks clean and precise from start to finish – especially while monitoring our specialty: whole hog,” said Tim, referring to the category that his team dominated at the WCBCC.
Kaiden Blake Outdoor Kitchen: 2025 Junior Grand Champion – Chicken Category & Pork Category
The winning ways of ThermoPro’s sponsored teams don’t stop there! Kaiden Blake Outdoor Kitchen became a two-time champ at the international BBQ competition, winning 2025 Junior Grand Champion for both the Chicken Category and the Pork Category. What’s more, if we were to include the Smoke Slam BBQ competition happening nearby at the same time over at Memphis in May, Kaiden won multiple awards that include 4th Place in Chicken, 2nd Place in Ribs, and 2nd Place in Pork.
Kaiden Blake is a 15-year-old BBQ prodigy from Wellings, OK, who has been turning heads with his inspirational story. Blake started cooking BBQ by watching YouTube videos after he wasn’t able to play sports anymore. Currently taking part in BBQ competitions across the country, Blake’s dream is to visit children’s hospitals to teach children how to barbecue.
Kaiden credits ThermoPro food thermometers for granting him a winning edge over his competitors. “As a junior pitmaster, ThermoPro gave me the confidence to trust my cooks,” he said. “The TP980 made it easy to monitor everything right from my phone.”
>Shane with his trophies and ThermoPro Lightning
Ribdiculous–Bar–B–Krewe: 4th Place – Shoulder Category
Ribdiculous–Bar–B–Krewe showed off their impeccable BBQ skills by placing fourth in the WCBCC’s Shoulder category.
Founded in 2008 by Head Pitmaster Shane McBride, Ribdiculous Bar-B-Krewe catapulted to success a year later by winning first place for Hot Wings in the 2009 World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. Fourteen years later at the same renowned competition, the team achieved its highest honor by being named Grand Champion and Ribs Champion in 2023.
When it comes to the secret of his success, Shane credits the ThermoPro Lightning for helping him win his many competitive BBQ awards. ” I don’t trust just any thermometer when we’re cooking for a title,” confessed Shane. ” ThermoPro’s Instant Read is fast, accurate, and consistent; it was in my pocket all weekend. Championship barbecue comes down to decimal-point precision, and that’s what I love about the Lightning.”
>Clay seen using a ThermoPro Lightning on his BBQ
Willingham’s BBQ: 4th Place – Poultry Category
Willingham’s BBQ added yet another trophy to their long list of accomplishments by taking fourth place in the Poultry category.
The Memphis-based Willingham’s World Champion BBQ first won the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest under John Willingham in 1983 & 1984. Currently led by Paul Holden, the team has continued to win throughout its 44 years of competing at WCBCC, having recently won the Turkey Smoke category in 2024 and receiving 4th Place in Poultry the same year.
For anyone seeking advice on how to make better BBQ, Paul has some specific advice to give. “When seconds matter, ThermoPro’s Instant Read Thermometer delivers,” Paul said. “We used it across a variety of proteins, and it held strong every time.”
Mark measuring internal temperatures using a ThermoPro Lightning
Sweet Swine O’ Mine: 6th Place – Poultry Category
Sweet Swine O’ Mine continued its winning ways by receiving sixth place in the Poultry Category at this annual mecca for barbecue enthusiasts.
Sweet Swine O’ Mine is a Mississippi-based competitive BBQ team with a history of winning big. Led by Mark Lambert, the team won first place in the Pork Shoulder category at the 2022 World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest.
Mark lists the reason why he is such a big fan of the ThermoPro TempSpike Pro. “ThermoPro’s TP980 gave us the control we needed from prep tent to pit,” said Mark. Being able to monitor temps in real-time without babysitting the smoker was a game-changer for our timeline.”
>Lonnie posing with his award-winning BBQ
Bubba Grills: Green Grilling Award Winner; Kingsford Tour of Champions – 3rd Place
Bubba Grills was recognized on several fronts by the competition. Not only was Bubba Grills named the winner of this year’s Green Grilling Award, but it also received third place in the Kingsford Tour of Champions.
Based out of Haddock, Georgia, Bubba Grills is a competitive BBQ team led by Lonnie Smith that has won 6 times at the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. Just last year, Bubba Grills took second place for the Whole Hog category and was named the Kingsford Tour Of Champions winner at this world-famous BBQ competition.
Lonnie compares ThermoPro with the competition and places it squarely at the top. “We’ve used a lot of gear over the years, but ThermoPro brought the accuracy and speed we needed to stay sharp at Memphis in May,” said Lonnie
Final Thoughts
ThermoPro is extremely proud of all of our sponsored teams. Day in and day out, each of these remarkable teams continually strive to make the world’s best BBQ. We salute your unwavering commitment to excellence, working to enhance and raise the BBQ lifestyle we all know and love. Congratulations, everybody!
When BBQ champions make championship BBQ, they use ThermoPro cooking thermometers like the ThermoPro Lightning. Choose ThermoPro, and you can Cook Like a Pro!
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