We’ve officially reached the halfway point.

This week, I recap our trip to Dillon — a competition that started with the truck running board partially falling off and somehow progressed to both drum smokers getting blown over and a failed BBQ Guru fan being replaced by a box fan.

And yet, somehow, it worked.

Big Boyz BBQ finished with two calls — 7th in ribs and 8th in pork — and a 694 overall score, our highest ever.

With five contests now complete, we take a look at where the season stands at the midpoint. We’ve officially qualified for the Rocky Mountain BBQ Association Cup, and with only the best five scores counting, our final three qualifying contests give us a chance to replace some of the mistakes from earlier in the season.

For this week’s Rugby Byte, I go back to my first Maggotfest with the Montana All Blues, a champagne breakfast more than 30 years ago, and how an old rugby memory eventually became an unlikely competition barbecue ritual: sometimes, when everything is going wrong, working faster isn’t the answer. Sometimes you need to stop, reset, and then get back to work.

Finally, we look ahead to Laramie, Wyoming — a new contest, a new destination, and competition number six.

Five down. Five to go.

I don’t have a Laramie story yet. I guess we’re going there to make one.

Keep on keeping on.

Spotify Episode Description

Season 2, Episode 5 takes us to Blackfoot, Idaho, for one of the most challenging weekends of the 2026 competition season. What started with a dead phone, a generator that wouldn't run, and a rough weather forecast quickly turned into a day of adapting, troubleshooting, and making one pivot after another. From charcoal issues and equipment failures to last-second turn-ins, this contest tested every part of the process.

In this week's Rugby Bite, we step away from the cookers and talk about one of the greatest traditions shared by rugby and barbecue—breaking bread together. Whether it's biscuits and gravy at a BBQ competition or campfire meals after a rugby match, the friendships built around food often become the memories that last the longest.

We'll also look ahead to the Fourth of July 250 in Dillon, Montana, discuss lessons learned from Blackfoot, and share what needs to be tightened up before the next contest.

Sometimes the biggest victories aren't hearing your name called—they're learning something that makes you better the next time you fire up the pit.

This week on Big Boyz BBQ Bytes, there's no contest recap—but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty to talk about.

During a rare bye week, I reflect on the first three competitions of the 2026 season, the lessons I'm learning from successful teams, and why simplifying my approach may be the biggest key to improving.

I also share a milestone I didn't expect: my 31st KCBS competition falls on the same date as my very first contest at the Capital BBQ Battle in Washington, D.C., thirteen years ago. It's a chance to look back on where this barbecue journey began and appreciate the people, places, and memories that have come along the way.

Finally, I preview the upcoming Blackfoot, Idaho competition and talk about the goals I'll be taking into the weekend.

Sometimes the best time to grow isn't during a contest—it's in the quiet moments between them.