2020 Tyson Guinea Pig/Matt Dalton Memorial, Coachella CA, 2/22/20

[Chris Allingham]

This was my second year to participate in the Guinea Pig/Matt Dalton Memorial, sponsored this year by Tyson Fresh Meats. This is a private contest organized by Sterling Ball and his crew at Big Poppa Smokers and held at Sterling's Ernie Ball factory in Coachella, CA. As a private event, the contest is not open to the public, there is no vending, no People's Choice award, and no distractions for the teams. Just 50 teams set up in the Ernie Ball parking lot cooking the four KCBS competition meats (chicken, pork ribs, pork, and brisket) plus an optional dessert category. There's also a Kid's Q contest and a potluck dinner for all the teams on Friday night.

Why is this contest called "the guinea pig"? Because when it was started by Sterling several years ago, it was a test to see if you could reduce the cost of competing, level the playing field to a certain extent, create a fun, family-friendly atmosphere for teams, and have less interference for the teams by making the event private.

• The Guinea Pig has a single, low entry fee that covers all four meat categories, the dessert category, and Kid's Q.
• Each team receives a cooler of pre-selected Tyson meat by random draw: 1 Chairman's Reserve Prime brisket, 2 Chairman's Reserve Prime pork butts, 3 Supreme Tender St. Louis Style pork spareribs, and 9 Tyson All-Natural chicken thighs. Teams must cook the provided meat and may not substitute their own meat.
• Electricity is not available. Teams may use their own quiet generator or battery inverter, as needed.
• The Top 10 overall are paid, and 10 deep in each meat category.

I served as a table captain at this contest and saw lots of top-notch entries come across our table. This year's grand champion was a repeat winner from last year -- 2017 Barbecue Hall of Fame inductee and Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que owner Jeff Stehney of Slaughterhouse Five from Kansas City, KS. Reserve Grand Champion went to Rick Mysse of Hickory & Spice BBQ from Tustin, CA. Congratulations to everyone that got a call!

Rank	Team Name	Total
1	SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE	694.2972
2	HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ	694.2288
3	Team Woodshed	691.9660
4	SMOKERS PURGATORY	681.0968
5	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	681.0400
6	LUCKY'S Q	680.5032
7	The Real BBQ Wives of Kansas City	679.3372
8	BURNIN AND LOOTIN	678.8000
9	LADY OF Q	678.7200
10	BULL MARKET BBQ	678.1600
11	DG FIREHOUSE BBQ	675.3140
12	SMOKE HOUND BBQ	673.0516
13	OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ	671.8512
14	ROYAL SMOKIN' HOT	671.3828
15	COW TIPPIN BBQ	671.2912
16	7-8-9 BBQ	670.7312
17	B' MACKIN BBQ	668.4800
18	RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ	667.8628
19	DAY OF THE PIG BBQ	667.3372
20	Rad Fondo BBQ	666.1600
21	T & J Backyard BBQ	665.6572
22	The BBQ Yard	665.0400
23	FUNTIME BBQ	663.3944
24	MUDVILLE BBQ	662.7772
25	DAD'S CHILLIN' AND GRILLIN' BBQ	662.7660
26	Clear Blue BBQ	661.6228
27	SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	661.6120
28	2LiveQ	661.5656
29	SMOKIN IT UP BBQ	661.0856
30	PORTERHOUSE BBQ	658.7544
31	JACK9 BBQ-CA	658.7200
32	VEGAS GRILLBILLIES	658.7084
33	PORKCHOP & BUBBAS	658.6968
34	THE BRISKET BROTHERS	658.1484
35	Big Red BBQ	657.5428
36	NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q	657.0284
37	BILL'S BLUE LINE BBQ	656.4916
38	JET COATINGS - MONKEY STYLE	655.8400
39	5TH GEAR BBQ	654.1024
40	913 BBQ	652.4344
41	Smokin Hot Babe Bbq	648.4456
42	YARD LOBSTER BBQ	647.9312
43	SHIG NINJA BBQ	647.3144
44	Hi Desert Ratz BBQ	642.7776
45	SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ	640.5144
46	Bob's Morning Wood Barbeque	638.6628
47	Smokin' Degenerates	636.4804
48	PAPA LA RUE'S BBQ	635.2228
49	REVIN IT UP BBQ	634.7200
50	Stagecoach Barbecue	610.7204

Here are some pics from this year's event. You can also check-out more photos from last year's Guinea Pig if interested. Enjoy!





















Continued...

 

[Chris Allingham]

 

[Bob Bass]

Excellent report, Chris. Great seeing you. Good Times and Excellent BBQ !

 

[Jim Bloomfield]

Nice photos good seeing you made it back..Sure wish this concept would catch on. It is the only one we go to because of cost and even playing field with the meat