After competing in our maiden season we have a lot to reflect on. The new BBBQS circuit is great and we’re confident it’s going to grow. The response from the public was magnificent and the society sold a number of smokers to members of the public who showed a lot of interest in competing.


This year has been a great success for us, two third places in our very first event followed up by a second place in Brisket in the National Championship against a much stronger field. The learning curve has been steep but we think we’re now in a position to raise our game for next season. The combined feedback from the two competitions has shown us what we need to work on and after my Wedding in September we’ll have a long winter in which to perfect our rubs, glazes and sauces for next year. We’re actively seeking to recruit a third member for the team for next season and we’re relishing the chance to compete again.


As you can probably appreciate, we do this because we love doing it but the costs involved can be a stretch for us as  it typically costs us about £400 to do each competition. After taking stock of this year, we have realised that we will need to invest in some more equipment for next year. Our £12 gazebo being destroyed by the Sheffield wind was a big problem for us at the National Final so we want to invest in a new marquee. We’re also looking to add a Weber kettle and another E20 to our cooking arsenal. 


To give you an idea of our costs per competition:

  1. •£150 (apx) entry fee for each competition

  2. •£100 van hire for each competition

  3. •£50 charcoal and wood for each competition

  4. •£100 (apx) miscellaneous costs inc. food, fuel and competition ingredients.


  1. •In addition, next year we are looking to make the following one-off investments:

  2. •£350 5mx3m Pop-up marquee for our stand

  3. •£150 New heavy duty food prep tables

  4. •£150 Weber Kettle BBQ

  5. •£300 An extra Pro Q Excel 20


So basically we’re looking for a sponsor for next year to help towards our competition costs. Ideally we’d like to team up with a local small business in the food, drink or hospitality business. An artisan food producer, brewery, retailer or pub would be ideal.  We would also be interested in one-off deals such as a sponsor supplying us with a marquee co-branded with our logo and theirs.


So if you’ve read this far we hope that you might be interested in sponsoring. That being the case, you might also be thinking what you’ll get out of it. Well, in return for sponsorship we’d look to promote your business at every event we do. We’re happy to decorate our stand with your promotional material and, provided it won’t contravene BBBQS rules, we’re happy to have samples of your produce on our stand and distribute these to the public. We’d also be open to the possibility of doing some promotional events with you or catering a summer BBQ for your staff with some top quality smoked fayre. We’re open to discussion on how we can work with you to benefit your business and we’d be happy to hear your ideas on how we could work together.


As one of the founder members of the BBBQS we are committed to promoting our style of BBQ and to developing the competitive circuit. By teaming up with us, your business could be getting valuable exposure and advertising at all BBBQS events, with expected footfall of up to 40,000 people for the national final alone this is an opportunity for real value for money advertising.


If you are interested in teaming up with us, please email Steve.