King of the corn BBQ CONTEST

PRESENTED BY JBS IOWA

October 16th & 17th 2026

2818 N COURT ST, OTTUMWA, IA 52501

*AEA & WAREHOUSE BARBECUE PARKING LOT*


2026 King of the corn TEAM entry

SIGN UP TO COOK
 

2026 King of the Corn Judge Sign UP

SIGN UP TO JUDGE

The King of the Corn contest is a continuation of the ever so successful Ottumwa Smoketoberfest contest that quickly became the most anticipated KCBS Contest in Iowa. Under Francis Dutton’s lead, King of the Corn will be one of the most hospitable BBQ Contests in the Midwest. We look forward to seeing you this fall in Ottumwa, IA!

 

Title Sponsor Spotlight

At the heart of every culture around the world is delicious food that brings people together! We make every occasion delicious and every meal good for the world.

We are proud AND honored to be the premiere sponsor for the 2025 “King of the Corn” BBQ Competition in our town Ottumwa.

JBS Foods is a global, diversified protein company creating delicious products for customers and consumers around the world. We are driven by our mission to be the best and committed to responsibly producing products people trust AND; enjoy. At JBS Foods, we recognize the positive impact that meeting our sustainability goals has on our team members, communities and customers. We are a #1 Global Beef Producer, #1 Global Pork Producer and #2 Global Pork Producer. The list is long but here are some or our products, you might know some of them: SWIFT, Pilgrim’s, Certified Angus Beef, Primo, Country Pride, DAK and Elite Prime.

OUR MISSION……to be the best in all that we do, completely focused on our business, ensuring the best products and services to our customers, a relationship of trust with our suppliers, profitability for our shareholders and the opportunity of a better future for all our team members.

Our leadership team joins local experience with a global perspective to understand consumer tastes, today and in the future. Our commitment to feed people goes beyond the plate. We lead the ndustry in sustainability efforts. We build up the rural communities where we operate and we provide free education for our team members & their children.

“We always looked forward to cooking in ottumwa every year as the locals are great and some of the best mexican food around.”

— Joe Osbrink, Never Easy BBQ, Des Moines IA



“We won our 1st ever grand championship in ottumwa, ia and circle these dates every year to come back, great memories in the city of bridges”

— Steve Lauer, Phoenix BBQ, Stillwater, MN



the 2026 King of the Corn Director: Dena Milhous