DES MOINES, Iowa – Mike and Beth Wozniak of Brimfield, Ill., earned Grand Champion honors June 7 in the Pork Checkoff’s 21st annual Great Pork BarbeQlossal contest.

The Pork Checkoff said in a statement that the Wozniaks were awarded cash and prizes including the grand prize of $10,000. The Wozniaks also won BarbeQlossal in 2004.

The grand champion must cook in all four categories – whole hog, loin, ribs and shoulder. The 2008 grand champion team placed second in the loin category, fifth place in the rib category and ninth place in the whole hog category, the Checkoff said.

“BarbeQlossal is unique. It is one of the only contests in the country that allows competitors to cook four cuts of meat,” Wozniak said. “This allows us to showcase to consumers how easy it is to cook great tasting pork.”

Sixty-one teams from 13 states competed in the annual pork barbecue contest held at the World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa. Of those, 9 were competing in the Great Pork BarbeQlossal for the first time, the Checkoff said. Teams competed in one or more of the four categories. Monetary prizes in the Great Pork BarbeQlossal are awarded for first through tenth places in each category, as well as the top five overall scores.

Reserve Grand Champion honors and $3,000 went to Darren Warth and Shad Kirton of Iowa’s Smokey D’s BBQ in Des Moines. The team placed fourth in the loin category, sixth in the rib category and tenth in the whole hog category.