Country ham champions crowned at the N.C. State Fair
The judges have spoken, and the best of the ham has been crowned. After a 27-year absence, the N.C. State Fair Country Ham Competition returned Thursday, Oct. 15, celebrating the salt, smoke and craftsmanship behind one of North Carolina’s most beloved food traditions.
Presented by North Carolina Farm Bureau, the competition recognized country ham producers and enthusiasts whose entries reflect the patience, skill and knowledge passed down through generations.
“Country ham is more than something we put on a biscuit. It’s a part of our agricultural history and the memories we make around the table,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “For generations, North Carolina families have perfected the art of curing ham, and this competition celebrates the hard work, patience and pride that go into every one. It’s exciting to bring this tradition back to the State Fair after 27 years to recognize the people who keep this important part of our heritage alive.”
2026 N.C. State Fair Country Ham Competition winners
Commercial Division
Unsmoked Whole Ham
- National and Got to Be NC Grand Champion: Tony Snow, Goodnight Brothers Country Ham, Boone
- Second place: Brandon Pierce, Nahunta Pork Center, Pikeville
- Third place (tie): Sam Suchoff, Lady Edison Pork, Chapel Hill and John & Blake Penn, Penn Country Hams, Campbellsville, Ky.
Smoked Whole Ham
- National Grand Champion: Broadbent Country Hams, Kuttawa, Ky.
- Got to Be NC Grand Champion: Tony Snow, Goodnight Brothers Country Ham, Boone
- Second place: Tony Snow, Goodnight Brothers Country Ham, Boone
- Third place: Tripp Country Hams, Brownsville, Tenn.
Cut Ham
- National and Got to Be NC Grand Champion: Tony Snow, Goodnight Brothers Country Ham, Boone
- Second place: Broadbent Country Hams, Kuttawa, Ky.
- Third place: John & Blake Penn, Penn Country Hams, Campbellsville, Ky.
Amateur Division
Whole Ham
Commissioner’s Choice
- Tony Snow, Goodnight Brothers Country Ham, Boone
Country ham is a product of patience. From the careful application of salt to the aging process that develops its distinctive flavor, every ham represents a combination of craftsmanship, experience and tradition. Whether tucked inside a buttery biscuit, served with red-eye gravy or featured in a modern restaurant dish, country ham continues to connect North Carolina’s past with its future.
“Making a great country ham takes time, knowledge and a real respect for the process,” said Sam Suchoff, president of the National Country Ham Association. “The producers competing here represent a tradition that has been handed down for generations, but they’re also helping shape its future. Seeing the Country Ham Competition return to the N.C. State Fair is an exciting opportunity to recognize their craftsmanship and remind people why country ham deserves a place among America’s great culinary traditions.”
As presenting sponsor, North Carolina Farm Bureau helped support the return of the competition and recognize the people behind a signature North Carolina product. The partnership celebrates farmers who raise the pork, producers who carry on traditional curing methods and families who have made country ham part of the state’s food culture for generations.
The competition is part of a broader country ham celebration at the 2026 N.C. State Fair that includes a new Ham House and demonstrations in Heritage Circle as well as Country Ham Restaurant Week and the Country Ham Trail. Winning hams will be displayed in the Got to Be NC Pavilion in Dorton Arena, and commercial whole hams will be donated to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.
From the smokehouse to the State Fair, the tradition continues. With a new generation of champions carrying the craft forward, North Carolina country ham has a story worth sharing.
Goodnight Brothers Country Ham of Boone took home national and Got to Be NC grand champion honors in the commercial unsmoked ham and commercial cut ham categories, Got to Be NC grand champion honors in the commercial smoked ham category and the Commissioner’s Choice Award. Pictured from left are Wake Forest Agent Jamie Davis, N.C. Farm Bureau; Tony Snow, Goodnight Brothers Country Ham; Jim Goodnight, Goodnight Brothers Country Ham; and Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler.
Tony Parks of Kannapolis was awarded grand champion honors in the amateur whole ham category. Pictured from left are Wake Forest Agent Jamie Davis, N.C. Farm Bureau; Megan Parks; Tony Parks; Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler; and Tommy Wheeler, Tidewater Grain Co.
Nahunta Pork Center of Pikeville took home second place in the commercial unsmoked ham category. Pictured from left are Mandy Pierce, Nahunta Pork Center; Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler; Brandon Pierce, Nahunta Pork Center; and the Pierces’ son (front).
Lady Edison Pork of Chapel Hill took third place in the commercial unsmoked ham category. Pictured from left are Sam Suchoff, Lady Edison Pork, and Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler.
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