The Backyard Series
KCBS runs two tracks, and almost every leaderboard in this app is about the other one. It has to be — Backyard is two meats out of 360 and Master is four out of 720, so pooling them would be nonsense. This page is the other half: the same questions, asked of the Backyard boards only.
Contests
713
with a Backyard board on record
This season
72
so far in 2026
Teams
4,217
have cooked one
Typical field
20
biggest was 69
Perfect 180s
234
meat scores that could not be beaten
States & provinces
35
have run one
Seasons
8
of Backyard results on file
Backyard is where a lot of them started
1,242 teams have cooked in both series, and 398 of them cooked Backyard first. These went on to win a Master contest: Optimus Swine, Damn Fine Beef & Swine, Off The Rack BBQ, BAD ROOSTER BBQ, COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ, Dog Bite Barbecue, DANG GOOD BBQ, D’Qued Barbeque.
Backyard Team of the Year — 2026
The points race, straight from the KCBS standings. The official board →
| Rank | Team | Where | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DAWGS BBQ | MN | 1356 |
| 2 | Rollin Smoke BBQ | AL | 1331 |
| 3 | PUDDLEDUCK BBQ | AL | 1329 |
| 4 | Dogpatch Q | VA | 1303 |
| 5 | FENDER BENDER BBQ | WI | 1302 |
| 6 | Rudes BBQ | IL | 1276 |
| 7 | Leaning Jowler BBQ | VA | 1270 |
| 8 | Rough Cut Q | NJ | 1259 |
| 9 | FIRE & SHINE BBQ | VA | 1258 |
| 10 | WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ | IL | 1183 |
| 11 | All Smoked Up BBQ | IL | 1170 |
| 12 | Big Ten Bones | WI | 1158 |
| 13 | SASSY SMOKE BBQ | WI | 1148 |
| 14 | Pinky Out BBQ | VA | 1140 |
| 15 | Southern Swine | AL | 1134 |
| 16 | Clean Smoke BBQ Team | VA | 1112 |
| 17 | Too Sauced BBQ | MO | 1105 |
| 18 | Smoked By The Brooks | MO | 1102 |
| 19 | Poppin Smoke BBQ | MO | 1089 |
| 20 | SMOKIN E'S BBQ | IN | 1082 |
The record board
Every score here is a Backyard score, ranked only against other Backyard scores. Overall is out of 360; each meat is out of 180, exactly as in the Master series — a 180 is a 180 in either track.
Best overall
| # | Score | Team | Contest | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 705.0972 | LOVE 2 Q | Holmes Drywall Grilling BBQ Contest (INVITATIONAL ONLY) MO | |
| 2 | 703.9656 | Rough Cut Q | Grand American Barbecue New York State Championship Open (OPEN FORMAT) NY | 2026-05-02 |
| 3 | 699.9656 | Naughty Dog | Anchor City Cook off MO | 2019-10-11 |
| 4 | 695.3828 | MAGNOLIA | Bands & BBQ at the Point KY | 2023-09-08 |
| 5 | 690.8000 | Yardogs BBQ | Grand American Barbecue New York State Championship Open (OPEN FORMAT) NY | 2026-05-02 |
| 6 | 689.6228 | Chester's Twisted Que | SmokeHouse Barbeque Showdown (OPEN FORMAT) (REGISTRATION FULL) IA | 2026-05-01 |
| 7 | 688.4800 | Bourbon & Blues BBQ | Lakeland Pig Festival FL | 2023-01-27 |
| 8 | 687.9544 | Smokey Bros Barbecue | SmokeHouse Barbeque Showdown (OPEN FORMAT) (REGISTRATION FULL) IA | 2026-05-01 |
| 9 | 687.8968 | DENIM DAN THE BBQ MAN | Lakeland Pig Festival FL | 2023-01-27 |
| 10 | 687.3256 | BAMA BOYS BBQ | Christmas on the River State Bar B Q Championship (OPEN FORMAT) AL | 2025-12-05 |
Chicken
| 1 | 180.0000 | Big Fluff BBQ | Reelin N Smokin Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2026-06-12 |
| 2 | 180.0000 | Good News BBQ | Smoke on the Plains BBQ & Music Fest | 2026-06-12 |
| 3 | 180.0000 | Hot Thang BBQ | York County BBQ Festival (Day 1) | 2026-06-12 |
| 4 | 180.0000 | Clean Smoke BBQ Team | Loudoun Rotary BBQ Classic (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2026-06-05 |
| 5 | 180.0000 | 205 Smoke | Smoke in the Park (BACKYARD & KIDS QUE) | 2026-06-05 |
Pork Ribs
| 1 | 180.0000 | FIRE & SHINE BBQ | York County BBQ Festival (Day 2) | 2026-06-13 |
| 2 | 180.0000 | Big Fluff BBQ | Reelin N Smokin Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2026-06-12 |
| 3 | 180.0000 | Pork Life | Reelin N Smokin Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2026-06-12 |
| 4 | 180.0000 | DAWGS BBQ | Iowa State BBQ Championship | 2026-04-03 |
| 5 | 180.0000 | Mind if I Smoke? | Singing River Smoke-O-Rama (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2026-03-27 |
Pork
| 1 | 180.0000 | Swine-O-Licious BBQ | Boats Beats & BBQ (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2023-09-01 |
| 2 | 180.0000 | Breaking Slabs BBQ | Smokin on the Osage (Day 1) | 2023-07-21 |
| 3 | 180.0000 | COOKIN' WITH WOOD | Que' For a Cause (BACKYARD) Day 2 | 2022-10-08 |
| 4 | 180.0000 | Weez' Groovin' BBQ | Que' For a Cause (BACKYARD) Day 2 | 2022-10-08 |
| 5 | 180.0000 | BULL IN THE RING | Que' For a Cause (BACKYARD) Day 1 | 2022-10-07 |
Brisket
| 1 | 178.8572 | Pig Timers | Plant City Pig Jam | 2021-11-19 |
| 2 | 177.7144 | Matt's Backyard BBQ | Grand American Barbecue New York State Championship Open (OPEN FORMAT) | 2026-05-02 |
| 3 | 176.5828 | Valtek | Permian Basin Barbeque Cook-off (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2022-09-29 |
| 4 | 176.5600 | Chester's Twisted Que | SmokeHouse Barbeque Showdown (OPEN FORMAT) (REGISTRATION FULL) | 2026-05-01 |
| 5 | 176.5600 | MAGNOLIA | Bands & BBQ at the Point | 2023-09-08 |
Who wins them
First place on a Backyard board. This is not the contest’s Grand Championship — that is the Master result — so it is counted here from the boards themselves.
| Team | Where | Wins | Podiums | Contests | Avg score | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ | IL | 16 | 38 | 72 | 368.05 | 670.83 |
| Leaning Jowler BBQ | VA | 14 | 29 | 72 | 341.24 | 360.00 |
| Ham Squad | VA | 12 | 28 | 52 | 387.02 | 686.85 |
| Furlongs Smoke & Seafood | MN | 12 | 25 | 56 | 347.81 | 532.01 |
| LEE LA Q | AL | 11 | 36 | 147 | 381.95 | 674.83 |
| Dogpatch Q | VA | 11 | 27 | 146 | 382.53 | 681.14 |
| Swine-O-licious BBQ | MO | 11 | 23 | 43 | 370.11 | 531.98 |
| Too Sauced BBQ | MO | 11 | 21 | 46 | 345.60 | 356.00 |
| NORALA BBQ TEAM | AL | 10 | 27 | 85 | 370.06 | 523.94 |
| FIRE & SHINE BBQ | VA | 10 | 21 | 62 | 346.19 | 678.80 |
| Smokey Bees BBQ - MS | MS | 10 | 20 | 55 | 377.56 | 686.17 |
| Electro-Que-ted | AL | 10 | 18 | 40 | 349.32 | 358.86 |
| Damn Fine Beef & Swine | KS | 10 | 14 | 19 | 338.55 | 526.25 |
| Hickory Hangover | AL | 9 | 32 | 75 | 382.42 | 530.82 |
| Rudes BBQ | IL | 8 | 23 | 62 | 356.54 | 686.19 |
| PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q | AL | 7 | 32 | 87 | 370.20 | 527.97 |
| Rough Cut Q | NJ | 7 | 18 | 37 | 351.77 | 703.97 |
| Capt. Blue BBQ | PA | 7 | 16 | 80 | 340.46 | 498.77 |
| POOR BOYS BBQ | VA | 7 | 14 | 37 | 404.56 | 531.43 |
| DAWGS BBQ | MN | 7 | 13 | 58 | 344.71 | 678.19 |
The regulars
Most Backyard contests cooked, win or lose. For most of this division this is the truer list.
| Team | Where | Contests | Best finish | Avg finish | Avg score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEE LA Q | AL | 147 | 1 | 8.3 | 381.95 |
| Dogpatch Q | VA | 146 | 1 | 11 | 382.53 |
| PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q | AL | 87 | 1 | 7.3 | 370.20 |
| NORALA BBQ TEAM | AL | 85 | 1 | 7.6 | 370.06 |
| RIBLIFE | AL | 84 | 1 | 8.8 | 387.02 |
| REDBONES BBQ | AL | 81 | 1 | 10.3 | 386.93 |
| Capt. Blue BBQ | PA | 80 | 1 | 8.2 | 340.46 |
| Uncle Dubby's Backyard BBQ | VA | 77 | 1 | 11.6 | 371.53 |
| Hickory Hangover | AL | 75 | 1 | 7.2 | 382.42 |
| WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ | IL | 72 | 1 | 5.1 | 368.05 |
| Leaning Jowler BBQ | VA | 72 | 1 | 6.6 | 341.24 |
| Gold-N-Blue Barbecue | VA | 71 | 1 | 5.9 | 384.06 |
| 2 Swine Crew | AL | 67 | 1 | 11 | 396.13 |
| LEM'S MEAT VARNISH | VA | 62 | 1 | 7.2 | 391.66 |
| Rudes BBQ | IL | 62 | 1 | 7.7 | 356.54 |
Where to cook one next
Upcoming contests that have run a Backyard division before. The public listings carry no division field, so a contest’s own history is the only evidence there is — check with the organiser before you enter.
| Date | Contest | Where | Backyard editions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-04 | Smoke on the River (Day 1) State championship | Burlington, KS | 1 |
| 2026-09-04 | Barbeque on the Bow Festival | Calgary, AB | 2 |
| 2026-09-05 | Smoke on the River (Day 2) State championship | Burlington, KS | 1 |
| 2026-09-11 | Bands & BBQ at the Point State championship | Carrollton, KY | 5 |
| 2026-09-11 | September Fest State championship | Coldwater, MI | 2 |
| 2026-09-11 | September Fest (ONE MEAT RIBS) | Coldwater, MI | 2 |
| 2026-09-18 | Tri City BBQ Fest State championship | Denison, IA | 4 |
| 2026-09-19 | Trekking for CDH State championship | Pierron, IL | 2 |
| 2026-09-19 | Trekking for CDH (ONE MEAT RIBS) | Pierron, IL | 2 |
| 2026-09-25 | First State BBQ Bash State championship | Milford, DE | 2 |
| 2026-09-26 | Smokin Barrel Fest 2026 | Nanson, WA | 1 |
| 2026-09-27 | First State BBQ Bash (BACKYARD SUNDAY) | Milford, DE | 2 |
| 2026-10-02 | Big Creek BBQ Bash (BACKYARD ONLY) | Pleasant Hill, MO | 2 |
| 2026-10-09 | MD State BBQ Bash State championship | Bel Air, MD | 2 |
| 2026-10-09 | Scottsboro BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) | Scottsboro, AL | 5 |
| 2026-10-10 | Stover Rock Island Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) | Stover, MO | 1 |
| 2026-10-16 | WhistleStop BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) | Huntsville, AL | 2 |
| 2026-10-30 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 1) State championship | Oak Grove, MO | 5 |
| 2026-10-30 | Roast N Boast (OPEN FORMAT) State championship | Columbus, MS | 6 |
| 2026-10-31 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 2) State championship | Oak Grove, MO | 5 |
| 2026-11-20 | Plant City Pig Jam State championship | Plant City, FL | 5 |
| 2026-12-04 | Christmas on the River State Bar B Q Championship State championship | Demopolis, AL | 5 |
| 2027-03-19 | BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) State championship | Urbanna, VA | 10 |
| 2027-03-19 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship State championship | Lebanon, TN | 4 |
| 2027-03-19 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) | Lebanon, TN | 4 |
| 2027-03-19 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT RIBS) | Lebanon, TN | 4 |
| 2027-03-20 | BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) State championship | Urbanna, VA | 10 |
| 2027-04-02 | Singing River Smoke-O-Rama (BACKYARD ONLY) | Athens, AL | 3 |
| 2027-05-14 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1) State championship | Morgantown, PA | 10 |
| 2027-05-15 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 2) State championship | Morgantown, PA | 10 |
Latest Backyard winners
| 2026-08-28 | Smokin Ribs for the Kids (BACKYARD ONLY) (Contest 2) Cherry Valley, IL |
Kick Ash BBQ 354.2744 · beat 24 |
| 2026-08-28 | Smokin Ribs for the Kids (BACKYARD ONLY) (Contest 1) Cherry Valley, IL |
Kick Ash BBQ 357.7144 · beat 23 |
| 2026-08-28 | Up in Smoke on the Square (BACKYARD ONLY) Lincoln, IL |
Smokin E's BBQ 349.6916 · beat 15 |
| 2026-08-22 | Smoke on the Midway (BACKYARD ONLY) Fairbury, IL |
Wapatui Smokers 350.8572 · beat 15 |
| 2026-08-21 | Stoney Creek BBQ Cookoff Edinburg, VA |
Pinky Out BBQ 352.0000 · beat 26 |
| 2026-08-15 | Vine St BBQ Competition & Fest (BACKYARD ONLY) Park Ridge, IL |
WICKEY-Q 351.9884 · beat 29 |
| 2026-08-15 | Boomer Backyard BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY) Canton, MN |
Big Mike's Smokehouse 353.1544 · beat 17 |
| 2026-08-15 | Smoke N for the Kids (Day 2) Troy, IL |
Snake Holler BBQ 343.9660 · beat 18 |
| 2026-08-14 | Big Smoke Bonnyville Bonnyville, AB |
Grill hub 345.1200 · beat 2 |
| 2026-08-14 | Smoke N for the Kids (Day 1) Troy, IL |
Rudes BBQ 349.6916 · beat 22 |
Season by season
| Season | Contests | Teams | Avg winning-board score | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 72 | 643 | 339.53 | 703.97 |
| 2025 | 113 | 898 | 332.07 | 687.33 |
| 2024 | 110 | 1000 | 329.54 | 360.00 |
| 2023 | 107 | 977 | 370.67 | 695.38 |
| 2022 | 97 | 1052 | 379.61 | 686.85 |
| 2021 | 84 | 851 | 364.90 | 680.51 |
| 2020 | 29 | 401 | 401.39 | 673.63 |
| 2019 | 82 | 1098 | 368.41 | 699.97 |
Backyard totals are out of 360 and are never mixed with Master totals anywhere in this app — see Scoring explained. Data from the public results at kcbs.us.