Oct 6–7, 2023 · Lyons, GA · 📍 168 Miot St · State championship
Reps: Julie Cook, Rusty Cook · Prize money: $15,000
YES, DEAR BBQ won Grand Champion at The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival on October 6, 2023 in Lyons, GA at 168 Miot St, scoring 708.5488 in a field of 29 teams. SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS took Reserve Grand Champion with 707.3828. Category winners: Chicken — SMOKE SHOW MAFIA (180.0000); Pork Ribs — YES, DEAR BBQ (177.7144); Pork — COOL HAND QUE (176.5600); Brisket — YES, DEAR BBQ (180.0000). The Backyard Series standings were won by PI KAPPA HOG with 326.3888. This is the 8th of 10 editions of this contest on record; the 2022 edition was won by Who Cares BBQ; the next was held in 2024.
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
What it has taken to win here, 2016 to 2025 — this edition picked out.
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
Closer than 79% of the 4,722 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.1660 points — closer than 79% of every championship in the data.
708.5488 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 706.2516 Who Cares BBQ set in 2022.
3 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
2 of 10 tracked editions
SMOKE ME SILLY has won this contest 2 times across its 10 tracked editions.
Master Series — Chicken places 1–2: SMOKE SHOW MAFIA and SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS tied on 180.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 7–8: HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY and ZIPS BBQ tied on 173.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork Ribs places 2–3: SMOKE SHOW MAFIA and FLYIN' PIG tied on 177.1544 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
YES, DEAR BBQ won Pork Ribs, Brisket — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
YES, DEAR BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 2 outright wins — their weakest board was chicken at 6th.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 7, 2016 | Lyons, GA | Lyons, GA | 26 | 697.6456 | THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA | SAUCED! BBQ TEAM |
| Oct 13, 2017 | Lyons, GA | 168 Miot St | 29 | 699.3600 | SMOKE ME SILLY | Uncle Kenny's Take-Away |
| Oct 12, 2018 | Lyons, GA | 168 Miot St | 26 | 703.9772 | SMOKE ME SILLY | SAUCED! BBQ TEAM |
| Oct 11, 2019 | Lyons, GA | 168 Miot St | 27 | 689.6456 | Que'n Stew'n & Brew'n | ANGRY JACK BBQ |
| Oct 9, 2020 | Lyons, GA | 168 Miot St | 37 | 703.9428 | Who Cares BBQ | HOT WACHULA'S |
| Oct 8, 2021 | Lyons, GA | 168 Miot St | 26 | 699.3484 | Uncle Kenny's BBQ | ROLLIN KOLBZ |
| Oct 7, 2022 | Lyons, GA | 168 Miot St | 30 | 706.2516 | Who Cares BBQ | Organizer Portal |
| Oct 6, 2023 ← this one | Lyons, GA | 168 Miot St | 29 | 708.5488 | YES, DEAR BBQ | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS |
| Oct 4, 2024 | Lyons, GA | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oct 3, 2025 | Lyons, GA | 168 Miot St | 32 | 703.9428 | Hickory Barbeque Company | COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 180 | 175.4172 | 171.4172 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 177.7144 | 176.5600 | 173.1200 |
| Master Series — Pork | 176.5600 | 176 | 173.1200 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 180 | 175.4172 | 171.9772 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 154.9372 | 138.8112 | — |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 171.4516 | 154.3200 | — |
29 entries · top 708.5488 · median 678.1716
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | YES, DEAR BBQ | |
| 2 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 3 | ANGRY JACK BBQ | |
| 4 | MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | |
| 5 | ZIPS BBQ | |
| 6 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 7 | QMEISTERS | |
| 8 | HURRICANE COOKERS | |
| 9 | SMOKE SHOW MAFIA | |
| 10 | BAD AZZ MULE BBQ | |
| 11 | POP'S SMOKE ON THE HILL | |
| 12 | HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY | |
| 13 | OFF THE CHAIN | |
| 14 | SWEET DIXIE BBQ | |
| 15 | 2 LIVE QUE | |
| 16 | ALTAMAHA RIVER BBQ COMPANY | |
| 17 | OLD HENRY'S BBQ | |
| 18 | Peckerwood Country Club | |
| 19 | Uncle Kenny's Take-Away | |
| 20 | FLYIN' PIG | |
| 21 | BIG BUTTS BBQ . | |
| 22 | Willingham's | |
| 23 | HUNTER'S HOT ASH BBQ | |
| 24 | HPO PIT TEAM | |
| 25 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 26 | B-RADS BBQ | |
| 27 | OLD CROW FARM | |
| 28 | BOLDEN'S BEST | |
| 29 | REAL BAD 2 THE BONE GRILLERS |
29 entries · top 180 · median 168.5372 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKE SHOW MAFIA | |
| 2 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 3 | MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | |
| 4 | ANGRY JACK BBQ | |
| 5 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 6 | YES, DEAR BBQ | |
| 7 | HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY | |
| 8 | ZIPS BBQ | |
| 9 | BAD AZZ MULE BBQ | |
| 10 | QMEISTERS | |
| 11 | ALTAMAHA RIVER BBQ COMPANY | |
| 12 | HUNTER'S HOT ASH BBQ | |
| 13 | HURRICANE COOKERS | |
| 14 | OFF THE CHAIN | |
| 15 | SWEET DIXIE BBQ | |
| 16 | 2 LIVE QUE | |
| 17 | HPO PIT TEAM | |
| 18 | BIG BUTTS BBQ . | |
| 19 | BOLDEN'S BEST | |
| 20 | POP'S SMOKE ON THE HILL | |
| 21 | OLD HENRY'S BBQ | |
| 22 | Willingham's | |
| 23 | FLYIN' PIG | |
| 24 | Uncle Kenny's Take-Away | |
| 25 | OLD CROW FARM | |
| 26 | B-RADS BBQ | |
| 27 | Peckerwood Country Club | |
| 28 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 29 | REAL BAD 2 THE BONE GRILLERS |
29 entries · top 177.7144 · median 168.5256
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | YES, DEAR BBQ | |
| 2 | SMOKE SHOW MAFIA | |
| 3 | FLYIN' PIG | |
| 4 | MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | |
| 5 | OLD HENRY'S BBQ | |
| 6 | HURRICANE COOKERS | |
| 7 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 8 | HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY | |
| 9 | ANGRY JACK BBQ | |
| 10 | QMEISTERS | |
| 11 | ZIPS BBQ | |
| 12 | BAD AZZ MULE BBQ | |
| 13 | POP'S SMOKE ON THE HILL | |
| 14 | Peckerwood Country Club | |
| 15 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 16 | Uncle Kenny's Take-Away | |
| 17 | REAL BAD 2 THE BONE GRILLERS | |
| 18 | BIG BUTTS BBQ . | |
| 19 | 2 LIVE QUE | |
| 20 | ALTAMAHA RIVER BBQ COMPANY | |
| 21 | B-RADS BBQ | |
| 22 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 23 | Willingham's | |
| 24 | SWEET DIXIE BBQ | |
| 25 | HPO PIT TEAM | |
| 26 | OFF THE CHAIN | |
| 27 | HUNTER'S HOT ASH BBQ | |
| 28 | OLD CROW FARM | |
| 29 | BOLDEN'S BEST |
29 entries · top 176.5600 · median 170.8228
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 2 | QMEISTERS | |
| 3 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 4 | OFF THE CHAIN | |
| 5 | ANGRY JACK BBQ | |
| 6 | YES, DEAR BBQ | |
| 7 | Willingham's | |
| 8 | POP'S SMOKE ON THE HILL | |
| 9 | Uncle Kenny's Take-Away | |
| 10 | HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY | |
| 11 | SMOKE SHOW MAFIA | |
| 12 | HURRICANE COOKERS | |
| 13 | BAD AZZ MULE BBQ | |
| 14 | Peckerwood Country Club | |
| 15 | ZIPS BBQ | |
| 16 | SWEET DIXIE BBQ | |
| 17 | BIG BUTTS BBQ . | |
| 18 | 2 LIVE QUE | |
| 19 | MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | |
| 20 | HUNTER'S HOT ASH BBQ | |
| 21 | OLD HENRY'S BBQ | |
| 22 | ALTAMAHA RIVER BBQ COMPANY | |
| 23 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 24 | FLYIN' PIG | |
| 25 | HPO PIT TEAM | |
| 26 | OLD CROW FARM | |
| 27 | BOLDEN'S BEST | |
| 28 | B-RADS BBQ | |
| 29 | REAL BAD 2 THE BONE GRILLERS |
29 entries · top 180 · median 169.6684 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | YES, DEAR BBQ | |
| 2 | ANGRY JACK BBQ | |
| 3 | ZIPS BBQ | |
| 4 | SWEET DIXIE BBQ | |
| 5 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 6 | 2 LIVE QUE | |
| 7 | OFF THE CHAIN | |
| 8 | ALTAMAHA RIVER BBQ COMPANY | |
| 9 | Peckerwood Country Club | |
| 10 | Uncle Kenny's Take-Away | |
| 11 | MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | |
| 12 | POP'S SMOKE ON THE HILL | |
| 13 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 14 | HURRICANE COOKERS | |
| 15 | FLYIN' PIG | |
| 16 | QMEISTERS | |
| 17 | HUNTER'S HOT ASH BBQ | |
| 18 | BAD AZZ MULE BBQ | |
| 19 | OLD HENRY'S BBQ | |
| 20 | Willingham's | |
| 21 | BIG BUTTS BBQ . | |
| 22 | HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY | |
| 23 | B-RADS BBQ | |
| 24 | HPO PIT TEAM | |
| 25 | SMOKE SHOW MAFIA | |
| 26 | OLD CROW FARM | |
| 27 | REAL BAD 2 THE BONE GRILLERS | |
| 28 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 29 | BOLDEN'S BEST |
5 entries · top 326.3888 · median 315.9768
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PI KAPPA HOG | |
| 2 | B & B BARBEQUE | |
| 3 | BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 4 | RED STAG | |
| 5 | SUMMERS BACKYARD BBQ & STEW |
5 entries · top 154.9372 · median 153.6912
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PI KAPPA HOG | |
| 2 | B & B BARBEQUE | |
| 3 | BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 4 | RED STAG | |
| 5 | SUMMERS BACKYARD BBQ & STEW |
5 entries · top 171.4516 · median 162.2856
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PI KAPPA HOG | |
| 2 | B & B BARBEQUE | |
| 3 | BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 4 | RED STAG | |
| 5 | SUMMERS BACKYARD BBQ & STEW |