Oct 6–7, 2023 · Casper, WY · State championship
Reps: Del Anderson, Michael Winter
Needs More Cowbell BBQ won Grand Champion at the Smoke & Soul Fest on October 6, 2023 in Casper, WY, scoring 693.6572 in a field of 28 teams. Brinkerhoff BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 693.0972. Category winners: Chicken — Needs More Cowbell BBQ (175.4172); Pork Ribs — Brinkerhoff BBQ (178.2972); Pork — PARROTHEAD SMOKERS (179.4400); Brisket — SmellaQue (180.0000). This is the 5th of 6 editions of this contest on record; the 2022 edition was won by Bushmaster 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, 2017 to 2024 — 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 92% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.5600 points — closer than 92% of every championship in the data.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 81 times in 100
Needs More Cowbell BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, SMELLAQUE, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 19-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
This was Needs More Cowbell BBQ's first Grand Championship in the data — it arrived at their 25th tracked contest.
3 of 6 tracked editions
YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG has won this contest 3 times across its 6 tracked editions.
Chicken places 2–3: BRACKEN RACKS BBQ and POPPA PIG AND PORKCHOP tied on 174.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 7–8: The Fatted Calf and Bull-B-Que tied on 170.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 5–6: LaTa-Que and WYO SMOKE SHOW tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
Needs More Cowbell BBQ took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork at 13th.
SmellaQue turned in 180.0000 in brisket — past the 175.4172 that had stood across 4 earlier editions.
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 22, 2017 | Casper, WY | Casper, WY 82601 | 18 | 687.4404 | YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG | JO-BAWB'S BBQ |
| Sep 14, 2018 | Casper, WY | 3rd Elm St | 28 | 677.6684 | YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG | RICHIE Z's |
| Sep 13, 2019 | Casper, WY | Downtown | 28 | 698.8344 | You Que'd Me All Night Long | The Eagle BBQ Colorado |
| Oct 7, 2022 | Casper, WY | Casper, WY 82602 | 29 | 690.1712 | Bushmaster BBQ | Brinkerhoff BBQ |
| Oct 6, 2023 ← this one | Casper, WY | Casper, WY 82602 | 28 | 693.6572 | Needs More Cowbell BBQ | Brinkerhoff BBQ |
| Jul 12, 2024 | Casper, WY | 355 W Yellowstone Hwy | 26 | 697.6572 | Heifers Butts, & Clucks BBQ | Tuffy's BBQ |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 175.4172 | 171.9772 | 168.5488 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.2972 | 174.2628 | 170.2628 |
| Pork | 179.4400 | 174.2628 | 170.8572 |
| Brisket | 180 | 175.4400 | 169.7144 |
28 entries · top 693.6572 · median 668.2288
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Needs More Cowbell BBQ | |
| 2 | Brinkerhoff BBQ | |
| 3 | RICHIE Z's | |
| 4 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 5 | POPPA PIG AND PORKCHOP | |
| 6 | WYO SMOKE SHOW | |
| 7 | LaTa-Que | |
| 8 | ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ | |
| 9 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | |
| 10 | BRACKEN RACKS BBQ | |
| 11 | Woolverton BBQ | |
| 12 | SmellaQue | |
| 13 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 14 | ROOSTER'S COMPETITION BBQ TEAM | |
| 15 | The Fatted Calf | |
| 16 | Q LIVE CREW | |
| 17 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 18 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 19 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 20 | Bull-B-Que | |
| 21 | BULL SLAP BBQ | |
| 22 | Guys and Grills | |
| 23 | Triple Nines BBQ | |
| 24 | Rouxlin Smoke | |
| 25 | Tuffy's BBQ | |
| 26 | GreaseMonkey BBQ | |
| 27 | Smoking Bibs | |
| 28 | Wyoming Backyard BBQ |
28 entries · top 175.4172 · median 166.8342
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Needs More Cowbell BBQ | |
| 2 | BRACKEN RACKS BBQ | |
| 3 | POPPA PIG AND PORKCHOP | |
| 4 | Brinkerhoff BBQ | |
| 5 | WYO SMOKE SHOW | |
| 6 | ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ | |
| 7 | The Fatted Calf | |
| 8 | Bull-B-Que | |
| 9 | LaTa-Que | |
| 10 | Woolverton BBQ | |
| 11 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 12 | Q LIVE CREW | |
| 13 | Rouxlin Smoke | |
| 14 | SmellaQue | |
| 15 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 16 | RICHIE Z's | |
| 17 | Tuffy's BBQ | |
| 18 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | |
| 19 | Smoking Bibs | |
| 20 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 21 | ROOSTER'S COMPETITION BBQ TEAM | |
| 22 | Guys and Grills | |
| 23 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 24 | GreaseMonkey BBQ | |
| 25 | Triple Nines BBQ | |
| 26 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 27 | Wyoming Backyard BBQ | |
| 28 | BULL SLAP BBQ |
28 entries · top 178.2972 · median 166.2628
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brinkerhoff BBQ | |
| 2 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | |
| 3 | Woolverton BBQ | |
| 4 | BRACKEN RACKS BBQ | |
| 5 | LaTa-Que | |
| 6 | WYO SMOKE SHOW | |
| 7 | Needs More Cowbell BBQ | |
| 8 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 9 | BULL SLAP BBQ | |
| 10 | POPPA PIG AND PORKCHOP | |
| 11 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 12 | ROOSTER'S COMPETITION BBQ TEAM | |
| 13 | RICHIE Z's | |
| 14 | SmellaQue | |
| 15 | The Fatted Calf | |
| 16 | Bull-B-Que | |
| 17 | Tuffy's BBQ | |
| 18 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 19 | ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ | |
| 20 | Q LIVE CREW | |
| 21 | GreaseMonkey BBQ | |
| 22 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 23 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 24 | Rouxlin Smoke | |
| 25 | Triple Nines BBQ | |
| 26 | Guys and Grills | |
| 27 | Smoking Bibs | |
| 28 | Wyoming Backyard BBQ |
28 entries · top 179.4400 · median 167.9944
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 2 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 3 | RICHIE Z's | |
| 4 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | |
| 5 | ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ | |
| 6 | POPPA PIG AND PORKCHOP | |
| 7 | ROOSTER'S COMPETITION BBQ TEAM | |
| 8 | WYO SMOKE SHOW | |
| 9 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 10 | Brinkerhoff BBQ | |
| 11 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 12 | Woolverton BBQ | |
| 13 | Needs More Cowbell BBQ | |
| 14 | Bull-B-Que | |
| 15 | Guys and Grills | |
| 16 | BULL SLAP BBQ | |
| 17 | LaTa-Que | |
| 18 | Q LIVE CREW | |
| 19 | BRACKEN RACKS BBQ | |
| 20 | Triple Nines BBQ | |
| 21 | The Fatted Calf | |
| 22 | Rouxlin Smoke | |
| 23 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 24 | Wyoming Backyard BBQ | |
| 25 | SmellaQue | |
| 26 | Tuffy's BBQ | |
| 27 | GreaseMonkey BBQ | |
| 28 | Smoking Bibs |
28 entries · top 180 · median 167.9944 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SmellaQue | |
| 2 | RICHIE Z's | |
| 3 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 4 | ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ | |
| 5 | Needs More Cowbell BBQ | |
| 6 | LaTa-Que | |
| 7 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 8 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 9 | Brinkerhoff BBQ | |
| 10 | The Fatted Calf | |
| 11 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 12 | WYO SMOKE SHOW | |
| 13 | Q LIVE CREW | |
| 14 | ROOSTER'S COMPETITION BBQ TEAM | |
| 15 | POPPA PIG AND PORKCHOP | |
| 16 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | |
| 17 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 18 | Guys and Grills | |
| 19 | BRACKEN RACKS BBQ | |
| 20 | Woolverton BBQ | |
| 21 | Triple Nines BBQ | |
| 22 | BULL SLAP BBQ | |
| 23 | Bull-B-Que | |
| 24 | GreaseMonkey BBQ | |
| 25 | Rouxlin Smoke | |
| 26 | Tuffy's BBQ | |
| 27 | Smoking Bibs | |
| 28 | Wyoming Backyard BBQ |