VPD Back the Blue BBQ Competition
2023-11-03 – 2023-11-04 · Vidalia, LA · 📍 202 Vernon Stevens Blvd · State championship
Reps: MARIA LOHMAN, WAYNE LOHMAN · Prize money: $6,450.00
Grand Champion: Glamping Grillers (709.1200) · 27 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 Kermit's Ex
Entries
27
4 judged meats
Top score
709.1200
Winning margin
4.5828
GC over RC
Field average
661.44
median 677.03
Perfect 180s
4 🔥
WALK THE SWINE (Pork), Glamping Grillers (Pork), Kermit's Ex (Pork Ribs), Italians Do It Better (Pork Ribs)
Tightest race
Chicken
3.4400 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
691.3256
10th place overall
Field spread
136.7540
winner to last place
Prize money
$6,450.00
on the line
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 8%
beats 92% of 1951 Master Series wins in the data
Traveled in
44%
of the 27 teams with a home region came from outside LA
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.71 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1549
avg power rating going in · stronger than 54% of contests
Storylines
🧳 Out-of-towners took the title
Glamping Grillers took the Grand Championship home to TN.
🔥 A day of perfect scores
4 perfect 180s were scored at this contest.
📸 Photo finishes
Chicken places 5–6: Ring of Fire and SmokinGhost BBQ tied on 176.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 1–2: Kermit's Ex and Italians Do It Better tied on 180.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 5–6: WALK THE SWINE and Sheltered Smoke tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
Score curves (score by finishing position — steep cliffs mean a spread field, flat lines a knife fight)
Category showdown (top / average / median score per meat)
Score distribution
Biggest rating movers (power-rating points won and lost at this contest)
Did form hold? (pre-contest rating vs overall finish — ratings called it if the dots climb to the right)
Where the field came from (home regions on file)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-03 ← this one | Vidalia, LA | 202 Vernon Stevens Blvd | 27 | 709.1200 | Glamping Grillers | Kermit's Ex |
| 2024-10-25 | Vidalia, LA | 602 John Dale | 31 | 704.5140 | Poppa Pig? | PIGLITICALLY INCORRECT BBQ |
| 2025-10-24 | Vidalia, LA | 602 John Dale | 33 | 700.5256 | Sweet Bayou BBQ | Rankin County BBQ Company |
| 2026-10-23 | Vidalia, LA | — | — | — | — | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 179.4400 | 176.0000 | 171.9656 |
| Pork Ribs | 180.0000 | 176.5600 | 173.1316 |
| Pork | 180.0000 | 175.4172 | 170.8228 |
| Brisket | 179.4400 | 175.4056 | 171.9656 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
27 entries · top 709.1200 · median 677.0284
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glamping Grillers | |
| 2 | Kermit's Ex | |
| 3 | WALK THE SWINE | |
| 4 | Poppa Pig | |
| 5 | PIGGIN' WHISKEY | |
| 6 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 7 | COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 8 | FIRE DANCER BBQ | |
| 9 | Italians Do It Better | |
| 10 | Rankin County BBQ Company | |
| 11 | Cajun JuJu | |
| 12 | Sheltered Smoke | |
| 13 | Ring of Fire | |
| 14 | TLC Smokers | |
| 15 | United By BBQ | |
| 16 | No Clue BBQ | |
| 17 | PICKIN' AND GRILLIN | |
| 18 | Big D's BBQ | |
| 19 | Smoke KingZ | |
| 20 | New Tricks BBQ | |
| 21 | Jason Body Shop | |
| 22 | McDonald Collision | |
| 23 | Pafford EMS | |
| 24 | Concordia Bank & Trust Co | |
| 25 | Big New's BBQ | |
| 26 | Dizzy Dog's BBQ | |
| 27 | Smoking Hose |
Chicken
27 entries · top 179.4400 · median 168.5256
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 2 | Glamping Grillers | |
| 3 | Poppa Pig | |
| 4 | FIRE DANCER BBQ | |
| 5 | Ring of Fire | |
| 6 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 7 | WALK THE SWINE | |
| 8 | Cajun JuJu | |
| 9 | Kermit's Ex | |
| 10 | Rankin County BBQ Company | |
| 11 | TLC Smokers | |
| 12 | No Clue BBQ | |
| 13 | Italians Do It Better | |
| 14 | PIGGIN' WHISKEY | |
| 15 | Sheltered Smoke | |
| 16 | Jason Body Shop | |
| 17 | United By BBQ | |
| 18 | Dizzy Dog's BBQ | |
| 19 | Concordia Bank & Trust Co | |
| 20 | Big New's BBQ | |
| 21 | PICKIN' AND GRILLIN | |
| 22 | Pafford EMS | |
| 23 | McDonald Collision | |
| 24 | New Tricks BBQ | |
| 25 | Smoking Hose | |
| 26 | Smoke KingZ | |
| 27 | Big D's BBQ |
Pork Ribs
27 entries · top 180.0000 · median 169.6800 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kermit's Ex | |
| 2 | Italians Do It Better | |
| 3 | Rankin County BBQ Company | |
| 4 | Glamping Grillers | |
| 5 | WALK THE SWINE | |
| 6 | Sheltered Smoke | |
| 7 | PIGGIN' WHISKEY | |
| 8 | Cajun JuJu | |
| 9 | Ring of Fire | |
| 10 | Poppa Pig | |
| 11 | TLC Smokers | |
| 12 | United By BBQ | |
| 13 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 14 | FIRE DANCER BBQ | |
| 15 | COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 16 | Big D's BBQ | |
| 17 | No Clue BBQ | |
| 18 | Smoke KingZ | |
| 19 | Concordia Bank & Trust Co | |
| 20 | PICKIN' AND GRILLIN | |
| 21 | Pafford EMS | |
| 22 | Dizzy Dog's BBQ | |
| 23 | New Tricks BBQ | |
| 24 | McDonald Collision | |
| 25 | Jason Body Shop | |
| 26 | Smoking Hose | |
| 27 | Big New's BBQ |
Pork
27 entries · top 180.0000 · median 169.6800 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WALK THE SWINE | |
| 2 | Glamping Grillers | |
| 3 | United By BBQ | |
| 4 | PIGGIN' WHISKEY | |
| 5 | Poppa Pig | |
| 6 | Italians Do It Better | |
| 7 | Kermit's Ex | |
| 8 | Rankin County BBQ Company | |
| 9 | TLC Smokers | |
| 10 | FIRE DANCER BBQ | |
| 11 | COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 12 | Sheltered Smoke | |
| 13 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 14 | Ring of Fire | |
| 15 | Cajun JuJu | |
| 16 | New Tricks BBQ | |
| 17 | PICKIN' AND GRILLIN | |
| 18 | Smoke KingZ | |
| 19 | Jason Body Shop | |
| 20 | No Clue BBQ | |
| 21 | McDonald Collision | |
| 22 | Big New's BBQ | |
| 23 | Big D's BBQ | |
| 24 | Concordia Bank & Trust Co | |
| 25 | Pafford EMS | |
| 26 | Dizzy Dog's BBQ | |
| 27 | Smoking Hose |
Brisket
27 entries · top 179.4400 · median 163.9428
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 2 | Kermit's Ex | |
| 3 | PIGGIN' WHISKEY | |
| 4 | Poppa Pig | |
| 5 | COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 6 | FIRE DANCER BBQ | |
| 7 | Glamping Grillers | |
| 8 | Sheltered Smoke | |
| 9 | Cajun JuJu | |
| 10 | WALK THE SWINE | |
| 11 | Italians Do It Better | |
| 12 | Rankin County BBQ Company | |
| 13 | PICKIN' AND GRILLIN | |
| 14 | TLC Smokers | |
| 15 | Big D's BBQ | |
| 16 | United By BBQ | |
| 17 | Ring of Fire | |
| 18 | Pafford EMS | |
| 19 | No Clue BBQ | |
| 20 | Smoke KingZ | |
| 21 | Big New's BBQ | |
| 22 | McDonald Collision | |
| 23 | New Tricks BBQ | |
| 24 | Jason Body Shop | |
| 25 | Dizzy Dog's BBQ | |
| 26 | Smoking Hose | |
| 27 | Concordia Bank & Trust Co |