May 16–17, 2025 · Ottumwa, IA · 📍 2818 North Court Street · State championship
Reps: Cindy Juhl, Tom Juhl · Prize money: $10,000
WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ won Grand Champion at the King of the Corn on May 16, 2025 in Ottumwa, IA at 2818 North Court Street, scoring 702.2516 in a field of 33 teams. AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW took Reserve Grand Champion with 695.4060. Category winners: Chicken — Bad Influence BBQ - MO (180.0000); Pork Ribs — Givey's Que (178.2972); Pork — WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ (180.0000); Brisket — Smokin Suckers (176.5600). This is the 4th of 5 editions of this contest on record; the 2024 edition was won by SHIGGIN & GRINNIN; the next is scheduled for October 16, 2026.
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, 2022 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.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 67 times in 100
WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 33-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
3 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
Chicken places 1–2: Bad Influence BBQ - MO and Bramble BBQ tied on 180.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 4–5: WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ and THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE tied on 177.7144 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 5–6: THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE and MACHETE BOYS BBQ tied on 177.7144 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork ribs at 22nd.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: T-Rex BBQ (won 2022), SON OF A BOAR BBQ (won 2023), SHIGGIN & GRINNIN (won 2024).
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 14, 2022 | Ottumwa, IA | 2818 N. Court St. | 36 | 697.6572 | T-Rex BBQ | PARTS 'R' SMOKIN |
| May 19, 2023 | Ottumwa, IA | 2818 N. Court St. | 45 | 703.3944 | SON OF A BOAR BBQ | 4 LEGS UP BBQ |
| May 17, 2024 | Ottumwa, IA | 2818 N. Court Street | 36 | 694.2284 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW |
| May 16, 2025 ← this one | Ottumwa, IA | 2818 North Court Street | 33 | 702.2516 | Wag's Backwoods BBQ | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW |
| Oct 16, 2026 | Ottumwa, IA | — | — | — | — | — |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 177.7144 | 175.4172 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.2972 | 173.7028 | 171.9884 |
| Pork | 180 | 176.5600 | 172.5944 |
| Brisket | 176.5600 | 172.5484 | 171.4056 |
33 entries · top 702.2516 · median 681.0284
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 2 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 3 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 4 | Bad Influence BBQ - MO | |
| 5 | Givey's Que | |
| 6 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 7 | Low Eye Que | |
| 8 | THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE | |
| 9 | Bramble BBQ | |
| 10 | Big Racks BBQ | |
| 11 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 12 | Broke Boys BBQ | |
| 13 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 14 | Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ | |
| 15 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 16 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 17 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 18 | NEVER EASY BBQ | |
| 19 | Second String BBQ | |
| 20 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 21 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 22 | SMOKEY D'S WANNABEES | |
| 23 | Darty-Q | |
| 24 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 25 | Family Tradition BBQ | |
| 26 | The Bearded Bandits | |
| 27 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 28 | Hawg Holler BBQ | |
| 29 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 30 | CHICK HUGGINS BBQ | |
| 31 | BLAIR'S BIGFOOT BBQ | |
| 32 | BUCKSHOTBBQ | |
| 33 | Smokin at Noonish |
33 entries · top 180 · median 173.7028 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bad Influence BBQ - MO | |
| 2 | Bramble BBQ | |
| 3 | The Bearded Bandits | |
| 4 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 5 | THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE | |
| 6 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 7 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 8 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 9 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 10 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 11 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 12 | Big Racks BBQ | |
| 13 | NEVER EASY BBQ | |
| 14 | Low Eye Que | |
| 15 | Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ | |
| 16 | Second String BBQ | |
| 17 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 18 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 19 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 20 | Broke Boys BBQ | |
| 21 | Hawg Holler BBQ | |
| 22 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 23 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 24 | SMOKEY D'S WANNABEES | |
| 25 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 26 | CHICK HUGGINS BBQ | |
| 27 | Givey's Que | |
| 28 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 29 | BUCKSHOTBBQ | |
| 30 | Darty-Q | |
| 31 | Family Tradition BBQ | |
| 32 | BLAIR'S BIGFOOT BBQ | |
| 33 | Smokin at Noonish |
33 entries · top 178.2972 · median 170.8112
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Givey's Que | |
| 2 | Big Racks BBQ | |
| 3 | THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE | |
| 4 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 5 | SMOKEY D'S WANNABEES | |
| 6 | Low Eye Que | |
| 7 | Family Tradition BBQ | |
| 8 | Second String BBQ | |
| 9 | Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ | |
| 10 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 11 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 12 | Bad Influence BBQ - MO | |
| 13 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 14 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 15 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 16 | Bramble BBQ | |
| 17 | Broke Boys BBQ | |
| 18 | BLAIR'S BIGFOOT BBQ | |
| 19 | NEVER EASY BBQ | |
| 20 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 21 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 22 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 23 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 24 | CHICK HUGGINS BBQ | |
| 25 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 26 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 27 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 28 | Darty-Q | |
| 29 | Hawg Holler BBQ | |
| 30 | Smokin at Noonish | |
| 31 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 32 | BUCKSHOTBBQ | |
| 33 | The Bearded Bandits |
33 entries · top 180 · median 169.1084 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 2 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 3 | The Bearded Bandits | |
| 4 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 5 | Givey's Que | |
| 6 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 7 | Darty-Q | |
| 8 | Family Tradition BBQ | |
| 9 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 10 | Bad Influence BBQ - MO | |
| 11 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 12 | Bramble BBQ | |
| 13 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 14 | Broke Boys BBQ | |
| 15 | Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ | |
| 16 | NEVER EASY BBQ | |
| 17 | Hawg Holler BBQ | |
| 18 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 19 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 20 | Low Eye Que | |
| 21 | BUCKSHOTBBQ | |
| 22 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 23 | SMOKEY D'S WANNABEES | |
| 24 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 25 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 26 | CHICK HUGGINS BBQ | |
| 27 | THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE | |
| 28 | BLAIR'S BIGFOOT BBQ | |
| 29 | Smokin at Noonish | |
| 30 | Big Racks BBQ | |
| 31 | Second String BBQ | |
| 32 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 33 | Smokin Suckers |
33 entries · top 176.5600 · median 170.2628
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 2 | Low Eye Que | |
| 3 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 4 | THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE | |
| 5 | Givey's Que | |
| 6 | Broke Boys BBQ | |
| 7 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 8 | Darty-Q | |
| 9 | Big Racks BBQ | |
| 10 | SMOKEY D'S WANNABEES | |
| 11 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 12 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 13 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 14 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 15 | Bad Influence BBQ - MO | |
| 16 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 17 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 18 | Second String BBQ | |
| 19 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 20 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 21 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 22 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 23 | Smokin at Noonish | |
| 24 | Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ | |
| 25 | Bramble BBQ | |
| 26 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 27 | NEVER EASY BBQ | |
| 28 | Family Tradition BBQ | |
| 29 | Hawg Holler BBQ | |
| 30 | BLAIR'S BIGFOOT BBQ | |
| 31 | CHICK HUGGINS BBQ | |
| 32 | BUCKSHOTBBQ | |
| 33 | The Bearded Bandits |