Apr 26–27, 2024 · Southaven, MS · 📍 6275 Snowden Lane · State championship
Reps: Debra Gage, William Gage · Prize money: $14,500
Optimus Swine won Grand Champion at the Southaven Springfest on April 26, 2024 in Southaven, MS at 6275 Snowden Lane, scoring 699.9428 in a field of 44 teams. HOT COLE'S BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 699.3484. Category winners: Chicken — Optimus Swine (180.0000); Pork Ribs — Mississippi Meat Mafia (179.4400); Pork — SWINE LIFE (177.7028); Brisket — WOOD HOOK BBQ (180.0000). This is the 8th of 11 editions of this contest on record; the 2023 edition was won by Razorracks; the next was held in 2025.
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 2026 — 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 88% of the 4,722 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.5944 points — closer than 88% of every championship in the data.
4 of 10 tracked editions
Razorracks has won this contest 4 times across its 10 tracked editions.
First to fifth in the overall standings covered just 2.8684 points — 2 teams sat within a single point of the lead.
Chicken places 3–4: BrewsCue and HOT COLE'S BBQ tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 3–4: Breaking Bread BBQ and The Drunken Sailor tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 4–5: The Drunken Sailor and Kermit's Ex tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
Optimus Swine took the title on 2 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was brisket at 25th.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Razorracks (won 2019, 2022, 2023).
This contest usually draws about 35 teams
44 teams is the deepest field this contest has drawn in the data, against a typical 35.
2 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
Records held by every edition of this contest put together, not just this one afternoon.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 22, 2016 | Southaven, MS | Southaven, MS | 41 | 704.5256 | VICTORY LANE BBQ | SOUTH PORK |
| Apr 28, 2017 | Southaven, MS | 6275 Snowden Lane | 33 | 694.2400 | VICTORY LANE BBQ | Q-BONES BBQ |
| Apr 27, 2018 | Southaven, MS | 6275 Snowden Lane | 34 | 700.5604 | Q-BONES BBQ | NU BETA GAMMA |
| Apr 26, 2019 | Southaven, MS | 6275 Snowden Lane | 31 | 704.5256 | Razorracks | FIRE DANCER BBQ |
| Oct 29, 2021 | Southaven, MS | 6205 Snowdenlane | 36 | 704.5716 | Razzoracks | HOT COLE'S BBQ |
| Apr 22, 2022 | Southaven, MS | 8710 Northwest Drive | 36 | 702.8000 | Razorracks | Rankin County BBQ Company |
| Apr 21, 2023 | Southaven, MS | Snowden Grove Park | 34 | 714.2744 | Razorracks | MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ |
| Apr 26, 2024 ← this one | Southaven, MS | 6275 Snowden Lane | 44 | 699.9428 | Optimus Swine | HOT COLE'S BBQ |
| Apr 25, 2025 | Southaven, MS | 6275 Snowden Lane | 34 | 699.9428 | Hold Your Horses BBQ | Mad Dog BBQ |
| Apr 24, 2026 | Southaven, MS | 6275 Snowden Lane | 33 | 713.1316 | RAZORRACKS | Electro-Que-ted |
| Apr 23, 2027 | Southaven, MS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 177.1428 | 173.1200 |
| Pork Ribs | 179.4400 | 177.7028 | 176.5600 |
| Pork | 177.7028 | 176.5600 | 175.4056 |
| Brisket | 180 | 175.4056 | 173.1084 |
44 entries · top 699.9428 · median 685.3140
44 entries · top 180 · median 169.4114 · 🔥 perfect 180
44 entries · top 179.4400 · median 170.5428
44 entries · top 177.7028 · median 171.9656
44 entries · top 180 · median 168.2570 · 🔥 perfect 180