Aug 16–17, 2024 · Excelsior Springs, MO · 📍 201 E. Broadway · State championship
Reps: Dave Rogers, Forrest Bruce, Larry Hadley · Prize money: $8,450
MACHETE BOYS BBQ won Grand Champion at the BBQ & Fly-In on the River on August 16, 2024 in Excelsior Springs, MO at 201 E. Broadway, scoring 703.9660 in a field of 65 teams. Ambition Que took Reserve Grand Champion with 702.8228. Category winners: Chicken — JANKY LEG BBQ (180.0000); Pork Ribs — MACHETE BOYS BBQ (180.0000); Pork — MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ (180.0000); Brisket — PARTS 'R' SMOKIN (180.0000). This is the 4th of 6 editions of this contest on record; the 2023 edition was won by Gettin' Basted; 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, 2020 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 81% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.1432 points — closer than 81% of every championship in the data.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 79 times in 100
MACHETE BOYS BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, JANKY LEG BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 21-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
7 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
2 of 6 tracked editions
Triple H BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 6 tracked editions.
First to fifth in the overall standings covered just 1.7032 points.
Chicken places 3–4: TRIPLE H BBQ and Bears Backyard Q tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 4–5: Bears Backyard Q and Blind Fox BBQ tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 5–6: Blind Fox BBQ and KC MEAT SWEATS tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
MACHETE BOYS BBQ took the title on 2 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork at 23rd.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Triple H BBQ (won 2022).
Bigger than 94% of the 5,462 contests in the data
65 teams — bigger than 94% of the 5,462 contests in the data.
This contest usually draws about 55 teams
65 teams is the deepest field this contest has drawn in the data, against a typical 55.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 14, 2020 | Excelsior Springs, MO | 201 E Broadway | 55 | 703.3828 | Shake 'n Bake BBQ | GETTIN' SAUCED |
| Aug 19, 2022 | Excelsior Springs, MO | 201 E. Broadway | 54 | 707.4056 | Triple H BBQ | SLAPS BBQ |
| Aug 18, 2023 | Excelsior Springs, MO | 201 E. Broadway | 57 | 706.8344 | Gettin' Basted | MACHETE BOYS BBQ |
| Aug 16, 2024 ← this one | Excelsior Springs, MO | 201 E. Broadway | 65 | 703.9660 | Machete Boys BBQ | Ambition Que |
| Aug 15, 2025 | Excelsior Springs, MO | 201 E. Broadway | 62 | 710.8572 | Smoke This Drink That BBQ | MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ |
| Aug 14, 2026 | Excelsior Springs, MO | 201 E. Broadway | 83 | 711.9772 | Triple H BBQ | BBQ Maestros |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 177.7028 | 176.5600 |
| Pork Ribs | 180 | 176.5716 | 175.4056 |
| Pork | 180 | 179.4400 | 177.1428 |
| Brisket | 180 | 176.5716 | 175.4172 |
65 entries · top 703.9660 · median 680.4916
65 entries · top 180 · median 170.2628 · 🔥 perfect 180
65 entries · top 180 · median 168.5372 · 🔥 perfect 180
65 entries · top 180 · median 168.5372 · 🔥 perfect 180
65 entries · top 180 · median 169.1312 · 🔥 perfect 180
Run by the organizers alongside the sanctioned contest. These are judged on their own terms and do not count toward the overall score, so they're kept out of the meat stats above.
17 entries · top 180 · median 178.8572 · 🔥 perfect 180
21 entries · top 180 · median 172.5484 · 🔥 perfect 180
51 entries · top 180 · median 169.6684 · 🔥 perfect 180