A dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 12 tracked editions
TIMBONE BARBECUE has won this contest 2 times across its 12 tracked editions.
- 2018
- 2019
Tri City BBQ Fest 2024
Sep 20–21, 2024 · Denison, IA · 📍 109 N. Main · State championship
Reps: Dave Rogers, Peg Rogers · Prize money: $12,400
HOT DADDY'S BBQ won Grand Champion at the Tri City BBQ Fest on September 20, 2024 in Denison, IA at 109 N. Main, scoring 700.4912 in a field of 30 teams. WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 695.3600. Category winners: Chicken — PARROTHEAD SMOKERS (177.7028); Pork Ribs — HOT DADDY'S BBQ (176.5600); Pork — WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ (178.8572); Brisket — Low Eye Que (177.7144). The Backyard Series standings were won by Too Sauced BBQ with 347.9884. This is the 10th of 12 editions of this contest on record; the 2023 edition was won by Last Call Heros BBQ; the next was held in 2025.
The contest at a glance (read off the scored boards)
How the field scored
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
623.20
median 672.16
700.49 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Master Series — Chicken 177.70
- Master Series — Pork Ribs 176.56
- Master Series — Pork 178.86
- Master Series — Brisket 177.71
- Backyard Series — Chicken 174.85
- Backyard Series — Pork Ribs 173.14
143.90
178.86
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2014 to 2026 — this edition picked out.
Entries
30
6 judged meats
Top score
700.4912
Winning margin
5.1312
GC over RC
Field average
671.95
623.20700.49
median 672.16 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Chicken
2.2856 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
682.1712
623.20700.49
10th place overall
Field spread
77.2912
winner to last place
Prize money
$12,400
on the line
Double threats
8
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 32%
beats 68% of 4715 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
56%
22 of 39 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Weak
ρ = -0.26 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,588
avg power rating going in · stronger than 70% of contests
Storylines (5 found in this contest's numbers)
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 17 calls decided inside half a point
Master Series — Chicken places 9–10: HELPING U BBQ and Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ tied on 172.5484 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork Ribs places 3–4: Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ and WELL SAUCED BBQ tied on 173.7144 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork Ribs places 5–6: Smokin Suckers and Smokin Reefer BBQ tied on 173.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Master Series — Chicken 9–10 · tie
- Master Series — Pork Ribs 3–4 · tie
- Master Series — Pork Ribs 5–6 · tie
- Master Series — Pork 4–5 · tie
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
Too Sauced BBQ won Chicken, Pork Ribs — a double.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 1st
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
HOT DADDY'S BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was chicken at 8th.
- Chicken 8th
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 6th
- Brisket 8th
Back to defend
2
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: SPITFIRE (won 2017), Hot Daddys BBQ (won 2021).
- SPITFIRE · 2017
- Hot Daddys BBQ · 2021
This contest's own records (1 in the KCBS record book)
Records held by every edition of this contest put together, not just this one afternoon.
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)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2014 | Denison, IA | Denison, IA 51442 | 21 | 691.3940 | BIG T'Z Q CRU | PIGSKIN BBQ |
| Sep 18, 2015 | Denison, IA | Denison, IA 51442 | 18 | 690.7884 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | BIG T'Z Q CRU |
| Sep 16, 2016 | Denison, IA | Broodway & Main | 34 | 701.6800 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA |
| Sep 22, 2017 | Denison, IA | Broadway & Main St. (Historic Uptown Denison) | 37 | 702.3204 | SPITFIRE | LUCKY'S Q |
| Sep 21, 2018 | Denison, IA | Broadway & Main St. (Historic Uptown Denison) | 27 | 687.9888 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | DIRT ROAD BBQ |
| Sep 20, 2019 | Denison, IA | Broadway & Main St. (Historic Uptown Denison) | 34 | 690.7540 | Timbone Barbecue | SPITFIRE |
| Sep 17, 2021 | Denison, IA | Broadway and Main | 20 | 697.6572 | Hot Daddys BBQ | SPITFIRE |
| Sep 16, 2022 | Denison, IA | Broadway and Main | 25 | 693.1316 | Parrothead Smokers SD | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ |
| Sep 15, 2023 | Denison, IA | Broadway and Main | 32 | 703.3712 | Last Call Heros BBQ | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN |
| Sep 20, 2024 ← this one | Denison, IA | 109 N. Main | 30 | 700.4912 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ |
| Sep 19, 2025 | Denison, IA | 109 N. Main | 26 | 703.4060 | Shiggin & Grinnin | Good Grefe! |
| Sep 18, 2026 | Denison, IA | 109 N. Main | 26 | 702.2400 | Grillin' Grindes | Home Farm BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 177.7028 | 175.4172 | 172.5484 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 176.5600 | 173.1200 | 171.9656 |
| Master Series — Pork | 178.8572 | 176.5600 | 171.9772 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 177.7144 | 175.4172 | 171.9772 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 174.8456 | 165.6800 | — |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 173.1428 | 167.4516 | — |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
30 entries · top 700.4912 · median 672.1600
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 2 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 3 | Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ | |
| 4 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 5 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 6 | Low Eye Que | |
| 7 | SPITFIRE | |
| 8 | Smokin Reefer BBQ | |
| 9 | MadChad's BBQ | |
| 10 | FINGER LEIKAM GOOD | |
| 11 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 12 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 13 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 14 | TEAM NO CLUE BBQ | |
| 15 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 16 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 17 | HELPING U BBQ | |
| 18 | SCORE ONE SMOKIN' | |
| 19 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 20 | Big Cat BBQ | |
| 21 | Good Grefe! | |
| 22 | GRILLIN' GRINDES | |
| 23 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 24 | SWEET SMOKIN' JONES BBQ | |
| 25 | Daddy Dutch BBQ | |
| 26 | WELL SAUCED BBQ | |
| 27 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 28 | BUCKSHOTBBQ | |
| 29 | CASUAL SMOKERS | |
| 30 | SMOKE DOCTOR |
Chicken
30 entries · top 177.7028 · median 169.3942
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 2 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 3 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 4 | BUCKSHOTBBQ | |
| 5 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 6 | Low Eye Que | |
| 7 | SPITFIRE | |
| 8 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 9 | HELPING U BBQ | |
| 10 | Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ | |
| 11 | Smokin Reefer BBQ | |
| 12 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 13 | Good Grefe! | |
| 14 | FINGER LEIKAM GOOD | |
| 15 | Daddy Dutch BBQ | |
| 16 | MadChad's BBQ | |
| 17 | WELL SAUCED BBQ | |
| 18 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 19 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 20 | SCORE ONE SMOKIN' | |
| 21 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 22 | SMOKE DOCTOR | |
| 23 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 24 | CASUAL SMOKERS | |
| 25 | GRILLIN' GRINDES | |
| 26 | SWEET SMOKIN' JONES BBQ | |
| 27 | Big Cat BBQ | |
| 28 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 29 | TEAM NO CLUE BBQ | |
| 30 | Bucknutz BBQ |
Pork Ribs
30 entries · top 176.5600 · median 167.6916
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 2 | TEAM NO CLUE BBQ | |
| 3 | Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ | |
| 4 | WELL SAUCED BBQ | |
| 5 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 6 | Smokin Reefer BBQ | |
| 7 | MadChad's BBQ | |
| 8 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 9 | Good Grefe! | |
| 10 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 11 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 12 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 13 | SPITFIRE | |
| 14 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 15 | SCORE ONE SMOKIN' | |
| 16 | HELPING U BBQ | |
| 17 | Big Cat BBQ | |
| 18 | FINGER LEIKAM GOOD | |
| 19 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 20 | BUCKSHOTBBQ | |
| 21 | Daddy Dutch BBQ | |
| 22 | CASUAL SMOKERS | |
| 23 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 24 | SWEET SMOKIN' JONES BBQ | |
| 25 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 26 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 27 | Low Eye Que | |
| 28 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 29 | GRILLIN' GRINDES | |
| 30 | SMOKE DOCTOR |
Pork
30 entries · top 178.8572 · median 169.3942
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 2 | Low Eye Que | |
| 3 | Smokin Reefer BBQ | |
| 4 | Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ | |
| 5 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 6 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 7 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 8 | FINGER LEIKAM GOOD | |
| 9 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 10 | SPITFIRE | |
| 11 | SCORE ONE SMOKIN' | |
| 12 | MadChad's BBQ | |
| 13 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 14 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 15 | GRILLIN' GRINDES | |
| 16 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 17 | WELL SAUCED BBQ | |
| 18 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 19 | Daddy Dutch BBQ | |
| 20 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 21 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 22 | SWEET SMOKIN' JONES BBQ | |
| 23 | CASUAL SMOKERS | |
| 24 | HELPING U BBQ | |
| 25 | Good Grefe! | |
| 26 | TEAM NO CLUE BBQ | |
| 27 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 28 | Big Cat BBQ | |
| 29 | SMOKE DOCTOR | |
| 30 | BUCKSHOTBBQ |
Brisket
30 entries · top 177.7144 · median 170.5428
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Eye Que | |
| 2 | TEAM NO CLUE BBQ | |
| 3 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 4 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 5 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 6 | Big Cat BBQ | |
| 7 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 8 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 9 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 10 | MadChad's BBQ | |
| 11 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 12 | FINGER LEIKAM GOOD | |
| 13 | Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ | |
| 14 | GRILLIN' GRINDES | |
| 15 | SPITFIRE | |
| 16 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 17 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 18 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 19 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 20 | SWEET SMOKIN' JONES BBQ | |
| 21 | HELPING U BBQ | |
| 22 | Smokin Reefer BBQ | |
| 23 | SCORE ONE SMOKIN' | |
| 24 | Good Grefe! | |
| 25 | Daddy Dutch BBQ | |
| 26 | BUCKSHOTBBQ | |
| 27 | CASUAL SMOKERS | |
| 28 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 29 | SMOKE DOCTOR | |
| 30 | WELL SAUCED BBQ |
Backyard Series
Overall
9 entries · top 347.9884 · median 332.5028
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Too Sauced BBQ | |
| 2 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 3 | Bramble BBQ | |
| 4 | Bar-Down BBQ | |
| 5 | Backroad BBQ | |
| 6 | 901 Q | |
| 7 | SMOKIN Bs | |
| 8 | Grill Em All | |
| 9 | SMOKIN DEVIL DOGS |
Chicken
9 entries · top 174.8456 · median 165.6800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Too Sauced BBQ | |
| 2 | 901 Q | |
| 3 | Bar-Down BBQ | |
| 4 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 5 | Grill Em All | |
| 6 | Bramble BBQ | |
| 7 | Backroad BBQ | |
| 8 | SMOKIN DEVIL DOGS | |
| 9 | SMOKIN Bs |
Pork Ribs
9 entries · top 173.1428 · median 167.4516
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Too Sauced BBQ | |
| 2 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 3 | Bramble BBQ | |
| 4 | Backroad BBQ | |
| 5 | SMOKIN Bs | |
| 6 | Bar-Down BBQ | |
| 7 | Grill Em All | |
| 8 | 901 Q | |
| 9 | SMOKIN DEVIL DOGS |