A razor-thin finish
Closer than 85% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.0624 points — closer than 85% of every championship in the data.
- IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ
- CLARK CREW BBQ
Oct 3–6, 2013 · Kansas City, MO
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ won Grand Champion at the 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open on October 3, 2013 in Kansas City, MO, scoring 687.9312 in a field of 535 teams. CLARK CREW BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 686.8688. Category winners: Chicken — BURNT FINGER BBQ (180.0000); Pork Ribs — BLUE BUCKET BBQ (180.0000); Pork — HOGS ON THE RUN (179.4400); Brisket — CLARK CREW BBQ (180.0000).
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.
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
Closer than 85% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.0624 points — closer than 85% of every championship in the data.
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 1 call from 4 boards, best of them 3rd. Consistency beat fireworks.
3 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
First to fifth in the overall standings covered just 2.8684 points.
Chicken places 2–3: Uncle Bub's BBQ LLC and IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ tied on 179.4400 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 6–7: Fishing Eagles and BIG WIGS BBQ tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 8–9: B&B BBQ and Catering LLC and HICKORY PRIME tied on 177.1428 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
The 4th biggest field of the 5,462 contests in the data
535 teams — the 4th biggest field of the 5,462 contests in the data.
What happened at this contest that stands in the all-time KCBS record book. A gold line is a record nobody has beaten.
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 177.7372 | 176.5600 |
| Pork Ribs | 180 | 177.1544 | 176.0344 |
| Pork | 179.4400 | 177.1772 | 176 |
| Brisket | 180 | 177.7028 | 176 |
535 entries · top 687.9312 · median 638.1712
535 entries · top 180 · median 161.1428 · 🔥 perfect 180
532 entries · top 180 · median 159.4060 · 🔥 perfect 180
531 entries · top 179.4400 · median 160.5372
531 entries · top 180 · median 158.2744 · 🔥 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.
181 entries · top 519.9656 · median 471.8852
162 entries · top 178.3200 · median 161.1200
137 entries · top 180 · median 170.8800 · 🔥 perfect 180
146 entries · top 180 · median 161.1142 · 🔥 perfect 180
339 entries · top 180 · median 160.5828 · 🔥 perfect 180
137 entries · top 179.4400 · median 161.7600