A first Grand Championship
4
tracked contests to get there
This was BUB-BA-Q's first Grand Championship in the data — it arrived at their 4th tracked contest.
BBQ Boogie & Blues 2013
Apr 26–27, 2013 · Calhoun, GA
BUB-BA-Q won Grand Champion at the BBQ Boogie & Blues on April 26, 2013 in Calhoun, GA, scoring 703.4288 in a field of 25 teams. GEORGIA BOYS BBQ TEAM took Reserve Grand Champion with 681.7138. Category winners: Chicken — HOUSE OF Q (178.8572); Pork Ribs — TEMPLAR TEMPTATIONS (179.4286); Pork — Bubba's Brew & BBQ (175.4284); Brisket — BUB-BA-Q (179.4286). This is the 1st of 11 editions of this contest on record; the next was held in 2014.
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.
528.57
median 656.29
703.43 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 178.86
- Pork Ribs 179.43
- Pork 175.43
- Brisket 179.43
20
179.43
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2024 — this edition picked out.
Entries
24
4 judged meats
Top score
703.4288
Winning margin
21.7150
GC over RC
Field average
641.31
528.57703.43
median 656.29 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Chicken
5.7146 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
665.7140
528.57703.43
10th place overall
Field spread
174.8574
winner to last place
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 19%
beats 81% of 4715 Master Series wins in the data
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.4 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,507
avg power rating going in · stronger than 5% 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.
A statement win
21.7150
points clear of the field
Wider than 99% of the 4,714 championships in the data
The champion won by 21.7150 points — a wider margin than 99% of championships in the data.
A dynasty in the making
3×
wins at this contest
3 of 11 tracked editions
UNDER THE RADAR has won this contest 3 times across its 11 tracked editions.
- 2018
- 2019
- 2021
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 7 calls decided inside half a point
Brisket places 9–10: TENACIOUS Q and SMOKE ON THIS tied on 163.9998 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 7–8: MOYERS COMPETITION BAR-B-Q TEAM edged SMOKE ON THIS by 0.0002. Chicken places 8–9: SMOKE ON THIS edged Bubba's Brew & BBQ by 0.0002.
- Brisket 9–10 · tie
- Pork 7–8 · 0.0002
- Chicken 8–9 · 0.0002
- Pork Ribs 6–7 · 0.0002
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
BUB-BA-Q took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork ribs at 6th.
- Chicken 2nd
- Pork Ribs 6th
- Pork 2nd
- Brisket 1st
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 26, 2013 ← this one | Calhoun, GA | Calhoun, GA | 25 | 703.4288 | BUB-BA-Q | GEORGIA BOYS BBQ TEAM |
| Apr 25, 2014 | Calhoun, GA | Calhoun, GA | 29 | 697.6340 | MOYERS COMPETITION BAR-B-Q TEAM | THE BLUE BLOODS |
| Apr 24, 2015 | Calhoun, GA | Calhoun, GA 30701 | 35 | 697.1088 | HOT WACHULA'S | BOOTYQUE |
| Apr 29, 2016 | Calhoun, GA | Calhoun, GA 30701 | 35 | 700.5372 | J & B'S BBQ | QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N |
| Apr 28, 2017 | Calhoun, GA | 109 S King Street | 26 | 689.1088 | HIGH ON THE HAWG | THE PIT CREW GA |
| Apr 27, 2018 | Calhoun, GA | 109 S King Street | 28 | 693.6340 | UNDER THE RADAR | Organizer Portal |
| Apr 26, 2019 | Calhoun, GA | 109 S King Street | 33 | 697.6684 | Under the Radar | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS |
| Sep 24, 2021 | Calhoun, GA | 109 S King Street | 27 | 698.8116 | Under the Radar | REDMULE'S BBQ |
| Apr 29, 2022 | Calhoun, GA | 109 S King Street | 37 | 702.8344 | Sweet Dixie BBQ | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN |
| Apr 28, 2023 | Calhoun, GA | 109 S King Street | 32 | 702.8000 | Maya Jane BBQ | COOL HAND QUE |
| Apr 26, 2024 | Calhoun, GA | 109 S King Street | 34 | 699.9544 | Pappy & Roleys | MAYA JANE BBQ CO. |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 178.8572 | 173.1426 | 169.7140 |
| Pork Ribs | 179.4286 | 173.1428 | 166.8570 |
| Pork | 175.4284 | 166.8570 | 165.1428 |
| Brisket | 179.4286 | 169.7144 | 163.9998 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
24 entries · top 703.4288 · median 656.2852
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BUB-BA-Q | |
| 2 | GEORGIA BOYS BBQ TEAM | |
| 3 | THE BLUE BLOODS | |
| 4 | SMOKE ON THIS | |
| 5 | TEMPLAR TEMPTATIONS | |
| 6 | CURLY TAILS BBQ | |
| 7 | Bubba's Brew & BBQ | |
| 8 | Southern Q Smokers | |
| 9 | TENACIOUS Q | |
| 10 | SMOKIN HOSS | |
| 11 | Diggin Que | |
| 12 | MOYERS COMPETITION BAR-B-Q TEAM | |
| 13 | Q-HUTTA | |
| 14 | DEEP SOUTH BBQ | |
| 15 | DIRTY OL' BUTT SLAPPERS | |
| 17 | BOOGER BRANCH BBQ | |
| 18 | Duke's | |
| 19 | MacDaddy BBQ | |
| 20 | SWAMPCAT BBQ | |
| 21 | PAPA DALE'S BBQ | |
| 22 | CHOO CHOO TRAIN BBQ | |
| 23 | Big Byrd BBQ | |
| 24 | The Fork | |
| 25 | HOUSE OF Q |
Chicken
24 entries · top 178.8572 · median 168
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HOUSE OF Q | |
| 2 | BUB-BA-Q | |
| 3 | GEORGIA BOYS BBQ TEAM | |
| 4 | TENACIOUS Q | |
| 5 | TEMPLAR TEMPTATIONS | |
| 6 | DEEP SOUTH BBQ | |
| 7 | CURLY TAILS BBQ | |
| 8 | SMOKE ON THIS | |
| 9 | Bubba's Brew & BBQ | |
| 10 | Southern Q Smokers | |
| 11 | THE BLUE BLOODS | |
| 12 | DIRTY OL' BUTT SLAPPERS | |
| 13 | Q-HUTTA | |
| 14 | SMOKIN HOSS | |
| 15 | Diggin Que | |
| 16 | BOOGER BRANCH BBQ | |
| 17 | MOYERS COMPETITION BAR-B-Q TEAM | |
| 19 | MacDaddy BBQ | |
| 20 | CHOO CHOO TRAIN BBQ | |
| 21 | SWAMPCAT BBQ | |
| 22 | The Fork | |
| 23 | PAPA DALE'S BBQ | |
| 24 | Big Byrd BBQ | |
| 25 | Duke's |
Pork Ribs
24 entries · top 179.4286 · median 165.1428
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TEMPLAR TEMPTATIONS | |
| 2 | SMOKE ON THIS | |
| 3 | Bubba's Brew & BBQ | |
| 4 | THE BLUE BLOODS | |
| 5 | GEORGIA BOYS BBQ TEAM | |
| 6 | BUB-BA-Q | |
| 7 | HOUSE OF Q | |
| 8 | Southern Q Smokers | |
| 9 | Q-HUTTA | |
| 10 | SMOKIN HOSS | |
| 11 | Diggin Que | |
| 12 | MOYERS COMPETITION BAR-B-Q TEAM | |
| 13 | CURLY TAILS BBQ | |
| 14 | TENACIOUS Q | |
| 15 | PAPA DALE'S BBQ | |
| 16 | Duke's | |
| 17 | DIRTY OL' BUTT SLAPPERS | |
| 18 | MacDaddy BBQ | |
| 20 | DEEP SOUTH BBQ | |
| 21 | BOOGER BRANCH BBQ | |
| 22 | CHOO CHOO TRAIN BBQ | |
| 23 | SWAMPCAT BBQ | |
| 24 | Big Byrd BBQ | |
| 25 | The Fork |
Pork
24 entries · top 175.4284 · median 158.8571
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bubba's Brew & BBQ | |
| 2 | BUB-BA-Q | |
| 3 | GEORGIA BOYS BBQ TEAM | |
| 4 | CURLY TAILS BBQ | |
| 5 | THE BLUE BLOODS | |
| 6 | DEEP SOUTH BBQ | |
| 7 | MOYERS COMPETITION BAR-B-Q TEAM | |
| 8 | SMOKE ON THIS | |
| 9 | TENACIOUS Q | |
| 10 | SMOKIN HOSS | |
| 11 | Southern Q Smokers | |
| 12 | Q-HUTTA | |
| 14 | TEMPLAR TEMPTATIONS | |
| 15 | Diggin Que | |
| 16 | SWAMPCAT BBQ | |
| 17 | Duke's | |
| 18 | BOOGER BRANCH BBQ | |
| 19 | MacDaddy BBQ | |
| 20 | DIRTY OL' BUTT SLAPPERS | |
| 21 | CHOO CHOO TRAIN BBQ | |
| 22 | Big Byrd BBQ | |
| 23 | PAPA DALE'S BBQ | |
| 24 | The Fork | |
| 25 | HOUSE OF Q |
Brisket
24 entries · top 179.4286 · median 159.9998
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BUB-BA-Q | |
| 2 | CURLY TAILS BBQ | |
| 3 | Southern Q Smokers | |
| 4 | THE BLUE BLOODS | |
| 5 | Diggin Que | |
| 6 | TEMPLAR TEMPTATIONS | |
| 7 | SMOKIN HOSS | |
| 8 | DIRTY OL' BUTT SLAPPERS | |
| 9 | TENACIOUS Q | |
| 10 | SMOKE ON THIS | |
| 11 | MOYERS COMPETITION BAR-B-Q TEAM | |
| 12 | GEORGIA BOYS BBQ TEAM | |
| 13 | Q-HUTTA | |
| 14 | HOUSE OF Q | |
| 15 | Duke's | |
| 16 | Bubba's Brew & BBQ | |
| 17 | DEEP SOUTH BBQ | |
| 18 | BOOGER BRANCH BBQ | |
| 20 | SWAMPCAT BBQ | |
| 21 | The Fork | |
| 22 | MacDaddy BBQ | |
| 23 | CHOO CHOO TRAIN BBQ | |
| 24 | PAPA DALE'S BBQ | |
| 25 | Big Byrd BBQ |