Barbeque on the Bow Festival
2025-08-30 – 2025-09-01 · Calgary, AB · CANADA · 📍 5151 101 Street NW
Reps: BRENDA BLACK, KEN BLACK
Grand Champion: SmellaQue (697.6684) · 38 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 Q Cartel
Entries
38
6 judged meats · 1 ancillary
Top score
697.6684
Winning margin
1.1312
GC over RC
Field average
660.32
median 667.30
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
2.2856 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
679.9084
10th place overall
Field spread
190.8684
winner to last place
Double threats
8
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 61%
beats 39% of 1951 Master Series wins in the data
Traveled in
2%
of the 43 teams with a home region came from outside AB
Came back for more
66%
23 of 35 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.41 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1520
avg power rating going in · stronger than 25% of contests
Storylines
🪒 A razor-thin finish
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.1312 points — closer than 81% of every championship in the data.
🧹 A double category winner
No Measurements BBQ won Chicken, Pork — a double.
📸 Photo finishes
Master Series — Chicken places 1–2: No Measurements BBQ and Q Cartel tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 5–6: BBQ TEAM NAIT and SMELLAQUE tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 7–8: MEAT SWEATS BBQ AB and Just Katie tied on 173.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
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)
Where the field came from (home regions on file)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-09-02 | Calgary, AB | 5151 101 St. NW | 40 | 702.2972 | Meat Sweats BBQ | Brisket Butts |
| 2024-08-31 | Calgary, AB | 5151 101 St. NW | 35 | 699.4172 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | SMELLAQUE |
| 2025-08-30 ← this one | Calgary, AB | 5151 101 Street NW | 38 | 697.6684 | SmellaQue | Q Cartel |
| 2026-09-04 | Calgary, AB | — | — | — | — | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 176.5600 | 173.7028 | 171.9656 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 175.4172 | 173.1316 | 171.4056 |
| Master Series — Pork | 176.0000 | 173.1428 | 171.9656 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 177.7028 | 173.1200 | 168.5828 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 171.9772 | 163.9772 | — |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 166.8800 | 160.5716 | — |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
38 entries · top 697.6684 · median 667.3026
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 2 | Q Cartel | |
| 3 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 4 | Just Katie | |
| 5 | Phantom Smoke & BBQ | |
| 6 | BBQ TEAM NAIT | |
| 7 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 8 | Panther BBQ | |
| 9 | Homestead Smoke Shack | |
| 10 | Fergolicious BBQ | |
| 11 | YOU NEED A BBQ | |
| 12 | Hunny & Hooch BBQ | |
| 13 | McQue It | |
| 14 | ROKER Q | |
| 15 | MEAT SWEATS BBQ AB | |
| 16 | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S | |
| 17 | Bad to the Brisket | |
| 18 | Bottle Hill BBQ | |
| 19 | SMOKIN' OUTLAWS | |
| 20 | Slam Dunk BBQ | |
| 21 | Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | |
| 22 | Tommy Boy Grillin | |
| 23 | HOME COOKIN' BBQ | |
| 24 | KillerbunnyBBQ | |
| 25 | Rollin Smoke Barbecue 2023 | |
| 26 | Prohibition BBQ | |
| 27 | Just Smoke It! BBQ | |
| 28 | MOTLEY QUE | |
| 29 | Fire BBQ | |
| 30 | 10 or Bust | |
| 31 | The Big LebowsQ | |
| 32 | Murfy's BBQ Co. | |
| 33 | Smoke Trails BBQ | |
| 34 | Rack Addicts BBQ Team | |
| 35 | Mark's Meats and Treats | |
| 36 | 4KFarms-Greengate | |
| 37 | Chop it like its hot | |
| 38 | Syndicate BBQ |
Chicken
38 entries · top 176.5600 · median 168.5600
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 2 | Q Cartel | |
| 3 | Bad to the Brisket | |
| 4 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 5 | BBQ TEAM NAIT | |
| 6 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 7 | MEAT SWEATS BBQ AB | |
| 8 | Just Katie | |
| 9 | Bottle Hill BBQ | |
| 10 | Fergolicious BBQ | |
| 11 | Hunny & Hooch BBQ | |
| 12 | Slam Dunk BBQ | |
| 13 | Syndicate BBQ | |
| 14 | SMOKIN' OUTLAWS | |
| 15 | McQue It | |
| 16 | ROKER Q | |
| 17 | Murfy's BBQ Co. | |
| 18 | Just Smoke It! BBQ | |
| 19 | Panther BBQ | |
| 20 | Rollin Smoke Barbecue 2023 | |
| 21 | Homestead Smoke Shack | |
| 22 | MOTLEY QUE | |
| 23 | Phantom Smoke & BBQ | |
| 24 | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S | |
| 25 | Smoke Trails BBQ | |
| 26 | 10 or Bust | |
| 27 | YOU NEED A BBQ | |
| 28 | Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | |
| 29 | The Big LebowsQ | |
| 30 | HOME COOKIN' BBQ | |
| 31 | Rack Addicts BBQ Team | |
| 32 | Fire BBQ | |
| 33 | Prohibition BBQ | |
| 34 | Tommy Boy Grillin | |
| 35 | KillerbunnyBBQ | |
| 36 | Mark's Meats and Treats | |
| 37 | 4KFarms-Greengate | |
| 38 | Chop it like its hot |
Pork Ribs
38 entries · top 175.4172 · median 167.1200
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BBQ TEAM NAIT | |
| 2 | Syndicate BBQ | |
| 3 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 4 | Panther BBQ | |
| 5 | Homestead Smoke Shack | |
| 6 | YOU NEED A BBQ | |
| 7 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 8 | Phantom Smoke & BBQ | |
| 9 | Prohibition BBQ | |
| 10 | Just Katie | |
| 11 | McQue It | |
| 12 | Bottle Hill BBQ | |
| 13 | MEAT SWEATS BBQ AB | |
| 14 | ROKER Q | |
| 15 | Q Cartel | |
| 16 | KillerbunnyBBQ | |
| 17 | Fergolicious BBQ | |
| 18 | SMOKIN' OUTLAWS | |
| 19 | Fire BBQ | |
| 20 | Murfy's BBQ Co. | |
| 21 | Hunny & Hooch BBQ | |
| 22 | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S | |
| 23 | Slam Dunk BBQ | |
| 24 | Rollin Smoke Barbecue 2023 | |
| 25 | Rack Addicts BBQ Team | |
| 26 | 10 or Bust | |
| 27 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 28 | MOTLEY QUE | |
| 29 | Tommy Boy Grillin | |
| 30 | Mark's Meats and Treats | |
| 31 | Just Smoke It! BBQ | |
| 32 | HOME COOKIN' BBQ | |
| 33 | Bad to the Brisket | |
| 34 | Smoke Trails BBQ | |
| 35 | Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | |
| 36 | The Big LebowsQ | |
| 37 | Chop it like its hot | |
| 38 | 4KFarms-Greengate |
Pork
37 entries · top 176.0000 · median 168.5600
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 2 | McQue It | |
| 3 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 4 | Q Cartel | |
| 5 | Hunny & Hooch BBQ | |
| 6 | Tommy Boy Grillin | |
| 7 | Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | |
| 8 | Phantom Smoke & BBQ | |
| 9 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 10 | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S | |
| 11 | Bottle Hill BBQ | |
| 12 | Just Katie | |
| 13 | SMOKIN' OUTLAWS | |
| 14 | HOME COOKIN' BBQ | |
| 15 | Rollin Smoke Barbecue 2023 | |
| 16 | Slam Dunk BBQ | |
| 17 | Homestead Smoke Shack | |
| 18 | ROKER Q | |
| 19 | YOU NEED A BBQ | |
| 20 | Bad to the Brisket | |
| 21 | Just Smoke It! BBQ | |
| 22 | 4KFarms-Greengate | |
| 23 | Fergolicious BBQ | |
| 24 | BBQ TEAM NAIT | |
| 25 | MOTLEY QUE | |
| 26 | Fire BBQ | |
| 27 | KillerbunnyBBQ | |
| 28 | The Big LebowsQ | |
| 29 | MEAT SWEATS BBQ AB | |
| 30 | Panther BBQ | |
| 31 | Prohibition BBQ | |
| 32 | Mark's Meats and Treats | |
| 33 | Rack Addicts BBQ Team | |
| 34 | Murfy's BBQ Co. | |
| 35 | 10 or Bust | |
| 36 | Chop it like its hot | |
| 37 | Smoke Trails BBQ |
Brisket
38 entries · top 177.7028 · median 163.6800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Q Cartel | |
| 2 | Panther BBQ | |
| 3 | Phantom Smoke & BBQ | |
| 4 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 5 | Fergolicious BBQ | |
| 6 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 7 | Just Katie | |
| 8 | Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | |
| 9 | YOU NEED A BBQ | |
| 10 | Homestead Smoke Shack | |
| 11 | KillerbunnyBBQ | |
| 12 | Smoke Trails BBQ | |
| 13 | BBQ TEAM NAIT | |
| 14 | Bad to the Brisket | |
| 15 | HOME COOKIN' BBQ | |
| 16 | Tommy Boy Grillin | |
| 17 | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S | |
| 18 | ROKER Q | |
| 19 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 20 | Hunny & Hooch BBQ | |
| 21 | MEAT SWEATS BBQ AB | |
| 22 | 4KFarms-Greengate | |
| 23 | Prohibition BBQ | |
| 24 | Syndicate BBQ | |
| 25 | Slam Dunk BBQ | |
| 26 | SMOKIN' OUTLAWS | |
| 27 | Chop it like its hot | |
| 28 | Just Smoke It! BBQ | |
| 29 | The Big LebowsQ | |
| 30 | McQue It | |
| 31 | 10 or Bust | |
| 32 | Rollin Smoke Barbecue 2023 | |
| 33 | Fire BBQ | |
| 34 | Bottle Hill BBQ | |
| 35 | MOTLEY QUE | |
| 36 | Mark's Meats and Treats | |
| 37 | Murfy's BBQ Co. | |
| 38 | Rack Addicts BBQ Team |
Backyard Series
Overall
9 entries · top 335.4172 · median 328.5828
Chicken
9 entries · top 171.9772 · median 163.9772
Pork Ribs
9 entries · top 166.8800 · median 160.5716
Ancillary categories
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.
Kids-Q — Hamburgers
7 entries · top 175.4172 · median 172.5484
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glitter and Grill | |
| 2 | The Dino Grill | |
| 3 | Hot Dogs | |
| 4 | Fire Bandit | |
| 5 | Taco's BBQ | |
| 6 | Little Meat Sweats | |
| 7 | Pew Pew BBQ |