Bernard Blues & BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY)
2025-09-05 – 2025-09-06 · Cullman, AL
Reps: LYGIA (LEX) VANEGAS, ROBERT VANDERIPE · Prize money: $2,700.00
Grand Champion: FIRE & SHINE BBQ (357.7028) · 29 teams
Entries
29
4 categories
Top score
357.7028
Winning margin
5.7256
GC over RC
Field average
340.83
median 341.66
Perfect 180s
1 🔥
Tightest race
Chicken
2.8572 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
344.5256
what a walk cost here
Field spread
34.9368
winner to last place
Prize money
$2,700.00
on the line
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 77%
beats 23% of 2715 overall wins in the data
Field strength
1600
avg power rating going in · stronger than 91% of contests
Storylines
🧳 Out-of-towners took the title
FIRE & SHINE BBQ took the Grand Championship home to VA.
🏟️ A stacked field
The field averaged a 1600 power rating going in — stronger than 91% of every contest tracked.
🃏 An upset on the books
FIRE & SHINE BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, NORALA BBQ TEAM, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 31-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
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
This contest over the years
| Date | Where | Teams | High score | Grand Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-09-05 ← this one | Cullman, AL | 29 | 357.7028 | FIRE & SHINE BBQ |
| 2025-09-05 | Cullman, AL | 19 | 180.0000 | NORALA BBQ TEAM |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Ancillary — Dessert
7 entries · top 178.8572 · median 176.5600
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deviant Smoke | |
| 2 | Cluckin’ Crazy BBQ | |
| 3 | LWS Smokin Aces | |
| 4 | BAMA BOYS BBQ | |
| 5 | Armstrong Smoke & Co. | |
| 6 | Rollin Smoke BBQ | |
| 7 | FOCAS SMOKAS |
Ancillary — Sausage
5 entries · top 177.7144 · median 175.4056
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FOCAS SMOKAS | |
| 2 | Deviant Smoke | |
| 3 | BAMA BOYS BBQ | |
| 4 | LWS Smokin Aces | |
| 5 | Armstrong Smoke & Co. |
Backyard Series — Chicken
29 entries · top 180.0000 · median 174.2628 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FIRE & SHINE BBQ | |
| 2 | Ghost Hill BBQ | |
| 3 | Smokey Bees BBQ - MS | |
| 4 | PUDDLEDUCK BBQ | |
| 5 | Armstrong Smoke & Co. | |
| 6 | Cluckin’ Crazy BBQ | |
| 7 | Rollin Smoke BBQ | |
| 8 | Pork Life | |
| 9 | Say My Name BBQ | |
| 10 | HOLY SMOKIN!!! | |
| 11 | LEE LA Q | |
| 12 | BAMA BOYS BBQ | |
| 13 | Bentley Que | |
| 14 | Electro-Que-ted | |
| 15 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 16 | Wee Daddy's BBQ | |
| 17 | Rise and Swine | |
| 18 | Burnt Plow BBQ | |
| 19 | Deviant Smoke | |
| 20 | RIBLIFE | |
| 21 | Jury's Out | |
| 22 | Mind if I Smoke? | |
| 23 | Southern Swine | |
| 24 | Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | |
| 25 | 205 Smoke | |
| 26 | GSP Barbecue | |
| 27 | LWS Smokin Aces | |
| 28 | FOCAS SMOKAS | |
| 29 | Gustoso BBQ |
Backyard Series — Overall
29 entries · top 357.7028 · median 341.6572
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FIRE & SHINE BBQ | |
| 2 | PUDDLEDUCK BBQ | |
| 3 | Rollin Smoke BBQ | |
| 4 | Ghost Hill BBQ | |
| 5 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 6 | 205 Smoke | |
| 7 | LEE LA Q | |
| 8 | Burnt Plow BBQ | |
| 9 | Smokey Bees BBQ - MS | |
| 10 | Armstrong Smoke & Co. | |
| 11 | Electro-Que-ted | |
| 12 | Say My Name BBQ | |
| 13 | Deviant Smoke | |
| 14 | RIBLIFE | |
| 15 | Mind if I Smoke? | |
| 16 | BAMA BOYS BBQ | |
| 17 | Southern Swine | |
| 18 | Cluckin’ Crazy BBQ | |
| 19 | Bentley Que | |
| 20 | Jury's Out | |
| 21 | Rise and Swine | |
| 22 | HOLY SMOKIN!!! | |
| 23 | Pork Life | |
| 24 | Wee Daddy's BBQ | |
| 25 | GSP Barbecue | |
| 26 | Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | |
| 27 | LWS Smokin Aces | |
| 28 | Gustoso BBQ | |
| 29 | FOCAS SMOKAS |
Backyard Series — Pork Ribs
29 entries · top 177.7028 · median 167.3944
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 205 Smoke | |
| 2 | FIRE & SHINE BBQ | |
| 3 | PUDDLEDUCK BBQ | |
| 4 | Rollin Smoke BBQ | |
| 5 | Burnt Plow BBQ | |
| 6 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 7 | RIBLIFE | |
| 8 | Mind if I Smoke? | |
| 9 | LEE LA Q | |
| 10 | Ghost Hill BBQ | |
| 11 | Deviant Smoke | |
| 12 | Southern Swine | |
| 13 | Electro-Que-ted | |
| 14 | Say My Name BBQ | |
| 15 | GSP Barbecue | |
| 16 | Jury's Out | |
| 17 | Armstrong Smoke & Co. | |
| 18 | BAMA BOYS BBQ | |
| 19 | Smokey Bees BBQ - MS | |
| 20 | Rise and Swine | |
| 21 | Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | |
| 22 | Bentley Que | |
| 23 | Gustoso BBQ | |
| 24 | Wee Daddy's BBQ | |
| 25 | Cluckin’ Crazy BBQ | |
| 26 | HOLY SMOKIN!!! | |
| 27 | Pork Life | |
| 28 | LWS Smokin Aces | |
| 29 | FOCAS SMOKAS |