A statement win
8.0456
points clear of the field
Wider than 86% of the 610 championships in the data
The champion won by 8.0456 points — a wider margin than 86% of championships in the data.
First State BBQ Bash (SUNDAY BACKYARD ONLY) 2025
Sep 28, 2025 · Milford, DE · 📍 20142 Beaver Dam Dr
Reps: Bill Jones, Louise Weidner
FIRE & SHINE BBQ won Grand Champion at the First State BBQ Bash (SUNDAY BACKYARD ONLY) on September 28, 2025 in Milford, DE at 20142 Beaver Dam Dr, scoring 352.0000 in a field of 14 teams. Oink N' Doink BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 343.9544. Category winners: Chicken — Brewski's BBQ Competition Team (177.1544); Pork Ribs — FIRE & SHINE BBQ (176.5944). This is the 4th of 6 editions of this contest on record; the 2025 edition was won by Rough Cut Q; the next was held in 2026.
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.
318.19
median 338.51
352 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 177.15
- Pork Ribs 176.59
152.49
177.15
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2025 to 2026 — this edition picked out.
Entries
14
2 judged meats
Top score
352
Winning margin
8.0456
GC over RC
Field average
335.53
318.19352
median 338.51 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Chicken
4.5944 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
331.9200
318.19352
10th place overall
Field spread
33.8056
winner to last place
Double threats
2
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 31%
beats 69% of 610 Backyard Series wins in the data
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.37 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,625
avg power rating going in · stronger than 89% of contests
Storylines (4 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 dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 6 tracked editions
Fire & Shine BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 6 tracked editions.
- 2025
- 2025
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 2 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 9–10: Capt. Blue BBQ and Hot Thang BBQ tied on 166.8228 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 9–10: Rough Cut Q and Brewski's BBQ Competition Team tied on 165.6800 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 9–10 · tie
- Pork Ribs 9–10 · tie
Back to defend
2
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Fire & Shine BBQ (won 2025), Rough Cut Q (won 2025).
- Fire & Shine BBQ · 2025
- Rough Cut Q · 2025
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 26, 2025 | Milford, DE | 20142 Beaver Dam Dr | 25 | 697.6688 | Drilling & Grilling | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE |
| Sep 26, 2025 | Milford, DE | 20142 Beaver Dam Dr | 16 | 176.0116 | Fire & Shine BBQ | — |
| Sep 26, 2025 | Milford, DE | 20142 Beaver Dam Dr | 12 | 178.8572 | Rough Cut Q | — |
| Sep 28, 2025 ← this one | Milford, DE | 20142 Beaver Dam Dr | 14 | 352 | Fire & Shine BBQ | — |
| Sep 25, 2026 | Milford, DE | 20142 Beaver Dam Dr | 39 | 702.2400 | Mispillion Meat Works | Susquehanna Smokers |
| Sep 27, 2026 | Milford, DE | 20142 Beaver Dam Dr | 16 | 350.2744 | Rough Cut Q | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.1544 | 172.5600 | 166.8228 |
| Pork Ribs | 176.5944 | 169.6684 | 165.6800 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Backyard Series
Overall
14 entries · top 352 · median 338.5086
Chicken
14 entries · top 177.1544 · median 168.5314
Pork Ribs
14 entries · top 176.5944 · median 166.8228