Best Dam BBQ
2025-05-23 – 2025-05-24 · Boulder City, NV · 📍 Boulder City, NV 89005 · State championship
Reps: KATHLEEN MCINTOSH, KELLY MCINTOSH · Prize money: $8,500.00
Grand Champion: Tuffy's BBQ (703.9656) · 29 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 Meat Candy Q
Entries
29
4 judged meats
Top score
703.9656
Winning margin
2.8800
GC over RC
Field average
675.35
median 678.75
Tightest race
Pork
1.7372 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
684.5372
10th place overall
Field spread
96.1716
winner to last place
Prize money
$8,500.00
on the line
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 29%
beats 71% of 1951 Master Series wins in the data
Traveled in
69%
of the 29 teams with a home region came from outside NV
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.79 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1556
avg power rating going in · stronger than 62% of contests
Storylines
🧳 Out-of-towners took the title
Tuffy's BBQ took the Grand Championship home to UT.
🧹 A double category winner
SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ won Chicken, Pork — a double.
📸 Photo finishes
Chicken places 2–3: Cherry Anchor BBQ and GIRLS CAN GRILL tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 3–4: GIRLS CAN GRILL and Tuffy's BBQ tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 6–7: Bourbon & Blues BBQ and SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ tied on 175.4056 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
🃏 An upset on the books
Tuffy's BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, Meat Candy Q, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 18-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
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-05-26 | Colorado St | 37 | 699.4172 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 2025-05-23 ← this one | Boulder City, NV | Boulder City, NV 89005 | 29 | 703.9656 | Tuffy's BBQ | Meat Candy Q |
| 2026-05-23 | Boulder City, NV | Boulder City, NV 89005 | 33 | 700.4912 | Big Johns BBQ Company | Uncle Jesse's BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.7144 | 175.4172 | 173.7028 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.8572 | 174.8572 | 173.7144 |
| Pork | 178.2972 | 176.5600 | 175.4056 |
| Brisket | 180.0000 | 173.1084 | 171.4056 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
29 entries · top 703.9656 · median 678.7540
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tuffy's BBQ | |
| 2 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 3 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | |
| 4 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 5 | STEVO'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 6 | BAD BOYZ BBQ | |
| 7 | CHICKEN FRIED BBQ | |
| 8 | Bowling Bro's BBQ | |
| 9 | SLINGIN MEATS | |
| 10 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 11 | RACK CITY BBQ | |
| 12 | KG Cookers | |
| 13 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 14 | Cool Beans BBQ | |
| 15 | Big Juicy BBQ | |
| 16 | Bourbon & Blues BBQ | |
| 17 | Smokin SinBin BBQ | |
| 18 | All About Smokin Q | |
| 19 | The Smokin' B.A.R. | |
| 20 | Pork Bombin BBQ | |
| 21 | Mad Dog BBQ | |
| 22 | Slowpokes | |
| 23 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 24 | Smoke on the Water BBQ | |
| 25 | STEVE'S PIG PIKINS BBQ | |
| 26 | Bad Rabbit BBQ | |
| 27 | INFINITE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 28 | Churchill Downs Smokers | |
| 29 | Rue-Do BBQ |
Chicken
29 entries · top 177.7144 · median 169.1084
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | |
| 2 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 3 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 4 | Tuffy's BBQ | |
| 5 | The Smokin' B.A.R. | |
| 6 | Bourbon & Blues BBQ | |
| 7 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 8 | STEVO'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 9 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 10 | Mad Dog BBQ | |
| 11 | SLINGIN MEATS | |
| 12 | Bad Rabbit BBQ | |
| 13 | KG Cookers | |
| 14 | CHICKEN FRIED BBQ | |
| 15 | BAD BOYZ BBQ | |
| 16 | STEVE'S PIG PIKINS BBQ | |
| 17 | Big Juicy BBQ | |
| 18 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 19 | Slowpokes | |
| 20 | All About Smokin Q | |
| 21 | Cool Beans BBQ | |
| 22 | Bowling Bro's BBQ | |
| 23 | Pork Bombin BBQ | |
| 24 | RACK CITY BBQ | |
| 25 | Churchill Downs Smokers | |
| 26 | Smokin SinBin BBQ | |
| 27 | Smoke on the Water BBQ | |
| 28 | INFINITE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 29 | Rue-Do BBQ |
Pork Ribs
29 entries · top 178.8572 · median 169.7028
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cool Beans BBQ | |
| 2 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 3 | BAD BOYZ BBQ | |
| 4 | Smokin SinBin BBQ | |
| 5 | Bowling Bro's BBQ | |
| 6 | Tuffy's BBQ | |
| 7 | SLINGIN MEATS | |
| 8 | Bourbon & Blues BBQ | |
| 9 | STEVO'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 10 | RACK CITY BBQ | |
| 11 | KG Cookers | |
| 12 | CHICKEN FRIED BBQ | |
| 13 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | |
| 14 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 15 | The Smokin' B.A.R. | |
| 16 | Big Juicy BBQ | |
| 17 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 18 | Pork Bombin BBQ | |
| 19 | Smoke on the Water BBQ | |
| 20 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 21 | All About Smokin Q | |
| 22 | STEVE'S PIG PIKINS BBQ | |
| 23 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 24 | Slowpokes | |
| 25 | Mad Dog BBQ | |
| 26 | INFINITE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 27 | Churchill Downs Smokers | |
| 28 | Bad Rabbit BBQ | |
| 29 | Rue-Do BBQ |
Pork
29 entries · top 178.2972 · median 171.9772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | |
| 2 | Cool Beans BBQ | |
| 3 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 4 | STEVO'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 5 | RACK CITY BBQ | |
| 6 | Bowling Bro's BBQ | |
| 7 | CHICKEN FRIED BBQ | |
| 8 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 9 | All About Smokin Q | |
| 10 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 11 | BAD BOYZ BBQ | |
| 12 | Tuffy's BBQ | |
| 13 | Slowpokes | |
| 14 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 15 | Smokin SinBin BBQ | |
| 16 | Big Juicy BBQ | |
| 17 | STEVE'S PIG PIKINS BBQ | |
| 18 | KG Cookers | |
| 19 | Pork Bombin BBQ | |
| 20 | Bourbon & Blues BBQ | |
| 21 | Bad Rabbit BBQ | |
| 22 | Mad Dog BBQ | |
| 23 | SLINGIN MEATS | |
| 24 | The Smokin' B.A.R. | |
| 25 | Smoke on the Water BBQ | |
| 26 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 27 | INFINITE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 28 | Rue-Do BBQ | |
| 29 | Churchill Downs Smokers |
Brisket
29 entries · top 180.0000 · median 170.2628 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 2 | Tuffy's BBQ | |
| 3 | CHICKEN FRIED BBQ | |
| 4 | BAD BOYZ BBQ | |
| 5 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | |
| 6 | SLINGIN MEATS | |
| 7 | STEVO'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 8 | RACK CITY BBQ | |
| 9 | Bowling Bro's BBQ | |
| 10 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 11 | Big Juicy BBQ | |
| 12 | Pork Bombin BBQ | |
| 13 | KG Cookers | |
| 14 | All About Smokin Q | |
| 15 | INFINITE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 16 | Smokin SinBin BBQ | |
| 17 | Smoke on the Water BBQ | |
| 18 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 19 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 20 | Slowpokes | |
| 21 | Mad Dog BBQ | |
| 22 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 23 | Bad Rabbit BBQ | |
| 24 | Churchill Downs Smokers | |
| 25 | The Smokin' B.A.R. | |
| 26 | Bourbon & Blues BBQ | |
| 27 | Cool Beans BBQ | |
| 28 | Rue-Do BBQ | |
| 29 | STEVE'S PIG PIKINS BBQ |