A new contest record
693.1432
highest overall ever cooked here
693.1432 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 689.6684 SPITFIRE set in 2013.
- old record 689.6684
- set 2013 by SPITFIRE
Ribs, Rods & Rock 'n Roll 2015
Sep 11–12, 2015 · Vermillion, SD
EGGSPERT BBQ won Grand Champion at the Ribs, Rods & Rock 'n Roll on September 11, 2015 in Vermillion, SD, scoring 693.1432 in a field of 32 teams. SPITFIRE took Reserve Grand Champion with 689.6800. Category winners: Chicken — PARROTHEAD SMOKERS (179.4400); Pork Ribs — Big Island (176.5716); Pork — SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS (177.7028); Brisket — QUETOPIA (179.4400). This is the 3rd of 6 editions of this contest on record; the 2014 edition was won by PARROTHEAD SMOKERS; the next was held in 2021.
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.
586.15
median 652.25
693.14 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 179.44
- Pork Ribs 176.57
- Pork 177.70
- Brisket 179.44
137.07
179.44
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2023 — this edition picked out.
Entries
32
4 judged meats
Top score
693.1432
Winning margin
3.4632
GC over RC
Field average
653.03
586.15693.14
median 652.25 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
5.7028 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
671.9084
586.15693.14
10th place overall
Field spread
106.9948
winner to last place
Double threats
4
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 60%
beats 40% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
58%
15 of 26 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.8 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,551
avg power rating going in · stronger than 38% of contests
Storylines (7 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.
An upset on the books
32-in-100
shot on pre-contest ratings
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 68 times in 100
Eggspert BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, PARROTHEAD SMOKERS, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 32-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
- champion 1687
- top seed 1817
Won without a category win
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
EGGSPERT BBQ won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 4 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.
- Chicken 2nd
- Pork Ribs 5th
- Pork 5th
- Brisket 4th
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 10 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 9–10: G'DADDY'S BBQ and ROLLIN' SMOKE BBQ SD tied on 170.8228 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 9–10: BARE BUTTS and SHORT CREW BBQ tied on 169.6800 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 8–9: SHORT CREW BBQ edged G'DADDY'S BBQ by 0.0228.
- Chicken 9–10 · tie
- Brisket 9–10 · tie
- Chicken 8–9 · 0.0228
- Pork Ribs 7–8 · 0.0228
A contest record in brisket
179.4400
best brisket ever cooked here
QUETOPIA turned in 179.4400 in brisket — past the 177.7028 that had stood across 2 earlier editions.
- old best 177.7028
- across 2 past editions
Back to defend
2
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: SPITFIRE (won 2013), PARROTHEAD SMOKERS (won 2014).
- SPITFIRE · 2013
- PARROTHEAD SMOKERS · 2014
The biggest field yet
32
teams — a contest high
This contest usually draws about 27 teams
32 teams is the deepest field this contest has drawn in the data, against a typical 27.
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 6, 2013 | Vermillion, SD | Vermillion, SD | 27 | 689.6684 | SPITFIRE | BIG T'Z Q CRU |
| Sep 5, 2014 | Vermillion, SD | Vermillion, SD 57069 | 26 | 686.8228 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | GERRIT BOYS BARBEQUE |
| Sep 11, 2015 ← this one | Vermillion, SD | Vermillion, SD 57069 | 32 | 693.1432 | EGGSPERT BBQ | SPITFIRE |
| Sep 10, 2021 | Vermillion, SD | Vermillion, SD 57069 | 26 | 687.3600 | RUB MY RACK | Mr. Dudes BBQ |
| Sep 9, 2022 | Vermillion, SD | 16 Market Street | 28 | 693.6916 | Machette Boys | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ |
| Sep 8, 2023 | Vermillion, SD | 15 Court Street | 28 | 694.8572 | Shiggin & Grinnin | MACHETE BOYS BBQ |
| Sep 6, 2024 | Vermillion, SD | — | — | — | — | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 179.4400 | 173.1200 | 170.8228 |
| Pork Ribs | 176.5716 | 170.8688 | 168.5600 |
| Pork | 177.7028 | 171.4172 | 167.3944 |
| Brisket | 179.4400 | 170.8228 | 169.6800 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
32 entries · top 693.1432 · median 652.2518
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | EGGSPERT BBQ | |
| 2 | SPITFIRE | |
| 3 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 4 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 5 | QUETOPIA | |
| 6 | SWINE ASSASSINS | |
| 7 | PHAT JACKS BBQ NE | |
| 8 | SHORT CREW BBQ | |
| 9 | SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS | |
| 10 | SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY | |
| 11 | ROLLIN' SMOKE BBQ SD | |
| 12 | WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 13 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 14 | CHARCOAL LOUNGERS | |
| 15 | THE PIG PIRATES | |
| 16 | Big Island | |
| 17 | Smokin Oldies | |
| 18 | Q Friendz | |
| 19 | RUBBING AMOK | |
| 20 | RUB MY RACK | |
| 21 | ROWDY HOG SMOKIN BBQ | |
| 22 | G'DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 23 | Slappin Butts | |
| 24 | BARE BUTTS | |
| 25 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | |
| 26 | Pork Tales | |
| 27 | All Sizes | |
| 28 | Master Q | |
| 29 | Johnson Boys BBQ | |
| 30 | HAD A FEW... BBQ | |
| 31 | Dizzy's Corn Cob Cookin | |
| 32 | Mad Chads |
Chicken
32 entries · top 179.4400 · median 165.7028
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 2 | EGGSPERT BBQ | |
| 3 | RUB MY RACK | |
| 4 | SWINE ASSASSINS | |
| 5 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 6 | SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS | |
| 7 | SPITFIRE | |
| 8 | SHORT CREW BBQ | |
| 9 | G'DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 10 | ROLLIN' SMOKE BBQ SD | |
| 11 | CHARCOAL LOUNGERS | |
| 12 | SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY | |
| 13 | QUETOPIA | |
| 14 | Big Island | |
| 15 | WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 16 | Slappin Butts | |
| 17 | Smokin Oldies | |
| 18 | PHAT JACKS BBQ NE | |
| 19 | Pork Tales | |
| 20 | Q Friendz | |
| 21 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 22 | THE PIG PIRATES | |
| 23 | BARE BUTTS | |
| 24 | ROWDY HOG SMOKIN BBQ | |
| 25 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | |
| 26 | Master Q | |
| 27 | All Sizes | |
| 28 | Johnson Boys BBQ | |
| 29 | RUBBING AMOK | |
| 30 | Dizzy's Corn Cob Cookin | |
| 31 | HAD A FEW... BBQ | |
| 32 | Mad Chads |
Pork Ribs
32 entries · top 176.5716 · median 165.1258
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Island | |
| 2 | ROLLIN' SMOKE BBQ SD | |
| 3 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 4 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 5 | EGGSPERT BBQ | |
| 6 | PHAT JACKS BBQ NE | |
| 7 | SPITFIRE | |
| 8 | ROWDY HOG SMOKIN BBQ | |
| 9 | QUETOPIA | |
| 10 | RUBBING AMOK | |
| 11 | Q Friendz | |
| 12 | WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 13 | SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY | |
| 14 | THE PIG PIRATES | |
| 15 | SWINE ASSASSINS | |
| 16 | CHARCOAL LOUNGERS | |
| 17 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 18 | Smokin Oldies | |
| 19 | Master Q | |
| 20 | All Sizes | |
| 21 | Slappin Butts | |
| 22 | G'DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 23 | SHORT CREW BBQ | |
| 24 | RUB MY RACK | |
| 25 | HAD A FEW... BBQ | |
| 26 | BARE BUTTS | |
| 27 | SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS | |
| 28 | Johnson Boys BBQ | |
| 29 | Pork Tales | |
| 30 | Dizzy's Corn Cob Cookin | |
| 31 | Mad Chads | |
| 32 | TIMBONE BARBECUE |
Pork
32 entries · top 177.7028 · median 163.9828
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS | |
| 2 | SHORT CREW BBQ | |
| 3 | SPITFIRE | |
| 4 | CHARCOAL LOUNGERS | |
| 5 | EGGSPERT BBQ | |
| 6 | PHAT JACKS BBQ NE | |
| 7 | SWINE ASSASSINS | |
| 8 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 9 | G'DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 10 | THE PIG PIRATES | |
| 11 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 12 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 13 | WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 14 | SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY | |
| 15 | RUBBING AMOK | |
| 16 | ROLLIN' SMOKE BBQ SD | |
| 17 | RUB MY RACK | |
| 18 | Big Island | |
| 19 | QUETOPIA | |
| 20 | Slappin Butts | |
| 21 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | |
| 22 | HAD A FEW... BBQ | |
| 23 | Smokin Oldies | |
| 24 | Q Friendz | |
| 25 | ROWDY HOG SMOKIN BBQ | |
| 26 | Mad Chads | |
| 27 | Johnson Boys BBQ | |
| 28 | BARE BUTTS | |
| 29 | Master Q | |
| 30 | All Sizes | |
| 31 | Pork Tales | |
| 32 | Dizzy's Corn Cob Cookin |
Brisket
32 entries · top 179.4400 · median 162.8344
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | QUETOPIA | |
| 2 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 3 | SPITFIRE | |
| 4 | EGGSPERT BBQ | |
| 5 | PHAT JACKS BBQ NE | |
| 6 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 7 | SWINE ASSASSINS | |
| 8 | SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY | |
| 9 | BARE BUTTS | |
| 10 | SHORT CREW BBQ | |
| 11 | WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 12 | Pork Tales | |
| 13 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | |
| 14 | SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS | |
| 15 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 16 | Smokin Oldies | |
| 17 | ROLLIN' SMOKE BBQ SD | |
| 18 | RUBBING AMOK | |
| 19 | Q Friendz | |
| 20 | CHARCOAL LOUNGERS | |
| 21 | THE PIG PIRATES | |
| 22 | ROWDY HOG SMOKIN BBQ | |
| 23 | Slappin Butts | |
| 24 | All Sizes | |
| 25 | RUB MY RACK | |
| 26 | Dizzy's Corn Cob Cookin | |
| 27 | Johnson Boys BBQ | |
| 28 | Master Q | |
| 29 | G'DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 30 | Big Island | |
| 31 | Mad Chads | |
| 32 | HAD A FEW... BBQ |