American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest
2025-11-05 – 2025-11-09 · Kansas City, KS · State championship
Reps: CHARLIE BRINZA, DAVE ROGERS, DAVID BURSTEIN, EUGENE WICKHAM, FORREST BRUCE, JEANNE TITUS, LARRY HADLEY, LARRY VOTH, LYNDA VOTH, PEG ROGERS, SARAH WICKHAM · Prize money: $60,910.00
Grand Champion: Wag's Backwoods BBQ (708.5488) · 401 teams
Entries
Top score
Winning margin
Field average
Perfect 180s
Tightest race
Top-10 cutoff
Field spread
Prize money
Double threats
How hot was the win?
Field strength
Storylines
🪒 A razor-thin finish
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.5832 points — closer than 89% of every championship in the data.
🧳 Out-of-towners took the title
WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ took the Grand Championship home to IA.
🔥 A day of perfect scores
22 perfect 180s were scored at this contest.
🃏 An upset on the books
WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, GETTIN' BASTED, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 26-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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-09-29 | Kansas City, KS | 505 | 707.4056 | QUE U |
| 2023-09-27 | Kansas City, KS | 487 | 705.1200 | JANKY LEG BBQ |
| 2024-10-30 | Kansas City, KS | 444 | 710.8228 | Chunky BBQ |
| 2025-11-05 ← this one | Kansas City, KS | 401 | 708.5488 | Wag's Backwoods BBQ |
| 2026-09-30 | Kansas City, KS | — | — | — |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Ancillary — Sausage
242 entries · top 180.0000 · median 167.9598 · 🔥 perfect 180
Ancillary — Turkey smoke
223 entries · top 178.8800 · median 169.1200
Master Series — Brisket
397 entries · top 180.0000 · median 167.9884 · 🔥 perfect 180
Master Series — Chicken
400 entries · top 180.0000 · median 170.8112 · 🔥 perfect 180
Master Series — Overall
401 entries · top 708.5488 · median 678.1252
Master Series — Pork
399 entries · top 180.0000 · median 169.6800 · 🔥 perfect 180
Master Series — Pork Ribs
398 entries · top 180.0000 · median 169.1486 · 🔥 perfect 180