Jul 22–23, 2016 · Maggie Valley, NC · 📍 3374 Soco RD
SMOKE THIS won Grand Champion at the WNC BBQ Festival- on July 22, 2016 in Maggie Valley, NC at 3374 Soco RD, scoring 695.9656 in a field of 49 teams. KILLER B'S BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 694.7768. Category winners: Chicken — K & D SMOKERS (180.0000); Pork Ribs — SONS OF SMOKE (179.4400); Pork — HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY (178.2972); Brisket — REDNECK SCIENTIFIC (180.0000). This is the 3rd of 4 editions of this contest on record; the 2015 edition was won by JIGGY PIGGY; the next was held in 2017.
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
What it has taken to win here, 2014 to 2017 — this edition picked out.
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
Closer than 77% of the 4,714 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.1888 points — closer than 77% of every championship in the data.
695.9656 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 695.9312 JIGGY PIGGY set in 2015.
SMOKE THIS won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 3 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.
Chicken places 3–4: THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA and SAUCED! BBQ TEAM tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 6–7: HOT WACHULA'S and OLD PLANTATION BBQ tied on 173.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 8–9: CHARCOAL & MORE and King's Cooking tied on 172.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY turned in 178.2972 in pork — past the 177.7028 that had stood across 2 earlier editions.
2 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25, 2014 | Maggie Valley, NC | Maggie Valley, NC 28751 | 46 | 689.1084 | DIGGIN QUE-GA | MONTY PIGTHON & THE HOLY GRILL |
| Jul 24, 2015 | Maggie Valley, NC | Maggie Valley, NC 28751 | 49 | 695.9312 | JIGGY PIGGY | SMOKE THIS |
| Jul 22, 2016 ← this one | Maggie Valley, NC | 3374 Soco RD | 49 | 695.9656 | SMOKE THIS | KILLER B'S BBQ |
| Jul 21, 2017 | Maggie Valley, NC | 3374 Solo RD | 47 | 700.5944 | SAUCED! BBQ TEAM | PALMETTO PITMASTERS |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 174.2628 | 172.5484 |
| Pork Ribs | 179.4400 | 175.4172 | 171.4288 |
| Pork | 178.2972 | 174.2628 | 171.9656 |
| Brisket | 180 | 176.5600 | 174.2628 |
49 entries · top 695.9656 · median 673.0628
49 entries · top 180 · median 169.1200 · 🔥 perfect 180
49 entries · top 179.4400 · median 166.8228
49 entries · top 178.2972 · median 167.4056
49 entries · top 180 · median 169.1428 · 🔥 perfect 180
Run by the organizers alongside the sanctioned contest. These are judged on their own terms and do not count toward the overall score, so they're kept out of the meat stats above.
15 entries · top 172.5828 · median 158.8800
11 entries · top 177.7372 · median 167.4628