A statement win
11.9660
points clear of the field
Wider than 92% of the 4,714 championships in the data
The champion won by 11.9660 points — a wider margin than 92% of championships in the data.
Masters in May- The Classic
Apr 30 – May 1, 2016 · Appleton, WI
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ won Grand Champion at the Masters in May- The Classic on April 30, 2016 in Appleton, WI, scoring 701.0972 in a field of 58 teams. BIG BROTHERS BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 689.1312. Category winners: Chicken — IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ (180.0000); Pork Ribs — iBQ'n (177.7144); Pork — SHIGGIN & GRINNIN (178.8572); Brisket — CRASH TEST SMOKERS (177.1428).
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.
505.67
median 652.78
701.10 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 180 🔥
- Pork Ribs 177.71
- Pork 178.86
- Brisket 177.14
134.78
180
Entries
58
4 judged meats
Top score
701.0972
Winning margin
11.9660
GC over RC
Field average
647.68
505.67701.10
median 652.78 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Chicken
3.4056 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
678.2972
505.67701.10
10th place overall
Field spread
195.4284
winner to last place
Double threats
4
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 29%
beats 71% of 4715 Master Series wins in the data
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.64 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,589
avg power rating going in · stronger than 71% of contests
Storylines (5 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.
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 11 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 5–6: Croix Valley Sauces and PLASTERED PORK BBQ tied on 176.5944 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 7–8: BIG BROTHERS BBQ and Croix Valley Sauces tied on 171.4056 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 9–10: PELLET ENVY edged TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI by 0.0112.
- Chicken 5–6 · tie
- Pork Ribs 7–8 · tie
- Pork Ribs 9–10 · 0.0112
- Pork Ribs 5–6 · 0.0116
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork ribs at 6th.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 6th
- Pork 4th
- Brisket 2nd
One of the big ones
58
teams on the grounds
Bigger than 91% of the 5,469 contests in the data
58 teams — bigger than 91% of the 5,469 contests in the data.
A perfect score on the table
1
perfect 180s
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
- IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ · Chicken
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)
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 176.5944 | 174.2628 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.7144 | 171.9888 | 170.8688 |
| Pork | 178.8572 | 171.4400 | 167.4628 |
| Brisket | 177.1428 | 173.1200 | 170.8228 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
58 entries · top 701.0972 · median 652.7830
Chicken
58 entries · top 180 · median 165.6914 · 🔥 perfect 180
Pork Ribs
58 entries · top 177.7144 · median 160.5372
Pork
58 entries · top 178.8572 · median 162.8458
Brisket
57 entries · top 177.1428 · median 163.4056