A statement win
13.7716
points clear of the field
Wider than 95% of the 4,713 championships in the data
The champion won by 13.7716 points — a wider margin than 95% of championships in the data.
Wild West BBQ Cook Off 2016
May 13–14, 2016 · Lamar, CO · 📍 Willow Creek Park
CLARK CREW BBQ won Grand Champion at the Wild West BBQ Cook Off on May 13, 2016 in Lamar, CO at Willow Creek Park, scoring 692.5488 in a field of 33 teams. BACKDRAFT BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 678.7772. Category winners: Chicken — BACKDRAFT BBQ (174.8572); Pork Ribs — CLARK CREW BBQ (178.8572); Pork — CLARK CREW BBQ (172.5828); Brisket — BURNTOUT BBQ CO (173.1200). This is the 1st of 10 editions of this contest on record; the next was held in 2017.
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.
611.93
median 658.81
692.55 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 174.86
- Pork Ribs 178.86
- Pork 172.58
- Brisket 173.12
143.97
178.86
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2016 to 2026 — this edition picked out.
Entries
33
4 judged meats
Top score
692.5488
Winning margin
13.7716
GC over RC
Field average
653.25
611.93692.55
median 658.81 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork
2.8684 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
661.0400
611.93692.55
10th place overall
Field spread
80.6172
winner to last place
Double threats
5
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 62%
beats 38% of 4714 Master Series wins in the data
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.67 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,581
avg power rating going in · stronger than 64% 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.
A dynasty in the making
3×
wins at this contest
3 of 10 tracked editions
Gettin' Basted has won this contest 3 times across its 10 tracked editions.
- 2021
- 2024
- 2025
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 10 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 3–4: 4 LEGS UP BBQ and Frank's BBQ Trading Post tied on 172.5828 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 9–10: MINISTER OF BARBECUE and BIG DADDY QUE tied on 167.3828 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 7–8: MINISTER OF BARBECUE and DOUBLE DBQ tied on 168.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 3–4 · tie
- Pork Ribs 9–10 · tie
- Pork 7–8 · tie
- Brisket 6–7 · tie
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
CLARK CREW BBQ won Pork Ribs, Pork — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 1st
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
CLARK CREW BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 2 outright wins — their weakest board was brisket at 8th.
- Chicken 2nd
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 8th
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 13, 2016 ← this one | Lamar, CO | Willow Creek Park | 33 | 692.5488 | CLARK CREW BBQ | BACKDRAFT BBQ |
| May 12, 2017 | Lamar, CO | Willow Creek Park | 31 | 703.4400 | THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ | CLARK CREW BBQ |
| May 11, 2018 | Lamar, CO | Willow Creek Park | 26 | 680.5372 | BACKDRAFT BBQ | BIG DADDY'S BACKYARD BBQ |
| May 10, 2019 | Lamar, CO | Willow Creek Park | 28 | 691.4056 | Bushmaster BBQ | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS |
| May 7, 2021 | Lamar, CO | Willow Creek Park | 35 | 683.9428 | Gettin' Basted | BIG DADDY'S BACKYARD BBQ |
| May 6, 2022 | Lamar, CO | Willow Creek Park | 33 | 695.9772 | Rise N Swine | CLARK CREW BBQ |
| May 12, 2023 | Lamar, CO | Willow Creek Park | 30 | 702.8456 | Bushmaster BBQ | GETTIN' BASTED |
| May 10, 2024 | Lamar, CO | Willow Creek Park | 29 | 703.3828 | Gettin' Basted | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ |
| Apr 25, 2025 | Lamar, CO | Willow Creek Park | 30 | 691.9200 | Gettin' Basted | TEXAS SMOKE WHISPERER |
| Apr 24, 2026 | Lamar, CO | Willow Creek Park | 27 | 686.1828 | BrewsCue | Brinkerhoff BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 174.8572 | 171.9656 | 169.7028 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.8572 | 172 | 167.3828 |
| Pork | 172.5828 | 169.7144 | 166.8228 |
| Brisket | 173.1200 | 168 | 166.2516 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
33 entries · top 692.5488 · median 658.8120
Chicken
33 entries · top 174.8572 · median 166.8456
Pork Ribs
33 entries · top 178.8572 · median 163.3944
Pork
33 entries · top 172.5828 · median 164.5256
Brisket
33 entries · top 173.1200 · median 163.3712