A dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 12 tracked editions
PARROTHEAD SMOKERS has won this contest 2 times across its 12 tracked editions.
- 2013
- 2016
Original SD BBQ Championships
2016-06-03 – 2016-06-04 · Huron, SD · 📍 Huron, SD
Grand Champion: PARROTHEAD SMOKERS (694.2744) · 44 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 GERRIT BOYS BARBEQUE
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.
551.94
median 659.08
694.27 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 175.45
- Pork Ribs 177.15
- Pork 178.86
- Brisket 177.70
122.75
178.86
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2026 — this edition picked out.
Entries
44
4 judged meats
Top score
694.2744
Winning margin
2.8688
GC over RC
Field average
650.55
551.94694.27
median 659.08 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
3.9772 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
673.0856
551.94694.27
10th place overall
Field spread
142.3312
winner to last place
Double threats
4
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 56%
beats 44% of 4707 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
54%
22 of 41 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.58 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1538
avg power rating going in · stronger than 28% of contests
Storylines (6 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: Pork Butt's Express and ROLLIN' SMOKE BBQ SD tied on 171.4400 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 3–4: GERRIT BOYS BARBEQUE and SHAGAN PIT tied on 174.2972 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 7–8: LAST CALL HEROES BBQ and LONESTAR SMOKE RANGERS tied on 173.1316 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 5–6 · tie
- Pork Ribs 3–4 · tie
- Pork Ribs 7–8 · tie
- Pork 3–4 · tie
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
PARROTHEAD SMOKERS took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was brisket at 9th.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 6th
- Pork 4th
- Brisket 9th
A contest record in pork
178.8572
best pork ever cooked here
MUSTANG SALLY BBQ turned in 178.8572 in pork — past the 174.8572 that had stood across 2 earlier editions.
- old best 174.8572
- across 2 past editions
Back to defend
2
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: PARROTHEAD SMOKERS (won 2013), PIGTAMER BBQ (won 2015).
- PARROTHEAD SMOKERS · 2013
- PIGTAMER BBQ · 2015
The biggest field yet
44
teams — a contest high
This contest usually draws about 41 teams
44 teams is the deepest field this contest has drawn in the data, against a typical 41.
This contest's own records (1 in the KCBS record book)
Records held by every edition of this contest put together, not just this one afternoon.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-05-31 | Huron, SD | Huron, SD | 41 | 685.1430 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | HOG'S BREATH BBQ |
| 2015-06-05 | Huron, SD | Huron, SD 57350 | 41 | 700.5944 | PIGTAMER BBQ | EGGSPERT BBQ |
| 2016-06-03 ← this one | Huron, SD | Huron, SD | 44 | 694.2744 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | GERRIT BOYS BARBEQUE |
| 2017-06-02 | Huron, SD | 890 3rd st. SW | 32 | 698.2744 | TRUE SMOKE BBQ | THE TWISTED TAIL |
| 2023-06-01 | Huron, SD | 1060 3rd st SW | 24 | 172.5600 | COLORADO BULLDAWGS | — |
| 2023-06-02 | Huron, SD | 1060 3rd st SW | 39 | 694.2516 | BnB BBQ | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ |
| 2024-06-07 | Huron, SD | 1060 3rd St SW | 34 | 706.8572 | Mr. Dude's BBQ | Eggspert BBQ |
| 2024-06-07 | Huron, SD | 1060 3rd St SW | 19 | 176.5828 | Fernando's Rib Company | — |
| 2025-06-05 | Huron, SD | 1060 3rd St SW | 29 | 176.0000 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | — |
| 2025-06-06 | Huron, SD | 1060 3rd St SW | 48 | 702.3200 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | Byg's BBQ |
| 2026-06-05 | Huron, SD | 1060 3rd St SW | 48 | 703.3944 | COLORADO BULLDAWG BBQ | BYG'S BBQ |
| 2026-06-05 | Huron, SD | 1060 3rd St SW | 29 | 177.7144 | CHICKEN FRIED BBQ | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 175.4516 | 171.4400 | 170.2628 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.1544 | 173.1772 | 171.4056 |
| Pork | 178.8572 | 173.7372 | 169.7028 |
| Brisket | 177.7028 | 173.1200 | 168.5828 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
44 entries · top 694.2744 · median 659.0802
Chicken
44 entries · top 175.4516 · median 165.1542
Pork Ribs
44 entries · top 177.1544 · median 167.3942
Pork
44 entries · top 178.8572 · median 163.1544
Brisket
44 entries · top 177.7028 · median 161.3770