A new contest record
696.4912
highest overall ever cooked here
696.4912 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 695.9540 FIRE DANCER BBQ set in 2015.
- old record 695.9540
- set 2015 by FIRE DANCER BBQ
Go Hog Wild Arkansas BBQ Championship 2016
Oct 7–8, 2016 · Sheridan, AR
FIRE DANCER BBQ won Grand Champion at the Go Hog Wild Arkansas BBQ Championship on October 7, 2016 in Sheridan, AR, scoring 696.4912 in a field of 27 teams. EPIC BBQ CRU took Reserve Grand Champion with 688.5712. Category winners: Chicken — DIXIELAND SMOKERS (178.2972); Pork Ribs — All Q'ued" Up! (178.8572); Pork — BBQR'S DELIGHT (175.4056); Brisket — LOTTA BULL BBQ (174.2628). This is the 3rd of 6 editions of this contest on record; the 2015 edition was won by FIRE DANCER BBQ; 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.
600.53
median 648.55
696.49 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 178.30
- Pork Ribs 178.86
- Pork 175.41
- Brisket 174.26
142.18
178.86
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2014 to 2019 — this edition picked out.
Entries
27
4 judged meats
Top score
696.4912
Winning margin
7.9200
GC over RC
Field average
649.19
600.53696.49
median 648.55 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Brisket
3.4400 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
663.9084
600.53696.49
10th place overall
Field spread
95.9656
winner to last place
Double threats
5
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 48%
beats 52% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
24%
6 of 25 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.69 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,536
avg power rating going in · stronger than 27% of contests
Storylines (7 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.
Back-to-back
2 in a row
editions of this contest
FIRE DANCER BBQ won here last time out too — 2 straight editions of this contest.
- 2015
- 2016
Won without a category win
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
FIRE DANCER BBQ won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 4 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.
- Chicken 2nd
- Pork Ribs 2nd
- Pork 4th
- Brisket 6th
A dynasty in the making
3×
wins at this contest
3 of 6 tracked editions
FIRE DANCER BBQ has won this contest 3 times across its 6 tracked editions.
- 2015
- 2016
- 2018
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 11 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 6–7: HOT AND FAST BBQ and SOOIE Q tied on 170.8456 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 7–8: JBK's Ring of Fire and EPIC BBQ CRU tied on 167.4284 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 5–6: EPIC BBQ CRU and FIRE DANCER BBQ tied on 170.8228 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 6–7 · tie
- Pork 7–8 · tie
- Brisket 5–6 · tie
- Chicken 5–6 · 0.0116
Back to defend
2
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: EPIC BBQ CRU (won 2014), FIRE DANCER BBQ (won 2015).
- EPIC BBQ CRU · 2014
- FIRE DANCER BBQ · 2015
The biggest field yet
27
teams — a contest high
This contest usually draws about 25 teams
27 teams is the deepest field this contest has drawn in the data, against a typical 25.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3, 2014 | Sheridan, AR | Sheridan, AR 72150 | 25 | 689.0972 | EPIC BBQ CRU | SOOIE Q |
| Oct 2, 2015 | Sheridan, AR | Sheridan, AR 72150 | 25 | 695.9540 | FIRE DANCER BBQ | RAZORRACKS |
| Oct 7, 2016 ← this one | Sheridan, AR | Sheridan, AR 72150 | 27 | 696.4912 | FIRE DANCER BBQ | EPIC BBQ CRU |
| Oct 6, 2017 | Sheridan, AR | Oak Street | 25 | 691.3368 | Fergolicious BBQ | GETTIN' BASTED |
| Oct 5, 2018 | Sheridan, AR | Oak Street | 26 | 701.7028 | FIRE DANCER BBQ | 501 BBQ |
| Oct 4, 2019 | Sheridan, AR | 204 North Oak | 26 | 687.3712 | Dad's Grillin Crew | THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 178.2972 | 170.8572 | 168.5256 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.8572 | 169.7256 | 165.6800 |
| Pork | 175.4056 | 169.7144 | 163.4056 |
| Brisket | 174.2628 | 170.8228 | 168.0344 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
27 entries · top 696.4912 · median 648.5488
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FIRE DANCER BBQ | |
| 2 | EPIC BBQ CRU | |
| 3 | 501 BBQ | |
| 4 | RAZORRACKS | |
| 5 | BBQR'S DELIGHT | |
| 6 | LONGNECK SIPPERS | |
| 7 | All Q'ued" Up! | |
| 8 | LOTTA BULL BBQ | |
| 9 | HOT AND FAST BBQ | |
| 10 | SOOIE Q | |
| 11 | Smoke 30 BBQ | |
| 12 | ROYAL SMOKERS | |
| 13 | DIXIELAND SMOKERS | |
| 14 | Hobo Joe's Smoking Road Show | |
| 15 | Bring Me My Meat | |
| 16 | Kermit's Ex | |
| 17 | BLOWIN' SMOKE NWA | |
| 18 | JBK's Ring of Fire | |
| 19 | CRUZER'S BBQ | |
| 20 | RACK RUBBERS OF ARKANSAS | |
| 21 | TexArlina | |
| 22 | LOOSE MEAT BBQ | |
| 23 | BORDY'S BBQ | |
| 24 | Que Commaner | |
| 25 | Hogarita | |
| 26 | Smoke My Meat BBQ | |
| 27 | R & M Diesel |
Chicken
27 entries · top 178.2972 · median 163.3828
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DIXIELAND SMOKERS | |
| 2 | FIRE DANCER BBQ | |
| 3 | EPIC BBQ CRU | |
| 4 | Smoke 30 BBQ | |
| 5 | 501 BBQ | |
| 6 | HOT AND FAST BBQ | |
| 7 | SOOIE Q | |
| 8 | LONGNECK SIPPERS | |
| 9 | RAZORRACKS | |
| 10 | Bring Me My Meat | |
| 11 | Hobo Joe's Smoking Road Show | |
| 12 | All Q'ued" Up! | |
| 13 | RACK RUBBERS OF ARKANSAS | |
| 14 | ROYAL SMOKERS | |
| 15 | JBK's Ring of Fire | |
| 16 | BORDY'S BBQ | |
| 17 | Kermit's Ex | |
| 18 | LOTTA BULL BBQ | |
| 19 | Que Commaner | |
| 20 | CRUZER'S BBQ | |
| 21 | R & M Diesel | |
| 22 | BBQR'S DELIGHT | |
| 23 | BLOWIN' SMOKE NWA | |
| 24 | Hogarita | |
| 25 | TexArlina | |
| 26 | Smoke My Meat BBQ | |
| 27 | LOOSE MEAT BBQ |
Pork Ribs
27 entries · top 178.8572 · median 163.3828
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | All Q'ued" Up! | |
| 2 | FIRE DANCER BBQ | |
| 3 | EPIC BBQ CRU | |
| 4 | RAZORRACKS | |
| 5 | BBQR'S DELIGHT | |
| 6 | BLOWIN' SMOKE NWA | |
| 7 | 501 BBQ | |
| 8 | SOOIE Q | |
| 9 | LONGNECK SIPPERS | |
| 10 | HOT AND FAST BBQ | |
| 11 | Bring Me My Meat | |
| 12 | Que Commaner | |
| 13 | Smoke 30 BBQ | |
| 14 | Kermit's Ex | |
| 15 | LOOSE MEAT BBQ | |
| 16 | LOTTA BULL BBQ | |
| 17 | Hogarita | |
| 18 | ROYAL SMOKERS | |
| 19 | TexArlina | |
| 20 | JBK's Ring of Fire | |
| 21 | DIXIELAND SMOKERS | |
| 22 | CRUZER'S BBQ | |
| 23 | RACK RUBBERS OF ARKANSAS | |
| 24 | Hobo Joe's Smoking Road Show | |
| 25 | Smoke My Meat BBQ | |
| 26 | R & M Diesel | |
| 27 | BORDY'S BBQ |
Pork
27 entries · top 175.4056 · median 161.6800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BBQR'S DELIGHT | |
| 2 | LOTTA BULL BBQ | |
| 3 | 501 BBQ | |
| 4 | FIRE DANCER BBQ | |
| 5 | ROYAL SMOKERS | |
| 6 | Hobo Joe's Smoking Road Show | |
| 7 | JBK's Ring of Fire | |
| 8 | EPIC BBQ CRU | |
| 9 | LONGNECK SIPPERS | |
| 10 | TexArlina | |
| 11 | Smoke 30 BBQ | |
| 12 | CRUZER'S BBQ | |
| 13 | BORDY'S BBQ | |
| 14 | SOOIE Q | |
| 15 | DIXIELAND SMOKERS | |
| 16 | RAZORRACKS | |
| 17 | All Q'ued" Up! | |
| 18 | HOT AND FAST BBQ | |
| 19 | LOOSE MEAT BBQ | |
| 20 | RACK RUBBERS OF ARKANSAS | |
| 21 | Bring Me My Meat | |
| 22 | Hogarita | |
| 23 | Kermit's Ex | |
| 24 | Que Commaner | |
| 25 | BLOWIN' SMOKE NWA | |
| 26 | R & M Diesel | |
| 27 | Smoke My Meat BBQ |
Brisket
27 entries · top 174.2628 · median 164.5600
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LOTTA BULL BBQ | |
| 2 | BBQR'S DELIGHT | |
| 3 | 501 BBQ | |
| 4 | LONGNECK SIPPERS | |
| 5 | EPIC BBQ CRU | |
| 6 | FIRE DANCER BBQ | |
| 7 | RAZORRACKS | |
| 8 | All Q'ued" Up! | |
| 9 | Kermit's Ex | |
| 10 | HOT AND FAST BBQ | |
| 11 | ROYAL SMOKERS | |
| 12 | Smoke 30 BBQ | |
| 13 | SOOIE Q | |
| 14 | DIXIELAND SMOKERS | |
| 15 | Hobo Joe's Smoking Road Show | |
| 16 | BLOWIN' SMOKE NWA | |
| 17 | RACK RUBBERS OF ARKANSAS | |
| 18 | Bring Me My Meat | |
| 19 | CRUZER'S BBQ | |
| 20 | Smoke My Meat BBQ | |
| 21 | TexArlina | |
| 22 | LOOSE MEAT BBQ | |
| 23 | BORDY'S BBQ | |
| 24 | JBK's Ring of Fire | |
| 25 | Que Commaner | |
| 26 | R & M Diesel | |
| 27 | Hogarita |