A dynasty in the making
3×
wins at this contest
3 of 4 tracked editions
ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE has won this contest 3 times across its 4 tracked editions.
- 2013
- 2014
- 2016
Hog Happnin' 2016
Nov 4–5, 2016 · Shelby, NC · 📍 1751 Marion St
ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE won Grand Champion at the Hog Happnin' on November 4, 2016 in Shelby, NC at 1751 Marion St, scoring 699.3944 in a field of 56 teams. SAUCED! BBQ TEAM took Reserve Grand Champion with 690.2628. Category winners: Chicken — WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ (176.0000); Pork Ribs — ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE (178.2972); Pork — SMOKING BUTT HEADS (176.5600); Brisket — SAUCED! BBQ TEAM (177.7144). This is the 4th of 4 editions of this contest on record; the 2015 edition was won by SMOKIN MO'S BBQ.
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.
479.28
median 663.07
699.39 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 176
- Pork Ribs 178.30
- Pork 176.56
- Brisket 177.71
20
178.30
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2016 — this edition picked out.
Entries
56
4 judged meats
Top score
699.3944
Winning margin
9.1316
GC over RC
Field average
655.98
479.28699.39
median 663.07 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork
1.1428 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
681.1200
479.28699.39
10th place overall
Field spread
220.1148
winner to last place
Double threats
7
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 36%
beats 64% of 4723 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
45%
27 of 60 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.86 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,584
avg power rating going in · stronger than 66% 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 17 calls decided inside half a point
Pork places 3–4: ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE and THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 4–5: THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA and TWISTED PAIR BBQ tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 9–10: THE SMOKEHOUSE BANDITS!!! and MUTTLEY CREW BBQ tied on 172.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Pork 3–4 · tie
- Pork 4–5 · tie
- Pork 9–10 · tie
- Brisket 3–4 · tie
How the title was won
3 of 4
meats called to the stage
ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was chicken at 23rd.
- Chicken 23rd
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 3rd
- Brisket 3rd
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE (won 2013, 2014).
- ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE · 2013, 2014
One of the big ones
56
teams on the grounds
Bigger than 90% of the 5,482 contests in the data
56 teams — bigger than 90% of the 5,482 contests in the data.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2013 | Shelby, NC | Shelby, NC | 75 | 695.9656 | ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE | KILLER B'S BBQ |
| Oct 31, 2014 | Shelby, NC | Shelby, NC 28150 | 61 | 701.0972 | ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE | KILLER B'S BBQ |
| Nov 6, 2015 | Shelby, NC | Shelby, NC 28150 | 60 | 703.4056 | SMOKIN MO'S BBQ | 270 SMOKERS |
| Nov 4, 2016 ← this one | Shelby, NC | 1751 Marion St | 56 | 699.3944 | ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE | SAUCED! BBQ TEAM |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 176 | 173.7028 | 172.0228 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.2972 | 171.9772 | 170.2628 |
| Pork | 176.5600 | 175.4172 | 172.5600 |
| Brisket | 177.7144 | 176.5600 | 172 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
56 entries · top 699.3944 · median 663.0744
Chicken
56 entries · top 176 · median 166.8228
Pork Ribs
55 entries · top 178.2972 · median 163.9888
Pork
56 entries · top 176.5600 · median 168.2628
Brisket
56 entries · top 177.7144 · median 166.8400