A new contest record
703.4400
highest overall ever cooked here
703.4400 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 692.5488 CLARK CREW BBQ set in 2016.
- old record 692.5488
- set 2016 by CLARK CREW BBQ
Wild West BBQ Cook Off 2017
May 12–13, 2017 · Lamar, CO · 📍 Willow Creek Park
THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ won Grand Champion at the Wild West BBQ Cook Off on May 12, 2017 in Lamar, CO at Willow Creek Park, scoring 703.4400 in a field of 31 teams. CLARK CREW BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 701.6568. Category winners: Chicken — CLARK CREW BBQ (180.0000); Pork Ribs — THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ (178.8800); Pork — 4 LEGS UP BBQ (176.5600); Brisket — BURNIN BOBS BUTTS N BONES (175.4056). This is the 2nd of 10 editions of this contest on record; the 2016 edition was won by CLARK CREW BBQ; the next was held in 2018.
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.
483.42
median 663.37
703.44 🏆
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 178.88
- Pork 176.56
- Brisket 175.41
126.80
180
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2016 to 2026 — this edition picked out.
Entries
31
4 judged meats
Top score
703.4400
Winning margin
1.7832
GC over RC
Field average
653.19
483.42703.44
median 663.37 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Pork
1.7144 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
676.5488
483.42703.44
10th place overall
Field spread
220.0224
winner to last place
Double threats
7
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 19%
beats 81% of 4723 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
48%
16 of 33 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.74 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,584
avg power rating going in · stronger than 66% 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.
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 14 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 9–10: BUTLER'S BACKDRAFT BBQ and 4 LEGS UP BBQ tied on 172.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 2–3: 4 LEGS UP BBQ and SCORCH AND RESQUE tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 3–4: SCORCH AND RESQUE and CLARK CREW BBQ tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 9–10 · tie
- Pork Ribs 2–3 · tie
- Pork Ribs 3–4 · tie
- Pork 1–2 · tie
How the title was won
3 of 4
meats called to the stage
THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was brisket at 12th.
- Chicken 2nd
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 2nd
- Brisket 12th
A contest record in chicken
180.0000
best chicken ever cooked here
CLARK CREW BBQ turned in 180.0000 in chicken — past the 174.8572 that had stood across 1 earlier editions.
- old best 174.8572
- across 1 past editions
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: CLARK CREW BBQ (won 2016).
- CLARK CREW BBQ · 2016
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.
- CLARK CREW 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)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 13, 2016 | Lamar, CO | Willow Creek Park | 33 | 692.5488 | CLARK CREW BBQ | BACKDRAFT BBQ |
| May 12, 2017 ← this one | 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 | 180 | 173.7372 | 172 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.8800 | 173.1316 | 169.1428 |
| Pork | 176.5600 | 174.8456 | 173.1084 |
| Brisket | 175.4056 | 172.5828 | 170.8456 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
31 entries · top 703.4400 · median 663.3716
Chicken
31 entries · top 180 · median 168 · 🔥 perfect 180
Pork Ribs
31 entries · top 178.8800 · median 163.3828
Pork
31 entries · top 176.5600 · median 166.2400
Brisket
30 entries · top 175.4056 · median 168.0114