ND BBQ Championship

2026-05-01 – 2026-05-02 · Fargo, ND · 📍 3202 13th Ave S · State championship

Reps: JOHN SCHARFFBILLIG, LARRY VOTH, LYNDA VOTH · Prize money: $10,200.00

Grand Champion: Porky Butts BBQ (697.1200) · 71 teams

Reserve Champion: 🥈 SIX BUTT BBQ

🥇

PORKY BUTTS BBQ

697.1200 · Master Series — Overall

🥈

SIX BUTT BBQ

696.4912 · Master Series — Overall

🥉

SPITFIRE

695.4284 · Master Series — Overall

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.

610.06 median 672.95 697.12 🏆

How the meats cooked

Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.

Chicken 179.44
Pork Ribs 180.00 🔥
Pork 178.86
Brisket 178.86

138.82 180.00

Winning score by edition

What it has taken to win here, 2024 to 2026 — this edition picked out.

Entries

4 judged meats

Top score

697.1200

Winning margin

0.6288

GC over RC

Field average

667.15

610.06697.12

median 672.95 · last place to winner

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

SPITFIRE (Pork Ribs)

Tightest race

Pork

1.1428 pts across the top 5

Top-10 cutoff

687.9312

610.06697.12

10th place overall

Field spread

87.0628

winner to last place

Prize money

$10,200.00

on the line

Most consistent

PORKY BUTTS BBQ

avg finish 12.25 across 4 meats

Double threats

teams with 2+ top-5 calls

Widest winning margin

Brisket

won by 1.1544 pts — IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ

How hot was the win?

Top 44%

beats 56% of 4707 Master Series wins in the data

Form held

Strong

ρ = -0.66 between pre-contest rating and finish

Field strength

1589

avg power rating going in · stronger than 71% of contests

Top-rated in the field

PORKY BUTTS BBQ

rated 1877 pre-contest

Storylines (10 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 razor-thin finish

0.6288 points between champion and reserve

Closer than 86% of the 4,742 championships in the data

The Grand Championship was decided by 0.6288 points — closer than 86% of every championship in the data.

Porky Butts BBQ
SIX BUTT BBQ

Won without a category win

2 of 4 meats called to the stage

PORKY BUTTS BBQ won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 2 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.

Chicken 6th
Pork Ribs 17th
Pork 2nd
Brisket 24th

A dynasty in the making

2× wins at this contest

2 of 5 tracked editions

Porky Butts BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 5 tracked editions.

2026
2026

A knife fight at the top

3.9884 points across the top five

First to fifth in the overall standings covered just 3.9884 points — 2 teams sat within a single point of the lead.

1st PORKY BUTTS BBQ
2nd SIX BUTT BBQ
3rd SPITFIRE
4th Syndicate BBQ
5th IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ

Photo finishes

Tie closest of 14 calls decided inside half a point

Chicken places 5–6: B Squad BBQ and PORKY BUTTS BBQ tied on 177.1428 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 6–7: PORKY BUTTS BBQ and Slightly Sauced tied on 177.1428 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 9–10: SHIGGIN & GRINNIN and SIX BUTT BBQ tied on 174.8456 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.

Chicken 5–6 · tie
Chicken 6–7 · tie
Chicken 9–10 · tie
Pork Ribs 2–3 · tie

A contest record in pork ribs

180.0000 best pork ribs ever cooked here

SPITFIRE turned in 180.0000 in pork ribs — past the 178.2972 that had stood across 3 earlier editions.

old best 178.2972
across 3 past editions

Back to defend

3 past champions back in the field

Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Shiggin & Grinnin (won 2024), BIGG SMOAK BBQ (won 2025), KPG SMOKIN' (won 2025).

Shiggin & Grinnin · 2024
BIGG SMOAK BBQ · 2025
KPG SMOKIN' · 2025

One of the big ones

71 teams on the grounds

Bigger than 96% of the 5,410 contests in the data

71 teams made this a bigger field than 96% of every contest tracked.

The biggest field yet

71 teams — a contest high

This contest usually draws about 39 teams

71 teams is the deepest field this contest has drawn in the data, against a typical 39.

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.

SPITFIRE · Pork Ribs

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)

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
2024-09-27	Fargo, ND	3202 13th Ave S	47	703.4516	Shiggin & Grinnin	Son of a Boar BBQ
2025-10-03	Fargo, ND	3202 13th Ave S	46	696.5484	BIGG SMOAK BBQ	MACHETE BOYS BBQ
2025-10-03	Fargo, ND	3202 13th Ave S	24	175.4400	KPG SMOKIN'	—
2026-05-01 ← this one	Fargo, ND	3202 13th Ave S	71	697.1200	Porky Butts BBQ	SIX BUTT BBQ
2026-05-01	Fargo, ND	3202 13th Ave S	36	178.8572	PORKY BUTTS BBQ	—

What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)

Category	1st	5th	10th
Chicken	179.4400	177.1428	174.8456
Pork Ribs	180.0000	178.2972	174.2628
Pork	178.8572	177.7144	176.0000
Brisket	178.8572	175.4172	173.1428

Official results on kcbs.us ↗

Master Series

Overall

71 entries · top 697.1200 · median 672.9480

#	Team	Score
1	PORKY BUTTS BBQ	697.1200
2	SIX BUTT BBQ	696.4912
3	SPITFIRE	695.4284
4	Syndicate BBQ	694.2168
5	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	693.1316
6	Eggspert BBQ	691.9196
7	AMERICAN FIRE BBQ	690.8344
8	MAN MEAT BBQ	690.2288
9	Son of a Boar BBQ	689.0972
10	CROSSCUT BBQ2	687.9312
11	SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	686.8224
12	B Squad BBQ	686.2744
13	PARROTHEAD SMOKERS	685.0972
14	LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY	685.0168
15	SMOKIN' OUTLAWS	684.5828
16	SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS	684.5140
17	Lootalicious or Ferg N' Booty We	684.4684
18	O.G. BANDITS	683.9200
19	Ash Kickin' BBQ	682.8228
20	HOME FARM BBQ	682.2168
21	MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	681.6912
22	RUM N' SMOKE BBQ	681.6340
23	Phoenix BBQ	679.9772
24	NECTAR OF THE HOGS	679.3712
25	BRAZEN BARREL BBQ	679.3600
26	Sugar Shack	679.3484
27	PAPA'S PIT CREW	679.2796
28	Slightly Sauced	678.7768
29	Q Cartel	678.2516
30	KPG SMOKIN'	677.6572
31	ACES HIGH BBQ	676.5140
32	OWENS BBQ	675.3828
33	BURNT TREES BBQ	675.3480
34	Still Can't Win BBQ	673.6000
35	BIGG SMOAK BBQ	673.6000
36	RUB MY RACK	672.9480
37	WHEN PIGS DIE	672.5368
38	FERNANDO'S RIB COMPANY	670.8000
39	Smoke Jumpers BBQ	669.6572
40	Lucky Shoes BBQ	669.6456
41	SmokinGhost BBQ	667.9084
42	ROKER Q	665.0168
43	Numb Numb BBQ	663.8396
44	Good Grefe!	662.7888
45	Flatlands BBQ	662.2168
46	IT'S BBQ TIME	659.8516
47	T-Rex BBQ	659.3256
48	Steel Smoke BBQ	657.7144
49	IN DEEP SAUCE	657.0400
50	Prairie Smoke BBQ	655.3368
51	Homestead Smoke Shack	654.1828
52	Hog Time BBQ	654.1260
53	CRF Blue Ribb'n BBQ	653.6000
54	Angry Bear BBQ	652.5944
55	BURNT WOOD BBQ	651.8852
56	Three Stoog3 BBQ	651.3716
57	Badlands BBQ	650.7316
58	Hit or Miss	649.6912
59	SWEET MEAT INJECTIONS	648.4224
60	Yankee Twang BBQ Co.	647.9432
61	PMC SMOKERS	643.9200
62	Dirty Little Pigs BBQ	642.1716
63	Bear Bonz BBQ	640.9488
64	The Mess Hall Project	640.3660
65	Brotherhood of the Burning Wood	635.4172
66	Smokey North BBQ	632.9600
67	Sheyenne BBQ	630.1024
68	Slim Piggins	626.7312
69	Silly Willies	625.5200
70	Old Dad's BBQ	616.4116
71	SMOKE MY BUTT BBQ	610.0572

Chicken

71 entries · top 179.4400 · median 169.6684

#	Team	Score
1	Eggspert BBQ	179.4400
2	KPG SMOKIN'	178.8800
3	ACES HIGH BBQ	178.8572
4	Ash Kickin' BBQ	178.3200
5	B Squad BBQ	177.1428
6	PORKY BUTTS BBQ	177.1428
7	Slightly Sauced	177.1428
8	Sugar Shack	175.4056
9	SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	174.8456
10	SIX BUTT BBQ	174.8456
11	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	174.2972
12	Old Dad's BBQ	174.2628
13	Lucky Shoes BBQ	173.1428
14	Still Can't Win BBQ	173.1084
15	HOME FARM BBQ	172.5828
16	Flatlands BBQ	172.5828
17	NECTAR OF THE HOGS	172.5600
18	SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS	172.0000
19	BURNT TREES BBQ	171.9772
20	RUM N' SMOKE BBQ	171.9656
21	LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY	171.9656
22	ROKER Q	171.9656
23	AMERICAN FIRE BBQ	171.4172
24	Syndicate BBQ	171.4056
25	SPITFIRE	170.8916
26	Phoenix BBQ	170.8228
27	SWEET MEAT INJECTIONS	170.8228
28	SMOKIN' OUTLAWS	170.3200
29	Smokey North BBQ	170.2628
30	CROSSCUT BBQ2	170.2628
31	BURNT WOOD BBQ	169.7144
32	BRAZEN BARREL BBQ	169.7144
33	MAN MEAT BBQ	169.6916
34	SmokinGhost BBQ	169.6800
35	BIGG SMOAK BBQ	169.6684
36	PAPA'S PIT CREW	169.6684
37	Son of a Boar BBQ	168.5716
38	Three Stoog3 BBQ	168.5716
39	PARROTHEAD SMOKERS	168.5256
40	Good Grefe!	167.9772
41	WHEN PIGS DIE	167.9656
42	Q Cartel	167.4400
43	CRF Blue Ribb'n BBQ	167.4172
44	Hit or Miss	167.4056
45	T-Rex BBQ	166.8344
46	Yankee Twang BBQ Co.	166.8228
47	IT'S BBQ TIME	166.2400
48	O.G. BANDITS	166.2284
49	Steel Smoke BBQ	165.6916
50	Silly Willies	165.1200
51	MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	165.1084
52	Dirty Little Pigs BBQ	163.9772
53	OWENS BBQ	163.4288
54	Angry Bear BBQ	163.4172
55	Badlands BBQ	162.8572
56	Smoke Jumpers BBQ	162.8456
57	RUB MY RACK	162.7884
58	FERNANDO'S RIB COMPANY	162.2744
59	IN DEEP SAUCE	162.2400
60	Lootalicious or Ferg N' Booty We	162.2284
61	Numb Numb BBQ	161.7028
62	Prairie Smoke BBQ	160.0000
63	SMOKE MY BUTT BBQ	159.9544
64	PMC SMOKERS	156.5944
65	Homestead Smoke Shack	156.5144
66	Bear Bonz BBQ	156.5028
67	The Mess Hall Project	155.9316
68	Sheyenne BBQ	155.9312
69	Brotherhood of the Burning Wood	154.2972
70	Hog Time BBQ	154.2172
71	Slim Piggins	141.6800

Pork Ribs

71 entries · top 180.0000 · median 167.3944 · 🔥 perfect 180

#	Team	Score
1	SPITFIRE	180.0000 🔥
2	MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	178.8572
3	SIX BUTT BBQ	178.8572
4	Syndicate BBQ	178.2972
5	B Squad BBQ	178.2972
6	SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	177.7028
7	PARROTHEAD SMOKERS	175.4400
8	LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY	175.4172
9	Son of a Boar BBQ	175.4056
10	RUB MY RACK	174.2628
11	Phoenix BBQ	173.7144
12	Hog Time BBQ	173.7144
13	BURNT TREES BBQ	173.7028
14	SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS	173.1428
15	SmokinGhost BBQ	172.5600
16	CROSSCUT BBQ2	172.5600
17	PORKY BUTTS BBQ	172.0000
18	AMERICAN FIRE BBQ	171.9656
19	Prairie Smoke BBQ	171.9656
20	BRAZEN BARREL BBQ	171.4172
21	SMOKIN' OUTLAWS	171.4056
22	Good Grefe!	170.8344
23	RUM N' SMOKE BBQ	170.8228
24	Eggspert BBQ	170.8112
25	Lucky Shoes BBQ	169.6800
26	MAN MEAT BBQ	169.6800
27	HOME FARM BBQ	169.6800
28	Still Can't Win BBQ	169.1316
29	ROKER Q	169.1316
30	Sugar Shack	169.1200
31	PAPA'S PIT CREW	169.1200
32	WHEN PIGS DIE	169.1084
33	CRF Blue Ribb'n BBQ	168.5828
34	FERNANDO'S RIB COMPANY	168.5600
35	BIGG SMOAK BBQ	167.4172
36	IT'S BBQ TIME	167.3944
37	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	166.8572
38	OWENS BBQ	166.8456
39	Q Cartel	166.8344
40	Lootalicious or Ferg N' Booty We	166.8344
41	Steel Smoke BBQ	166.2972
42	Slightly Sauced	166.2628
43	Homestead Smoke Shack	166.2628
44	The Mess Hall Project	166.2516
45	Smoke Jumpers BBQ	166.2516
46	Numb Numb BBQ	166.2400
47	Ash Kickin' BBQ	165.7144
48	Flatlands BBQ	165.6800
49	KPG SMOKIN'	165.6800
50	Angry Bear BBQ	164.5944
51	O.G. BANDITS	164.5600
52	Three Stoog3 BBQ	163.9888
53	BURNT WOOD BBQ	163.9884
54	NECTAR OF THE HOGS	163.4400
55	Hit or Miss	163.3828
56	Smokey North BBQ	162.8456
57	ACES HIGH BBQ	162.2628
58	Slim Piggins	162.2284
59	PMC SMOKERS	161.7144
60	Badlands BBQ	161.6572
61	SMOKE MY BUTT BBQ	161.6456
62	SWEET MEAT INJECTIONS	161.1312
63	Old Dad's BBQ	161.1200
64	Dirty Little Pigs BBQ	161.0856
65	Sheyenne BBQ	160.5372
66	Bear Bonz BBQ	158.8000
67	Brotherhood of the Burning Wood	158.2744
68	Yankee Twang BBQ Co.	157.1660
69	T-Rex BBQ	154.2400
70	IN DEEP SAUCE	148.5372
71	Silly Willies	148.5260

Pork

71 entries · top 178.8572 · median 168.5256

#	Team	Score
1	BIGG SMOAK BBQ	178.8572
2	PORKY BUTTS BBQ	178.2972
3	IN DEEP SAUCE	177.7144
4	O.G. BANDITS	177.7144
5	AMERICAN FIRE BBQ	177.7144
6	Lootalicious or Ferg N' Booty We	177.7028
7	CROSSCUT BBQ2	177.1428
8	WHEN PIGS DIE	177.1428
9	SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS	176.5600
10	MAN MEAT BBQ	176.0000
11	Son of a Boar BBQ	174.8572
12	Q Cartel	174.8572
13	RUM N' SMOKE BBQ	173.7144
14	SmokinGhost BBQ	173.1428
15	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	173.1200
16	Still Can't Win BBQ	173.1200
17	SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	172.0228
18	SPITFIRE	171.9884
19	HOME FARM BBQ	171.9884
20	RUB MY RACK	171.9656
21	Phoenix BBQ	171.4400
22	Bear Bonz BBQ	171.4172
23	Syndicate BBQ	171.4056
24	OWENS BBQ	171.4056
25	NECTAR OF THE HOGS	171.4056
26	MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	170.8800
27	Lucky Shoes BBQ	170.8228
28	B Squad BBQ	170.2972
29	ACES HIGH BBQ	170.2512
30	Homestead Smoke Shack	169.7028
31	ROKER Q	169.6912
32	BRAZEN BARREL BBQ	169.6800
33	SIX BUTT BBQ	169.6800
34	PARROTHEAD SMOKERS	169.1544
35	FERNANDO'S RIB COMPANY	169.1200
36	Eggspert BBQ	168.5256
37	Dirty Little Pigs BBQ	167.4516
38	PAPA'S PIT CREW	167.3828
39	BURNT TREES BBQ	167.3712
40	Hit or Miss	166.9028
41	KPG SMOKIN'	166.8572
42	Ash Kickin' BBQ	166.8112
43	SMOKIN' OUTLAWS	166.2972
44	Sugar Shack	166.2628
45	Smoke Jumpers BBQ	166.2400
46	CRF Blue Ribb'n BBQ	165.6684
47	Angry Bear BBQ	165.1428
48	LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY	164.5256
49	BURNT WOOD BBQ	163.9884
50	Badlands BBQ	163.9428
51	Yankee Twang BBQ Co.	163.4172
52	T-Rex BBQ	162.8456
53	Slim Piggins	162.8456
54	Numb Numb BBQ	162.7884
55	PMC SMOKERS	162.2284
56	Prairie Smoke BBQ	161.7028
57	Three Stoog3 BBQ	161.6912
58	Flatlands BBQ	161.6684
59	Slightly Sauced	158.8112
60	Hog Time BBQ	158.8000
61	IT'S BBQ TIME	158.2516
62	Steel Smoke BBQ	157.7028
63	Good Grefe!	156.5372
64	The Mess Hall Project	155.9312
65	Brotherhood of the Burning Wood	151.4056
66	SWEET MEAT INJECTIONS	150.8000
67	Silly Willies	150.8000
68	Smokey North BBQ	150.7772
69	Sheyenne BBQ	149.6796
70	SMOKE MY BUTT BBQ	147.3828
71	Old Dad's BBQ	142.2056

Brisket

71 entries · top 178.8572 · median 166.2400

#	Team	Score
1	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	178.8572
2	Lootalicious or Ferg N' Booty We	177.7028
3	Slightly Sauced	176.5600
4	SMOKIN' OUTLAWS	176.5600
5	O.G. BANDITS	175.4172
6	T-Rex BBQ	175.4056
7	MAN MEAT BBQ	174.8572
8	Smoke Jumpers BBQ	174.3200
9	OWENS BBQ	173.7028
10	Eggspert BBQ	173.1428
11	Syndicate BBQ	173.1084
12	SIX BUTT BBQ	173.1084
13	LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY	173.1084
14	Numb Numb BBQ	173.1084
15	PAPA'S PIT CREW	173.1084
16	SPITFIRE	172.5484
17	PARROTHEAD SMOKERS	171.9772
18	Ash Kickin' BBQ	171.9772
19	NECTAR OF THE HOGS	171.9656
20	Brotherhood of the Burning Wood	171.4400
21	FERNANDO'S RIB COMPANY	170.8456
22	Son of a Boar BBQ	170.2628
23	AMERICAN FIRE BBQ	169.7372
24	PORKY BUTTS BBQ	169.6800
25	Q Cartel	169.1200
26	Sugar Shack	168.5600
27	IN DEEP SAUCE	168.5484
28	BRAZEN BARREL BBQ	168.5484
29	Steel Smoke BBQ	168.0228
30	CROSSCUT BBQ2	167.9656
31	IT'S BBQ TIME	167.9656
32	HOME FARM BBQ	167.9656
33	Good Grefe!	167.4400
34	Hog Time BBQ	167.3944
35	MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	166.8456
36	KPG SMOKIN'	166.2400
37	SWEET MEAT INJECTIONS	165.6684
38	ACES HIGH BBQ	165.1428
39	RUM N' SMOKE BBQ	165.1312
40	Phoenix BBQ	164.0000
41	Sheyenne BBQ	163.9544
42	RUB MY RACK	163.9312
43	PMC SMOKERS	163.3828
44	SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS	162.8112
45	BURNT TREES BBQ	162.2968
46	Flatlands BBQ	162.2856
47	Badlands BBQ	162.2744
48	The Mess Hall Project	162.2516
49	SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	162.2512
50	Homestead Smoke Shack	161.7028
51	Prairie Smoke BBQ	161.6684
52	Silly Willies	161.0740
53	B Squad BBQ	160.5372
54	Yankee Twang BBQ Co.	160.5372
55	Slim Piggins	159.9772
56	Angry Bear BBQ	159.4400
57	WHEN PIGS DIE	158.3200
58	Still Can't Win BBQ	158.2400
59	BIGG SMOAK BBQ	157.6572
60	Three Stoog3 BBQ	157.1200
61	Lucky Shoes BBQ	156.0000
62	Bear Bonz BBQ	154.2288
63	ROKER Q	154.2284
64	BURNT WOOD BBQ	154.1940
65	SmokinGhost BBQ	152.5256
66	Hit or Miss	152.0000
67	CRF Blue Ribb'n BBQ	151.9316
68	Dirty Little Pigs BBQ	149.6572
69	Smokey North BBQ	149.0744
70	SMOKE MY BUTT BBQ	141.0744
71	Old Dad's BBQ	138.8232

ND BBQ Championship

The contest at a glance (read off the scored boards)

How the field scored

How the meats cooked

Winning score by edition

Entries

Top score

Winning margin

Field average

Perfect 180s

Tightest race

Top-10 cutoff

Field spread

Prize money

Most consistent

Double threats

Widest winning margin

How hot was the win?

Form held

Field strength

Top-rated in the field

Storylines (10 found in this contest's numbers)

A razor-thin finish

Won without a category win

A dynasty in the making

A knife fight at the top

Photo finishes

A contest record in pork ribs

Back to defend

One of the big ones

The biggest field yet

A perfect score on the table

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 →

What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)

Official results on kcbs.us ↗

Master Series

Overall

Chicken

Pork Ribs

Pork

Brisket