A new contest record
669.7028
highest overall ever cooked here
669.7028 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 661.6800 SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA set in 2015.
- old record 661.6800
- set 2015 by SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA
I love Barbecue & Music Festival 2017
Jul 7–9, 2017 · Lake Placid, NY · 📍 32 School St
PISTOL PACKIN' PIGGIES won Grand Champion at the I love Barbecue & Music Festival on July 7, 2017 in Lake Placid, NY at 32 School St, scoring 669.7028 in a field of 40 teams. BLACK HART BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 666.7884. Category winners: Chicken — BLACK HART BBQ (175.4400); Pork Ribs — GOOD SMOKE BBQ (170.8572); Pork — SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA (172.5600); Brisket — INSANE SWINE BBQ (178.8800). This is the 5th of 11 editions of this contest on record; the 2016 edition was won by MILLER'S BACKYARD 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.
557.52
median 625.64
669.70 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 175.44
- Pork Ribs 170.86
- Pork 172.56
- Brisket 178.88
131.36
178.88
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2023 — this edition picked out.
Entries
40
4 judged meats · 5 ancillary
Top score
669.7028
Winning margin
2.9144
GC over RC
Field average
625.12
557.52669.70
median 625.64 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
4.0116 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
647.4288
557.52669.70
10th place overall
Field spread
112.1832
winner to last place
Double threats
5
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 97%
beats 3% of 4723 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
68%
19 of 28 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.72 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,567
avg power rating going in · stronger than 52% of contests
Storylines (9 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.
An upset on the books
15-in-100
shot on pre-contest ratings
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 85 times in 100
Pistol Packin' Piggies came in rated below the field's top team, OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 15-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
- champion 1557
- top seed 1861
Won without a category win
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
PISTOL PACKIN' PIGGIES won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 4 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.
- Chicken 7th
- Pork Ribs 8th
- Pork 6th
- Brisket 2nd
A first Grand Championship
12
tracked contests to get there
This was PISTOL PACKIN' PIGGIES's first Grand Championship in the data — it arrived at their 12th tracked contest.
A dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 11 tracked editions
MILLER'S BACKYARD BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 11 tracked editions.
- 2014
- 2016
Photo finishes
0.0116
closest of 6 calls decided inside half a point
Brisket places 6–7: SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS edged SMOKIN BOYS AND HOT GRILLS by 0.0116. Brisket places 5–6: SKARA OLD SCHOOL BBQ edged SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS by 0.0344. Pork Ribs places 2–3: THE BASIC BBQ TEAM edged BIG RAZ BBQ by 0.0456.
- Brisket 6–7 · 0.0116
- Brisket 5–6 · 0.0344
- Pork Ribs 2–3 · 0.0456
- Pork Ribs 6–7 · 0.0456
A contest record in brisket
178.8800
best brisket ever cooked here
INSANE SWINE BBQ turned in 178.8800 in brisket — past the 170.8572 that had stood across 4 earlier editions.
- old best 170.8572
- across 4 past editions
Back to defend
2
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: MILLER'S BACKYARD BBQ (won 2014, 2016), SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA (won 2015).
- MILLER'S BACKYARD BBQ · 2014, 2016
- SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA · 2015
The biggest field yet
40
teams — a contest high
This contest usually draws about 29 teams
40 teams is the deepest field this contest has drawn in the data, against a typical 29.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 4, 2013 | Lake Placid, NY | Lake Placid, NY | 28 | 646.8570 | Q HAVEN BBQ | BUCKNER BROTHERS BBQ |
| Jul 4, 2014 | Lake Placid, NY | Lake Placid, NY 12946 | 27 | 657.1200 | MILLER'S BACKYARD BBQ | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA |
| Jul 3, 2015 | Lake Placid, NY | Lake Placid, NY 12946 | 31 | 661.6800 | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | QUAU |
| Jul 2, 2016 | Lake Placid, NY | Lake Placid, NY | 28 | 658.2856 | MILLER'S BACKYARD BBQ | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE |
| Jul 7, 2017 ← this one | Lake Placid, NY | 32 School St | 40 | 669.7028 | PISTOL PACKIN' PIGGIES | BLACK HART BBQ |
| Jul 6, 2018 | Lake Placid, NY | 32 School St | 39 | 661.0972 | GOOD SMOKE BBQ | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA |
| Jul 5, 2019 | Lake Placid, NY | 32 School St | 32 | 677.1540 | Hot Wachula's | GOOD SMOKE BBQ |
| Sep 3, 2021 | Lake Placid, NY | Shipman Youth Center | 15 | 699.4628 | Top Gun barbecue | THE PIG'S PAJAMAS |
| Sep 2, 2022 | Lake Placid, NY | 5514 Cascade Road | 22 | 679.4060 | Chunky BBQ | BOGGS HOG BBQ |
| Sep 2, 2022 | Lake Placid, NY | 5514 Cascade Road | — | — | — | — |
| Sep 1, 2023 | Lake Placid, NY | 5514 Cascade Road | 18 | 690.8116 | Paddy McQ's | Dirt Bag Barbeque |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 175.4400 | 165.7488 | 162.8228 |
| Pork Ribs | 170.8572 | 166.8456 | 164 |
| Pork | 172.5600 | 165.0856 | 161.1200 |
| Brisket | 178.8800 | 168.5716 | 166.8800 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
40 entries · top 669.7028 · median 625.6400
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PISTOL PACKIN' PIGGIES | |
| 2 | BLACK HART BBQ | |
| 3 | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | |
| 4 | SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS | |
| 5 | INSANE SWINE BBQ | |
| 6 | SMOKIN ACES | |
| 7 | GOOD SMOKE BBQ | |
| 8 | PADDY MCQ'S | |
| 9 | THE BASIC BBQ TEAM | |
| 10 | BUCKNER BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 11 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 12 | TEAM EATAPEDIA | |
| 13 | SMOKIN BOYS AND HOT GRILLS | |
| 14 | North Pole BBQ | |
| 15 | BEHIND BBQ | |
| 16 | Rogue Hog BBQ | |
| 17 | SKARA OLD SCHOOL BBQ | |
| 18 | PRIORVILLE BBQ | |
| 19 | BOO BOO QUED | |
| 20 | V Licious BBQ | |
| 21 | ACK-QUE | |
| 22 | MILLER'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 23 | DR. BUTTS BBQ | |
| 24 | BIG RAZ BBQ | |
| 25 | WALLY BBQ | |
| 26 | BOYMEETSGRILL | |
| 27 | A MAZIE Q | |
| 28 | Q+BREW | |
| 29 | CHAIN SMOKERS | |
| 30 | CHUCK & DAD'S BARBECUE | |
| 31 | GENERAL JOE'S BBQ | |
| 32 | THE GOOD CUE CREW | |
| 33 | WHAT THE PORK? | |
| 34 | BOAR-N-Q | |
| 35 | STRUGGLETOWN BBQ | |
| 36 | BACON BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 37 | REBEL YELL BBQ | |
| 38 | SHOP BOYS BBQ | |
| 39 | NY PHAT DADDY'S | |
| 40 | Fat BoyZ Mass Connection |
Chicken
40 entries · top 175.4400 · median 157.6970
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BLACK HART BBQ | |
| 2 | GOOD SMOKE BBQ | |
| 3 | Rogue Hog BBQ | |
| 4 | TEAM EATAPEDIA | |
| 5 | SMOKIN ACES | |
| 6 | WALLY BBQ | |
| 7 | PISTOL PACKIN' PIGGIES | |
| 8 | SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS | |
| 9 | North Pole BBQ | |
| 10 | Q+BREW | |
| 11 | PRIORVILLE BBQ | |
| 12 | STRUGGLETOWN BBQ | |
| 13 | CHAIN SMOKERS | |
| 14 | A MAZIE Q | |
| 15 | PADDY MCQ'S | |
| 16 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 17 | BOAR-N-Q | |
| 18 | BOYMEETSGRILL | |
| 19 | GENERAL JOE'S BBQ | |
| 20 | THE GOOD CUE CREW | |
| 21 | SHOP BOYS BBQ | |
| 22 | SMOKIN BOYS AND HOT GRILLS | |
| 23 | INSANE SWINE BBQ | |
| 24 | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | |
| 25 | V Licious BBQ | |
| 26 | DR. BUTTS BBQ | |
| 27 | BEHIND BBQ | |
| 28 | REBEL YELL BBQ | |
| 29 | THE BASIC BBQ TEAM | |
| 30 | BIG RAZ BBQ | |
| 31 | BUCKNER BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 32 | BOO BOO QUED | |
| 33 | ACK-QUE | |
| 34 | MILLER'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 35 | NY PHAT DADDY'S | |
| 36 | WHAT THE PORK? | |
| 37 | CHUCK & DAD'S BARBECUE | |
| 38 | SKARA OLD SCHOOL BBQ | |
| 39 | Fat BoyZ Mass Connection | |
| 40 | BACON BROTHERS BBQ |
Pork Ribs
40 entries · top 170.8572 · median 157.3772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | GOOD SMOKE BBQ | |
| 2 | THE BASIC BBQ TEAM | |
| 3 | BIG RAZ BBQ | |
| 4 | SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS | |
| 5 | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | |
| 6 | PRIORVILLE BBQ | |
| 7 | SKARA OLD SCHOOL BBQ | |
| 8 | PISTOL PACKIN' PIGGIES | |
| 9 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 10 | BLACK HART BBQ | |
| 11 | PADDY MCQ'S | |
| 12 | BUCKNER BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 13 | BEHIND BBQ | |
| 14 | SMOKIN ACES | |
| 15 | Rogue Hog BBQ | |
| 16 | North Pole BBQ | |
| 17 | Q+BREW | |
| 18 | V Licious BBQ | |
| 19 | A MAZIE Q | |
| 20 | THE GOOD CUE CREW | |
| 21 | INSANE SWINE BBQ | |
| 22 | SMOKIN BOYS AND HOT GRILLS | |
| 23 | DR. BUTTS BBQ | |
| 24 | CHAIN SMOKERS | |
| 25 | MILLER'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 26 | ACK-QUE | |
| 27 | CHUCK & DAD'S BARBECUE | |
| 28 | BOAR-N-Q | |
| 29 | BACON BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 30 | WALLY BBQ | |
| 31 | BOO BOO QUED | |
| 32 | WHAT THE PORK? | |
| 33 | GENERAL JOE'S BBQ | |
| 34 | BOYMEETSGRILL | |
| 35 | TEAM EATAPEDIA | |
| 36 | REBEL YELL BBQ | |
| 37 | NY PHAT DADDY'S | |
| 38 | SHOP BOYS BBQ | |
| 39 | Fat BoyZ Mass Connection | |
| 40 | STRUGGLETOWN BBQ |
Pork
40 entries · top 172.5600 · median 155.6800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | |
| 2 | PADDY MCQ'S | |
| 3 | THE BASIC BBQ TEAM | |
| 4 | BUCKNER BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 5 | TEAM EATAPEDIA | |
| 6 | PISTOL PACKIN' PIGGIES | |
| 7 | INSANE SWINE BBQ | |
| 8 | BEHIND BBQ | |
| 9 | MILLER'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 10 | WALLY BBQ | |
| 11 | BOYMEETSGRILL | |
| 12 | GENERAL JOE'S BBQ | |
| 13 | BIG RAZ BBQ | |
| 14 | SMOKIN BOYS AND HOT GRILLS | |
| 15 | BLACK HART BBQ | |
| 16 | ACK-QUE | |
| 17 | SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS | |
| 18 | Rogue Hog BBQ | |
| 19 | BOO BOO QUED | |
| 20 | North Pole BBQ | |
| 21 | SMOKIN ACES | |
| 22 | SKARA OLD SCHOOL BBQ | |
| 23 | V Licious BBQ | |
| 24 | GOOD SMOKE BBQ | |
| 25 | CHAIN SMOKERS | |
| 26 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 27 | STRUGGLETOWN BBQ | |
| 28 | BOAR-N-Q | |
| 29 | THE GOOD CUE CREW | |
| 30 | DR. BUTTS BBQ | |
| 31 | WHAT THE PORK? | |
| 32 | CHUCK & DAD'S BARBECUE | |
| 33 | BACON BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 34 | A MAZIE Q | |
| 35 | PRIORVILLE BBQ | |
| 36 | Q+BREW | |
| 37 | REBEL YELL BBQ | |
| 38 | NY PHAT DADDY'S | |
| 39 | SHOP BOYS BBQ | |
| 40 | Fat BoyZ Mass Connection |
Brisket
40 entries · top 178.8800 · median 157.1258
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | INSANE SWINE BBQ | |
| 2 | PISTOL PACKIN' PIGGIES | |
| 3 | SMOKIN ACES | |
| 4 | BOO BOO QUED | |
| 5 | SKARA OLD SCHOOL BBQ | |
| 6 | SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS | |
| 7 | SMOKIN BOYS AND HOT GRILLS | |
| 8 | BLACK HART BBQ | |
| 9 | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | |
| 10 | CHUCK & DAD'S BARBECUE | |
| 11 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 12 | ACK-QUE | |
| 13 | TEAM EATAPEDIA | |
| 14 | BUCKNER BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 15 | DR. BUTTS BBQ | |
| 16 | MILLER'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 17 | THE BASIC BBQ TEAM | |
| 18 | V Licious BBQ | |
| 19 | WHAT THE PORK? | |
| 20 | PRIORVILLE BBQ | |
| 21 | PADDY MCQ'S | |
| 22 | GOOD SMOKE BBQ | |
| 23 | North Pole BBQ | |
| 24 | Fat BoyZ Mass Connection | |
| 25 | BEHIND BBQ | |
| 26 | A MAZIE Q | |
| 27 | BACON BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 28 | BOYMEETSGRILL | |
| 29 | Q+BREW | |
| 30 | STRUGGLETOWN BBQ | |
| 31 | CHAIN SMOKERS | |
| 32 | Rogue Hog BBQ | |
| 33 | GENERAL JOE'S BBQ | |
| 34 | REBEL YELL BBQ | |
| 35 | WALLY BBQ | |
| 36 | THE GOOD CUE CREW | |
| 37 | BIG RAZ BBQ | |
| 38 | SHOP BOYS BBQ | |
| 39 | NY PHAT DADDY'S | |
| 40 | BOAR-N-Q |
Ancillary categories
Run by the organizers alongside the sanctioned contest. These are judged on their own terms and do not count toward the overall score, so they're kept out of the meat stats above.
Master Series — Chick
13 entries · top 161.1428 · median 150.8340
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A MAZIE Q | |
| 2 | BUCKNER BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 3 | BOO BOO QUED | |
| 4 | THE FAT HOG | |
| 5 | Steve's Prime BBQ | |
| 6 | SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS | |
| 7 | GOOD SMOKE BBQ | |
| 8 | BEHIND BBQ | |
| 9 | STRUGGLETOWN BBQ | |
| 10 | BOAR-N-Q | |
| 11 | DR. BUTTS BBQ | |
| 12 | PADDY MCQ'S | |
| 13 | BACON BROTHERS BBQ |
Master Series — Nebs Grilling & Bbq Bash
14 entries · top 635.4744 · median 596.8514
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | THE FAT HOG | |
| 2 | A MAZIE Q | |
| 3 | Steve's Prime BBQ | |
| 4 | BOO BOO QUED | |
| 5 | BEHIND BBQ | |
| 6 | BUCKNER BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 7 | BOAR-N-Q | |
| 8 | SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS | |
| 9 | DR. BUTTS BBQ | |
| 10 | STRUGGLETOWN BBQ | |
| 11 | GOOD SMOKE BBQ | |
| 12 | PADDY MCQ'S | |
| 13 | BACON BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 14 | SMOKIN BOYS AND HOT GRILLS |
Master Series — Ny Strip Steak
13 entries · top 165.7372 · median 152.5828
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BUCKNER BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 2 | A MAZIE Q | |
| 3 | BEHIND BBQ | |
| 4 | DR. BUTTS BBQ | |
| 5 | BOO BOO QUED | |
| 6 | Steve's Prime BBQ | |
| 7 | THE FAT HOG | |
| 8 | BOAR-N-Q | |
| 9 | BACON BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 10 | SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS | |
| 11 | GOOD SMOKE BBQ | |
| 12 | STRUGGLETOWN BBQ | |
| 13 | PADDY MCQ'S |
Master Series — Pizza
14 entries · top 165.7144 · median 150.0172
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | THE FAT HOG | |
| 2 | BOAR-N-Q | |
| 3 | Steve's Prime BBQ | |
| 4 | STRUGGLETOWN BBQ | |
| 5 | BACON BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 6 | PADDY MCQ'S | |
| 7 | BEHIND BBQ | |
| 8 | A MAZIE Q | |
| 9 | BOO BOO QUED | |
| 10 | SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS | |
| 11 | BUCKNER BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 12 | GOOD SMOKE BBQ | |
| 13 | SMOKIN BOYS AND HOT GRILLS | |
| 14 | DR. BUTTS BBQ |
Master Series — Sausage Fatty
13 entries · top 161.7372 · median 154.2284
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BOO BOO QUED | |
| 2 | THE FAT HOG | |
| 3 | BEHIND BBQ | |
| 4 | PADDY MCQ'S | |
| 5 | A MAZIE Q | |
| 6 | Steve's Prime BBQ | |
| 7 | DR. BUTTS BBQ | |
| 8 | BACON BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 9 | SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS | |
| 10 | BOAR-N-Q | |
| 11 | GOOD SMOKE BBQ | |
| 12 | BUCKNER BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 13 | STRUGGLETOWN BBQ |