Back-to-back
2 in a row
editions of this contest
SMELLAQUE won here last time out too — 2 straight editions of this contest.
- 2025
- 2026
Embers and Ice Pitmaster Championship 2026
May 23–24, 2026 · Calmar, AB · CANADA · 📍 49541 Range Rd 260
Reps: Bunny Tuttle, Rich Tuttle
SMELLAQUE won Grand Champion at the Embers and Ice Pitmaster Championship on May 23, 2026 in Calmar, AB at 49541 Range Rd 260, scoring 710.2972 in a field of 23 teams. EFFIN'EH GRAY'S took Reserve Grand Champion with 700.5256. Category winners: Chicken — SMELLAQUE (179.4400); Pork Ribs — SMELLAQUE (180.0000); Pork — Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery (179.4400); Brisket — KillerbunnyBBQ (179.4400). This is the 3rd of 5 editions of this contest on record; the 2025 edition was won by SmellaQue; the next was held in 2026.
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.
611.89
median 661.02
710.30 🏆
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 🔥
- Pork 179.44
- Brisket 179.44
140.49
180
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2024 to 2026 — this edition picked out.
Entries
23
4 judged meats · 1 ancillary
Top score
710.2972
Winning margin
9.7716
GC over RC
Field average
660.10
611.89710.30
median 661.02 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Pork
4.0344 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
665.0400
611.89710.30
10th place overall
Field spread
98.4112
winner to last place
Double threats
5
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 3%
beats 97% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
38%
15 of 39 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.72 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,528
avg power rating going in · stronger than 20% 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.
A statement win
9.7716
points clear of the field
Wider than 87% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The champion won by 9.7716 points — a wider margin than 87% of championships in the data.
A dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 5 tracked editions
Smokin Outlaws has won this contest 2 times across its 5 tracked editions.
- 2024
- 2026
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 6 calls decided inside half a point
Pork places 8–9: ROKER Q and ELBOW GREASE tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 9–10: Bottle Hill BBQ edged Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery by 0.0112. Pork places 6–7: GRIZZLY PAW SMOKERS edged KillerbunnyBBQ by 0.0116.
- Pork 8–9 · tie
- Brisket 9–10 · 0.0112
- Pork 6–7 · 0.0116
- Pork Ribs 4–5 · 0.0228
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
SMELLAQUE won Chicken, Pork Ribs — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 1st
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
SMELLAQUE took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 2 outright wins — their weakest board was pork at 10th.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 10th
- Brisket 2nd
A contest record in pork ribs
180.0000
best pork ribs ever cooked here
SMELLAQUE turned in 180.0000 in pork ribs — past the 176.5600 that had stood across 2 earlier editions.
- old best 176.5600
- across 2 past editions
Back to defend
2
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Smokin Outlaws (won 2024), SmellaQue (won 2025).
- Smokin Outlaws · 2024
- SmellaQue · 2025
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.
- SMELLAQUE · 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)
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 25, 2024 | Calmar, AB | 49541 Range Rd 260 | 39 | 710.2972 | Smokin Outlaws | Q Cartel |
| May 24, 2025 | Calmar, AB | 49541 Range Rd 260 | 34 | 691.9084 | SmellaQue | ARROWHEAD NORTH BBQ |
| May 23, 2026 ← this one | Calmar, AB | 49541 Range Rd 260 | 23 | 710.2972 | SMELLAQUE | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S |
| May 23, 2026 | Calmar, AB | 49541 Range Rd 260 | 18 | 180 | SMOKIN' OUTLAWS | — |
| May 23, 2026 | Calmar, AB | 49541 Range Rd 260 | 18 | 178.8572 | HOGPARTS SCHOOL OF SMOKECRAFT BREW'ERY | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 179.4400 | 171.4172 | 169.1200 |
| Pork Ribs | 180 | 171.9772 | 167.4400 |
| Pork | 179.4400 | 175.4056 | 173.1428 |
| Brisket | 179.4400 | 174.2628 | 166.2744 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
23 entries · top 710.2972 · median 661.0168
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 2 | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S | |
| 3 | SMOKIN' OUTLAWS | |
| 4 | Q Cartel | |
| 5 | Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | |
| 6 | KillerbunnyBBQ | |
| 7 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 8 | YOU NEED A BBQ | |
| 9 | Bottle Hill BBQ | |
| 10 | Lang BBQ Smokers | |
| 11 | GRIZZLY PAW SMOKERS | |
| 12 | Slam Dunk BBQ | |
| 13 | Mc Que It | |
| 14 | MOTLEY QUE | |
| 15 | ROKER Q | |
| 16 | MARKS MEATS & TREATS | |
| 17 | ELBOW GREASE | |
| 18 | MURFY'S BBQ CO. | |
| 19 | Tommy Boy Grillin | |
| 20 | BIG MOMMA MIKE | |
| 21 | BBQ MAVERICK | |
| 22 | Bowsers BBQ | |
| 23 | THE GRILL GEEKS |
Chicken
23 entries · top 179.4400 · median 166.8688
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 2 | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S | |
| 3 | Bottle Hill BBQ | |
| 4 | SMOKIN' OUTLAWS | |
| 5 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 6 | YOU NEED A BBQ | |
| 7 | KillerbunnyBBQ | |
| 8 | MOTLEY QUE | |
| 9 | Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | |
| 10 | Q Cartel | |
| 11 | MURFY'S BBQ CO. | |
| 12 | ELBOW GREASE | |
| 13 | MARKS MEATS & TREATS | |
| 14 | Lang BBQ Smokers | |
| 15 | Mc Que It | |
| 16 | GRIZZLY PAW SMOKERS | |
| 17 | BIG MOMMA MIKE | |
| 18 | Slam Dunk BBQ | |
| 19 | Bowsers BBQ | |
| 20 | ROKER Q | |
| 21 | THE GRILL GEEKS | |
| 22 | Tommy Boy Grillin | |
| 23 | BBQ MAVERICK |
Pork Ribs
23 entries · top 180 · median 164.0228 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 2 | Q Cartel | |
| 3 | Lang BBQ Smokers | |
| 4 | SMOKIN' OUTLAWS | |
| 5 | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S | |
| 6 | Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | |
| 7 | MURFY'S BBQ CO. | |
| 8 | YOU NEED A BBQ | |
| 9 | BBQ MAVERICK | |
| 10 | Bottle Hill BBQ | |
| 11 | Slam Dunk BBQ | |
| 12 | THE GRILL GEEKS | |
| 13 | Mc Que It | |
| 14 | GRIZZLY PAW SMOKERS | |
| 15 | Bowsers BBQ | |
| 16 | MOTLEY QUE | |
| 17 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 18 | Tommy Boy Grillin | |
| 19 | MARKS MEATS & TREATS | |
| 20 | KillerbunnyBBQ | |
| 21 | ELBOW GREASE | |
| 22 | ROKER Q | |
| 23 | BIG MOMMA MIKE |
Pork
23 entries · top 179.4400 · median 170.8572
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | |
| 2 | SMOKIN' OUTLAWS | |
| 3 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 4 | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S | |
| 5 | Slam Dunk BBQ | |
| 6 | GRIZZLY PAW SMOKERS | |
| 7 | KillerbunnyBBQ | |
| 8 | ROKER Q | |
| 9 | ELBOW GREASE | |
| 10 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 11 | Q Cartel | |
| 12 | Mc Que It | |
| 13 | Tommy Boy Grillin | |
| 14 | Bottle Hill BBQ | |
| 15 | YOU NEED A BBQ | |
| 16 | MARKS MEATS & TREATS | |
| 17 | MOTLEY QUE | |
| 18 | BIG MOMMA MIKE | |
| 19 | Lang BBQ Smokers | |
| 20 | BBQ MAVERICK | |
| 21 | THE GRILL GEEKS | |
| 22 | MURFY'S BBQ CO. | |
| 23 | Bowsers BBQ |
Brisket
23 entries · top 179.4400 · median 162.8344
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | KillerbunnyBBQ | |
| 2 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 3 | YOU NEED A BBQ | |
| 4 | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S | |
| 5 | Q Cartel | |
| 6 | SMOKIN' OUTLAWS | |
| 7 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 8 | Lang BBQ Smokers | |
| 9 | Bottle Hill BBQ | |
| 10 | Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | |
| 11 | ROKER Q | |
| 12 | MARKS MEATS & TREATS | |
| 13 | GRIZZLY PAW SMOKERS | |
| 14 | Mc Que It | |
| 15 | MOTLEY QUE | |
| 16 | Slam Dunk BBQ | |
| 17 | Tommy Boy Grillin | |
| 18 | BIG MOMMA MIKE | |
| 19 | Bowsers BBQ | |
| 20 | MURFY'S BBQ CO. | |
| 21 | ELBOW GREASE | |
| 22 | BBQ MAVERICK | |
| 23 | THE GRILL GEEKS |
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.
Kids-Q — Kids Q (16 And Under)
8 entries · top 180 · median 172.8400 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | STITCH QUE | |
| 2 | PRINCESS PEACH BBQ | |
| 3 | THE AUSTIN BBQ | |
| 4 | PEW PEW BAR-B-QUE | |
| 5 | YOU NEED A LEXIE | |
| 6 | RYE RYE THE BBQ KID | |
| 7 | COSMIC BBQ | |
| 8 | KAISONQ |