A new contest record
702.2284
highest overall ever cooked here
702.2284 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 700.5372 BAD MOON SMOKIN set in 2016.
- old record 700.5372
- set 2016 by BAD MOON SMOKIN
Boots and BBQ Festival (JUDGES FULL) 2018
Jun 1–2, 2018 · Claremore, OK · 📍 400 Veterans Parkway
BUTCHER BBQ won Grand Champion at the Boots and BBQ Festival (JUDGES FULL) on June 1, 2018 in Claremore, OK at 400 Veterans Parkway, scoring 702.2284 in a field of 30 teams. CAVEMAN CUISINE took Reserve Grand Champion with 692.4800. Category winners: Chicken — LaMac's (177.7144); Pork Ribs — CLARK CREW BBQ (176.5716); Pork — CAVEMAN CUISINE (180.0000); Brisket — POPS' SMOKIN' BBQ (179.4400). This is the 3rd of 3 editions of this contest on record; the 2017 edition was won by THREE HOG NIGHT SMOKERS.
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.
477.75
median 667.85
702.23 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 177.71
- Pork Ribs 176.57
- Pork 180 🔥
- Brisket 179.44
58.98
180
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2016 to 2018 — this edition picked out.
Entries
30
4 judged meats · 1 ancillary
Top score
702.2284
Winning margin
9.7484
GC over RC
Field average
656.14
477.75702.23
median 667.85 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Chicken
3.4516 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
677.0284
477.75702.23
10th place overall
Field spread
224.4800
winner to last place
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 25%
beats 75% of 4715 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
50%
14 of 28 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.83 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,609
avg power rating going in · stronger than 83% of contests
Storylines (8 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
32-in-100
shot on pre-contest ratings
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 68 times in 100
BUTCHER BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, CLARK CREW BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 32-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
- champion 1876
- top seed 2009
Won without a category win
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
BUTCHER BBQ won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 4 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.
- Chicken 2nd
- Pork Ribs 3rd
- Pork 3rd
- Brisket 5th
A statement win
9.7484
points clear of the field
Wider than 87% of the 4,714 championships in the data
The champion won by 9.7484 points — a wider margin than 87% of championships in the data.
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 12 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 4–5: THE GRISWOLDS and CAVEMAN CUISINE tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 7–8: MOOCHEWSOOEY and SPICY SPITFIRE tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 2–3: BIG BUTTS NEED RUBBIN TOO and BUTCHER BBQ tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 4–5 · tie
- Chicken 7–8 · tie
- Pork Ribs 2–3 · tie
- Pork 2–3 · tie
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: THREE HOG NIGHT SMOKERS (won 2017).
- THREE HOG NIGHT SMOKERS · 2017
The biggest field yet
30
teams — a contest high
This contest usually draws about 28 teams
30 teams is the deepest field this contest has drawn in the data, against a typical 28.
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.
- CAVEMAN CUISINE · Pork
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 | Claremore, OK | 400 Veterans Pkwy | 28 | 700.5372 | BAD MOON SMOKIN | OKIEQ |
| Jun 2, 2017 | Claremore, OK | 400 Veterans Parkway | 28 | 695.9428 | THREE HOG NIGHT SMOKERS | THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ |
| Jun 1, 2018 ← this one | Claremore, OK | 400 Veterans Parkway | 30 | 702.2284 | BUTCHER BBQ | CAVEMAN CUISINE |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.7144 | 174.2628 | 171.9772 |
| Pork Ribs | 176.5716 | 172.5600 | 167.3712 |
| Pork | 180 | 174.2744 | 171.4056 |
| Brisket | 179.4400 | 174.2628 | 171.9772 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
30 entries · top 702.2284 · median 667.8512
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BUTCHER BBQ | |
| 2 | CAVEMAN CUISINE | |
| 3 | DIVINE SWINE | |
| 4 | BIG BUTTS NEED RUBBIN TOO | |
| 5 | THREE HOG NIGHT SMOKERS | |
| 6 | THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ | |
| 7 | HABITUAL SMOKERS | |
| 8 | WOOD HOOK BBQ | |
| 9 | CLARK CREW BBQ | |
| 10 | SPICY SPITFIRE | |
| 11 | LaMac's | |
| 12 | DEAD BIRD BBQ | |
| 13 | EVIL MONKEY BBQ | |
| 14 | THE GRISWOLDS | |
| 15 | POPS' SMOKIN' BBQ | |
| 16 | MOOCHEWSOOEY | |
| 17 | THE OUTLAWS | |
| 18 | MOVIN' THE CHAINS | |
| 19 | T TOWN BIG SMOKE BBQ | |
| 20 | BLOWIN' SMOKE NWA | |
| 21 | SMOKIN DAN | |
| 22 | SMOKIN BLUE BBQ | |
| 23 | Bruce & Kyle--The Dynamic Duo of BBQ | |
| 24 | BUZZARD BAIT BBQ & CHILI | |
| 25 | BIG BAD WOLF BBQ | |
| 26 | CEO BBQ | |
| 27 | FINE AS SWINE BBQ | |
| 28 | Coach's BBQ | |
| 29 | Smokey Rub BBQ | |
| 30 | Rogers County Commissioner |
Chicken
30 entries · top 177.7144 · median 168.8686
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LaMac's | |
| 2 | BUTCHER BBQ | |
| 3 | BIG BUTTS NEED RUBBIN TOO | |
| 4 | THE GRISWOLDS | |
| 5 | CAVEMAN CUISINE | |
| 6 | THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ | |
| 7 | MOOCHEWSOOEY | |
| 8 | SPICY SPITFIRE | |
| 9 | DIVINE SWINE | |
| 10 | DEAD BIRD BBQ | |
| 11 | SMOKIN BLUE BBQ | |
| 12 | POPS' SMOKIN' BBQ | |
| 13 | BLOWIN' SMOKE NWA | |
| 14 | SMOKIN DAN | |
| 15 | WOOD HOOK BBQ | |
| 16 | HABITUAL SMOKERS | |
| 17 | MOVIN' THE CHAINS | |
| 18 | CEO BBQ | |
| 19 | EVIL MONKEY BBQ | |
| 20 | BUZZARD BAIT BBQ & CHILI | |
| 21 | T TOWN BIG SMOKE BBQ | |
| 22 | THREE HOG NIGHT SMOKERS | |
| 23 | CLARK CREW BBQ | |
| 24 | BIG BAD WOLF BBQ | |
| 25 | Smokey Rub BBQ | |
| 26 | Bruce & Kyle--The Dynamic Duo of BBQ | |
| 27 | FINE AS SWINE BBQ | |
| 28 | THE OUTLAWS | |
| 29 | Rogers County Commissioner | |
| 30 | Coach's BBQ |
Pork Ribs
30 entries · top 176.5716 · median 163.9658
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CLARK CREW BBQ | |
| 2 | BIG BUTTS NEED RUBBIN TOO | |
| 3 | BUTCHER BBQ | |
| 4 | WOOD HOOK BBQ | |
| 5 | THE OUTLAWS | |
| 6 | DIVINE SWINE | |
| 7 | HABITUAL SMOKERS | |
| 8 | THREE HOG NIGHT SMOKERS | |
| 9 | DEAD BIRD BBQ | |
| 10 | THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ | |
| 11 | Bruce & Kyle--The Dynamic Duo of BBQ | |
| 12 | SPICY SPITFIRE | |
| 13 | EVIL MONKEY BBQ | |
| 14 | BIG BAD WOLF BBQ | |
| 15 | THE GRISWOLDS | |
| 16 | CAVEMAN CUISINE | |
| 17 | MOOCHEWSOOEY | |
| 18 | BLOWIN' SMOKE NWA | |
| 19 | SMOKIN BLUE BBQ | |
| 20 | SMOKIN DAN | |
| 21 | BUZZARD BAIT BBQ & CHILI | |
| 22 | LaMac's | |
| 23 | T TOWN BIG SMOKE BBQ | |
| 24 | MOVIN' THE CHAINS | |
| 25 | Coach's BBQ | |
| 26 | POPS' SMOKIN' BBQ | |
| 27 | Smokey Rub BBQ | |
| 28 | FINE AS SWINE BBQ | |
| 29 | CEO BBQ | |
| 30 | Rogers County Commissioner |
Pork
30 entries · top 180 · median 168.2628 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CAVEMAN CUISINE | |
| 2 | CLARK CREW BBQ | |
| 3 | BUTCHER BBQ | |
| 4 | THREE HOG NIGHT SMOKERS | |
| 5 | THE OUTLAWS | |
| 6 | DIVINE SWINE | |
| 7 | HABITUAL SMOKERS | |
| 8 | THE GRISWOLDS | |
| 9 | MOVIN' THE CHAINS | |
| 10 | DEAD BIRD BBQ | |
| 11 | POPS' SMOKIN' BBQ | |
| 12 | WOOD HOOK BBQ | |
| 13 | SMOKIN DAN | |
| 14 | BIG BUTTS NEED RUBBIN TOO | |
| 15 | Bruce & Kyle--The Dynamic Duo of BBQ | |
| 16 | THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ | |
| 17 | LaMac's | |
| 18 | SPICY SPITFIRE | |
| 19 | EVIL MONKEY BBQ | |
| 20 | MOOCHEWSOOEY | |
| 21 | SMOKIN BLUE BBQ | |
| 22 | BLOWIN' SMOKE NWA | |
| 23 | T TOWN BIG SMOKE BBQ | |
| 24 | BIG BAD WOLF BBQ | |
| 25 | CEO BBQ | |
| 26 | BUZZARD BAIT BBQ & CHILI | |
| 27 | Coach's BBQ | |
| 28 | FINE AS SWINE BBQ | |
| 29 | Smokey Rub BBQ | |
| 30 | Rogers County Commissioner |
Brisket
30 entries · top 179.4400 · median 168.2572
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | POPS' SMOKIN' BBQ | |
| 2 | THREE HOG NIGHT SMOKERS | |
| 3 | THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ | |
| 4 | CAVEMAN CUISINE | |
| 5 | BUTCHER BBQ | |
| 6 | T TOWN BIG SMOKE BBQ | |
| 7 | EVIL MONKEY BBQ | |
| 8 | HABITUAL SMOKERS | |
| 9 | LaMac's | |
| 10 | DIVINE SWINE | |
| 11 | WOOD HOOK BBQ | |
| 12 | BIG BUTTS NEED RUBBIN TOO | |
| 13 | THE OUTLAWS | |
| 14 | SPICY SPITFIRE | |
| 15 | MOVIN' THE CHAINS | |
| 16 | CLARK CREW BBQ | |
| 17 | DEAD BIRD BBQ | |
| 18 | MOOCHEWSOOEY | |
| 19 | Coach's BBQ | |
| 20 | BLOWIN' SMOKE NWA | |
| 21 | THE GRISWOLDS | |
| 22 | BUZZARD BAIT BBQ & CHILI | |
| 23 | FINE AS SWINE BBQ | |
| 24 | Bruce & Kyle--The Dynamic Duo of BBQ | |
| 25 | SMOKIN DAN | |
| 26 | BIG BAD WOLF BBQ | |
| 27 | SMOKIN BLUE BBQ | |
| 28 | CEO BBQ | |
| 29 | Smokey Rub BBQ | |
| 30 | Rogers County Commissioner |
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 — Dessert
8 entries · top 180 · median 170.5600 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BLOWIN' SMOKE NWA | |
| 2 | Coach's BBQ | |
| 3 | MOOCHEWSOOEY | |
| 4 | BIG BAD WOLF BBQ | |
| 5 | SMOKIN BLUE BBQ | |
| 6 | THREE HOG NIGHT SMOKERS | |
| 7 | WOOD HOOK BBQ | |
| 8 | Smokey Rub BBQ |