A first Grand Championship
5
tracked contests to get there
This was Thin Blue Swine's first Grand Championship in the data — it arrived at their 5th tracked contest.
Reelin N Smokin Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) 2019
Jun 7–8, 2019 · Huntsville, AL · 📍 Ditto Landing
Reps: Carol Bigler, Randy G Bigler · Prize money: $1,650
Thin Blue Swine won Grand Champion at the Reelin N Smokin Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) on June 7, 2019 in Huntsville, AL at Ditto Landing, scoring 347.9772 in a field of 25 teams. CalaBama Q took Reserve Grand Champion with 345.1544. Category winners: Chicken — What the Cluck (179.4400); Pork Ribs — Ball and Chain Smokers (177.7372). This is the 2nd of 8 editions of this contest on record; the 2018 edition came before it; the next was held in 2021.
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.
297.68
median 331.41
347.98 🏆
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 177.74
137.12
179.44
Entries
25
2 judged meats
Top score
347.9772
Winning margin
2.8228
GC over RC
Field average
327.87
297.68347.98
median 331.41 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
6.3316 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
334.7656
297.68347.98
10th place overall
Field spread
50.2972
winner to last place
Prize money
$1,650
on the line
Double threats
2
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 60%
beats 40% of 610 Backyard Series wins in the data
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.44 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,505
avg power rating going in · stronger than 4% of contests
Storylines (3 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
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 8 tracked editions
NORALA BBQ TEAM has won this contest 2 times across its 8 tracked editions.
- 2023
- 2024
Photo finishes
0.0116
closest of 2 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 7–8: BEER PRESSURE edged HICKORY HANGOVER by 0.0116. Chicken places 3–4: CalaBama Q edged Thin Blue Swine by 0.0460.
- Chicken 7–8 · 0.0116
- Chicken 3–4 · 0.0460
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 8, 2018 | Huntsville, AL | 293 Ditto Landing RD | — | — | — |
| Jun 7, 2019 ← this one | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 25 | 347.9772 | Thin Blue Swine |
| Jun 11, 2021 | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 31 | 348 | The Real Squeal |
| Jun 10, 2022 | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 23 | 350.2628 | Hickory Hangover |
| Jun 9, 2023 | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 26 | 346.2632 | NORALA BBQ TEAM |
| Jun 7, 2024 | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 35 | 353.1428 | NORALA BBQ TEAM |
| Jun 13, 2025 | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 35 | 358.8572 | Mind If I Smoke? |
| Jun 12, 2026 | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 31 | 360 | Big Fluff BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 179.4400 | 170.8344 | 166.8228 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.7372 | 171.4056 | 167.4056 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Backyard Series
Overall
25 entries · top 347.9772 · median 331.4056
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thin Blue Swine | |
| 2 | CalaBama Q | |
| 3 | What the Cluck | |
| 4 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 5 | Ball and Chain Smokers | |
| 6 | LENOX & SON BBQ COMPANY | |
| 7 | BEER PRESSURE | |
| 8 | Slingin' Pig Meat | |
| 9 | SMOKIN' HOT ASHES | |
| 10 | HELL ON SQUEALS | |
| 11 | J. Monroes | |
| 12 | Uncle Redstone | |
| 13 | BUTSY-Q | |
| 14 | GOOD 'N SAUCED | |
| 15 | Gustoso BBQ | |
| 16 | Bonnie Blue | |
| 17 | DANG GOOD BBQ | |
| 18 | Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | |
| 19 | Cluck and Swine BBQ | |
| 20 | Q30 BBQ | |
| 21 | HOGS & KISSES | |
| 22 | All Smoked Up | |
| 23 | Full Circle BBQ | |
| 24 | Squeal Point | |
| 25 | Ghost Grill |
Chicken
25 entries · top 179.4400 · median 164
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | What the Cluck | |
| 2 | LENOX & SON BBQ COMPANY | |
| 3 | CalaBama Q | |
| 4 | Thin Blue Swine | |
| 5 | GOOD 'N SAUCED | |
| 6 | J. Monroes | |
| 7 | BEER PRESSURE | |
| 8 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 9 | Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | |
| 10 | Slingin' Pig Meat | |
| 11 | Ball and Chain Smokers | |
| 12 | Uncle Redstone | |
| 13 | BUTSY-Q | |
| 14 | Gustoso BBQ | |
| 15 | HELL ON SQUEALS | |
| 16 | SMOKIN' HOT ASHES | |
| 17 | Squeal Point | |
| 18 | Bonnie Blue | |
| 19 | Cluck and Swine BBQ | |
| 20 | DANG GOOD BBQ | |
| 21 | Full Circle BBQ | |
| 22 | Q30 BBQ | |
| 23 | Ghost Grill | |
| 24 | HOGS & KISSES | |
| 25 | All Smoked Up |
Pork Ribs
25 entries · top 177.7372 · median 165.7028
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball and Chain Smokers | |
| 2 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 3 | Thin Blue Swine | |
| 4 | CalaBama Q | |
| 5 | SMOKIN' HOT ASHES | |
| 6 | HELL ON SQUEALS | |
| 7 | BEER PRESSURE | |
| 8 | Slingin' Pig Meat | |
| 9 | Uncle Redstone | |
| 10 | BUTSY-Q | |
| 11 | DANG GOOD BBQ | |
| 12 | HOGS & KISSES | |
| 13 | What the Cluck | |
| 14 | J. Monroes | |
| 15 | LENOX & SON BBQ COMPANY | |
| 16 | Gustoso BBQ | |
| 17 | Q30 BBQ | |
| 18 | Bonnie Blue | |
| 19 | Cluck and Swine BBQ | |
| 20 | All Smoked Up | |
| 21 | GOOD 'N SAUCED | |
| 22 | Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | |
| 23 | Full Circle BBQ | |
| 24 | Ghost Grill | |
| 25 | Squeal Point |