A new contest record
698.8112
highest overall ever cooked here
698.8112 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 691.9428 LAST CALL HEROES BBQ set in 2018.
- old record 691.9428
- set 2018 by LAST CALL HEROES BBQ
Miles City Cowtown Cook Off 2019
Jun 14–15, 2019 · Miles City, MT · 📍 Riverside Park · State championship
Reps: Ian Schmidt, Julie Poe · Prize money: $10,250
BEER BELLY BBQ won Grand Champion at the Miles City Cowtown Cook Off on June 14, 2019 in Miles City, MT at Riverside Park, scoring 698.8112 in a field of 28 teams. RICHIE Z's took Reserve Grand Champion with 695.4516. Category winners: Chicken — LAST CALL HEROES BBQ (178.8800); Pork Ribs — LAST CALL HEROES BBQ (179.4400); Pork — LUCKY SMOKE (180.0000); Brisket — MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ (174.2628). This is the 3rd of 4 editions of this contest on record; the 2018 edition was won by LAST CALL HEROES BBQ; 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.
552.32
median 664.18
698.81 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 178.88
- Pork Ribs 179.44
- Pork 180 🔥
- Brisket 174.26
121.02
180
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2015 to 2021 — this edition picked out.
Entries
28
4 judged meats
Top score
698.8112
Winning margin
3.3596
GC over RC
Field average
655.35
552.32698.81
median 664.18 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Brisket
4.5600 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
675.8856
552.32698.81
10th place overall
Field spread
146.4920
winner to last place
Prize money
$10,250
on the line
Double threats
5
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 38%
beats 62% of 4714 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
56%
15 of 27 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.77 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,563
avg power rating going in · stronger than 49% of contests
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.
An upset on the books
12-in-100
shot on pre-contest ratings
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 88 times in 100
Beer Belly BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, PARROTHEAD SMOKERS, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 12-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
- champion 1519
- top seed 1867
Won without a category win
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
BEER BELLY BBQ won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 4 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.
- Chicken 4th
- Pork Ribs 3rd
- Pork 2nd
- Brisket 10th
A first Grand Championship
34
tracked contests to get there
This was Beer Belly BBQ's first Grand Championship in the data — it arrived at their 34th tracked contest.
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 11 calls decided inside half a point
Pork Ribs places 4–5: SPITFIRE and Burnt Out BBQ-MT tied on 174.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 9–10: GRATE EXPECTATIONS and PARROTHEAD SMOKERS tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 1–2: MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ and BURNT TREES BBQ tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Pork Ribs 4–5 · tie
- Pork Ribs 9–10 · tie
- Brisket 1–2 · tie
- Brisket 5–6 · tie
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
LAST CALL HEROES BBQ won Chicken, Pork Ribs — a double.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 1st
A contest record in pork ribs
179.4400
best pork ribs ever cooked here
LAST CALL HEROES BBQ turned in 179.4400 in pork ribs — past the 178.8572 that had stood across 2 earlier editions.
- old best 178.8572
- across 2 past editions
Back to defend
2
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: GRATE EXPECTATIONS (won 2015), LAST CALL HEROES BBQ (won 2018).
- GRATE EXPECTATIONS · 2015
- LAST CALL HEROES BBQ · 2018
The biggest field yet
28
teams — a contest high
This contest usually draws about 27 teams
28 teams is the deepest field this contest has drawn in the data, against a typical 27.
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.
- LUCKY SMOKE · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 19, 2015 | Miles City, MT | Miles City, MT 59301 | 26 | 686.2856 | GRATE EXPECTATIONS | JO-BAWB'S BBQ |
| Jun 15, 2018 | Miles City, MT | Riverside Park , 5th and Main | 27 | 691.9428 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG |
| Jun 14, 2019 ← this one | Miles City, MT | Riverside Park | 28 | 698.8112 | Beer Belly BBQ | RICHIE Z's |
| Jun 25, 2021 | Miles City, MT | Riverside Park | 25 | 704.5600 | Owens BBQ | TEXAS SMOKE WHISPERER |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 178.8800 | 170.8456 | 166.8344 |
| Pork Ribs | 179.4400 | 174.8572 | 173.7028 |
| Pork | 180 | 174.8456 | 168.0228 |
| Brisket | 174.2628 | 169.7028 | 167.9884 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
28 entries · top 698.8112 · median 664.1828
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 2 | RICHIE Z's | |
| 3 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 4 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 5 | SPITFIRE | |
| 6 | MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ | |
| 7 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 8 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 9 | PIGTAMER BBQ | |
| 10 | LUCKY SMOKE | |
| 11 | BURNT TREES BBQ | |
| 12 | GRATE EXPECTATIONS | |
| 13 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 14 | LaTa-Que | |
| 15 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 16 | WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 17 | Burnt Out BBQ-MT | |
| 18 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 19 | SMOKIN JERKS | |
| 20 | Boogs BBQ | |
| 21 | THE PIG MECHANIC'S | |
| 22 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 23 | Blue Line BBQ | |
| 24 | BIG PIG BBQ | |
| 25 | Rockin'-n-BBQ | |
| 26 | POPPIN' SMOKE | |
| 27 | Bad Ash BBQ | |
| 28 | Treasurestate bbq |
Chicken
28 entries · top 178.8800 · median 165.1486
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 2 | RICHIE Z's | |
| 3 | PIGTAMER BBQ | |
| 4 | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 5 | SPITFIRE | |
| 6 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 7 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 8 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 9 | BURNT TREES BBQ | |
| 10 | LUCKY SMOKE | |
| 11 | GRATE EXPECTATIONS | |
| 12 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 13 | Burnt Out BBQ-MT | |
| 14 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 15 | MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ | |
| 16 | SMOKIN JERKS | |
| 17 | WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 18 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 19 | BIG PIG BBQ | |
| 20 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 21 | LaTa-Que | |
| 22 | THE PIG MECHANIC'S | |
| 23 | Bad Ash BBQ | |
| 24 | Boogs BBQ | |
| 25 | Rockin'-n-BBQ | |
| 26 | Blue Line BBQ | |
| 27 | POPPIN' SMOKE | |
| 28 | Treasurestate bbq |
Pork Ribs
28 entries · top 179.4400 · median 167.6914
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 2 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 3 | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 4 | SPITFIRE | |
| 5 | Burnt Out BBQ-MT | |
| 6 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 7 | PIGTAMER BBQ | |
| 8 | MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ | |
| 9 | GRATE EXPECTATIONS | |
| 10 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 11 | LaTa-Que | |
| 12 | RICHIE Z's | |
| 13 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 14 | BURNT TREES BBQ | |
| 15 | LUCKY SMOKE | |
| 16 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 17 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 18 | THE PIG MECHANIC'S | |
| 19 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 20 | Boogs BBQ | |
| 21 | WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 22 | SMOKIN JERKS | |
| 23 | POPPIN' SMOKE | |
| 24 | Blue Line BBQ | |
| 25 | Bad Ash BBQ | |
| 26 | BIG PIG BBQ | |
| 27 | Rockin'-n-BBQ | |
| 28 | Treasurestate bbq |
Pork
28 entries · top 180 · median 165.9770 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LUCKY SMOKE | |
| 2 | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 3 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 4 | RICHIE Z's | |
| 5 | WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 6 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 7 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 8 | MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ | |
| 9 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 10 | SMOKIN JERKS | |
| 11 | SPITFIRE | |
| 12 | LaTa-Que | |
| 13 | GRATE EXPECTATIONS | |
| 14 | Boogs BBQ | |
| 15 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 16 | PIGTAMER BBQ | |
| 17 | BURNT TREES BBQ | |
| 18 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 19 | Burnt Out BBQ-MT | |
| 20 | THE PIG MECHANIC'S | |
| 21 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 22 | Blue Line BBQ | |
| 23 | POPPIN' SMOKE | |
| 24 | Rockin'-n-BBQ | |
| 25 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 26 | Bad Ash BBQ | |
| 27 | Treasurestate bbq | |
| 28 | BIG PIG BBQ |
Brisket
28 entries · top 174.2628 · median 162.5314
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ | |
| 2 | BURNT TREES BBQ | |
| 3 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 4 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 5 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 6 | Boogs BBQ | |
| 7 | SPITFIRE | |
| 8 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 9 | RICHIE Z's | |
| 10 | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 11 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 12 | GRATE EXPECTATIONS | |
| 13 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 14 | Blue Line BBQ | |
| 15 | LaTa-Que | |
| 16 | LUCKY SMOKE | |
| 17 | SMOKIN JERKS | |
| 18 | BIG PIG BBQ | |
| 19 | WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 20 | PIGTAMER BBQ | |
| 21 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 22 | THE PIG MECHANIC'S | |
| 23 | Burnt Out BBQ-MT | |
| 24 | Rockin'-n-BBQ | |
| 25 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 26 | POPPIN' SMOKE | |
| 27 | Bad Ash BBQ | |
| 28 | Treasurestate bbq |