A new contest record
701.6916
highest overall ever cooked here
701.6916 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 696.5600 DIRT ROAD BBQ set in 2017.
- old record 696.5600
- set 2017 by DIRT ROAD BBQ
Back To Mayberry 2019
Jun 28–29, 2019 · Rodney, IA · 📍 10740 Oak Ave · State championship
Reps: Dena Milhous, Ron Milhous · Prize money: $5,000
SLAPS BBQ won Grand Champion at the Back To Mayberry on June 28, 2019 in Rodney, IA at 10740 Oak Ave, scoring 701.6916 in a field of 28 teams. DIRT ROAD BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 694.8344. Category winners: Chicken — SLAPS BBQ (177.7144); Pork Ribs — SLAPS BBQ (178.8572); Pork — FAIRWAY SMOKERS (175.4172); Brisket — DIRT ROAD BBQ (176.5600). This is the 3rd of 3 editions of this contest on record; the 2018 edition was won by SHIGGIN & GRINNIN.
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.
617.05
median 671.70
701.69 🏆
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 178.86
- Pork 175.42
- Brisket 176.56
146.75
178.86
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2017 to 2019 — this edition picked out.
Entries
28
4 judged meats
Top score
701.6916
Winning margin
6.8572
GC over RC
Field average
670.61
617.05701.69
median 671.70 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork
1.1084 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
677.7376
617.05701.69
10th place overall
Field spread
84.6404
winner to last place
Prize money
$5,000
on the line
Double threats
5
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 26%
beats 74% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
38%
10 of 26 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.7 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,659
avg power rating going in · stronger than 97% 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
35-in-100
shot on pre-contest ratings
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 65 times in 100
SLAPS BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 35-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
- champion 1946
- top seed 2054
A stacked field
1659
average power rating going in
Stronger than 97% of every rated contest
The field averaged a 1659 power rating going in — stronger than 97% of every contest tracked.
- top seed IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ (2054)
- 28 rated teams
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 13 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 7–8: TREEFROG BBQ and AMERICAN FIRE BBQ tied on 170.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 8–9: AMERICAN FIRE BBQ and SPITFIRE tied on 170.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 3–4: Fergolicious BBQ and SPITFIRE tied on 172.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 7–8 · tie
- Chicken 8–9 · tie
- Pork Ribs 3–4 · tie
- Pork Ribs 7–8 · tie
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
SLAPS BBQ 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
SLAPS BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 2 outright wins — their weakest board was brisket at 8th.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 3rd
- Brisket 8th
A contest record in pork ribs
178.8572
best pork ribs ever cooked here
SLAPS BBQ turned in 178.8572 in pork ribs — past the 175.4516 that had stood across 2 earlier editions.
- old best 175.4516
- across 2 past editions
Back to defend
2
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: DIRT ROAD BBQ (won 2017), SHIGGIN & GRINNIN (won 2018).
- DIRT ROAD BBQ · 2017
- SHIGGIN & GRINNIN · 2018
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 30, 2017 | Rodney, IA | Oak Ave | 29 | 696.5600 | DIRT ROAD BBQ | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN |
| Jul 6, 2018 | Rodney, IA | Rodney, IA 51040 | 26 | 690.8000 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | SPITFIRE |
| Jun 28, 2019 ← this one | Rodney, IA | 10740 Oak Ave | 28 | 701.6916 | Slaps | DIRT ROAD BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.7144 | 172 | 170.8228 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.8572 | 171.4400 | 169.1200 |
| Pork | 175.4172 | 174.3088 | 170.8228 |
| Brisket | 176.5600 | 175.4056 | 169.1428 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
28 entries · top 701.6916 · median 671.6972
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SLAPS BBQ | |
| 2 | DIRT ROAD BBQ | |
| 3 | SPITFIRE | |
| 4 | AMERICAN FIRE BBQ | |
| 5 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 6 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | |
| 7 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 8 | Fergolicious BBQ | |
| 9 | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA | |
| 10 | NEVER EASY BBQ | |
| 11 | Who Dat BBQ | |
| 12 | KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ | |
| 13 | SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS | |
| 14 | TREEFROG BBQ | |
| 15 | Luscious Loins | |
| 16 | FAIRWAY SMOKERS | |
| 17 | BURNT WOOD BBQ | |
| 18 | TEAM BREW & QUE | |
| 19 | Bohica BBQ | |
| 20 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 21 | Piccolos BBQ | |
| 22 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 23 | BEND OF THE RIVER BBQ | |
| 24 | BLIND SQUIRREL BBQ | |
| 25 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 26 | Giddy up BBQ | |
| 27 | PBR BBQ | |
| 28 | BOTTOMS UP IOWA |
Chicken
28 entries · top 177.7144 · median 169.6914
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SLAPS BBQ | |
| 2 | KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ | |
| 3 | Giddy up BBQ | |
| 4 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | |
| 5 | DIRT ROAD BBQ | |
| 6 | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA | |
| 7 | TREEFROG BBQ | |
| 8 | AMERICAN FIRE BBQ | |
| 9 | SPITFIRE | |
| 10 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 11 | FAIRWAY SMOKERS | |
| 12 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 13 | PBR BBQ | |
| 14 | NEVER EASY BBQ | |
| 15 | Bohica BBQ | |
| 16 | Fergolicious BBQ | |
| 17 | BEND OF THE RIVER BBQ | |
| 18 | SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS | |
| 19 | BURNT WOOD BBQ | |
| 20 | BLIND SQUIRREL BBQ | |
| 21 | TEAM BREW & QUE | |
| 22 | Who Dat BBQ | |
| 23 | Piccolos BBQ | |
| 24 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 25 | Luscious Loins | |
| 26 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 27 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 28 | BOTTOMS UP IOWA |
Pork Ribs
28 entries · top 178.8572 · median 167.4286
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SLAPS BBQ | |
| 2 | DIRT ROAD BBQ | |
| 3 | Fergolicious BBQ | |
| 4 | SPITFIRE | |
| 5 | Luscious Loins | |
| 6 | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA | |
| 7 | Who Dat BBQ | |
| 8 | BURNT WOOD BBQ | |
| 9 | NEVER EASY BBQ | |
| 10 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 11 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 12 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 13 | AMERICAN FIRE BBQ | |
| 14 | TREEFROG BBQ | |
| 15 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 16 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | |
| 17 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 18 | SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS | |
| 19 | TEAM BREW & QUE | |
| 20 | Bohica BBQ | |
| 21 | FAIRWAY SMOKERS | |
| 22 | KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ | |
| 23 | PBR BBQ | |
| 24 | Piccolos BBQ | |
| 25 | BEND OF THE RIVER BBQ | |
| 26 | BOTTOMS UP IOWA | |
| 27 | BLIND SQUIRREL BBQ | |
| 28 | Giddy up BBQ |
Pork
28 entries · top 175.4172 · median 169.6972
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FAIRWAY SMOKERS | |
| 2 | AMERICAN FIRE BBQ | |
| 3 | SLAPS BBQ | |
| 4 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 5 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | |
| 6 | DIRT ROAD BBQ | |
| 7 | SPITFIRE | |
| 8 | Luscious Loins | |
| 9 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 10 | TEAM BREW & QUE | |
| 11 | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA | |
| 12 | SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS | |
| 13 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 14 | Fergolicious BBQ | |
| 15 | KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ | |
| 16 | NEVER EASY BBQ | |
| 17 | Who Dat BBQ | |
| 18 | Giddy up BBQ | |
| 19 | BLIND SQUIRREL BBQ | |
| 20 | Bohica BBQ | |
| 21 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 22 | BURNT WOOD BBQ | |
| 23 | BEND OF THE RIVER BBQ | |
| 24 | Piccolos BBQ | |
| 25 | TREEFROG BBQ | |
| 26 | PBR BBQ | |
| 27 | BOTTOMS UP IOWA | |
| 28 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ |
Brisket
28 entries · top 176.5600 · median 167.9770
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DIRT ROAD BBQ | |
| 2 | AMERICAN FIRE BBQ | |
| 3 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 4 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | |
| 5 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 6 | SPITFIRE | |
| 7 | NEVER EASY BBQ | |
| 8 | SLAPS BBQ | |
| 9 | Who Dat BBQ | |
| 10 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 11 | Piccolos BBQ | |
| 12 | BEND OF THE RIVER BBQ | |
| 13 | TREEFROG BBQ | |
| 14 | SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS | |
| 15 | Fergolicious BBQ | |
| 16 | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA | |
| 17 | Bohica BBQ | |
| 18 | BURNT WOOD BBQ | |
| 19 | KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ | |
| 20 | BLIND SQUIRREL BBQ | |
| 21 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 22 | Luscious Loins | |
| 23 | TEAM BREW & QUE | |
| 24 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 25 | FAIRWAY SMOKERS | |
| 26 | Giddy up BBQ | |
| 27 | BOTTOMS UP IOWA | |
| 28 | PBR BBQ |