Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest

2019-07-12 – 2019-07-13 · Mayetta, KS · 📍 Prairie Band Casino · State championship

Reps: FORREST BRUCE, LARRY HADLEY, MARK COLLIER · Prize money: $11,200.00

Grand Champion: Boomerang BBQ (706.8344) · 59 teams

Reserve Champion: 🥈 HIGH i QUE

🥇

BOOMERANG BBQ

706.8344 · Master Series — Overall

🥈

HIGH i QUE

704.5484 · Master Series — Overall

🥉

DIRT ROAD BBQ

702.8000 · Master Series — Overall

Entries

4 judged meats · 1 ancillary

Top score

706.8344

Winning margin

2.2860

GC over RC

Field average

664.34

median 669.63

Perfect 180s

3 🔥

DIRT ROAD BBQ (Brisket), BOOMERANG BBQ (Brisket), HIGH i QUE (Chicken)

Tightest race

Pork Ribs

1.1428 pts across the top 5

Top-10 cutoff

686.2056

10th place overall

Field spread

166.2972

winner to last place

Prize money

$11,200.00

on the line

Most consistent

HIGH i QUE

avg finish 5.00 across 4 meats

Double threats

teams with 2+ top-5 calls

Widest winning margin

Chicken

won by 1.1428 pts — HIGH i QUE

How hot was the win?

Top 16%

beats 84% of 1951 Master Series wins in the data

Traveled in

27%

of the 59 teams with a home region came from outside KS

Form held

Strong

ρ = -0.68 between pre-contest rating and finish

Field strength

1525

avg power rating going in · stronger than 31% of contests

Top-rated in the field

BOOMERANG BBQ

rated 1706 pre-contest

Storylines

🔥 A day of perfect scores

3 perfect 180s were scored at this contest.

📸 Photo finishes

Chicken places 5–6: BUFFALO'S BBQ and 56 SMOKEHOUSE tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 8–9: SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY and Big Al and the Boys tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 8–9: LUCKY SMOKE and DIRT ROAD BBQ tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.

🛡️ Back to defend

Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' RUB (won 2017), SPITFIRE (won 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)

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)

Where the field came from (home regions on file)

This contest over the years full contest page →

Date	Where	Venue	Teams	High score	Grand Champion	Reserve Champion
2013-06-07		Mayetta, KS	69	702.2856	PIGSKIN BBQ	WOODWARD BARBEQUE
2014-06-06		Mayetta, KS 66509	54	701.7372	JP CUSTOM SMOKE	SMOKEAHOLICS
2016-06-03		12305 150th RD	55	691.4172	PORKY BUTTS BBQ	THUMP & STRUM BBQ
2017-07-14		12305 150th Rd	58	695.3944	HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' RUB	SMOOTH SMOKE
2018-07-13		12305 150th Rd	48	697.0968	SPITFIRE	BOOM CHICKA COW COW
2019-07-12 ← this one	Mayetta, KS	Prairie Band Casino	59	706.8344	Boomerang BBQ	HIGH i QUE
2020-07-10	Mayetta, KS	Prairie Band Casino	61	698.8684	Smokin Timbers BBQ	MAN MEAT BBQ
2021-07-09	Mayetta, KS	Prairie Band Casino	43	713.1316	Happy Grillmore	SLAPS BBQ

What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)

Category	1st	5th	10th
Chicken	180.0000	175.4172	173.1084
Pork Ribs	177.1544	176.0116	175.4056
Pork	178.8800	175.4172	174.2628
Brisket	180.0000	175.4516	171.9772

Official results on kcbs.us ↗

Master Series

Overall

59 entries · top 706.8344 · median 669.6340

#	Team	Score
1	BOOMERANG BBQ	706.8344
2	HIGH i QUE	704.5484
3	DIRT ROAD BBQ	702.8000
4	BUFFALO'S BBQ	701.1084
5	SLAPS BBQ	695.3600
6	56 SMOKEHOUSE	694.8232
7	SMOOTH SMOKE	689.6572
8	BOOM CHICKA COW COW	687.3712
9	PORKERSTARS	687.3600
10	SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS	686.2056
11	SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE	685.0856
12	KEEP CALM & SAUCE ON	684.4912
13	MAN MEAT BBQ	684.4568
14	LUCKY SMOKE	683.3716
15	AMERICAN FIRE BBQ	683.3716
16	HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' RUB	683.3256
17	WEEKEND BUM BBQ	682.8116
18	SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY	682.7888
19	PORK PULLERS	682.2512
20	Fat&Dumb BBQ	682.2400
21	SCOTTS BBQ SHACK	681.6456
22	GETTIN' BASTED	679.8740
23	SPITFIRE	678.2400
24	HOG BUSTERS	678.2288
25	BLACK EYE BBQ	675.9316
26	BALDIN' SMOKIN' BANDITOS	675.9084
27	Big Al and the Boys	674.7200
28	MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	670.1828
29	B & C SMOKERS	669.6456
30	SMOKERS PURGATORY	669.6340
31	POPS' SMOKIN' BBQ	669.0856
32	777 BBQ	667.2912
33	F.O.M.S.B.	666.2400
34	SMOKIN DAN	663.3484
35	Overland Pork BBQ	662.1944
36	913 BBQ	661.5656
37	Pork Posse	659.3944
38	FINGER LEIKAM GOOD	658.1940
39	WHISKEY SMOKERS	654.7768
40	BOXER Q BBQ	654.7428
41	SHIRTS ON FIRE BBQ	652.5828
42	Darkside BBQ	652.5488
43	SMOKIN' R'S 2.0	650.7996
44	Smoke Wagon	650.2056
45	INDIGO PIG	650.1256
46	PASSIONS OF THE PIT	647.3484
47	Mad Hogs and an Englishman	644.9940
48	BIG D & THE BRIQUETTES	644.5828
49	Crazy Bones BBQ Team	643.8856
50	RED OAK BBQ	643.8744
51	Fat Boys Backyard BBQ	641.0740
52	M Squared Smokin' Q	638.7316
53	ROCK N BLUES BBQ	638.6972
54	SILVER FOX BBQ	635.8628
55	Swadley's Bar-B-Q	633.6344
56	Gun Barrel City Q	614.1600
57	WINGED SWINE	605.5544
58	The Po Po Piggy	605.5540
59	WHITE MOOSE BBQ	540.5372

Chicken

59 entries · top 180.0000 · median 168.5140 · 🔥 perfect 180

#	Team	Score
1	HIGH i QUE	180.0000 🔥
2	SCOTTS BBQ SHACK	178.8572
3	BOOMERANG BBQ	177.7028
4	SMOOTH SMOKE	176.5600
5	BUFFALO'S BBQ	175.4172
6	56 SMOKEHOUSE	175.4172
7	Pork Posse	174.3200
8	SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY	173.7028
9	Big Al and the Boys	173.7028
10	MAN MEAT BBQ	173.1084
11	SMOKIN DAN	172.5828
12	HOG BUSTERS	172.5600
13	SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS	172.0000
14	WHITE MOOSE BBQ	171.9772
15	DIRT ROAD BBQ	171.9656
16	Fat&Dumb BBQ	171.4400
17	913 BBQ	171.4172
18	SPITFIRE	170.8572
19	B & C SMOKERS	170.2972
20	PORKERSTARS	170.2744
21	SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE	170.2628
22	Darkside BBQ	169.7028
23	SMOKERS PURGATORY	169.7028
24	BALDIN' SMOKIN' BANDITOS	169.7028
25	HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' RUB	169.6684
26	SLAPS BBQ	169.1200
27	GETTIN' BASTED	169.1084
28	RED OAK BBQ	168.5372
29	BOOM CHICKA COW COW	168.5256
30	MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	168.5140
31	M Squared Smokin' Q	167.9772
32	LUCKY SMOKE	167.9772
33	Smoke Wagon	167.4172
34	PORK PULLERS	167.4172
35	Overland Pork BBQ	167.4056
36	777 BBQ	167.3828
37	F.O.M.S.B.	166.8800
38	KEEP CALM & SAUCE ON	166.8228
39	AMERICAN FIRE BBQ	166.8228
40	PASSIONS OF THE PIT	166.8228
41	BLACK EYE BBQ	165.6916
42	SHIRTS ON FIRE BBQ	165.1544
43	Fat Boys Backyard BBQ	165.1200
44	SILVER FOX BBQ	165.1200
45	ROCK N BLUES BBQ	165.0856
46	Crazy Bones BBQ Team	164.5716
47	POPS' SMOKIN' BBQ	164.0000
48	SMOKIN' R'S 2.0	163.9884
49	Gun Barrel City Q	163.9656
50	WEEKEND BUM BBQ	163.9544
51	BIG D & THE BRIQUETTES	163.4172
52	BOXER Q BBQ	162.2516
53	FINGER LEIKAM GOOD	161.7028
54	Swadley's Bar-B-Q	160.5716
55	Mad Hogs and an Englishman	160.4912
56	WHISKEY SMOKERS	154.8112
57	INDIGO PIG	153.6112
58	WINGED SWINE	151.3944
59	The Po Po Piggy	147.9200

Pork Ribs

59 entries · top 177.1544 · median 168.0000

#	Team	Score
1	SMOOTH SMOKE	177.1544
2	KEEP CALM & SAUCE ON	176.5944
3	56 SMOKEHOUSE	176.5716
4	HIGH i QUE	176.5600
5	BOOMERANG BBQ	176.0116
6	PORKERSTARS	176.0000
7	INDIGO PIG	175.4400
8	LUCKY SMOKE	175.4172
9	DIRT ROAD BBQ	175.4172
10	BUFFALO'S BBQ	175.4056
11	MAN MEAT BBQ	174.8572
12	BOOM CHICKA COW COW	174.2628
13	PORK PULLERS	173.7028
14	WHITE MOOSE BBQ	173.1544
15	SLAPS BBQ	173.1200
16	BLACK EYE BBQ	172.0116
17	AMERICAN FIRE BBQ	172.0116
18	HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' RUB	171.9772
19	SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY	171.4288
20	Fat&Dumb BBQ	171.4172
21	BALDIN' SMOKIN' BANDITOS	170.8228
22	GETTIN' BASTED	170.2628
23	777 BBQ	170.2628
24	SPITFIRE	169.7028
25	SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS	169.6684
26	WEEKEND BUM BBQ	169.1544
27	Smoke Wagon	169.1428
28	F.O.M.S.B.	168.5484
29	SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE	168.0000
30	B & C SMOKERS	168.0000
31	SCOTTS BBQ SHACK	167.9656
32	Darkside BBQ	167.4516
33	SHIRTS ON FIRE BBQ	166.2972
34	MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	165.7144
35	PASSIONS OF THE PIT	165.1200
36	WHISKEY SMOKERS	165.1200
37	Pork Posse	163.9772
38	POPS' SMOKIN' BBQ	163.9428
39	SMOKERS PURGATORY	163.3828
40	SMOKIN DAN	162.2744
41	RED OAK BBQ	162.2744
42	BOXER Q BBQ	162.2628
43	Mad Hogs and an Englishman	161.6800
44	Fat Boys Backyard BBQ	161.1772
45	FINGER LEIKAM GOOD	161.1544
46	Swadley's Bar-B-Q	161.1200
47	HOG BUSTERS	161.0972
48	SMOKIN' R'S 2.0	160.0000
49	BIG D & THE BRIQUETTES	159.9772
50	Crazy Bones BBQ Team	159.3712
51	Overland Pork BBQ	158.8116
52	M Squared Smokin' Q	158.8116
53	913 BBQ	158.8000
54	The Po Po Piggy	158.2856
55	SILVER FOX BBQ	158.2628
56	Big Al and the Boys	157.0860
57	ROCK N BLUES BBQ	151.9544
58	WINGED SWINE	151.3600
59	Gun Barrel City Q	149.7372

Pork

59 entries · top 178.8800 · median 168.5600

#	Team	Score
1	BUFFALO'S BBQ	178.8800
2	WEEKEND BUM BBQ	178.2972
3	Fat&Dumb BBQ	178.2972
4	SLAPS BBQ	176.5600
5	DIRT ROAD BBQ	175.4172
6	HIGH i QUE	175.4056
7	WHITE MOOSE BBQ	175.4056
8	56 SMOKEHOUSE	174.8572
9	LUCKY SMOKE	174.2972
10	MAN MEAT BBQ	174.2628
11	Big Al and the Boys	174.2628
12	FINGER LEIKAM GOOD	174.2628
13	WHISKEY SMOKERS	173.7256
14	SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS	173.7028
15	BOOMERANG BBQ	173.1200
16	AMERICAN FIRE BBQ	173.1200
17	HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' RUB	172.5600
18	SMOOTH SMOKE	172.0000
19	SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY	171.9772
20	BLACK EYE BBQ	171.9656
21	PORK PULLERS	170.8456
22	PORKERSTARS	170.8228
23	BOOM CHICKA COW COW	170.2628
24	SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE	170.2628
25	SCOTTS BBQ SHACK	170.2628
26	F.O.M.S.B.	169.7144
27	POPS' SMOKIN' BBQ	169.7028
28	HOG BUSTERS	169.1200
29	KEEP CALM & SAUCE ON	169.1084
30	BALDIN' SMOKIN' BANDITOS	168.5600
31	GETTIN' BASTED	168.5256
32	SPITFIRE	167.4172
33	SMOKERS PURGATORY	167.4056
34	913 BBQ	167.3828
35	Crazy Bones BBQ Team	166.8572
36	INDIGO PIG	165.6800
37	Mad Hogs and an Englishman	165.1428
38	SMOKIN DAN	165.1084
39	BOXER Q BBQ	165.1084
40	BIG D & THE BRIQUETTES	164.6056
41	Gun Barrel City Q	163.9428
42	SMOKIN' R'S 2.0	163.4056
43	Overland Pork BBQ	163.3944
44	777 BBQ	162.8228
45	MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	162.2516
46	Pork Posse	161.7372
47	RED OAK BBQ	161.6684
48	PASSIONS OF THE PIT	160.0000
49	Smoke Wagon	160.0000
50	B & C SMOKERS	159.9428
51	M Squared Smokin' Q	159.3944
52	SILVER FOX BBQ	159.3828
53	ROCK N BLUES BBQ	158.8000
54	SHIRTS ON FIRE BBQ	158.2740
55	Darkside BBQ	155.9656
56	Swadley's Bar-B-Q	155.3828
57	Fat Boys Backyard BBQ	151.9540
58	WINGED SWINE	148.5144
59	The Po Po Piggy	145.6800

Brisket

59 entries · top 180.0000 · median 165.1200 · 🔥 perfect 180

#	Team	Score
1	DIRT ROAD BBQ	180.0000 🔥
2	BOOMERANG BBQ	180.0000 🔥
3	SLAPS BBQ	176.5600
4	SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE	176.5600
5	HOG BUSTERS	175.4516
6	BOOM CHICKA COW COW	174.3200
7	MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	173.7028
8	Overland Pork BBQ	172.5828
9	HIGH i QUE	172.5828
10	GETTIN' BASTED	171.9772
11	KEEP CALM & SAUCE ON	171.9656
12	POPS' SMOKIN' BBQ	171.4400
13	AMERICAN FIRE BBQ	171.4172
14	WEEKEND BUM BBQ	171.4056
15	B & C SMOKERS	171.4056
16	BUFFALO'S BBQ	171.4056
17	SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS	170.8344
18	PORK PULLERS	170.2856
19	PORKERSTARS	170.2628
20	SPITFIRE	170.2628
21	Big Al and the Boys	169.6684
22	SMOKERS PURGATORY	169.1428
23	HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' RUB	169.1200
24	56 SMOKEHOUSE	167.9772
25	777 BBQ	166.8228
26	BALDIN' SMOKIN' BANDITOS	166.8228
27	BLACK EYE BBQ	166.2628
28	LUCKY SMOKE	165.6800
29	SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY	165.6800
30	BOXER Q BBQ	165.1200
31	SCOTTS BBQ SHACK	164.5600
32	913 BBQ	163.9656
33	SMOOTH SMOKE	163.9428
34	SMOKIN' R'S 2.0	163.4056
35	SMOKIN DAN	163.3828
36	ROCK N BLUES BBQ	162.8572
37	SHIRTS ON FIRE BBQ	162.8572
38	Fat Boys Backyard BBQ	162.8228
39	MAN MEAT BBQ	162.2284
40	WHISKEY SMOKERS	161.1200
41	F.O.M.S.B.	161.0972
42	Fat&Dumb BBQ	161.0856
43	FINGER LEIKAM GOOD	161.0740
44	Darkside BBQ	159.4288
45	Pork Posse	159.3600
46	Mad Hogs and an Englishman	157.6800
47	BIG D & THE BRIQUETTES	156.5828
48	Swadley's Bar-B-Q	156.5600
49	PASSIONS OF THE PIT	155.4056
50	INDIGO PIG	155.3944
51	WINGED SWINE	154.2856
52	The Po Po Piggy	153.6684
53	Smoke Wagon	153.6456
54	SILVER FOX BBQ	153.0972
55	Crazy Bones BBQ Team	153.0856
56	M Squared Smokin' Q	152.5484
57	RED OAK BBQ	151.3944
58	Gun Barrel City Q	136.5144
59	WHITE MOOSE BBQ	20.0000

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.

Ancillary — Side Dish

12 entries · top 180.0000 · median 168.6056 · 🔥 perfect 180

#	Team	Score
1	HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' RUB	180.0000 🔥
2	B & C SMOKERS	176.5828
3	Swadley's Bar-B-Q	173.7028
4	ROCK N BLUES BBQ	171.4400
5	SMOKERS PURGATORY	170.8456
6	Pork Posse	169.7600
7	Pork Posse BBQ #2	167.4512
8	Gun Barrel City Q	165.1772
9	BOOM CHICKA COW COW	164.0000
10	SCOTTS BBQ SHACK	163.4056
11	Crazy Bones BBQ Team	162.8112
12	SHIRTS ON FIRE BBQ	159.9884

Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest

Entries

Top score

Winning margin

Field average

Perfect 180s

Tightest race

Top-10 cutoff

Field spread

Prize money

Most consistent

Double threats

Widest winning margin

How hot was the win?

Traveled in

Form held

Field strength

Top-rated in the field

Storylines

🔥 A day of perfect scores

📸 Photo finishes

🛡️ Back to defend

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)

Where the field came from (home regions on file)

This contest over the years full contest page →

What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)

Official results on kcbs.us ↗

Master Series

Overall

Chicken

Pork Ribs

Pork

Brisket

Ancillary categories

Ancillary — Side Dish