Tri City BBQ Fest
2019-09-20 – 2019-09-21 · Denison, IA · 📍 Broadway & Main St. (Historic Uptown Denison) · State championship
Reps: DENA MILHOUS, RON MILHOUS · Prize money: $13,000.00
Grand Champion: Timbone Barbecue (690.7540) · 34 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 SPITFIRE
Entries
34
4 judged meats
Top score
690.7540
Winning margin
0.4800
GC over RC
Field average
660.30
median 667.01
Tightest race
Brisket
2.2856 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
677.0516
10th place overall
Field spread
80.5484
winner to last place
Prize money
$13,000.00
on the line
Double threats
5
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 85%
beats 15% of 1951 Master Series wins in the data
Traveled in
44%
of the 34 teams with a home region came from outside IA
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.71 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1531
avg power rating going in · stronger than 36% of contests
Storylines
👑 A dynasty in the making
TIMBONE BARBECUE has won this contest 2 times across its 11 tracked editions.
🪒 A razor-thin finish
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.4800 points — closer than 94% of every championship in the data.
🧳 Out-of-towners took the title
TIMBONE BARBECUE took the Grand Championship home to KS.
🧹 A double category winner
LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY won Chicken, Pork Ribs — a double.
📸 Photo finishes
Chicken places 9–10: DIRT ROAD BBQ and BAMBQ tied on 170.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 2–3: DRY 2 DA BONE and WHEN PIGS DIE tied on 179.4400 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 3–4: HOGLINE and ALL FORKED UP FOR Q tied on 177.1428 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
🛡️ Back to defend
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: SPITFIRE (won 2017), TIMBONE BARBECUE (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)
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 →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-09-19 | Denison, IA 51442 | 21 | 691.3940 | BIG T'Z Q CRU | PIGSKIN BBQ | |
| 2015-09-18 | Denison, IA 51442 | 18 | 690.7884 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | BIG T'Z Q CRU | |
| 2016-09-16 | Broodway & Main | 34 | 701.6800 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA | |
| 2017-09-22 | Broadway & Main St. (Historic Uptown Denison) | 37 | 702.3204 | SPITFIRE | LUCKY'S Q | |
| 2018-09-21 | Broadway & Main St. (Historic Uptown Denison) | 27 | 687.9888 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | DIRT ROAD BBQ | |
| 2019-09-20 ← this one | Denison, IA | Broadway & Main St. (Historic Uptown Denison) | 34 | 690.7540 | Timbone Barbecue | SPITFIRE |
| 2021-09-17 | Denison, IA | Broadway and Main | 20 | 697.6572 | Hot Daddys BBQ | SPITFIRE |
| 2022-09-16 | Denison, IA | Broadway and Main | 25 | 693.1316 | Parrothead Smokers SD | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ |
| 2023-09-15 | Denison, IA | Broadway and Main | 32 | 703.3712 | Last Call Heros BBQ | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN |
| 2024-09-20 | Denison, IA | 109 N. Main | 30 | 700.4912 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ |
| 2025-09-19 | Denison, IA | 109 N. Main | 26 | 703.4060 | Shiggin & Grinnin | Good Grefe! |
| 2026-09-18 | Denison, IA | — | — | — | — | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.7144 | 173.7144 | 170.2628 |
| Pork Ribs | 176.0000 | 171.9884 | 168.5600 |
| Pork | 180.0000 | 177.1544 | 173.1084 |
| Brisket | 178.8572 | 176.5716 | 171.9656 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
34 entries · top 690.7540 · median 667.0054
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | |
| 2 | SPITFIRE | |
| 3 | LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY | |
| 4 | HOGLINE | |
| 5 | LUCKY'S Q | |
| 6 | DRY 2 DA BONE | |
| 7 | SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY | |
| 8 | DIRT ROAD BBQ | |
| 9 | TREEFROG BBQ | |
| 10 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 11 | BAMBQ | |
| 12 | STAR CITY BBQ | |
| 13 | Bohica BBQ | |
| 14 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 15 | KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ | |
| 16 | ALL FORKED UP FOR Q | |
| 17 | Que Magic | |
| 18 | AGAINST THE GRAIN BBQ | |
| 19 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 20 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 21 | REDNECK BBQ | |
| 22 | Hardwood BBQ | |
| 23 | Smokin' Double R | |
| 24 | 10 Ring BBQ Team | |
| 25 | BLAIR'S BIGFOOT BBQ | |
| 26 | FAIRWAY SMOKERS | |
| 27 | Sweet Smokin' Jones | |
| 28 | S.O.L. BBQ | |
| 29 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 30 | Smokin B's | |
| 31 | SMOKE DOCTOR | |
| 32 | Parkside Brewing Co | |
| 33 | Old Outlaw | |
| 34 | GRILLIN' GRINDES |
Chicken
34 entries · top 177.7144 · median 166.8344
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY | |
| 2 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 3 | ALL FORKED UP FOR Q | |
| 4 | SPITFIRE | |
| 5 | BLAIR'S BIGFOOT BBQ | |
| 6 | Smokin' Double R | |
| 7 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 8 | SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY | |
| 9 | DIRT ROAD BBQ | |
| 10 | BAMBQ | |
| 11 | LUCKY'S Q | |
| 12 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | |
| 13 | 10 Ring BBQ Team | |
| 14 | AGAINST THE GRAIN BBQ | |
| 15 | Hardwood BBQ | |
| 16 | REDNECK BBQ | |
| 17 | Bohica BBQ | |
| 18 | DRY 2 DA BONE | |
| 19 | HOGLINE | |
| 20 | S.O.L. BBQ | |
| 21 | KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ | |
| 22 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 23 | TREEFROG BBQ | |
| 24 | Que Magic | |
| 25 | STAR CITY BBQ | |
| 26 | FAIRWAY SMOKERS | |
| 27 | Parkside Brewing Co | |
| 28 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 29 | Sweet Smokin' Jones | |
| 30 | Smokin B's | |
| 31 | Old Outlaw | |
| 32 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 33 | SMOKE DOCTOR | |
| 34 | GRILLIN' GRINDES |
Pork Ribs
34 entries · top 176.0000 · median 165.4058
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY | |
| 2 | SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY | |
| 3 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | |
| 4 | Que Magic | |
| 5 | STAR CITY BBQ | |
| 6 | KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ | |
| 7 | Hardwood BBQ | |
| 8 | Parkside Brewing Co | |
| 9 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 10 | DRY 2 DA BONE | |
| 11 | 10 Ring BBQ Team | |
| 12 | FAIRWAY SMOKERS | |
| 13 | Bohica BBQ | |
| 14 | TREEFROG BBQ | |
| 15 | LUCKY'S Q | |
| 16 | BAMBQ | |
| 17 | Smokin B's | |
| 18 | Sweet Smokin' Jones | |
| 19 | REDNECK BBQ | |
| 20 | HOGLINE | |
| 21 | SPITFIRE | |
| 22 | S.O.L. BBQ | |
| 23 | Smokin' Double R | |
| 24 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 25 | DIRT ROAD BBQ | |
| 26 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 27 | BLAIR'S BIGFOOT BBQ | |
| 28 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 29 | SMOKE DOCTOR | |
| 30 | AGAINST THE GRAIN BBQ | |
| 31 | Old Outlaw | |
| 32 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 33 | GRILLIN' GRINDES | |
| 34 | ALL FORKED UP FOR Q |
Pork
34 entries · top 180.0000 · median 168.0000 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LUCKY'S Q | |
| 2 | DRY 2 DA BONE | |
| 3 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 4 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 5 | HOGLINE | |
| 6 | Que Magic | |
| 7 | LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY | |
| 8 | DIRT ROAD BBQ | |
| 9 | SPITFIRE | |
| 10 | STAR CITY BBQ | |
| 11 | Hardwood BBQ | |
| 12 | TREEFROG BBQ | |
| 13 | KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ | |
| 14 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | |
| 15 | AGAINST THE GRAIN BBQ | |
| 16 | Bohica BBQ | |
| 17 | ALL FORKED UP FOR Q | |
| 18 | GRILLIN' GRINDES | |
| 19 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 20 | FAIRWAY SMOKERS | |
| 21 | Sweet Smokin' Jones | |
| 22 | SMOKE DOCTOR | |
| 23 | SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY | |
| 24 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 25 | BAMBQ | |
| 26 | Old Outlaw | |
| 27 | S.O.L. BBQ | |
| 28 | REDNECK BBQ | |
| 29 | 10 Ring BBQ Team | |
| 30 | Smokin' Double R | |
| 31 | BLAIR'S BIGFOOT BBQ | |
| 32 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 33 | Smokin B's | |
| 34 | Parkside Brewing Co |
Brisket
34 entries · top 178.8572 · median 166.2400
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SPITFIRE | |
| 2 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | |
| 3 | HOGLINE | |
| 4 | ALL FORKED UP FOR Q | |
| 5 | BAMBQ | |
| 6 | TREEFROG BBQ | |
| 7 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 8 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 9 | DIRT ROAD BBQ | |
| 10 | AGAINST THE GRAIN BBQ | |
| 11 | SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY | |
| 12 | Bohica BBQ | |
| 13 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 14 | REDNECK BBQ | |
| 15 | DRY 2 DA BONE | |
| 16 | KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ | |
| 17 | LUCKY'S Q | |
| 18 | STAR CITY BBQ | |
| 19 | Smokin' Double R | |
| 20 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 21 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 22 | BLAIR'S BIGFOOT BBQ | |
| 23 | LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY | |
| 24 | 10 Ring BBQ Team | |
| 25 | Sweet Smokin' Jones | |
| 26 | Que Magic | |
| 27 | Smokin B's | |
| 28 | S.O.L. BBQ | |
| 29 | FAIRWAY SMOKERS | |
| 30 | GRILLIN' GRINDES | |
| 31 | SMOKE DOCTOR | |
| 32 | Hardwood BBQ | |
| 33 | Old Outlaw | |
| 34 | Parkside Brewing Co |