A dynasty in the making
3×
wins at this contest
3 of 5 tracked editions
SLAPS BBQ has won this contest 3 times across its 5 tracked editions.
- 2018
- 2020
- 2021
Smoke on the Trails 2019
Sep 27–28, 2019 · Gardner, KS · 📍 Celebration Park 32501 W 159th St · State championship
Reps: Dave Rogers, Forrest Bruce · Prize money: $10,000
HIGH i QUE won Grand Champion at the Smoke on the Trails on September 27, 2019 in Gardner, KS at Celebration Park 32501 W 159th St, scoring 691.3484 in a field of 53 teams. MAN MEAT BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 688.4800. Category winners: Chicken — KC MEAT SWEATS (177.7144); Pork Ribs — MAN MEAT BBQ (180.0000); Pork — HIGH i QUE (178.8572); Brisket — 4 LEGS UP BBQ (180.0000). This is the 3rd of 5 editions of this contest on record; the 2018 edition was won by SLAPS BBQ; the next was held in 2020.
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.
293.12
median 648.43
691.35 🏆
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 180 🔥
- Pork 178.86
- Brisket 180 🔥
117.58
180
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2017 to 2021 — this edition picked out.
Entries
53
4 judged meats
Top score
691.3484
Winning margin
2.8684
GC over RC
Field average
629.13
293.12691.35
median 648.43 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Chicken
3.4516 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
671.9884
293.12691.35
10th place overall
Field spread
398.2284
winner to last place
Prize money
$10,000
on the line
Double threats
5
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 67%
beats 33% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
26%
18 of 68 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.7 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,560
avg power rating going in · stronger than 46% of contests
Storylines (5 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.
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 11 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 9–10: HIGH i QUE and PORKERSTARS tied on 171.9772 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 8–9: Emerson Enterprises and KC MEAT SWEATS tied on 170.8228 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 4–5: SMOKE N BABES BBQ and BLACK EYE BBQ tied on 172.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 9–10 · tie
- Pork Ribs 8–9 · tie
- Pork 4–5 · tie
- Pork 9–10 · tie
How the title was won
3 of 4
meats called to the stage
HIGH i QUE took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork ribs at 13th.
- Chicken 9th
- Pork Ribs 13th
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 7th
A contest record in pork
178.8572
best pork ever cooked here
HIGH i QUE turned in 178.8572 in pork — past the 177.7028 that had stood across 2 earlier editions.
- old best 177.7028
- across 2 past editions
A perfect score on the table
2
perfect 180s
2 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
- 4 LEGS UP BBQ · Brisket
- MAN MEAT BBQ · Pork Ribs
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 29, 2017 | Gardner, KS | Celebration Park 32501 W 159th St | 64 | 706.2856 | CLARK CREW BBQ | PELLET ENVY |
| Sep 28, 2018 | Gardner, KS | Celebration Park 32501 W 159th St | 68 | 705.7028 | SLAPS BBQ | PELLET ENVY |
| Sep 27, 2019 ← this one | Gardner, KS | Celebration Park 32501 W 159th St | 53 | 691.3484 | High I Que | MAN MEAT BBQ |
| Sep 11, 2020 | Gardner, KS | 32501 W 159th St. | 48 | 704.5372 | Slaps BBQ | Happy Grillmore - KS |
| Sep 10, 2021 | Gardner, KS | Gardner, KS 66030 | 53 | 711.4172 | Slaps BBQ | SMOKE RINGERS |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.7144 | 174.2628 | 171.9772 |
| Pork Ribs | 180 | 172 | 170.2628 |
| Pork | 178.8572 | 172.5600 | 170.8228 |
| Brisket | 180 | 174.2628 | 169.7028 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
53 entries · top 691.3484 · median 648.4344
Chicken
53 entries · top 177.7144 · median 163.3828
Pork Ribs
53 entries · top 180 · median 162.2744 · 🔥 perfect 180
Pork
50 entries · top 178.8572 · median 164.5430
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HIGH i QUE | |
| 2 | Summa Dat Que | |
| 3 | Pork 'n' Butts | |
| 4 | SMOKE N BABES BBQ | |
| 5 | BLACK EYE BBQ | |
| 6 | Big Al and the Boys | |
| 7 | LOVE 2 Q | |
| 8 | BUBBA AND THE BOYS BARBEQUE | |
| 9 | 3 PIGS SMOKIN | |
| 10 | LAZY BUTT BBQ | |
| 11 | PIG NEWTON | |
| 12 | BOOM CHICKA COW COW | |
| 13 | MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ | |
| 14 | SCOTTS BBQ SHACK | |
| 15 | DUNN UP BBQ | |
| 16 | Bad Boys BBQ | |
| 17 | GRILLIN' BEAVERS | |
| 18 | FOUR MEN AND A PIG | |
| 19 | Barking Hogs BBQ | |
| 20 | Pork Butts and Tator Tots | |
| 21 | Wildhouse BBQ | |
| 22 | Free Range Friends BBQ | |
| 23 | PETIE'S SMOKIN PITS BBQ | |
| 24 | JCQ | |
| 25 | GEO SMOKERS | |
| 26 | MAN MEAT BBQ | |
| 27 | Mike's Magic Smoke | |
| 28 | ROCK N BLUES BBQ | |
| 29 | Hook 'Em Hogs BBQ | |
| 30 | KC MEAT SWEATS | |
| 31 | PORKERSTARS | |
| 32 | Meat Candy | |
| 33 | Land Locked BBQ | |
| 34 | HOUSE'S BAR-B-QUE | |
| 35 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 36 | Pine Tar BBQ | |
| 37 | SONS OF BRISKETS - KS | |
| 38 | HOWE bout that bbq | |
| 39 | Three Legged Pig | |
| 40 | MotorBoatin' BBQ | |
| 41 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 42 | Emerson Enterprises | |
| 43 | Shark Q | |
| 44 | Thunder Smoked | |
| 45 | Kings of Smoke | |
| 46 | Big D's Smoking Pit | |
| 47 | Big Daddy BBQ | |
| 48 | Rub Down BBQ | |
| 49 | Hogs & Hops BBQ | |
| 50 | Smokin' Somethin |
Brisket
51 entries · top 180 · median 159.3828 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 2 | FOUR MEN AND A PIG | |
| 3 | PORKERSTARS | |
| 4 | SCOTTS BBQ SHACK | |
| 5 | LAZY BUTT BBQ | |
| 6 | BOOM CHICKA COW COW | |
| 7 | HIGH i QUE | |
| 8 | Land Locked BBQ | |
| 9 | MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ | |
| 10 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 11 | LOVE 2 Q | |
| 12 | PIG NEWTON | |
| 13 | MAN MEAT BBQ | |
| 14 | BLACK EYE BBQ | |
| 15 | 3 PIGS SMOKIN | |
| 16 | GRILLIN' BEAVERS | |
| 17 | Kings of Smoke | |
| 18 | Summa Dat Que | |
| 19 | HOUSE'S BAR-B-QUE | |
| 20 | KC MEAT SWEATS | |
| 21 | Flying W North BBQ | |
| 22 | HOWE bout that bbq | |
| 23 | Emerson Enterprises | |
| 24 | Free Range Friends BBQ | |
| 25 | GEO SMOKERS | |
| 26 | SONS OF BRISKETS - KS | |
| 27 | Hook 'Em Hogs BBQ | |
| 28 | SMOKE N BABES BBQ | |
| 29 | BUBBA AND THE BOYS BARBEQUE | |
| 30 | Big Al and the Boys | |
| 31 | ROCK N BLUES BBQ | |
| 32 | Wildhouse BBQ | |
| 33 | Three Legged Pig | |
| 34 | JCQ | |
| 35 | Pork 'n' Butts | |
| 36 | PETIE'S SMOKIN PITS BBQ | |
| 37 | Hogs & Hops BBQ | |
| 38 | Pork Butts and Tator Tots | |
| 39 | Pine Tar BBQ | |
| 40 | Big Daddy BBQ | |
| 41 | Shark Q | |
| 42 | Thunder Smoked | |
| 43 | Rub Down BBQ | |
| 44 | Barking Hogs BBQ | |
| 45 | Bad Boys BBQ | |
| 46 | MotorBoatin' BBQ | |
| 47 | Smokin' Somethin | |
| 48 | DUNN UP BBQ | |
| 49 | Mike's Magic Smoke | |
| 50 | Meat Candy | |
| 51 | Big D's Smoking Pit |