Indio California State BBQ Championship & Festival
2019-11-01 – 2019-11-02 · Indio, CA · 📍 83040 Ave 42 · State championship
Reps: KATHLEEN MCINTOSH, KELLY MCINTOSH · Prize money: $10,300.00
Grand Champion: DG Firehouse BBQ Inc (694.2400) · 37 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 BIG POPPA SMOKERS
Entries
37
4 judged meats · 1 ancillary
Top score
694.2400
Winning margin
1.1772
GC over RC
Field average
651.50
median 666.15
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
2.2856 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
681.6228
10th place overall
Field spread
276.6172
winner to last place
Prize money
$10,300.00
on the line
Double threats
7
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 74%
beats 26% of 1951 Master Series wins in the data
Traveled in
5%
of the 37 teams with a home region came from outside CA
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.63 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1545
avg power rating going in · stronger than 50% of contests
Storylines
🪒 A razor-thin finish
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.1772 points — closer than 77% of every championship in the data.
📸 Photo finishes
Chicken places 2–3: Day Of The Pig BBQ and IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 4–5: CYNICAL BBQ and Team Woodshed tied on 176.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 9–10: Clear Blue BBQ and Meat Candy Q tied on 171.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
🛡️ Back to defend
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ (won 2016), BIG POPPA SMOKERS (won 2017).
🃏 An upset on the books
DG FIREHOUSE BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, BOOMERANG BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 19-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-11-11 | Indio, CA 92276 | 38 | 712.5828 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 2017-11-03 | 83040 Ave 42 | 35 | 698.2516 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | DG FIREHOUSE BBQ | |
| 2019-11-01 ← this one | Indio, CA | 83040 Ave 42 | 37 | 694.2400 | DG Firehouse BBQ Inc | BIG POPPA SMOKERS |
| 2021-11-05 | Indio, CA | 83040 Ave 42 | 33 | 697.1544 | Girls Can Grill | PORTERHOUSE BBQ |
| 2022-11-04 | Indio, CA | The Lights Golf Course | 35 | 694.2516 | 7 Sins BBQ | West Coast BBQ Shop |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 179.4400 | 176.0000 | 171.4172 |
| Pork Ribs | 176.5716 | 174.2860 | 170.8228 |
| Pork | 180.0000 | 174.2744 | 169.7144 |
| Brisket | 177.7028 | 171.9884 | 171.4172 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
37 entries · top 694.2400 · median 666.1488
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DG FIREHOUSE BBQ | |
| 2 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 3 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 4 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 5 | Team Woodshed | |
| 6 | Day Of The Pig BBQ | |
| 7 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 8 | Rad Fondo BBQ | |
| 9 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 10 | BOOMERANG BBQ | |
| 11 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 12 | SMOKING TOKING BBQ | |
| 13 | 7-8-9 BBQ | |
| 14 | LADY OF Q | |
| 15 | 2LiveQ | |
| 16 | SMOKIN IT UP BBQ | |
| 17 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 18 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 19 | MUDVILLE BBQ | |
| 20 | Clear Blue BBQ | |
| 21 | CODE 7 SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 22 | Jack9 BBQ-CA | |
| 23 | The BBQ Yard | |
| 24 | PAPA LA RUE'S BBQ | |
| 25 | Mad Tex BBQ | |
| 26 | SMOKE HOUND BBQ | |
| 27 | CHULENGO SMOKER TEAM | |
| 28 | VEGAS GRILLBILLIES | |
| 29 | Jolley's Bad to the Bone Barbeque | |
| 30 | Bearded Dude BBQ | |
| 31 | Smokin Degenerates BBQ Tean | |
| 32 | THE BRISKET BROTHERS | |
| 33 | Ol' Blue BBQ | |
| 34 | White Smoke BBQ | |
| 35 | B Lee's Barbecue | |
| 36 | BERNIE'S REBEL BOYZ SMOKIN' BBQ | |
| 37 | Woodies BBQ |
Chicken
36 entries · top 179.4400 · median 168.2800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DG FIREHOUSE BBQ | |
| 2 | Day Of The Pig BBQ | |
| 3 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 4 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 5 | Team Woodshed | |
| 6 | Jolley's Bad to the Bone Barbeque | |
| 7 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 8 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 9 | Clear Blue BBQ | |
| 10 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 11 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 12 | The BBQ Yard | |
| 13 | SMOKIN IT UP BBQ | |
| 14 | MUDVILLE BBQ | |
| 15 | Smokin Degenerates BBQ Tean | |
| 16 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 17 | PAPA LA RUE'S BBQ | |
| 18 | SMOKING TOKING BBQ | |
| 19 | Mad Tex BBQ | |
| 20 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 21 | LADY OF Q | |
| 22 | Jack9 BBQ-CA | |
| 23 | BOOMERANG BBQ | |
| 24 | 7-8-9 BBQ | |
| 25 | CHULENGO SMOKER TEAM | |
| 26 | Rad Fondo BBQ | |
| 27 | 2LiveQ | |
| 28 | CODE 7 SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 29 | THE BRISKET BROTHERS | |
| 30 | Bearded Dude BBQ | |
| 31 | SMOKE HOUND BBQ | |
| 32 | White Smoke BBQ | |
| 33 | Ol' Blue BBQ | |
| 34 | BERNIE'S REBEL BOYZ SMOKIN' BBQ | |
| 35 | VEGAS GRILLBILLIES | |
| 36 | B Lee's Barbecue |
Pork Ribs
37 entries · top 176.5716 · median 166.8572
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 2 | Rad Fondo BBQ | |
| 3 | Jack9 BBQ-CA | |
| 4 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 5 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 6 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 7 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 8 | Team Woodshed | |
| 9 | Day Of The Pig BBQ | |
| 10 | 2LiveQ | |
| 11 | BOOMERANG BBQ | |
| 12 | DG FIREHOUSE BBQ | |
| 13 | SMOKE HOUND BBQ | |
| 14 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 15 | 7-8-9 BBQ | |
| 16 | MUDVILLE BBQ | |
| 17 | Clear Blue BBQ | |
| 18 | Mad Tex BBQ | |
| 19 | SMOKIN IT UP BBQ | |
| 20 | VEGAS GRILLBILLIES | |
| 21 | CHULENGO SMOKER TEAM | |
| 22 | PAPA LA RUE'S BBQ | |
| 23 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 24 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 25 | SMOKING TOKING BBQ | |
| 26 | The BBQ Yard | |
| 27 | CODE 7 SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 28 | Bearded Dude BBQ | |
| 29 | Smokin Degenerates BBQ Tean | |
| 30 | Ol' Blue BBQ | |
| 31 | LADY OF Q | |
| 32 | THE BRISKET BROTHERS | |
| 33 | Jolley's Bad to the Bone Barbeque | |
| 34 | BERNIE'S REBEL BOYZ SMOKIN' BBQ | |
| 35 | B Lee's Barbecue | |
| 36 | White Smoke BBQ | |
| 37 | Woodies BBQ |
Pork
37 entries · top 180.0000 · median 167.3828 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BOOMERANG BBQ | |
| 2 | DG FIREHOUSE BBQ | |
| 3 | Team Woodshed | |
| 4 | SMOKING TOKING BBQ | |
| 5 | Day Of The Pig BBQ | |
| 6 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 7 | LADY OF Q | |
| 8 | VEGAS GRILLBILLIES | |
| 9 | CODE 7 SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 10 | Mad Tex BBQ | |
| 11 | PAPA LA RUE'S BBQ | |
| 12 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 13 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 14 | Rad Fondo BBQ | |
| 15 | Clear Blue BBQ | |
| 16 | THE BRISKET BROTHERS | |
| 17 | Bearded Dude BBQ | |
| 18 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 19 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 20 | 2LiveQ | |
| 21 | MUDVILLE BBQ | |
| 22 | SMOKIN IT UP BBQ | |
| 23 | Jack9 BBQ-CA | |
| 24 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 25 | 7-8-9 BBQ | |
| 26 | The BBQ Yard | |
| 27 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 28 | White Smoke BBQ | |
| 29 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 30 | SMOKE HOUND BBQ | |
| 31 | BERNIE'S REBEL BOYZ SMOKIN' BBQ | |
| 32 | CHULENGO SMOKER TEAM | |
| 33 | Jolley's Bad to the Bone Barbeque | |
| 34 | Smokin Degenerates BBQ Tean | |
| 35 | B Lee's Barbecue | |
| 36 | Ol' Blue BBQ | |
| 37 | Woodies BBQ |
Brisket
36 entries · top 177.7028 · median 167.1028
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 2 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 3 | Rad Fondo BBQ | |
| 4 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 5 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 6 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 7 | 7-8-9 BBQ | |
| 8 | CODE 7 SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 9 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 10 | LADY OF Q | |
| 11 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 12 | SMOKE HOUND BBQ | |
| 13 | 2LiveQ | |
| 14 | CHULENGO SMOKER TEAM | |
| 15 | DG FIREHOUSE BBQ | |
| 16 | Team Woodshed | |
| 17 | Day Of The Pig BBQ | |
| 18 | VEGAS GRILLBILLIES | |
| 19 | The BBQ Yard | |
| 20 | Jolley's Bad to the Bone Barbeque | |
| 21 | SMOKIN IT UP BBQ | |
| 22 | SMOKING TOKING BBQ | |
| 23 | BOOMERANG BBQ | |
| 24 | MUDVILLE BBQ | |
| 25 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 26 | Smokin Degenerates BBQ Tean | |
| 27 | Jack9 BBQ-CA | |
| 28 | Clear Blue BBQ | |
| 29 | Bearded Dude BBQ | |
| 30 | PAPA LA RUE'S BBQ | |
| 31 | Mad Tex BBQ | |
| 32 | B Lee's Barbecue | |
| 33 | THE BRISKET BROTHERS | |
| 34 | Ol' Blue BBQ | |
| 35 | White Smoke BBQ | |
| 36 | Woodies BBQ |
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 — Dessert
5 entries · top 180.0000 · median 176.5600 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BOOMERANG BBQ | |
| 2 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 3 | Jolley's Bad to the Bone Barbeque | |
| 4 | SMOKE HOUND BBQ | |
| 5 | Woodies BBQ |