A dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 8 tracked editions
SMELLAQUE has won this contest 2 times across its 8 tracked editions.
- 2016
- 2019
BBQ on the Bow 2020
Sep 26–27, 2020 · Didsbury, AB · CANADA
Reps: Brenda Black, Ken Black
PRAIRIE SMOKE & SPICE BBQ won Grand Champion at the BBQ on the Bow on September 26, 2020 in Didsbury, AB, scoring 662.7656 in a field of 21 teams. SMELLAQUE took Reserve Grand Champion with 657.2000. Category winners: Chicken — PRAIRIE SMOKE & SPICE BBQ (169.7028); Pork Ribs — SMELLAQUE (174.8916); Pork — PRAIRIE SMOKE & SPICE BBQ (173.1200); Brisket — SMELLAQUE (173.1544). This is the 7th of 8 editions of this contest on record; the 2019 edition was won by SmellaQue; the next was held in 2021.
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.
574.78
median 626.16
662.77 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 169.70
- Pork Ribs 174.89
- Pork 173.12
- Brisket 173.15
137.66
174.89
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2021 — this edition picked out.
Entries
21
4 judged meats
Top score
662.7656
Winning margin
5.5656
GC over RC
Field average
625.77
574.78662.77
median 626.16 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Chicken
7.4172 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
627.4972
574.78662.77
10th place overall
Field spread
87.9884
winner to last place
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 99%
beats 1% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
29%
11 of 38 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.44 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,548
avg power rating going in · stronger than 36% 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
Pork places 3–4: BIGG SMOAK BBQ and 403 BBQ CO tied on 167.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 9–10: Double Aces Backyard Barbecue and GRIZZLY PAW SMOKERS tied on 161.1544 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 2–3: GRIZZLY PAW SMOKERS edged BIGG SMOAK BBQ by 0.0112.
- Pork 3–4 · tie
- Pork 9–10 · tie
- Chicken 2–3 · 0.0112
- Pork Ribs 5–6 · 0.0116
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
PRAIRIE SMOKE & SPICE BBQ won Chicken, Pork — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork 1st
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
PRAIRIE SMOKE & SPICE BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 2 outright wins — their weakest board was brisket at 6th.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 5th
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 6th
Back to defend
2
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: SMELLAQUE (won 2016, 2019), ROCKY MOUNTAIN SMOKERS (won 2017).
- SMELLAQUE · 2016, 2019
- ROCKY MOUNTAIN SMOKERS · 2017
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 31, 2013 | Calgary, Alberta, CA | Calgary, Alberta, Ca | 26 | 657.6796 | HOUSE OF Q | ROCKY MOUNTAIN SMOKERS |
| Sep 5, 2015 | Calgary, AB | Calgary, Alberta, T2W3J6 | 35 | 671.9312 | Bordertown Bar-B-Que | SMELLAQUE |
| Sep 3, 2016 | Calgary, Alberta, CA | Montgomery Community | 35 | 681.7144 | SMELLAQUE | ARROWHEAD NORTH BBQ |
| Sep 2, 2017 | Calgary | Montgomery Community Association | 42 | 666.2400 | ROCKY MOUNTAIN SMOKERS | SMELLAQUE |
| Sep 1, 2018 | Calgary | Montgomery Community Association | 43 | 677.7140 | HOME COOKIN' BBQ | BIGG SMOAK BBQ |
| Aug 31, 2019 | Calgary | 5003 16 Ave NW | 37 | 670.2972 | SmellaQue | RUSTY'S BBQ |
| Sep 26, 2020 ← this one | Didsbury, AB | Didsbury, Alberta, | 21 | 662.7656 | Prairie Smoke & Spice | SMELLAQUE |
| Sep 4, 2021 | Didsbury, AB | Rosebud Valley Campground | 29 | 677.7712 | Meat Sweats | THE DEVIL MADE ME Q IT |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 169.7028 | 162.2856 | 155.9660 |
| Pork Ribs | 174.8916 | 158.2744 | 155.9544 |
| Pork | 173.1200 | 165.6800 | 161.1544 |
| Brisket | 173.1544 | 161.7028 | 156.5144 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
21 entries · top 662.7656 · median 626.1600
Chicken
21 entries · top 169.7028 · median 155.4172
Pork Ribs
21 entries · top 174.8916 · median 155.4516
Pork
21 entries · top 173.1200 · median 161.1428
Brisket
21 entries · top 173.1544 · median 155.9428