3rd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship

Mar 19–20, 2021 · Olathe, KS · 📍 Lone Elm Soccer Complex · State championship

Reps: Forrest Bruce, Larry Hadley, Peg Rogers

🥇

The Boys in Que

702.2628 · Master Series — Overall

🥈

ALL FORKED UP FOR Q

697.0740 · Master Series — Overall

🥉

AMERICAN FIRE BBQ

695.9312 · Master Series — Overall

The Boys in Que won Grand Champion at the 3rd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship on March 19, 2021 in Olathe, KS at Lone Elm Soccer Complex, scoring 702.2628 in a field of 70 teams. ALL FORKED UP FOR Q took Reserve Grand Champion with 697.0740. Category winners: Chicken — GRINDERS BBQ KANSAS CITY (177.7028); Pork Ribs — DIRT ROAD BBQ (180.0000); Pork — The Boys in Que (180.0000); Brisket — SONS OF A BRISKET (180.0000).

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.

580.90 median 669.38 702.26 🏆

How the meats cooked

Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.

Chicken 177.70
Pork Ribs 180 🔥
Pork 180 🔥
Brisket 180 🔥

127.90 180

Entries

4 judged meats

Top score

702.2628

Winning margin

5.1888

GC over RC

Field average

664.31

580.90702.26

median 669.38 · last place to winner

Perfect 180s

3 🔥

SONS OF A BRISKET (Brisket), The Boys in Que (Pork), DIRT ROAD BBQ (Pork Ribs)

Tightest race

Pork Ribs

2.2972 pts across the top 5

Top-10 cutoff

691.3828

580.90702.26

10th place overall

Field spread

121.3600

winner to last place

Most consistent

The Boys in Que

avg finish 10.50 across 4 meats

Double threats

teams with 2+ top-5 calls

Widest winning margin

Pork

won by 1.7028 pts — The Boys in Que

How hot was the win?

Top 24%

beats 76% of 4714 Master Series wins in the data

Form held

Strong

ρ = -0.74 between pre-contest rating and finish

Field strength

1,600

avg power rating going in · stronger than 77% of contests

Top-rated in the field

DIRT ROAD BBQ

rated 1932 pre-contest

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.

An upset on the books

18-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 82 times in 100

The Boys in Que came in rated below the field's top team, DIRT ROAD BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 18-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.

champion 1665
top seed 1932

A day of perfect scores

3 perfect 180s

3 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.

SONS OF A BRISKET · Brisket
The Boys in Que · Pork
DIRT ROAD BBQ · Pork Ribs

Photo finishes

Tie closest of 16 calls decided inside half a point

Chicken places 3–4: MAD MUTT'S BBQ and MAN MEAT BBQ tied on 175.4056 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 5–6: ROCK N BLUES BBQ and SONS OF A BRISKET tied on 174.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 7–8: HIGH i QUE and AMERICAN FIRE BBQ tied on 174.8456 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.

Chicken 3–4 · tie
Chicken 5–6 · tie
Chicken 7–8 · tie
Pork Ribs 2–3 · tie

How the title was won

3 of 4 meats called to the stage

The Boys in Que took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was chicken at 27th.

Chicken 27th
Pork Ribs 9th
Pork 1st
Brisket 5th

One of the big ones

70 teams on the grounds

Bigger than 95% of the 5,468 contests in the data

70 teams — bigger than 95% of the 5,468 contests in the data.

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)

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

Category	1st	5th	10th
Chicken	177.7028	174.8572	174.2628
Pork Ribs	180	177.7028	175.4172
Pork	180	176.5716	175.4056
Brisket	180	176.5600	173.7256

Official results on kcbs.us ↗

Master Series

Overall

70 entries · top 702.2628 · median 669.3830

#	Team	Score
1	The Boys in Que	702.2628
2	ALL FORKED UP FOR Q	697.0740
3	AMERICAN FIRE BBQ	695.9312
4	HIGH i QUE	695.3712
5	913 BBQ	694.2284
6	MAN MEAT BBQ	694.2056
7	SONS OF A BRISKET	693.7032
8	Fergolicious BBQ	692.5372
9	Hog Diesel BBQ	692.5372
10	LOVE 2 Q	691.3828
11	TRIPLE H BBQ	690.8000
12	PROUD SOULS BARBECUE	690.2172
13	Cow Creek BBQ	688.5256
14	DIRT ROAD BBQ	688.5028
15	Heavy Smoke BBQ	688.4912
16	SLAPS BBQ	686.8000
17	MAD MUTT'S BBQ	685.0628
18	GETTIN' SAUCED	685.0284
19	MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	684.5372
20	GRINDERS BBQ KANSAS CITY	683.4056
21	WHO CARES BBQ	682.2856
22	SCORCHED DECK BBQ	682.1596
23	Ambition Que	681.7144
24	Dr. Squealgood BBQ	679.3140
25	Big Al and the Boys	678.2172
26	RICK'S RACKS	677.6460
27	Happy Grillmore	677.6344
28	PARTS 'R' SMOKIN	677.0284
29	RICHIE Z's	676.5256
30	SMOKIN VAN NORMAN	673.5884
31	GRILLIN' BEAVERS	673.1316
32	ROCK N BLUES BBQ	673.1312
33	Who Dat BBQ	671.8396
34	KC Butt Smokers	670.2172
35	Pine Tar BBQ	669.6688
36	BULL CREEK BBQ	669.0972
37	2 DRUNK 2 QUE	668.4684
38	ShowMeMoSmoke	666.7656
39	BYO GRILL	666.7544
40	Pirates of Bar-B-Que Bay	666.2056
41	Squealin N Dealin BBQ	665.0628
42	THIS BUTT'S FOR YOU - OLATHE, KS	665.0288
43	PARROTHEAD SMOKERS	664.4460
44	KEEP CALM & SAUCE ON	664.4456
45	UNFAMOUS DAVE'S	663.8856
46	MooreMeat KC BBQ	658.8232
47	Barking Dog BBQ	658.7768
48	Free Range Friends BBQ	652.9944
49	Dead Pigs Tell No Tails	652.4456
50	Booty Q BBQ	651.3828
51	LIFT, TILT, AND STAGGER BBQ	649.6800
52	END OF THE ROAD BBQ	649.6572
53	Wildhouse BBQ	649.6224
54	Bovine Swine and Dine	648.9600
55	Home City BBQ	647.8168
56	Three Legged Pig	641.6232
57	PUTTIN' IT IN YOUR MOUTH BBQ	640.5488
58	B&D BBQ	638.2168
59	The 28th Amendment	635.9092
60	Flying W North BBQ	634.7432
61	Sons of Barbeque	633.0288
62	A Song of Smoke and Fire	632.3652
63	Blackbeard BBQ	631.3484
64	Smoke Ring King BBQ	626.2056
65	SmOAKshow BBQ	620.4684
66	Pig in a Poke	615.9088
67	Low Budget BBQ	614.6976
68	Feline Ferocious	614.0232
69	Kesner Family BBQ	597.0056
70	Spice Guys	580.9028

Chicken

70 entries · top 177.7028 · median 167.9828

#	Team	Score
1	GRINDERS BBQ KANSAS CITY	177.7028
2	ALL FORKED UP FOR Q	176.5600
3	MAD MUTT'S BBQ	175.4056
4	MAN MEAT BBQ	175.4056
5	ROCK N BLUES BBQ	174.8572
6	SONS OF A BRISKET	174.8572
7	HIGH i QUE	174.8456
8	AMERICAN FIRE BBQ	174.8456
9	PARROTHEAD SMOKERS	174.2744
10	GETTIN' SAUCED	174.2628
11	Heavy Smoke BBQ	173.7144
12	RICHIE Z's	173.7028
13	Barking Dog BBQ	173.7028
14	Cow Creek BBQ	173.1772
15	DIRT ROAD BBQ	173.1316
16	SLAPS BBQ	173.1084
17	WHO CARES BBQ	172.5828
18	TRIPLE H BBQ	171.9772
19	Big Al and the Boys	171.9772
20	913 BBQ	171.9772
21	Squealin N Dealin BBQ	171.4400
22	LOVE 2 Q	171.4056
23	Hog Diesel BBQ	170.8572
24	Dr. Squealgood BBQ	170.8344
25	BYO GRILL	170.8228
26	UNFAMOUS DAVE'S	170.2972
27	The Boys in Que	170.2628
28	GRILLIN' BEAVERS	169.7372
29	Who Dat BBQ	169.6684
30	KEEP CALM & SAUCE ON	169.1200
31	BULL CREEK BBQ	169.1084
32	Happy Grillmore	168.5716
33	THIS BUTT'S FOR YOU - OLATHE, KS	168.5716
34	Bovine Swine and Dine	168.5600
35	2 DRUNK 2 QUE	167.9884
36	RICK'S RACKS	167.9772
37	Wildhouse BBQ	167.9656
38	MooreMeat KC BBQ	167.4516
39	PROUD SOULS BARBECUE	167.4056
40	Fergolicious BBQ	167.3944
41	Ambition Que	166.8572
42	Three Legged Pig	166.2860
43	KC Butt Smokers	166.2744
44	PUTTIN' IT IN YOUR MOUTH BBQ	166.2744
45	ShowMeMoSmoke	166.2400
46	Blackbeard BBQ	165.1428
47	SMOKIN VAN NORMAN	165.0972
48	PARTS 'R' SMOKIN	165.0856
49	Pine Tar BBQ	164.5600
50	MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	164.5372
51	SCORCHED DECK BBQ	164.5256
52	Dead Pigs Tell No Tails	164.5256
53	Booty Q BBQ	162.8456
54	Pirates of Bar-B-Que Bay	162.8456
55	Free Range Friends BBQ	162.2516
56	B&D BBQ	161.7144
57	Pig in a Poke	161.1088
58	Home City BBQ	161.0856
59	Sons of Barbeque	159.9888
60	Feline Ferocious	159.9428
61	END OF THE ROAD BBQ	158.7884
62	Kesner Family BBQ	158.2512
63	Spice Guys	157.1084
64	Flying W North BBQ	154.8116
65	LIFT, TILT, AND STAGGER BBQ	154.2516
66	Low Budget BBQ	152.5372
67	SmOAKshow BBQ	150.8572
68	The 28th Amendment	149.0972
69	A Song of Smoke and Fire	147.3828
70	Smoke Ring King BBQ	140.5488

Pork Ribs

70 entries · top 180 · median 168.2744 · 🔥 perfect 180

#	Team	Score
1	DIRT ROAD BBQ	180 🔥
2	MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	178.8572
3	ALL FORKED UP FOR Q	178.8572
4	Dead Pigs Tell No Tails	177.7144
5	AMERICAN FIRE BBQ	177.7028
6	GRINDERS BBQ KANSAS CITY	176.6172
7	GETTIN' SAUCED	176
8	HIGH i QUE	176
9	The Boys in Que	175.4400
10	913 BBQ	175.4172
11	PROUD SOULS BARBECUE	174.2860
12	Heavy Smoke BBQ	174.2856
13	ShowMeMoSmoke	173.7144
14	ROCK N BLUES BBQ	173.1428
15	Ambition Que	173.1316
16	Fergolicious BBQ	173.1200
17	Cow Creek BBQ	172.5600
18	END OF THE ROAD BBQ	172
19	PARTS 'R' SMOKIN	171.9772
20	SLAPS BBQ	171.4172
21	Big Al and the Boys	171.4172
22	LOVE 2 Q	170.8572
23	TRIPLE H BBQ	170.8344
24	MAN MEAT BBQ	170.8228
25	Hog Diesel BBQ	170.8228
26	WHO CARES BBQ	170.3200
27	SONS OF A BRISKET	169.7032
28	Free Range Friends BBQ	169.6800
29	SCORCHED DECK BBQ	169.6684
30	MAD MUTT'S BBQ	169.1200
31	BYO GRILL	169.1200
32	RICK'S RACKS	168.5716
33	Squealin N Dealin BBQ	168.5600
34	Who Dat BBQ	168.5600
35	Booty Q BBQ	168.5600
36	Pine Tar BBQ	167.9888
37	PUTTIN' IT IN YOUR MOUTH BBQ	167.4744
38	LIFT, TILT, AND STAGGER BBQ	167.4284
39	The 28th Amendment	167.4060
40	Happy Grillmore	166.8460
41	KC Butt Smokers	166.8344
42	GRILLIN' BEAVERS	166.2856
43	A Song of Smoke and Fire	166.2512
44	PARROTHEAD SMOKERS	165.6916
45	SMOKIN VAN NORMAN	165.6800
46	Pirates of Bar-B-Que Bay	165.1316
47	Dr. Squealgood BBQ	164.5140
48	Wildhouse BBQ	164.0228
49	RICHIE Z's	164
50	2 DRUNK 2 QUE	163.4172
51	MooreMeat KC BBQ	162.8460
52	Sons of Barbeque	162.2628
53	Smoke Ring King BBQ	162.2628
54	Flying W North BBQ	159.9656
55	Barking Dog BBQ	159.9656
56	UNFAMOUS DAVE'S	158.8000
57	Pig in a Poke	157.1544
58	B&D BBQ	157.1200
59	Three Legged Pig	155.9428
60	THIS BUTT'S FOR YOU - OLATHE, KS	154.2172
61	BULL CREEK BBQ	153.1316
62	KEEP CALM & SAUCE ON	151.9428
63	Kesner Family BBQ	151.3944
64	SmOAKshow BBQ	150.2628
65	Blackbeard BBQ	149.6800
66	Home City BBQ	149.6344
67	Low Budget BBQ	147.9428
68	Bovine Swine and Dine	147.8972
69	Spice Guys	146.2516
70	Feline Ferocious	143.9316

Pork

70 entries · top 180 · median 168.8400 · 🔥 perfect 180

#	Team	Score
1	The Boys in Que	180 🔥
2	MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	178.2972
3	LOVE 2 Q	177.1428
4	Dr. Squealgood BBQ	177.1428
5	GRILLIN' BEAVERS	176.5716
6	Who Dat BBQ	176.5600
7	SCORCHED DECK BBQ	176
8	SMOKIN VAN NORMAN	175.4056
9	PROUD SOULS BARBECUE	175.4056
10	TRIPLE H BBQ	175.4056
11	Fergolicious BBQ	174.8800
12	BULL CREEK BBQ	174.8572
13	RICHIE Z's	174.8456
14	Pine Tar BBQ	174.2744
15	THIS BUTT'S FOR YOU - OLATHE, KS	174.2744
16	RICK'S RACKS	174.2628
17	Cow Creek BBQ	174.2628
18	Hog Diesel BBQ	174.2628
19	KEEP CALM & SAUCE ON	174.2628
20	MAN MEAT BBQ	173.7144
21	913 BBQ	173.1084
22	HIGH i QUE	173.1084
23	UNFAMOUS DAVE'S	171.9772
24	AMERICAN FIRE BBQ	171.9656
25	The 28th Amendment	170.8572
26	KC Butt Smokers	170.8456
27	Ambition Que	170.8456
28	Big Al and the Boys	170.8228
29	GETTIN' SAUCED	170.8228
30	Happy Grillmore	170.8112
31	MooreMeat KC BBQ	170.2628
32	2 DRUNK 2 QUE	169.6800
33	END OF THE ROAD BBQ	169.1772
34	SONS OF A BRISKET	169.1428
35	SmOAKshow BBQ	169.1200
36	MAD MUTT'S BBQ	168.5600
37	Bovine Swine and Dine	168.5600
38	Pirates of Bar-B-Que Bay	168.5140
39	Smoke Ring King BBQ	168
40	WHO CARES BBQ	167.9772
41	PARTS 'R' SMOKIN	167.9656
42	SLAPS BBQ	167.9656
43	DIRT ROAD BBQ	167.4056
44	ALL FORKED UP FOR Q	167.3712
45	Home City BBQ	166.2740
46	LIFT, TILT, AND STAGGER BBQ	166.2628
47	B&D BBQ	165.6912
48	Flying W North BBQ	165.1544
49	Low Budget BBQ	165.1432
50	GRINDERS BBQ KANSAS CITY	165.1200
51	Blackbeard BBQ	164.0228
52	PARROTHEAD SMOKERS	163.3828
53	Heavy Smoke BBQ	161.6340
54	Sons of Barbeque	161.1200
55	Squealin N Dealin BBQ	159.9656
56	Barking Dog BBQ	159.4056
57	Three Legged Pig	156.5372
58	Booty Q BBQ	156
59	BYO GRILL	155.9772
60	A Song of Smoke and Fire	155.9312
61	ROCK N BLUES BBQ	155.4284
62	Dead Pigs Tell No Tails	154.8000
63	Wildhouse BBQ	154.7884
64	Feline Ferocious	153.0744
65	Free Range Friends BBQ	153.0628
66	Pig in a Poke	152.5600
67	ShowMeMoSmoke	151.9312
68	Spice Guys	149.6456
69	PUTTIN' IT IN YOUR MOUTH BBQ	142.2400
70	Kesner Family BBQ	134.2400

Brisket

70 entries · top 180 · median 166.5428 · 🔥 perfect 180

#	Team	Score
1	SONS OF A BRISKET	180 🔥
2	Heavy Smoke BBQ	178.8572
3	Fergolicious BBQ	177.1428
4	Hog Diesel BBQ	176.5944
5	The Boys in Que	176.5600
6	ShowMeMoSmoke	174.8800
7	SLAPS BBQ	174.3088
8	ALL FORKED UP FOR Q	174.2856
9	MAN MEAT BBQ	174.2628
10	913 BBQ	173.7256
11	PROUD SOULS BARBECUE	173.1200
12	TRIPLE H BBQ	172.5828
13	BULL CREEK BBQ	172
14	PARTS 'R' SMOKIN	172
15	MAD MUTT'S BBQ	171.9772
16	LOVE 2 Q	171.9772
17	SCORCHED DECK BBQ	171.9656
18	HIGH i QUE	171.4172
19	AMERICAN FIRE BBQ	171.4172
20	WHO CARES BBQ	171.4056
21	Happy Grillmore	171.4056
22	Ambition Que	170.8800
23	BYO GRILL	170.8344
24	Home City BBQ	170.8228
25	Pirates of Bar-B-Que Bay	169.7144
26	ROCK N BLUES BBQ	169.7028
27	KEEP CALM & SAUCE ON	169.1200
28	Cow Creek BBQ	168.5256
29	Free Range Friends BBQ	168
30	THIS BUTT'S FOR YOU - OLATHE, KS	167.9656
31	DIRT ROAD BBQ	167.9656
32	SMOKIN VAN NORMAN	167.4056
33	2 DRUNK 2 QUE	167.3828
34	RICK'S RACKS	166.8344
35	Dr. Squealgood BBQ	166.8228
36	KC Butt Smokers	166.2628
37	Barking Dog BBQ	165.7028
38	Squealin N Dealin BBQ	165.0972
39	PUTTIN' IT IN YOUR MOUTH BBQ	164.5600
40	Big Al and the Boys	164
41	RICHIE Z's	163.9772
42	Booty Q BBQ	163.9772
43	GRINDERS BBQ KANSAS CITY	163.9656
44	GETTIN' SAUCED	163.9428
45	Bovine Swine and Dine	163.9428
46	Three Legged Pig	162.8572
47	MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	162.8456
48	Wildhouse BBQ	162.8456
49	Pine Tar BBQ	162.8456
50	UNFAMOUS DAVE'S	162.8112
51	A Song of Smoke and Fire	162.8000
52	LIFT, TILT, AND STAGGER BBQ	161.7372
53	PARROTHEAD SMOKERS	161.0972
54	GRILLIN' BEAVERS	160.5372
55	MooreMeat KC BBQ	158.2628
56	Feline Ferocious	157.0744
57	Who Dat BBQ	157.0512
58	Dead Pigs Tell No Tails	155.4056
59	Smoke Ring King BBQ	155.3940
60	Flying W North BBQ	154.8116
61	B&D BBQ	153.6912
62	Kesner Family BBQ	153.1200
63	Blackbeard BBQ	152.5028
64	SmOAKshow BBQ	150.2284
65	END OF THE ROAD BBQ	149.6916
66	Sons of Barbeque	149.6572
67	Low Budget BBQ	149.0744
68	The 28th Amendment	148.5488
69	Pig in a Poke	145.0856
70	Spice Guys	127.8972

3rd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship

The contest at a glance (read off the scored boards)

How the field scored

How the meats cooked

Entries

Top score

Winning margin

Field average

Perfect 180s

Tightest race

Top-10 cutoff

Field spread

Most consistent

Double threats

Widest winning margin

How hot was the win?

Form held

Field strength

Top-rated in the field

Storylines (5 found in this contest's numbers)

An upset on the books

A day of perfect scores

Photo finishes

How the title was won

One of the big ones

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)

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