A statement win
9.1772
points clear of the field
Wider than 85% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The champion won by 9.1772 points — a wider margin than 85% of championships in the data.
BBQ, Boots & Brew 2021
May 21–22, 2021 · Perris, CA · 📍 2201 S A Street · State championship
Reps: Michael Santiago, Rhonda Santiago · Prize money: $5,000
BIG POPPA SMOKERS won Grand Champion at the BBQ, Boots & Brew on May 21, 2021 in Perris, CA at 2201 S A Street, scoring 706.2284 in a field of 25 teams. HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 697.0512. Category winners: Chicken — HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ (177.7028); Pork Ribs — DAD'S CHILLIN' AND GRILLIN' BBQ (177.1428); Pork — BIG POPPA SMOKERS (178.8572); Brisket — BIG POPPA SMOKERS (177.7028). This is the 1st of 5 editions of this contest on record; the next was held in 2022.
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.
307.89
median 668.48
706.23 🏆
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 177.14
- Pork 178.86
- Brisket 177.70
142.18
178.86
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2021 to 2025 — this edition picked out.
Entries
25
4 judged meats
Top score
706.2284
Winning margin
9.1772
GC over RC
Field average
634.93
307.89706.23
median 668.48 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Brisket
3.4284 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
678.1828
307.89706.23
10th place overall
Field spread
398.3428
winner to last place
Prize money
$5,000
on the line
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 11%
beats 89% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.62 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,606
avg power rating going in · stronger than 81% 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.
A dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 5 tracked editions
Meat Candy Q has won this contest 2 times across its 5 tracked editions.
- 2022
- 2023
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 8 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 1–2: HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ and BIG POPPA SMOKERS tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 2–3: THE BRISKET BROTHERS and HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 3–4: HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ and GETTIN' BASTED tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 1–2 · tie
- Pork 2–3 · tie
- Pork 3–4 · tie
- Pork 5–6 · tie
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
BIG POPPA SMOKERS won Pork, Brisket — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 1st
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
BIG POPPA SMOKERS took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 2 outright wins — their weakest board was pork ribs at 5th.
- Chicken 2nd
- Pork Ribs 5th
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 1st
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2021 ← this one | Perris, CA | 2201 S A Street | 25 | 706.2284 | Big Poppa Smokers | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ |
| Apr 8, 2022 | Perris, CA | 2201 S A Street | 29 | 702.2512 | Meat Candy Q | PROUD SOULS BARBECUE |
| Apr 28, 2023 | Perris, CA | 2201 South | 33 | 713.7144 | Meat Candy Q | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ |
| Apr 12, 2024 | Perris, CA | 2201 South | 39 | 705.6800 | Rhythm 'N Que | Meat Candy Q |
| Apr 11, 2025 | Perris, CA | 2201 South A Street | 26 | 695.9544 | Porterhouse BBQ | B' MACKIN BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.7028 | 173.1084 | 168.5484 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.1428 | 171.9656 | 166.2400 |
| Pork | 178.8572 | 174.2628 | 168.5256 |
| Brisket | 177.7028 | 174.2744 | 169.6800 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
25 entries · top 706.2284 · median 668.4800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 2 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 3 | GETTIN' BASTED | |
| 4 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 5 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 6 | DAD'S CHILLIN' AND GRILLIN' BBQ | |
| 7 | The BBQ Asylum | |
| 8 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 9 | 2LiveQ | |
| 10 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 11 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | |
| 12 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 13 | Big Red BBQ | |
| 14 | Semper Smokin' | |
| 15 | LADY OF Q | |
| 16 | 5TH GEAR BBQ | |
| 17 | THE BRISKET BROTHERS | |
| 18 | SMOKE & SWILL | |
| 19 | SMOKIFIED QUE | |
| 20 | Ant's Backyard BBQ | |
| 21 | One Thumb Barbeque | |
| 22 | El Titi Carnitas & BBQ | |
| 23 | Pike's Iron Wagon | |
| 24 | Howzit BBQ | |
| 25 | Two Brothers Barbeque |
Chicken
24 entries · top 177.7028 · median 167.7200
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 2 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 3 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 4 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 5 | The BBQ Asylum | |
| 6 | 2LiveQ | |
| 7 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 8 | SMOKIFIED QUE | |
| 9 | LADY OF Q | |
| 10 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 11 | GETTIN' BASTED | |
| 12 | Ant's Backyard BBQ | |
| 13 | Semper Smokin' | |
| 14 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 15 | DAD'S CHILLIN' AND GRILLIN' BBQ | |
| 16 | Howzit BBQ | |
| 17 | SMOKE & SWILL | |
| 18 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | |
| 19 | 5TH GEAR BBQ | |
| 20 | Big Red BBQ | |
| 21 | THE BRISKET BROTHERS | |
| 22 | El Titi Carnitas & BBQ | |
| 23 | Pike's Iron Wagon | |
| 24 | One Thumb Barbeque |
Pork Ribs
25 entries · top 177.1428 · median 165.0972
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DAD'S CHILLIN' AND GRILLIN' BBQ | |
| 2 | GETTIN' BASTED | |
| 3 | The BBQ Asylum | |
| 4 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 5 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 6 | Semper Smokin' | |
| 7 | 2LiveQ | |
| 8 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 9 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | |
| 10 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 11 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 12 | LADY OF Q | |
| 13 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 14 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 15 | THE BRISKET BROTHERS | |
| 16 | El Titi Carnitas & BBQ | |
| 17 | SMOKE & SWILL | |
| 18 | 5TH GEAR BBQ | |
| 19 | Ant's Backyard BBQ | |
| 20 | Big Red BBQ | |
| 21 | SMOKIFIED QUE | |
| 22 | One Thumb Barbeque | |
| 23 | Howzit BBQ | |
| 24 | Two Brothers Barbeque | |
| 25 | Pike's Iron Wagon |
Pork
24 entries · top 178.8572 · median 167.4000
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 2 | THE BRISKET BROTHERS | |
| 3 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 4 | GETTIN' BASTED | |
| 5 | Big Red BBQ | |
| 6 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 7 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | |
| 8 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 9 | DAD'S CHILLIN' AND GRILLIN' BBQ | |
| 10 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 11 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 12 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 13 | 5TH GEAR BBQ | |
| 14 | Semper Smokin' | |
| 15 | The BBQ Asylum | |
| 16 | 2LiveQ | |
| 17 | SMOKIFIED QUE | |
| 18 | SMOKE & SWILL | |
| 19 | LADY OF Q | |
| 20 | Two Brothers Barbeque | |
| 21 | Ant's Backyard BBQ | |
| 22 | One Thumb Barbeque | |
| 23 | Pike's Iron Wagon | |
| 24 | El Titi Carnitas & BBQ |
Brisket
23 entries · top 177.7028 · median 168.5256
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 2 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 3 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 4 | GETTIN' BASTED | |
| 5 | Big Red BBQ | |
| 6 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 7 | 2LiveQ | |
| 8 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | |
| 9 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 10 | 5TH GEAR BBQ | |
| 11 | DAD'S CHILLIN' AND GRILLIN' BBQ | |
| 12 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 13 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 14 | The BBQ Asylum | |
| 15 | LADY OF Q | |
| 16 | Semper Smokin' | |
| 17 | Ant's Backyard BBQ | |
| 18 | SMOKE & SWILL | |
| 19 | SMOKIFIED QUE | |
| 20 | THE BRISKET BROTHERS | |
| 21 | Pike's Iron Wagon | |
| 22 | One Thumb Barbeque | |
| 23 | El Titi Carnitas & BBQ |