Aug 20–21, 2021 · Worland, WY · 📍 501 15 Mile Rd. · State championship
Reps: Alfred T Bowen, Fran Bowen · Prize money: $10,000
AMERICAN HEROES BBQ won Grand Champion at the Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ Championships & Bluegrass Festival on August 20, 2021 in Worland, WY at 501 15 Mile Rd., scoring 694.8000 in a field of 30 teams. GRILLIN' BEAVERS took Reserve Grand Champion with 693.6804. Category winners: Chicken — SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ (177.7144); Pork Ribs — WYO SMOKE SHOW (178.8572); Pork — PAPA'S PIT CREW (177.1544); Brisket — AMERICAN HEROES BBQ (177.1428). This is the 1st of 4 editions of this contest on record; the next was held in 2022.
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
What it has taken to win here, 2021 to 2026 — this edition picked out.
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
Closer than 84% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.1196 points — closer than 84% of every championship in the data.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 69 times in 100
AMERICAN HEROES BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, PARROTHEAD SMOKERS, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 31-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
This was American Heroes BBQ's first Grand Championship in the data — it arrived at their 28th tracked contest.
2 of 4 tracked editions
American Heroes BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 4 tracked editions.
Chicken places 5–6: BACKDRAFT BBQ and Bear Bonz Competition BBQ tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 2–3: BACKDRAFT BBQ and SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 2–3: LaTa-Que and BEER BELLY BBQ tied on 175.4056 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
AMERICAN HEROES BBQ took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was chicken at 12th.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 20, 2021 ← this one | Worland, WY | 501 15 Mile Rd. | 30 | 694.8000 | American Heroes BBQ | GRILLIN' BEAVERS |
| Aug 19, 2022 | Worland, WY | 501 15 Mile Rd. | 29 | 701.1088 | American Heroes BBQ | Fergolicious BBQ |
| Aug 18, 2023 | Worland, WY | 501 15 Mile Rd. | 27 | 706.2400 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | PIGGIN' WHISKEY |
| Aug 14, 2026 | Worland, WY | 501 15 Mile Rd. | 29 | 699.9428 | B-S BBQ Outlaws | Papa's Pit Crew |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.7144 | 174.2628 | 170.8460 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.8572 | 174.2972 | 169.6684 |
| Pork | 177.1544 | 171.9772 | 169.1200 |
| Brisket | 177.1428 | 174.2628 | 169.1772 |
30 entries · top 694.8000 · median 666.4284
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 2 | GRILLIN' BEAVERS | |
| 3 | BACKDRAFT BBQ | |
| 4 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 5 | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 6 | ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ | |
| 7 | G AND L BBQ | |
| 8 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 9 | WYO SMOKE SHOW | |
| 10 | LaTa-Que | |
| 11 | Whistle Pig BBQ | |
| 12 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 13 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 14 | Hubbards Smokin Kubbard | |
| 15 | M-DUBS BBQ | |
| 16 | LOST WEEKEND GRILL | |
| 17 | BRACKEN RACKS BBQ | |
| 18 | Bear Bonz Competition BBQ | |
| 19 | Rouxlin Smoke BBQ | |
| 20 | Barr's BQ | |
| 21 | Smoke Eaters | |
| 22 | BBQ ODYSSEY | |
| 23 | Chubby Cheeks BBQ | |
| 24 | BURNINTHE BONE BBQ | |
| 25 | LoneSmoke BBQ | |
| 26 | 3 Smokin Chicks | |
| 27 | UNRULY SMOKERS | |
| 28 | Poor Richard's BBQ | |
| 29 | Sochie's BBQ | |
| 30 | Half Baked Hippies |
29 entries · top 177.7144 · median 168.5600
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 2 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 3 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 4 | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 5 | BACKDRAFT BBQ | |
| 6 | Bear Bonz Competition BBQ | |
| 7 | LOST WEEKEND GRILL | |
| 8 | BRACKEN RACKS BBQ | |
| 9 | G AND L BBQ | |
| 10 | GRILLIN' BEAVERS | |
| 11 | Whistle Pig BBQ | |
| 12 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 13 | LaTa-Que | |
| 14 | ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ | |
| 15 | Hubbards Smokin Kubbard | |
| 16 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 17 | BURNINTHE BONE BBQ | |
| 18 | M-DUBS BBQ | |
| 19 | WYO SMOKE SHOW | |
| 20 | UNRULY SMOKERS | |
| 21 | 3 Smokin Chicks | |
| 22 | Rouxlin Smoke BBQ | |
| 23 | LoneSmoke BBQ | |
| 24 | BBQ ODYSSEY | |
| 25 | Chubby Cheeks BBQ | |
| 26 | Barr's BQ | |
| 27 | Smoke Eaters | |
| 28 | Sochie's BBQ | |
| 29 | Poor Richard's BBQ |
30 entries · top 178.8572 · median 163.3886
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WYO SMOKE SHOW | |
| 2 | BACKDRAFT BBQ | |
| 3 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 4 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 5 | GRILLIN' BEAVERS | |
| 6 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 7 | ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ | |
| 8 | Bear Bonz Competition BBQ | |
| 9 | Whistle Pig BBQ | |
| 10 | M-DUBS BBQ | |
| 11 | G AND L BBQ | |
| 12 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 13 | Chubby Cheeks BBQ | |
| 14 | LaTa-Que | |
| 15 | Hubbards Smokin Kubbard | |
| 16 | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 17 | Rouxlin Smoke BBQ | |
| 18 | Smoke Eaters | |
| 19 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 20 | BBQ ODYSSEY | |
| 21 | LOST WEEKEND GRILL | |
| 22 | Poor Richard's BBQ | |
| 23 | Half Baked Hippies | |
| 24 | BRACKEN RACKS BBQ | |
| 25 | BURNINTHE BONE BBQ | |
| 26 | LoneSmoke BBQ | |
| 27 | 3 Smokin Chicks | |
| 28 | Barr's BQ | |
| 29 | UNRULY SMOKERS | |
| 30 | Sochie's BBQ |
30 entries · top 177.1544 · median 165.9658
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 2 | Hubbards Smokin Kubbard | |
| 3 | GRILLIN' BEAVERS | |
| 4 | G AND L BBQ | |
| 5 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 6 | ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ | |
| 7 | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 8 | Whistle Pig BBQ | |
| 9 | BRACKEN RACKS BBQ | |
| 10 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 11 | LOST WEEKEND GRILL | |
| 12 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 13 | BACKDRAFT BBQ | |
| 14 | Bear Bonz Competition BBQ | |
| 15 | M-DUBS BBQ | |
| 16 | LaTa-Que | |
| 17 | WYO SMOKE SHOW | |
| 18 | Half Baked Hippies | |
| 19 | Barr's BQ | |
| 20 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 21 | Sochie's BBQ | |
| 22 | Rouxlin Smoke BBQ | |
| 23 | Smoke Eaters | |
| 24 | BBQ ODYSSEY | |
| 25 | Poor Richard's BBQ | |
| 26 | LoneSmoke BBQ | |
| 27 | Chubby Cheeks BBQ | |
| 28 | UNRULY SMOKERS | |
| 29 | 3 Smokin Chicks | |
| 30 | BURNINTHE BONE BBQ |
30 entries · top 177.1428 · median 164.8344
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 2 | LaTa-Que | |
| 3 | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 4 | GRILLIN' BEAVERS | |
| 5 | BACKDRAFT BBQ | |
| 6 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 7 | WYO SMOKE SHOW | |
| 8 | M-DUBS BBQ | |
| 9 | Half Baked Hippies | |
| 10 | Barr's BQ | |
| 11 | ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ | |
| 12 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 13 | Whistle Pig BBQ | |
| 14 | G AND L BBQ | |
| 15 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 16 | Hubbards Smokin Kubbard | |
| 17 | BRACKEN RACKS BBQ | |
| 18 | LOST WEEKEND GRILL | |
| 19 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 20 | BBQ ODYSSEY | |
| 21 | Smoke Eaters | |
| 22 | Rouxlin Smoke BBQ | |
| 23 | 3 Smokin Chicks | |
| 24 | Chubby Cheeks BBQ | |
| 25 | UNRULY SMOKERS | |
| 26 | Bear Bonz Competition BBQ | |
| 27 | BURNINTHE BONE BBQ | |
| 28 | LoneSmoke BBQ | |
| 29 | Poor Richard's BBQ | |
| 30 | Sochie's BBQ |
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.
13 entries · top 176.5600 · median 168.5256
18 entries · top 176.5600 · median 167.6684