A new contest record
703.9312
highest overall ever cooked here
703.9312 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 693.7028 Sin Circle BBQ set in 2020.
- old record 693.7028
- set 2020 by Sin Circle BBQ
Hill City Wine Brew and BBQ Fest 2021
Aug 27–28, 2021 · Hill City, SD · State championship
Reps: Del Anderson, Michael Winter · Prize money: $15,900
SLAPS BBQ won Grand Champion at the Hill City Wine Brew and BBQ Fest on August 27, 2021 in Hill City, SD, scoring 703.9312 in a field of 31 teams. GETTIN' BASTED took Reserve Grand Champion with 701.6456. Category winners: Chicken — LAST CALL HEROES BBQ (178.2972); Pork Ribs — Honey Do Bbq (177.1544); Pork — PROUD SOULS BARBECUE (180.0000); Brisket — LAST CALL HEROES BBQ (178.8572). This is the 2nd of 2 editions of this contest on record; the 2020 edition was won by Sin Circle BBQ.
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.
591.76
median 680.47
703.93 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 178.30
- Pork Ribs 177.15
- Pork 180 🔥
- Brisket 178.86
140.50
180
Entries
31
4 judged meats · 3 ancillary
Top score
703.9312
Winning margin
2.2856
GC over RC
Field average
673.04
591.76703.93
median 680.47 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
1.7372 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
688.4684
591.76703.93
10th place overall
Field spread
112.1712
winner to last place
Prize money
$15,900
on the line
Double threats
4
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 19%
beats 81% of 4715 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
44%
19 of 43 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.6 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,638
avg power rating going in · stronger than 93% of contests
Storylines (8 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.
Won without a category win
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
SLAPS BBQ won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 4 calls from 4 boards, best of them 4th. Consistency beat fireworks.
- Chicken 8th
- Pork Ribs 4th
- Pork 4th
- Brisket 5th
A stacked field
1638
average power rating going in
Stronger than 93% of every rated contest
The field averaged a 1638 power rating going in — stronger than 93% of every contest tracked.
- top seed GETTIN' BASTED (1975)
- 31 rated teams
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 13 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 5–6: RUB MY RACK and SHELLBACK BBQ tied on 176.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 8–9: SLAPS BBQ and GETTIN' BASTED tied on 175.4056 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 3–4: GETTIN' BASTED and SLAPS BBQ tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 5–6 · tie
- Chicken 8–9 · tie
- Pork Ribs 3–4 · tie
- Pork Ribs 4–5 · tie
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
LAST CALL HEROES BBQ won Chicken, Brisket — a double.
- Chicken 1st
- Brisket 1st
A contest record in pork
180.0000
best pork ever cooked here
PROUD SOULS BARBECUE turned in 180.0000 in pork — past the 178.8572 that had stood across 1 earlier editions.
- old best 178.8572
- across 1 past editions
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Sin Circle BBQ (won 2020).
- Sin Circle BBQ · 2020
A perfect score on the table
1
perfect 180s
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
- PROUD SOULS BARBECUE · Pork
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 21, 2020 | Hill City, SD | Hill City, SD 57745 | 43 | 693.7028 | Sin Circle BBQ | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ |
| Aug 27, 2021 ← this one | Hill City, SD | Hill City, SD 57745 | 31 | 703.9312 | Slaps BBQ | GETTIN' BASTED |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 178.2972 | 176 | 174.2972 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.1544 | 175.4172 | 174.2628 |
| Pork | 180 | 177.1544 | 171.9772 |
| Brisket | 178.8572 | 175.4056 | 171.4056 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
31 entries · top 703.9312 · median 680.4684
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SLAPS BBQ | |
| 2 | GETTIN' BASTED | |
| 3 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 4 | BURNT TREES BBQ | |
| 5 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 6 | RICHIE Z's | |
| 7 | BACKDRAFT BBQ | |
| 8 | Who Dat BBQ | |
| 9 | Eggspert BBQ | |
| 10 | PROUD SOULS BARBECUE | |
| 11 | Florida Boy's BBQ | |
| 12 | WYO SMOKE SHOW | |
| 13 | UNCLE J'S | |
| 14 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 15 | SHELLBACK BBQ | |
| 16 | RUB MY RACK | |
| 17 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 18 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 19 | LaTa-Que | |
| 20 | LOST WEEKEND GRILL | |
| 21 | BIG DADDY'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 22 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 23 | Happy Burnt Endings | |
| 24 | BnB BBQ | |
| 25 | Papas Pit Crew | |
| 26 | Meat Machine BBQ | |
| 27 | Honey Do Bbq | |
| 28 | ROLLIN' SMOKE BBQ SD | |
| 29 | Bear Bonz Competition BBQ | |
| 30 | Wild West BBQ | |
| 31 | Sousleys Hillbilly Barbeque |
Chicken
31 entries · top 178.2972 · median 171.9772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 2 | Eggspert BBQ | |
| 3 | Florida Boy's BBQ | |
| 4 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 5 | RUB MY RACK | |
| 6 | SHELLBACK BBQ | |
| 7 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 8 | SLAPS BBQ | |
| 9 | GETTIN' BASTED | |
| 10 | Happy Burnt Endings | |
| 11 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 12 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 13 | BACKDRAFT BBQ | |
| 14 | RICHIE Z's | |
| 15 | UNCLE J'S | |
| 16 | PROUD SOULS BARBECUE | |
| 17 | WYO SMOKE SHOW | |
| 18 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 19 | BnB BBQ | |
| 20 | Papas Pit Crew | |
| 21 | BIG DADDY'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 22 | Who Dat BBQ | |
| 23 | LOST WEEKEND GRILL | |
| 24 | LaTa-Que | |
| 25 | BURNT TREES BBQ | |
| 26 | Meat Machine BBQ | |
| 27 | ROLLIN' SMOKE BBQ SD | |
| 28 | Bear Bonz Competition BBQ | |
| 29 | Honey Do Bbq | |
| 30 | Sousleys Hillbilly Barbeque | |
| 31 | Wild West BBQ |
Pork Ribs
31 entries · top 177.1544 · median 169.6800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Honey Do Bbq | |
| 2 | Meat Machine BBQ | |
| 3 | GETTIN' BASTED | |
| 4 | SLAPS BBQ | |
| 5 | BACKDRAFT BBQ | |
| 6 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 7 | Who Dat BBQ | |
| 8 | RICHIE Z's | |
| 9 | BURNT TREES BBQ | |
| 10 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 11 | WYO SMOKE SHOW | |
| 12 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 13 | SHELLBACK BBQ | |
| 14 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 15 | BnB BBQ | |
| 16 | Eggspert BBQ | |
| 17 | RUB MY RACK | |
| 18 | PROUD SOULS BARBECUE | |
| 19 | LOST WEEKEND GRILL | |
| 20 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 21 | BIG DADDY'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 22 | UNCLE J'S | |
| 23 | Florida Boy's BBQ | |
| 24 | Papas Pit Crew | |
| 25 | Bear Bonz Competition BBQ | |
| 26 | LaTa-Que | |
| 27 | ROLLIN' SMOKE BBQ SD | |
| 28 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 29 | Happy Burnt Endings | |
| 30 | Wild West BBQ | |
| 31 | Sousleys Hillbilly Barbeque |
Pork
31 entries · top 180 · median 167.4056 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PROUD SOULS BARBECUE | |
| 2 | Florida Boy's BBQ | |
| 3 | Who Dat BBQ | |
| 4 | SLAPS BBQ | |
| 5 | WYO SMOKE SHOW | |
| 6 | SHELLBACK BBQ | |
| 7 | RICHIE Z's | |
| 8 | UNCLE J'S | |
| 9 | BURNT TREES BBQ | |
| 10 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 11 | GETTIN' BASTED | |
| 12 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 13 | BIG DADDY'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 14 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 15 | BACKDRAFT BBQ | |
| 16 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 17 | LOST WEEKEND GRILL | |
| 18 | Eggspert BBQ | |
| 19 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 20 | Happy Burnt Endings | |
| 21 | Papas Pit Crew | |
| 22 | RUB MY RACK | |
| 23 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 24 | LaTa-Que | |
| 25 | Meat Machine BBQ | |
| 26 | Honey Do Bbq | |
| 27 | BnB BBQ | |
| 28 | ROLLIN' SMOKE BBQ SD | |
| 29 | Sousleys Hillbilly Barbeque | |
| 30 | Bear Bonz Competition BBQ | |
| 31 | Wild West BBQ |
Brisket
31 entries · top 178.8572 · median 168.5256
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 2 | BURNT TREES BBQ | |
| 3 | GETTIN' BASTED | |
| 4 | LaTa-Que | |
| 5 | SLAPS BBQ | |
| 6 | Eggspert BBQ | |
| 7 | Happy Burnt Endings | |
| 8 | UNCLE J'S | |
| 9 | BACKDRAFT BBQ | |
| 10 | RICHIE Z's | |
| 11 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 12 | RUB MY RACK | |
| 13 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 14 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 15 | Who Dat BBQ | |
| 16 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 17 | LOST WEEKEND GRILL | |
| 18 | PROUD SOULS BARBECUE | |
| 19 | Florida Boy's BBQ | |
| 20 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 21 | BIG DADDY'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 22 | BnB BBQ | |
| 23 | WYO SMOKE SHOW | |
| 24 | Honey Do Bbq | |
| 25 | Papas Pit Crew | |
| 26 | SHELLBACK BBQ | |
| 27 | ROLLIN' SMOKE BBQ SD | |
| 28 | Bear Bonz Competition BBQ | |
| 29 | Wild West BBQ | |
| 30 | Meat Machine BBQ | |
| 31 | Sousleys Hillbilly Barbeque |
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.
Kids-Q — Celebrate Real Pork Series - Kids 11-15
8 entries · top 177.2000 · median 167.6914
Ancillary — Celebrate Real Pork Series - Pork Chop
14 entries · top 177.1428 · median 165.1200
Kids-Q — Celebrate Real Porkseries - Kids 10 Under
12 entries · top 172.5484 · median 163.4342