A new contest record
707.4172
highest overall ever cooked here
707.4172 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 702.2972 Meat Sweats BBQ set in 2023.
- old record 702.2972
- set 2023 by Meat Sweats BBQ
Barbeque on the Bow Festival 2026
Sep 4–6, 2026 · Calgary, AB · CANADA · 📍 5151 101 Street NW
Reps: Craig Maidens, Heather Maidens
Prairie Smoke & Spice BBQ won Grand Champion at the Barbeque on the Bow Festival on September 4, 2026 in Calgary, AB at 5151 101 Street NW, scoring 707.4172 in a field of 33 teams. BIGG SMOAK BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 701.6572. Category winners: Chicken — Prairie Smoke & Spice BBQ (180.0000); Pork Ribs — Prairie Smoke & Spice BBQ (176.5828); Pork — BIGG SMOAK BBQ (180.0000); Brisket — EFFIN'EH GRAY'S (180.0000). This is the 4th of 4 editions of this contest on record; the 2025 edition was won by SmellaQue.
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.
614.16
median 669.02
707.42 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 180 🔥
- Pork Ribs 176.58
- Pork 180 🔥
- Brisket 180 🔥
135.90
180
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2023 to 2026 — this edition picked out.
Entries
33
4 judged meats · 2 ancillary
Top score
707.4172
Winning margin
5.7600
GC over RC
Field average
668.97
614.16707.42
median 669.02 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
3 🔥
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
4.5940 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
685.6112
614.16707.42
10th place overall
Field spread
93.2568
winner to last place
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 7%
beats 93% of 4723 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
53%
23 of 43 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.52 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,541
avg power rating going in · stronger than 31% of contests
Storylines (7 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 day of perfect scores
3
perfect 180s
3 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
- EFFIN'EH GRAY'S · Brisket
- Prairie Smoke & Spice BBQ · Chicken
- BIGG SMOAK BBQ · Pork
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 13 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 9–10: Q Cartel and Smoke Trails BBQ tied on 170.8456 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 6–7: Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery and Panther BBQ tied on 171.9772 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 6–7: Mc Que It and Homestead Smoke Shack BBQ tied on 174.2856 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 9–10 · tie
- Pork Ribs 6–7 · tie
- Pork 6–7 · tie
- Pork Ribs 2–3 · 0.0112
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
Prairie Smoke & Spice BBQ won Chicken, Pork Ribs — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 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 7th.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 2nd
- Brisket 7th
A contest record in brisket
180.0000
best brisket ever cooked here
EFFIN'EH GRAY'S turned in 180.0000 in brisket — past the 178.8800 that had stood across 3 earlier editions.
- old best 178.8800
- across 3 past editions
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Colorado Bulldawg BBQ (won 2024).
- Colorado Bulldawg BBQ · 2024
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2, 2023 | Calgary, AB | 5151 101 St. NW | 40 | 702.2972 | Meat Sweats BBQ | Brisket Butts |
| Aug 31, 2024 | Calgary, AB | 5151 101 St. NW | 35 | 699.4172 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | SMELLAQUE |
| Aug 30, 2025 | Calgary, AB | 5151 101 Street NW | 38 | 697.6684 | SmellaQue | Q Cartel |
| Sep 4, 2026 ← this one | Calgary, AB | 5151 101 Street NW | 33 | 707.4172 | Prairie Smoke & Spice BBQ | BIGG SMOAK BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 175.4056 | 170.8456 |
| Pork Ribs | 176.5828 | 171.9888 | 170.8228 |
| Pork | 180 | 174.3200 | 173.1084 |
| Brisket | 180 | 174.8800 | 170.8684 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
33 entries · top 707.4172 · median 669.0168
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prairie Smoke & Spice BBQ | |
| 2 | BIGG SMOAK BBQ | |
| 3 | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S | |
| 4 | Didy Smoke It? | |
| 5 | Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | |
| 6 | Q Cartel | |
| 7 | Smokin Outlaws | |
| 8 | Mc Que It | |
| 9 | Homestead Smoke Shack BBQ | |
| 10 | Colorado BullDawg bbq | |
| 11 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 12 | Panther BBQ | |
| 13 | Syndicate bbq | |
| 14 | Roker Q | |
| 15 | Bottle Hill BBQ | |
| 16 | Smoke Trails BBQ | |
| 17 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 18 | Elbow grease | |
| 19 | Hunny & Hooch | |
| 20 | Motley Que | |
| 21 | Grilling With Short | |
| 22 | Slam Dunk BBQ | |
| 23 | Marks meats & Treats | |
| 24 | Rollin smoke barbecue 2023 | |
| 25 | FiRE BBQ | |
| 26 | The Big LebowsQ | |
| 27 | BBQ TEAM NAIT | |
| 28 | Prohibition BBQ | |
| 29 | KillerBunnyBBQ | |
| 30 | Tommy Boy Grillin' | |
| 31 | Bad to the Brisket | |
| 32 | B Team | |
| 33 | A Team |
Chicken
33 entries · top 180 · median 168.5484 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prairie Smoke & Spice BBQ | |
| 2 | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S | |
| 3 | BIGG SMOAK BBQ | |
| 4 | Didy Smoke It? | |
| 5 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 6 | Prohibition BBQ | |
| 7 | Colorado BullDawg bbq | |
| 8 | Slam Dunk BBQ | |
| 9 | Q Cartel | |
| 10 | Smoke Trails BBQ | |
| 11 | Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | |
| 12 | Homestead Smoke Shack BBQ | |
| 13 | Smokin Outlaws | |
| 14 | Tommy Boy Grillin' | |
| 15 | Mc Que It | |
| 16 | Roker Q | |
| 17 | Motley Que | |
| 18 | Bottle Hill BBQ | |
| 19 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 20 | Marks meats & Treats | |
| 21 | Hunny & Hooch | |
| 22 | Elbow grease | |
| 23 | Syndicate bbq | |
| 24 | Grilling With Short | |
| 25 | Rollin smoke barbecue 2023 | |
| 26 | Panther BBQ | |
| 27 | FiRE BBQ | |
| 28 | BBQ TEAM NAIT | |
| 29 | B Team | |
| 30 | A Team | |
| 31 | The Big LebowsQ | |
| 32 | KillerBunnyBBQ | |
| 33 | Bad to the Brisket |
Pork Ribs
33 entries · top 176.5828 · median 167.9772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prairie Smoke & Spice BBQ | |
| 2 | Rollin smoke barbecue 2023 | |
| 3 | BIGG SMOAK BBQ | |
| 4 | Q Cartel | |
| 5 | Didy Smoke It? | |
| 6 | Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | |
| 7 | Panther BBQ | |
| 8 | Mc Que It | |
| 9 | Roker Q | |
| 10 | Smokin Outlaws | |
| 11 | Syndicate bbq | |
| 12 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 13 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 14 | Marks meats & Treats | |
| 15 | The Big LebowsQ | |
| 16 | Homestead Smoke Shack BBQ | |
| 17 | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S | |
| 18 | Bottle Hill BBQ | |
| 19 | Bad to the Brisket | |
| 20 | Motley Que | |
| 21 | Colorado BullDawg bbq | |
| 22 | Slam Dunk BBQ | |
| 23 | Elbow grease | |
| 24 | Grilling With Short | |
| 25 | Hunny & Hooch | |
| 26 | Smoke Trails BBQ | |
| 27 | FiRE BBQ | |
| 28 | BBQ TEAM NAIT | |
| 29 | B Team | |
| 30 | Tommy Boy Grillin' | |
| 31 | KillerBunnyBBQ | |
| 32 | A Team | |
| 33 | Prohibition BBQ |
Pork
33 entries · top 180 · median 168.5256 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BIGG SMOAK BBQ | |
| 2 | Prairie Smoke & Spice BBQ | |
| 3 | Colorado BullDawg bbq | |
| 4 | Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | |
| 5 | FiRE BBQ | |
| 6 | Mc Que It | |
| 7 | Homestead Smoke Shack BBQ | |
| 8 | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S | |
| 9 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 10 | Smokin Outlaws | |
| 11 | Roker Q | |
| 12 | Motley Que | |
| 13 | Elbow grease | |
| 14 | Didy Smoke It? | |
| 15 | Syndicate bbq | |
| 16 | Hunny & Hooch | |
| 17 | Q Cartel | |
| 18 | Panther BBQ | |
| 19 | Smoke Trails BBQ | |
| 20 | The Big LebowsQ | |
| 21 | KillerBunnyBBQ | |
| 22 | Slam Dunk BBQ | |
| 23 | Marks meats & Treats | |
| 24 | Prohibition BBQ | |
| 25 | Grilling With Short | |
| 26 | BBQ TEAM NAIT | |
| 27 | Bottle Hill BBQ | |
| 28 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 29 | A Team | |
| 30 | B Team | |
| 31 | Rollin smoke barbecue 2023 | |
| 32 | Tommy Boy Grillin' | |
| 33 | Bad to the Brisket |
Brisket
33 entries · top 180 · median 168.5256 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S | |
| 2 | Q Cartel | |
| 3 | Didy Smoke It? | |
| 4 | Smokin Outlaws | |
| 5 | Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | |
| 6 | Panther BBQ | |
| 7 | Prairie Smoke & Spice BBQ | |
| 8 | Homestead Smoke Shack BBQ | |
| 9 | Mc Que It | |
| 10 | KillerBunnyBBQ | |
| 11 | Syndicate bbq | |
| 12 | Bottle Hill BBQ | |
| 13 | BIGG SMOAK BBQ | |
| 14 | BBQ TEAM NAIT | |
| 15 | Smoke Trails BBQ | |
| 16 | Grilling With Short | |
| 17 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 18 | Colorado BullDawg bbq | |
| 19 | Hunny & Hooch | |
| 20 | Elbow grease | |
| 21 | Prohibition BBQ | |
| 22 | The Big LebowsQ | |
| 23 | FiRE BBQ | |
| 24 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 25 | Rollin smoke barbecue 2023 | |
| 26 | Roker Q | |
| 27 | Slam Dunk BBQ | |
| 28 | Tommy Boy Grillin' | |
| 29 | Bad to the Brisket | |
| 30 | Marks meats & Treats | |
| 31 | Motley Que | |
| 32 | A Team | |
| 33 | B Team |
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.
Ancillary — Chefs Choice
15 entries · top 180 · median 170.2860 · 🔥 perfect 180
Kids-Q — Kids Q Burgers
8 entries · top 177.7144 · median 172.2570
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glitter and Grill | |
| 2 | Ry Ry the BBQ Kid | |
| 3 | Fire Bandit | |
| 4 | PEW PEW BAR-B-QUE | |
| 5 | Left Field BBQ | |
| 6 | Smoke It Out | |
| 7 | KaisonQ | |
| 8 | Lil' BearBQ |