Smoke on the Falls
2022-04-08 – 2022-04-09 · Gadsden, AL · 📍 1600 Noccalula Rd · State championship
Reps: CHERE AMEND, DAVE AMEND, JANET APPLETON, SAM APPLETON · Prize money: $11,220.00
Grand Champion: Smoke Me Silly (700.5028) · 34 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 GETTIN' BASTED
Entries
57
6 judged meats
Top score
700.5028
Winning margin
4.5944
GC over RC
Field average
660.86
median 672.73
Tightest race
Brisket
1.1544 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
684.4456
10th place overall
Field spread
188.5600
winner to last place
Prize money
$11,220.00
on the line
Double threats
5
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 46%
beats 54% of 1951 Master Series wins in the data
Traveled in
27%
of the 91 teams with a home region came from outside AL
Came back for more
60%
51 of 85 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.61 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1545
avg power rating going in · stronger than 50% of contests
Storylines
👑 A dynasty in the making
The Specialists has won this contest 2 times across its 11 tracked editions.
🧳 Out-of-towners took the title
Smoke Me Silly took the Grand Championship home to TN.
📸 Photo finishes
Master Series — Chicken places 6–7: WHO CARES BBQ and ANGRY JACK BBQ tied on 173.1084 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 9–10: THE FAT GUYZ and Wine Me, Dine Me and Swine Me tied on 171.4056 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork Ribs places 3–4: HAMMONDVILLE HAWG MAFIA and Bar B Quterie tied on 174.2744 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
🛡️ Back to defend
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Contagious Q (won 2019), chicken fried bbq (won 2021).
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)
Where the field came from (home regions on file)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-04-12 | Gadsden, AL | 34 | 696.5718 | SWIGGIN PIG | BIG BLUE QUE | |
| 2015-04-10 | Gadsden, AL 35904 | 34 | 699.9884 | The Specialists | UNCULTURED SWINE | |
| 2017-04-07 | 1500 Noccalula Rd | 28 | 704.5488 | SMOKIN BUTT CREW | Organizer Portal | |
| 2018-04-13 | 1500 Noccalula Rd | 38 | 697.1084 | THE SPECIALISTS | Organizer Portal | |
| 2019-04-12 | Gadsden, AL | 1500 Noccalula Rd | 30 | 699.9656 | Contagious Q | CHOOCHOO BBQ |
| 2020-09-18 | Gadsden, AL | 1500 Noccalula Rd | 28 | 699.3944 | Rooters-N-Tooters | UNDER THE RADAR |
| 2021-04-09 | Gadsden, AL | Gadsden, AL 35901 | 38 | 699.3600 | chicken fried bbq | LC BBQ |
| 2022-04-08 ← this one | Gadsden, AL | 1600 Noccalula Rd | 34 | 700.5028 | Smoke Me Silly | GETTIN' BASTED |
| 2023-04-07 | Gadsden, AL | 1600 Noccalula Rd | 39 | 690.8000 | We Will Rock 'Que | COOL HAND QUE |
| 2024-04-12 | Gadsden, AL | 1500 Noccalula Rd | 31 | 699.9428 | We Will Rock 'Que | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS |
| 2026-04-03 | Gadsden, AL | 1600 Noccalula Rd | 36 | 714.2628 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | COOL HAND QUE |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 177.7028 | 173.1200 | 171.4056 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 175.4172 | 173.1200 | 170.8572 |
| Master Series — Pork | 180.0000 | 175.4172 | 173.1200 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 177.7144 | 176.5600 | 173.1200 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 178.2972 | 175.4056 | 172.5828 |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 178.8572 | 173.1200 | 170.8228 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
34 entries · top 700.5028 · median 672.7256
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Organizer Portal | |
| 2 | GETTIN' BASTED | |
| 3 | CHICKEN FRIED BBQ | |
| 4 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 5 | MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ | |
| 6 | HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | |
| 7 | ANGRY JACK BBQ | |
| 8 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 9 | Bar B Quterie | |
| 10 | WHO CARES BBQ | |
| 11 | CHOOCHOO BBQ | |
| 12 | CONTAGIOUS Q | |
| 13 | LC BBQ | |
| 14 | Fat, Drunk and Stupid | |
| 15 | Stewbabys BBQ | |
| 16 | PERFECTLY BLENDED | |
| 17 | TEXAS WARPIG BBQ | |
| 18 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 19 | HAMMONDVILLE HAWG MAFIA | |
| 20 | PIGLITICALLY INCORRECT BBQ | |
| 21 | Sheats Sweet Meats | |
| 22 | Sweet Cheeks Pit BBQ | |
| 23 | Willingham's | |
| 24 | MOODSWING BBQ | |
| 25 | FAT BEAR BBQ | |
| 26 | Smokin Chuck's Wagon | |
| 27 | THE FAT GUYZ | |
| 28 | Stacks BBQ | |
| 29 | Big Stankeys BBQ | |
| 30 | Smoke Eaters Barbecue | |
| 31 | Rub'd -N- Smoke | |
| 32 | JAMMIN BBQ | |
| 33 | BBQ A LA BAMA | |
| 34 | Wine Me, Dine Me and Swine Me |
Chicken
34 entries · top 177.7028 · median 168.5314
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHICKEN FRIED BBQ | |
| 2 | Sheats Sweet Meats | |
| 3 | GETTIN' BASTED | |
| 4 | Organizer Portal | |
| 5 | CONTAGIOUS Q | |
| 6 | WHO CARES BBQ | |
| 7 | ANGRY JACK BBQ | |
| 8 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 9 | THE FAT GUYZ | |
| 10 | Wine Me, Dine Me and Swine Me | |
| 11 | Stewbabys BBQ | |
| 12 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 13 | Smokin Chuck's Wagon | |
| 14 | HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | |
| 15 | HAMMONDVILLE HAWG MAFIA | |
| 16 | MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ | |
| 17 | PERFECTLY BLENDED | |
| 18 | PIGLITICALLY INCORRECT BBQ | |
| 19 | LC BBQ | |
| 20 | Fat, Drunk and Stupid | |
| 21 | CHOOCHOO BBQ | |
| 22 | TEXAS WARPIG BBQ | |
| 23 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 24 | Sweet Cheeks Pit BBQ | |
| 25 | Willingham's | |
| 26 | Stacks BBQ | |
| 27 | Smoke Eaters Barbecue | |
| 28 | FAT BEAR BBQ | |
| 29 | Bar B Quterie | |
| 30 | MOODSWING BBQ | |
| 31 | JAMMIN BBQ | |
| 32 | Big Stankeys BBQ | |
| 33 | Rub'd -N- Smoke | |
| 34 | BBQ A LA BAMA |
Pork Ribs
34 entries · top 175.4172 · median 168.5314
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 2 | ANGRY JACK BBQ | |
| 3 | HAMMONDVILLE HAWG MAFIA | |
| 4 | Bar B Quterie | |
| 5 | Organizer Portal | |
| 6 | Stewbabys BBQ | |
| 7 | HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | |
| 8 | Sheats Sweet Meats | |
| 9 | PERFECTLY BLENDED | |
| 10 | Wine Me, Dine Me and Swine Me | |
| 11 | WHO CARES BBQ | |
| 12 | MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ | |
| 13 | Fat, Drunk and Stupid | |
| 14 | CONTAGIOUS Q | |
| 15 | Big Stankeys BBQ | |
| 16 | TEXAS WARPIG BBQ | |
| 17 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 18 | GETTIN' BASTED | |
| 19 | CHICKEN FRIED BBQ | |
| 20 | CHOOCHOO BBQ | |
| 21 | LC BBQ | |
| 22 | PIGLITICALLY INCORRECT BBQ | |
| 23 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 24 | Willingham's | |
| 25 | MOODSWING BBQ | |
| 26 | Smokin Chuck's Wagon | |
| 27 | Stacks BBQ | |
| 28 | Smoke Eaters Barbecue | |
| 29 | JAMMIN BBQ | |
| 30 | Sweet Cheeks Pit BBQ | |
| 31 | Rub'd -N- Smoke | |
| 32 | THE FAT GUYZ | |
| 33 | FAT BEAR BBQ | |
| 34 | BBQ A LA BAMA |
Pork
33 entries · top 180.0000 · median 169.1200 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHOOCHOO BBQ | |
| 2 | MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ | |
| 3 | Organizer Portal | |
| 4 | FAT BEAR BBQ | |
| 5 | HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | |
| 6 | CHICKEN FRIED BBQ | |
| 7 | GETTIN' BASTED | |
| 8 | Bar B Quterie | |
| 9 | MOODSWING BBQ | |
| 10 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 11 | TEXAS WARPIG BBQ | |
| 12 | Fat, Drunk and Stupid | |
| 13 | PIGLITICALLY INCORRECT BBQ | |
| 14 | Sweet Cheeks Pit BBQ | |
| 15 | CONTAGIOUS Q | |
| 16 | Stewbabys BBQ | |
| 17 | LC BBQ | |
| 18 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 19 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 20 | ANGRY JACK BBQ | |
| 21 | Willingham's | |
| 22 | WHO CARES BBQ | |
| 23 | JAMMIN BBQ | |
| 24 | THE FAT GUYZ | |
| 25 | Stacks BBQ | |
| 26 | Rub'd -N- Smoke | |
| 27 | Sheats Sweet Meats | |
| 28 | HAMMONDVILLE HAWG MAFIA | |
| 29 | PERFECTLY BLENDED | |
| 30 | Smoke Eaters Barbecue | |
| 31 | Smokin Chuck's Wagon | |
| 32 | Big Stankeys BBQ | |
| 33 | BBQ A LA BAMA |
Brisket
34 entries · top 177.7144 · median 169.6742
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bar B Quterie | |
| 2 | GETTIN' BASTED | |
| 3 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 4 | LC BBQ | |
| 5 | Organizer Portal | |
| 6 | CHICKEN FRIED BBQ | |
| 7 | WHO CARES BBQ | |
| 8 | PERFECTLY BLENDED | |
| 9 | MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ | |
| 10 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 11 | HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | |
| 12 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 13 | CONTAGIOUS Q | |
| 14 | CHOOCHOO BBQ | |
| 15 | Fat, Drunk and Stupid | |
| 16 | Sweet Cheeks Pit BBQ | |
| 17 | Wine Me, Dine Me and Swine Me | |
| 18 | ANGRY JACK BBQ | |
| 19 | HAMMONDVILLE HAWG MAFIA | |
| 20 | Willingham's | |
| 21 | TEXAS WARPIG BBQ | |
| 22 | PIGLITICALLY INCORRECT BBQ | |
| 23 | Stewbabys BBQ | |
| 24 | MOODSWING BBQ | |
| 25 | Sheats Sweet Meats | |
| 26 | Big Stankeys BBQ | |
| 27 | Rub'd -N- Smoke | |
| 28 | Stacks BBQ | |
| 29 | Smokin Chuck's Wagon | |
| 30 | Smoke Eaters Barbecue | |
| 31 | FAT BEAR BBQ | |
| 32 | THE FAT GUYZ | |
| 33 | JAMMIN BBQ | |
| 34 | BBQ A LA BAMA |
Backyard Series
Overall
57 entries · top 353.7144 · median 330.7656
Chicken
57 entries · top 178.2972 · median 165.0856
Pork Ribs
56 entries · top 178.8572 · median 165.9658