Sep 18–19, 2026 · Rutherford College, NC · 📍 980 Malcolm Blvd · State championship
Reps: Alan Rothrock, Doug Reid · Prize money: $9,580
AlpineSmokeworks won Grand Champion at the Pigmaster's BBQ Challenge on September 18, 2026 in Rutherford College, NC at 980 Malcolm Blvd, scoring 701.6572 in a field of 29 teams. Hold Your Horses BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 700.5144. Category winners: Chicken — AlpineSmokeworks (178.8572); Pork Ribs — Creekside Smokers (180.0000); Pork — Casual Smokers (180.0000); Brisket — Zips BBQ (176.0000). This is the 6th of 6 editions of this contest on record; the 2025 edition was won by Smokin Skullies.
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, 2020 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 81% of the 4,722 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.1428 points — closer than 81% of every championship in the data.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 81 times in 100
ALPINE SMOKE WORKS came in rated below the field's top team, MCADOO HEIGHTS BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 19-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
Chicken places 1–2: AlpineSmokeworks and Brother n Law BBQ tied on 178.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 3–4: Mcadoo Heights BBQ and Muttley Crew BBQ tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 4–5: Muttley Crew BBQ and Bowman's BBQ tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
AlpineSmokeworks took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was brisket at 13th.
Creekside Smokers turned in 180.0000 in pork ribs — past the 179.4400 that had stood across 5 earlier editions.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: JL Smokers (won 2022), Smokin Skullies (won 2025).
2 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 11, 2020 | Connelly Springs, NC | 980 Malcolm Blvd. | 24 | 705.0856 | Smoke Monster BBQ | MCADOO HEIGHTS BBQ |
| Sep 24, 2021 | Rutherford College, NC | Rutherford College, NC 28671 | 27 | 698.2056 | Redneck Scientific | SMOKIN SKULLIES |
| Sep 23, 2022 | Connelly Springs, NC | 980 Malcolm Blvd | 32 | 699.3716 | JL Smokers | SMOKIN SKULLIES |
| Sep 22, 2023 | Rutherford College, NC | 980 Malcolm Blvd | 33 | 700.4912 | Chunky BBQ | HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ |
| Sep 19, 2025 | Rutherford College, NC | 980 Malcolm Blvd | 36 | 697.6572 | Smokin Skullies | MUTTLEY CREW BBQ |
| Sep 18, 2026 ← this one | Rutherford College, NC | 980 Malcolm Blvd | 29 | 701.6572 | ALPINE SMOKE WORKS | Hold Your Horses BBQ |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 178.8572 | 177.7028 | 173.1200 |
| Pork Ribs | 180 | 176.5600 | 171.9888 |
| Pork | 180 | 175.4056 | 172 |
| Brisket | 176 | 174.2628 | 171.9656 |
29 entries · top 701.6572 · median 682.1600
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | AlpineSmokeworks | |
| 2 | Hold Your Horses BBQ | |
| 3 | Casual Smokers | |
| 4 | Creekside Smokers | |
| 5 | JL Smokers | |
| 6 | Smokin Skullies | |
| 7 | Zips BBQ | |
| 8 | Mcadoo Heights BBQ | |
| 9 | Fred Vegas Smokers | |
| 10 | Muttley Crew BBQ | |
| 11 | Bowman's BBQ | |
| 12 | Wolf's Revenge | |
| 13 | Maya Jane BBQ | |
| 14 | Twisted Pair BBQ | |
| 15 | Swig-n-Pig | |
| 16 | Hickory Barbeque Company | |
| 17 | Holt Brothers` | |
| 18 | HalaQyah BBQ | |
| 19 | Speaks for Itself BBQ | |
| 20 | Big Alz BBQ | |
| 21 | Brother n Law BBQ | |
| 22 | EB's BarBQue | |
| 23 | Pig on Fire | |
| 24 | Smoking Studs BBQ | |
| 25 | Meadow Creek BBQ | |
| 26 | Hoggy Bottom Boys | |
| 27 | Professor Smoke | |
| 28 | Dr. Freddie's Feel Good Pit Crew | |
| 29 | Holy Smoke |
29 entries · top 178.8572 · median 169.6800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | AlpineSmokeworks | |
| 2 | Brother n Law BBQ | |
| 3 | Mcadoo Heights BBQ | |
| 4 | Muttley Crew BBQ | |
| 5 | Bowman's BBQ | |
| 6 | Swig-n-Pig | |
| 7 | Holt Brothers` | |
| 8 | JL Smokers | |
| 9 | Casual Smokers | |
| 10 | Zips BBQ | |
| 11 | Wolf's Revenge | |
| 12 | Speaks for Itself BBQ | |
| 13 | Pig on Fire | |
| 14 | Smokin Skullies | |
| 15 | EB's BarBQue | |
| 16 | Maya Jane BBQ | |
| 17 | Hold Your Horses BBQ | |
| 18 | Fred Vegas Smokers | |
| 19 | Hickory Barbeque Company | |
| 20 | HalaQyah BBQ | |
| 21 | Smoking Studs BBQ | |
| 22 | Twisted Pair BBQ | |
| 23 | Creekside Smokers | |
| 24 | Meadow Creek BBQ | |
| 25 | Hoggy Bottom Boys | |
| 26 | Big Alz BBQ | |
| 27 | Professor Smoke | |
| 28 | Holy Smoke | |
| 29 | Dr. Freddie's Feel Good Pit Crew |
29 entries · top 180 · median 169.6800 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Creekside Smokers | |
| 2 | Maya Jane BBQ | |
| 3 | Hold Your Horses BBQ | |
| 4 | JL Smokers | |
| 5 | AlpineSmokeworks | |
| 6 | Big Alz BBQ | |
| 7 | Twisted Pair BBQ | |
| 8 | Smokin Skullies | |
| 9 | Muttley Crew BBQ | |
| 10 | Zips BBQ | |
| 11 | Holt Brothers` | |
| 12 | Fred Vegas Smokers | |
| 13 | Speaks for Itself BBQ | |
| 14 | Wolf's Revenge | |
| 15 | Bowman's BBQ | |
| 16 | Mcadoo Heights BBQ | |
| 17 | HalaQyah BBQ | |
| 18 | Casual Smokers | |
| 19 | Hickory Barbeque Company | |
| 20 | Smoking Studs BBQ | |
| 21 | Meadow Creek BBQ | |
| 22 | Swig-n-Pig | |
| 23 | Professor Smoke | |
| 24 | EB's BarBQue | |
| 25 | Pig on Fire | |
| 26 | Hoggy Bottom Boys | |
| 27 | Brother n Law BBQ | |
| 28 | Dr. Freddie's Feel Good Pit Crew | |
| 29 | Holy Smoke |
29 entries · top 180 · median 171.4056 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Casual Smokers | |
| 2 | Hold Your Horses BBQ | |
| 3 | Fred Vegas Smokers | |
| 4 | Creekside Smokers | |
| 5 | AlpineSmokeworks | |
| 6 | Smokin Skullies | |
| 7 | Pig on Fire | |
| 8 | Brother n Law BBQ | |
| 9 | Hickory Barbeque Company | |
| 10 | Wolf's Revenge | |
| 11 | Zips BBQ | |
| 12 | Big Alz BBQ | |
| 13 | Meadow Creek BBQ | |
| 14 | EB's BarBQue | |
| 15 | Twisted Pair BBQ | |
| 16 | HalaQyah BBQ | |
| 17 | JL Smokers | |
| 18 | Mcadoo Heights BBQ | |
| 19 | Maya Jane BBQ | |
| 20 | Swig-n-Pig | |
| 21 | Professor Smoke | |
| 22 | Speaks for Itself BBQ | |
| 23 | Muttley Crew BBQ | |
| 24 | Bowman's BBQ | |
| 25 | Holt Brothers` | |
| 26 | Hoggy Bottom Boys | |
| 27 | Smoking Studs BBQ | |
| 28 | Holy Smoke | |
| 29 | Dr. Freddie's Feel Good Pit Crew |
29 entries · top 176 · median 170.2628
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zips BBQ | |
| 2 | Smokin Skullies | |
| 3 | Bowman's BBQ | |
| 4 | Hold Your Horses BBQ | |
| 5 | Casual Smokers | |
| 6 | Mcadoo Heights BBQ | |
| 7 | Wolf's Revenge | |
| 8 | Hickory Barbeque Company | |
| 9 | Creekside Smokers | |
| 10 | Swig-n-Pig | |
| 11 | Twisted Pair BBQ | |
| 12 | JL Smokers | |
| 13 | AlpineSmokeworks | |
| 14 | Muttley Crew BBQ | |
| 15 | Fred Vegas Smokers | |
| 16 | HalaQyah BBQ | |
| 17 | Hoggy Bottom Boys | |
| 18 | Speaks for Itself BBQ | |
| 19 | Smoking Studs BBQ | |
| 20 | Maya Jane BBQ | |
| 21 | Big Alz BBQ | |
| 22 | Holt Brothers` | |
| 23 | Brother n Law BBQ | |
| 24 | EB's BarBQue | |
| 25 | Pig on Fire | |
| 26 | Meadow Creek BBQ | |
| 27 | Dr. Freddie's Feel Good Pit Crew | |
| 28 | Professor Smoke | |
| 29 | Holy Smoke |