Sep 18–19, 2026 · Denison, IA · 📍 109 N. Main · State championship
Reps: Dave Rogers, Peg Rogers · Prize money: $13,150
Grillin' Grindes won Grand Champion at the Tri City BBQ Fest on September 18, 2026 in Denison, IA at 109 N. Main, scoring 702.2400 in a field of 26 teams. Home Farm BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 699.9428. Category winners: Chicken — Home Farm BBQ (180.0000); Pork Ribs — Grillin' Grindes (178.8572); Pork — Parrothead Smokers (180.0000); Brisket — Smokey D's Wannabees (180.0000). The Backyard Series standings were won by East Bow Que with 350.2628. This is the 12th of 12 editions of this contest on record; the 2025 edition was won by Shiggin & Grinnin.
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, 2014 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.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 91 times in 100
GRILLIN' GRINDES came in rated below the field's top team, HOT DADDY'S BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 9-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
This was Grillin' Grindes's first Grand Championship in the data — it arrived at their 27th tracked contest.
4 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
2 of 12 tracked editions
TIMBONE BARBECUE has won this contest 2 times across its 12 tracked editions.
Master Series — Chicken places 8–9: Low Eye Que and Grillin' Grindes tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork Ribs places 7–8: Smoke House 72 and BBQ Pit Bros tied on 174.2744 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork places 6–7: Team Crawford and Byg's BBQ tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
Grillin' Grindes took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was brisket at 11th.
Home Farm BBQ turned in 180.0000 in chicken — past the 179.4400 that had stood across 11 earlier editions.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: SPITFIRE (won 2017), Hot Daddys BBQ (won 2021, 2024), Shiggin & Grinnin (won 2025).
Records held by every edition of this contest put together, not just this one afternoon.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2014 | Denison, IA | Denison, IA 51442 | 21 | 691.3940 | BIG T'Z Q CRU | PIGSKIN BBQ |
| Sep 18, 2015 | Denison, IA | Denison, IA 51442 | 18 | 690.7884 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | BIG T'Z Q CRU |
| Sep 16, 2016 | Denison, IA | Broodway & Main | 34 | 701.6800 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA |
| Sep 22, 2017 | Denison, IA | Broadway & Main St. (Historic Uptown Denison) | 37 | 702.3204 | SPITFIRE | LUCKY'S Q |
| Sep 21, 2018 | Denison, IA | Broadway & Main St. (Historic Uptown Denison) | 27 | 687.9888 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | DIRT ROAD BBQ |
| Sep 20, 2019 | Denison, IA | Broadway & Main St. (Historic Uptown Denison) | 34 | 690.7540 | Timbone Barbecue | SPITFIRE |
| Sep 17, 2021 | Denison, IA | Broadway and Main | 20 | 697.6572 | Hot Daddys BBQ | SPITFIRE |
| Sep 16, 2022 | Denison, IA | Broadway and Main | 25 | 693.1316 | Parrothead Smokers SD | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ |
| Sep 15, 2023 | Denison, IA | Broadway and Main | 32 | 703.3712 | Last Call Heros BBQ | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN |
| Sep 20, 2024 | Denison, IA | 109 N. Main | 30 | 700.4912 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ |
| Sep 19, 2025 | Denison, IA | 109 N. Main | 26 | 703.4060 | Shiggin & Grinnin | Good Grefe! |
| Sep 18, 2026 ← this one | Denison, IA | 109 N. Main | 26 | 702.2400 | Grillin' Grindes | Home Farm BBQ |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 180 | 176 | 171.9772 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 178.8572 | 176.5600 | 172.6060 |
| Master Series — Pork | 180 | 177.1428 | 174.2744 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 180 | 175.4172 | 171.9656 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 180 | 165.0972 | 20 |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 178.8572 | 166.2628 | — |
26 entries · top 702.2400 · median 685.6916
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grillin' Grindes | |
| 2 | Home Farm BBQ | |
| 3 | Shiggin & Grinnin | |
| 4 | Smokey D's Wannabees | |
| 5 | When Pigs Die | |
| 6 | Hot Daddys BBQ | |
| 7 | Mad Chad's BBQ | |
| 8 | Smokin' Lefty's BBQ | |
| 9 | Sugar Shack | |
| 10 | Smoke House 72 | |
| 11 | Byg's BBQ | |
| 12 | Mad Ashley | |
| 13 | Spitfire | |
| 14 | Helping U BBQ | |
| 15 | Team Crawford | |
| 16 | BuckshotBBQ | |
| 17 | Parrothead Smokers | |
| 18 | Dry 2 Da Bone | |
| 19 | Bucknutz | |
| 20 | Daddy Dutch BBQ | |
| 21 | Low Eye Que | |
| 22 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 23 | 3 Casual Smokers | |
| 24 | Marv's Double Chin | |
| 25 | Smoke Doctor | |
| 26 | SP BBQ |
26 entries · top 180 · median 171.1200 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Home Farm BBQ | |
| 2 | Hot Daddys BBQ | |
| 3 | Mad Chad's BBQ | |
| 4 | When Pigs Die | |
| 5 | Shiggin & Grinnin | |
| 6 | Mad Ashley | |
| 7 | Sugar Shack | |
| 8 | Low Eye Que | |
| 9 | Grillin' Grindes | |
| 10 | Dry 2 Da Bone | |
| 11 | Byg's BBQ | |
| 12 | Smokin' Lefty's BBQ | |
| 13 | Smokey D's Wannabees | |
| 14 | Smoke House 72 | |
| 15 | Bucknutz | |
| 16 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 17 | Spitfire | |
| 18 | Team Crawford | |
| 19 | BuckshotBBQ | |
| 20 | Marv's Double Chin | |
| 21 | Daddy Dutch BBQ | |
| 22 | Helping U BBQ | |
| 23 | 3 Casual Smokers | |
| 24 | Parrothead Smokers | |
| 25 | Smoke Doctor | |
| 26 | SP BBQ |
26 entries · top 178.8572 · median 171.1258
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grillin' Grindes | |
| 2 | Smokin' Lefty's BBQ | |
| 3 | Sugar Shack | |
| 4 | Mad Chad's BBQ | |
| 5 | Daddy Dutch BBQ | |
| 6 | Spitfire | |
| 7 | Smoke House 72 | |
| 8 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 9 | Shiggin & Grinnin | |
| 10 | Helping U BBQ | |
| 11 | Mad Ashley | |
| 12 | Smokey D's Wannabees | |
| 13 | Home Farm BBQ | |
| 14 | Parrothead Smokers | |
| 15 | When Pigs Die | |
| 16 | Team Crawford | |
| 17 | BuckshotBBQ | |
| 18 | Hot Daddys BBQ | |
| 19 | Bucknutz | |
| 20 | Low Eye Que | |
| 21 | 3 Casual Smokers | |
| 22 | Byg's BBQ | |
| 23 | Marv's Double Chin | |
| 24 | Dry 2 Da Bone | |
| 25 | SP BBQ | |
| 26 | Smoke Doctor |
26 entries · top 180 · median 173.7028 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parrothead Smokers | |
| 2 | Smokin' Lefty's BBQ | |
| 3 | Dry 2 Da Bone | |
| 4 | Grillin' Grindes | |
| 5 | Shiggin & Grinnin | |
| 6 | Team Crawford | |
| 7 | Byg's BBQ | |
| 8 | Smoke House 72 | |
| 9 | Smokey D's Wannabees | |
| 10 | When Pigs Die | |
| 11 | Hot Daddys BBQ | |
| 12 | Daddy Dutch BBQ | |
| 13 | Spitfire | |
| 14 | Sugar Shack | |
| 15 | BuckshotBBQ | |
| 16 | Marv's Double Chin | |
| 17 | Helping U BBQ | |
| 18 | Low Eye Que | |
| 19 | Home Farm BBQ | |
| 20 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 21 | SP BBQ | |
| 22 | Smoke Doctor | |
| 23 | Mad Chad's BBQ | |
| 24 | Bucknutz | |
| 25 | 3 Casual Smokers | |
| 26 | Mad Ashley |
26 entries · top 180 · median 169.9772 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smokey D's Wannabees | |
| 2 | Home Farm BBQ | |
| 3 | Hot Daddys BBQ | |
| 4 | When Pigs Die | |
| 5 | Bucknutz | |
| 6 | Byg's BBQ | |
| 7 | Mad Ashley | |
| 8 | BuckshotBBQ | |
| 9 | Helping U BBQ | |
| 10 | Shiggin & Grinnin | |
| 11 | Grillin' Grindes | |
| 12 | Mad Chad's BBQ | |
| 13 | 3 Casual Smokers | |
| 14 | Smoke House 72 | |
| 15 | Spitfire | |
| 16 | Dry 2 Da Bone | |
| 17 | Team Crawford | |
| 18 | Sugar Shack | |
| 19 | Low Eye Que | |
| 20 | Parrothead Smokers | |
| 21 | Smokin' Lefty's BBQ | |
| 22 | Daddy Dutch BBQ | |
| 23 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 24 | Marv's Double Chin | |
| 25 | SP BBQ | |
| 26 | Smoke Doctor |
10 entries · top 350.2628 · median 328.4972
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Bow Que | |
| 2 | Smoke'n Poke BBQ | |
| 3 | Fender Bender BBQ | |
| 4 | 901Q | |
| 5 | Big Reds Backyard BBQ | |
| 6 | Smokin B's | |
| 7 | Smoke and Roll BBQ | |
| 8 | Bro's BBQ | |
| 9 | Smokin Devil Dogs | |
| 10 | David and the Miracles |
10 entries · top 180 · median 164.2572 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Bow Que | |
| 2 | Smoke'n Poke BBQ | |
| 3 | Smoke and Roll BBQ | |
| 4 | 901Q | |
| 5 | Fender Bender BBQ | |
| 6 | Smokin B's | |
| 7 | Big Reds Backyard BBQ | |
| 8 | Bro's BBQ | |
| 9 | Smokin Devil Dogs | |
| 10 | David and the Miracles |
9 entries · top 178.8572 · median 166.2628
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fender Bender BBQ | |
| 2 | Smoke'n Poke BBQ | |
| 3 | East Bow Que | |
| 4 | Big Reds Backyard BBQ | |
| 5 | Bro's BBQ | |
| 6 | 901Q | |
| 7 | Smokin B's | |
| 8 | Smokin Devil Dogs | |
| 9 | Smoke and Roll BBQ |