A dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 8 tracked editions
NORALA BBQ TEAM has won this contest 2 times across its 8 tracked editions.
- 2023
- 2024
Reelin N Smokin Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) 2022
Jun 10–11, 2022 · Huntsville, AL · 📍 Ditto Landing
Reps: Carol Bigler, Randy G Bigler · Prize money: $2,100
HICKORY HANGOVER won Grand Champion at the Reelin N Smokin Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) on June 10, 2022 in Huntsville, AL at Ditto Landing, scoring 350.2628 in a field of 23 teams. HELL ON SQUEALS took Reserve Grand Champion with 344.5372. Category winners: Chicken — 2 Swine Crew (174.8572); Pork Ribs — HICKORY HANGOVER (176.0000). This is the 4th of 8 editions of this contest on record; the 2021 edition was won by The Real Squeal; the next was held in 2023.
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.
302.22
median 329.07
350.26 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 174.86
- Pork Ribs 176
141.67
176
Entries
23
2 judged meats
Top score
350.2628
Winning margin
5.7256
GC over RC
Field average
326.88
302.22350.26
median 329.07 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Chicken
2.2628 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
330.2284
302.22350.26
10th place overall
Field spread
48.0456
winner to last place
Prize money
$2,100
on the line
Double threats
1
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 44%
beats 56% of 610 Backyard Series wins in the data
Came back for more
35%
11 of 31 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.74 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,574
avg power rating going in · stronger than 58% of contests
Storylines (2 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.
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 5 calls decided inside half a point
Pork Ribs places 8–9: Simply Smoked and RIBLIFE tied on 166.8228 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 9–10: RIBLIFE and JT'S SMOKE SHACK tied on 166.8228 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 7–8: HOLY SMOKIN!!! edged Simply Smoked by 0.0116.
- Pork Ribs 8–9 · tie
- Pork Ribs 9–10 · tie
- Pork Ribs 7–8 · 0.0116
- Chicken 1–2 · 0.0116
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 8, 2018 | Huntsville, AL | 293 Ditto Landing RD | — | — | — |
| Jun 7, 2019 | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 25 | 347.9772 | Thin Blue Swine |
| Jun 11, 2021 | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 31 | 348 | The Real Squeal |
| Jun 10, 2022 ← this one | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 23 | 350.2628 | Hickory Hangover |
| Jun 9, 2023 | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 26 | 346.2632 | NORALA BBQ TEAM |
| Jun 7, 2024 | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 35 | 353.1428 | NORALA BBQ TEAM |
| Jun 13, 2025 | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 35 | 358.8572 | Mind If I Smoke? |
| Jun 12, 2026 | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 31 | 360 | Big Fluff BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 174.8572 | 172.5944 | 169.6800 |
| Pork Ribs | 176 | 168.5256 | 166.8228 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Backyard Series
Overall
23 entries · top 350.2628 · median 329.0744
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 2 | HELL ON SQUEALS | |
| 3 | REDBONES BBQ | |
| 4 | 2 Swine Crew | |
| 5 | Jury's Out | |
| 6 | Bentley Que | |
| 7 | LENOX & SON BBQ COMPANY | |
| 8 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 9 | RIBLIFE | |
| 10 | When Pigs Fly - Florence, AL | |
| 11 | LEE LA Q | |
| 12 | The Real Squeal BBQ | |
| 13 | Simply Smoked | |
| 14 | HOLY SMOKIN!!! | |
| 15 | JT'S SMOKE SHACK | |
| 16 | VETERAN PORK PULLERS | |
| 17 | Peppa's Nightmare | |
| 18 | BUTSY-Q | |
| 19 | Invarique | |
| 20 | Spark's Firepit | |
| 21 | Smokin Temptations | |
| 22 | Butt Honey | |
| 23 | USA BBQ |
Chicken
23 entries · top 174.8572 · median 167.9656
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 Swine Crew | |
| 2 | VETERAN PORK PULLERS | |
| 3 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 4 | LEE LA Q | |
| 5 | Bentley Que | |
| 6 | REDBONES BBQ | |
| 7 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 8 | Jury's Out | |
| 9 | Peppa's Nightmare | |
| 10 | HELL ON SQUEALS | |
| 11 | The Real Squeal BBQ | |
| 12 | When Pigs Fly - Florence, AL | |
| 13 | LENOX & SON BBQ COMPANY | |
| 14 | RIBLIFE | |
| 15 | Spark's Firepit | |
| 16 | Simply Smoked | |
| 17 | HOLY SMOKIN!!! | |
| 18 | JT'S SMOKE SHACK | |
| 19 | USA BBQ | |
| 20 | Invarique | |
| 21 | BUTSY-Q | |
| 22 | Smokin Temptations | |
| 23 | Butt Honey |
Pork Ribs
23 entries · top 176 · median 162.8000
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 2 | HELL ON SQUEALS | |
| 3 | LENOX & SON BBQ COMPANY | |
| 4 | REDBONES BBQ | |
| 5 | Jury's Out | |
| 6 | 2 Swine Crew | |
| 7 | HOLY SMOKIN!!! | |
| 8 | Simply Smoked | |
| 9 | RIBLIFE | |
| 10 | JT'S SMOKE SHACK | |
| 11 | Bentley Que | |
| 12 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 13 | When Pigs Fly - Florence, AL | |
| 14 | Butt Honey | |
| 15 | The Real Squeal BBQ | |
| 16 | Smokin Temptations | |
| 17 | BUTSY-Q | |
| 18 | LEE LA Q | |
| 19 | Invarique | |
| 20 | Peppa's Nightmare | |
| 21 | VETERAN PORK PULLERS | |
| 22 | USA BBQ | |
| 23 | Spark's Firepit |