Jul 7–9, 2022 · Greenwood, SC · 📍 120 Main Street · State championship
Reps: Alan Rothrock, Doug Reid, Julie Cook, Mike Garretson, Rusty Cook · Prize money: $19,850
SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS won Grand Champion at the South Carolina Festival of Discovery on July 7, 2022 in Greenwood, SC at 120 Main Street, scoring 708.0000 in a field of 92 teams. ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN took Reserve Grand Champion with 707.3828. Category winners: Chicken — SMOKIN SKULLIES (178.8572); Pork Ribs — MCADOO HEIGHTS BBQ (180.0000); Pork — SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS (179.4400); Brisket — Kings BBQ Team (180.0000). This is the 1st of 6 editions of this contest on record; the next was held in 2023.
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, 2022 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 86% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.6172 points — closer than 86% of every championship in the data.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 81 times in 100
SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS came in rated below the field's top team, Organizer Portal, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 19-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
2 of 5 tracked editions
SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS has won this contest 2 times across its 5 tracked editions.
Chicken places 3–4: Kings BBQ Team and Smoke Central BBQ tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 4–5: Smoke Central BBQ and BIG DOG VA tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 6–7: HOT COLE'S BBQ and FALLOUT BBQ tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was chicken at 16th.
Bigger than 98% of the 5,468 contests in the data
92 teams — bigger than 98% of the 5,468 contests in the data.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 7, 2022 ← this one | Greenwood, SC | 120 Main Street | 92 | 708 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN |
| Jul 6, 2023 | Greenwood, SC | 120 Main Street | 76 | 706.2516 | CHUNKY BBQ | QMEISTERS |
| Jul 11, 2024 | Greenwood, SC | 120 Main Street | 76 | 703.9888 | Hot Cole's BBQ | STEWBABYS BBQ |
| Jul 10, 2025 | Greenwood, SC | 120 Main Street | 66 | 708 | Smokin' Sweetmeats | ELITE BBQ SMOKERS |
| Jul 9, 2026 | Greenwood, SC | 120 Main Street | 75 | 707.3828 | Cocamoke Smoke BBQ | Maya Jane BBQ Co. |
| Jul 8, 2027 | Greenwood, SC | — | — | — | — | — |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 178.8572 | 177.7028 | 175.4172 |
| Pork Ribs | 180 | 177.7144 | 176.5716 |
| Pork | 179.4400 | 175.4172 | 173.7256 |
| Brisket | 180 | 177.1428 | 176 |
92 entries · top 708 · median 670.7658
89 entries · top 178.8572 · median 167.3712
92 entries · top 180 · median 168.2514 · 🔥 perfect 180
92 entries · top 179.4400 · median 167.6914
88 entries · top 180 · median 167.1542 · 🔥 perfect 180
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.
29 entries · top 173.7256 · median 163.4400
26 entries · top 180 · median 172.8514 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | One Eyed Pig BBQ | |
| 2 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 3 | HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | |
| 4 | Backwoods BBQ | |
| 5 | BOOG-A-LOU SMOKE CREW | |
| 6 | CREEKSIDE SMOKERS NC | |
| 7 | PIGGIN' WHISKEY | |
| 8 | HOT COLE'S BBQ | |
| 9 | HENRY'S HOG HAULER | |
| 10 | BAD ROOSTER BBQ | |
| 11 | THE SOUTHERN PIG | |
| 12 | CHERRYWOOD BBQ SMOKE TEAM | |
| 13 | MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | |
| 14 | BLUE SUEDE QUE | |
| 15 | Cooters N Smoke | |
| 16 | QUE IT UP! | |
| 17 | ELITE BBQ SMOKERS | |
| 18 | BACKYARD BROS | |
| 19 | THE HOG MAFIA | |
| 20 | SMOKIN' AIN'T EZ | |
| 21 | PALMETTO MOONLIGHT SMOKERS | |
| 22 | QUALITY QUE | |
| 23 | RUBBIN BUTTS BBQ | |
| 24 | OFF THE GRILL BBQ | |
| 25 | CDS BBQ | |
| 26 | TKO BBQ |
19 entries · top 174.8572 · median 161.1084
3 entries · top 170.2972 · median 166.9144
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BLU'S BBQ | |
| 2 | K'S KOOKING | |
| 3 | COLE BBQ |
5 entries · top 167.4400 · median 163.3828
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LIBERTY HILL BBQ | |
| 2 | MICAH BBQ | |
| 3 | RED, WHITE, BBQ | |
| 4 | PIGGY TAILS BBQ | |
| 5 | ATOMIC CITY SMOKERS JR. |