Sep 16–17, 2022 · Denison, IA · 📍 Broadway and Main · State championship
Reps: Dave Rogers, Peg Rogers · Prize money: $12,000
PARROTHEAD SMOKERS won Grand Champion at the Tri City BBQ Fest on September 16, 2022 in Denison, IA at Broadway and Main, scoring 693.1316 in a field of 25 teams. WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 689.1656. Category winners: Chicken — SPITFIRE (177.1772); Pork Ribs — PARROTHEAD SMOKERS (176.5716); Pork — PARROTHEAD SMOKERS (174.8572); Brisket — HOGLINE (176.5600). The Backyard Series standings were won by Shmack Q with 350.8456. This is the 8th of 12 editions of this contest on record; the 2021 edition was won by Hot Daddys BBQ; 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, 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 81 times in 100
PARROTHEAD SMOKERS came in rated below the field's top team, LUCKY'S Q, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 19-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
2 of 12 tracked editions
TIMBONE BARBECUE has won this contest 2 times across its 12 tracked editions.
Master Series — Pork Ribs places 4–5: MACHETE BOYS BBQ and LaTa-Que tied on 171.9772 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork places 1–2: PARROTHEAD SMOKERS and MACHETE BOYS BBQ tied on 174.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork places 5–6: HOT DADDY'S BBQ and Lucky's Q tied on 171.9772 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
PARROTHEAD SMOKERS won Pork Ribs, Pork — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
PARROTHEAD SMOKERS took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 2 outright wins — their weakest board was brisket at 16th.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: SPITFIRE (won 2017), Hot Daddys BBQ (won 2021).
14 of 20 teams from 2021-09-17 came back
14 of the 20 teams that cooked the previous edition came back for this one — a contest people put on the calendar.
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 ← this one | 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 | Denison, IA | 109 N. Main | 26 | 702.2400 | Grillin' Grindes | Home Farm BBQ |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 177.1772 | 173.1200 | 171.4172 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 176.5716 | 171.9772 | 169.6684 |
| Master Series — Pork | 174.8572 | 171.9772 | 169.6800 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 176.5600 | 173.1200 | 169.7028 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 174.8456 | 161.6572 | — |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 177.1428 | 160.0116 | — |
25 entries · top 693.1316 · median 667.3944
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 2 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 3 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 4 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 5 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 6 | Fergolicious BBQ | |
| 7 | SPITFIRE | |
| 8 | HOGLINE | |
| 9 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 10 | Lucky's Q | |
| 11 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 12 | Bohica BBQ | |
| 13 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 14 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 15 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 16 | DRY 2 DA BONE | |
| 17 | LaTa-Que | |
| 18 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 19 | GRILLIN' GRINDES | |
| 20 | Slightly Sauced | |
| 21 | Sweet Smokin Jones BBQ | |
| 22 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 23 | SMOKE DOCTOR | |
| 24 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 25 | Smokin' B's |
25 entries · top 177.1772 · median 170.2744
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SPITFIRE | |
| 2 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 3 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 4 | GRILLIN' GRINDES | |
| 5 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 6 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 7 | HOGLINE | |
| 8 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 9 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 10 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 11 | Bohica BBQ | |
| 12 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 13 | Lucky's Q | |
| 14 | Fergolicious BBQ | |
| 15 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 16 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 17 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 18 | LaTa-Que | |
| 19 | Smokin' B's | |
| 20 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 21 | Sweet Smokin Jones BBQ | |
| 22 | SMOKE DOCTOR | |
| 23 | DRY 2 DA BONE | |
| 24 | Slightly Sauced | |
| 25 | Bucknutz BBQ |
25 entries · top 176.5716 · median 168.5372
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 2 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 3 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 4 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 5 | LaTa-Que | |
| 6 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 7 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 8 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 9 | Lucky's Q | |
| 10 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 11 | DRY 2 DA BONE | |
| 12 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 13 | Fergolicious BBQ | |
| 14 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 15 | SPITFIRE | |
| 16 | Bohica BBQ | |
| 17 | HOGLINE | |
| 18 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 19 | GRILLIN' GRINDES | |
| 20 | Smokin' B's | |
| 21 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 22 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 23 | Sweet Smokin Jones BBQ | |
| 24 | Slightly Sauced | |
| 25 | SMOKE DOCTOR |
23 entries · top 174.8572 · median 167.9772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 2 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 3 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 4 | Slightly Sauced | |
| 5 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 6 | Lucky's Q | |
| 7 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 8 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 9 | Fergolicious BBQ | |
| 10 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 11 | Bohica BBQ | |
| 12 | SPITFIRE | |
| 13 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 14 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 15 | DRY 2 DA BONE | |
| 16 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 17 | HOGLINE | |
| 18 | Sweet Smokin Jones BBQ | |
| 19 | SMOKE DOCTOR | |
| 20 | GRILLIN' GRINDES | |
| 21 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 22 | LaTa-Que | |
| 23 | Bucknutz BBQ |
25 entries · top 176.5600 · median 167.4400
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HOGLINE | |
| 2 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 3 | Fergolicious BBQ | |
| 4 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 5 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 6 | LaTa-Que | |
| 7 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 8 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 9 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 10 | SPITFIRE | |
| 11 | Bohica BBQ | |
| 12 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 13 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 14 | DRY 2 DA BONE | |
| 15 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 16 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 17 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 18 | GRILLIN' GRINDES | |
| 19 | Slightly Sauced | |
| 20 | Lucky's Q | |
| 21 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 22 | Sweet Smokin Jones BBQ | |
| 23 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 24 | SMOKE DOCTOR | |
| 25 | Smokin' B's |
7 entries · top 350.8456 · median 326.8344
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shmack Q | |
| 2 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 3 | Bar-Down BBQ | |
| 4 | Casual Smokers | |
| 5 | Grill Em All | |
| 6 | Uncle Ed's Lads | |
| 7 | Smokin' Side Hustle BBQ |
7 entries · top 174.8456 · median 168
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shmack Q | |
| 2 | Uncle Ed's Lads | |
| 3 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 4 | Casual Smokers | |
| 5 | Bar-Down BBQ | |
| 6 | Smokin' Side Hustle BBQ | |
| 7 | Grill Em All |
7 entries · top 177.1428 · median 165.1084
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 2 | Shmack Q | |
| 3 | Bar-Down BBQ | |
| 4 | Grill Em All | |
| 5 | Smokin' Side Hustle BBQ | |
| 6 | Casual Smokers | |
| 7 | Uncle Ed's Lads |