A new contest record
693.2228
highest overall ever cooked here
693.2228 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 684.0568 Ribs N Pigs BBQ set in 2025.
- old record 684.0568
- set 2025 by Ribs N Pigs BBQ
Smokin Barrel Fest 2026
Sep 26–27, 2026 · Nanson, Australia · AUSTRALIA · 📍 305 Nanson-Howatharra Road
Reps: Paul Woodhams, Rob Stevens
The King & His Q won Grand Champion at the Smokin Barrel Fest 2026 on September 26, 2026 in Nanson, WA at 305 Nanson-Howatharra Road, scoring 693.2228 in a field of 10 teams. Pit Bull Smokers took Reserve Grand Champion with 688.0112. Category winners: Chicken — The King & His Q (178.3200); Pork Ribs — Leon (174.2972); Pork — Pit Bull Smokers (179.4400); Brisket — Aussie Tong Masters (175.4172). This is the 2nd of 2 editions of this contest on record; the 2025 edition was won by Ribs N Pigs BBQ.
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.
298.78
median 670.56
693.22 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 178.32
- Pork Ribs 174.30
- Pork 179.44
- Brisket 175.42
145.68
179.44
Entries
10
4 judged meats
Top score
693.2228
Winning margin
5.2116
GC over RC
Field average
568.74
298.78693.22
median 670.56 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Brisket
5.1316 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
298.7772
298.78693.22
10th place overall
Field spread
394.4456
winner to last place
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 60%
beats 40% of 4723 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
29%
4 of 14 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Weak
ρ = -0.19 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,489
avg power rating going in · stronger than 0% of contests
Storylines (4 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 2 calls decided inside half a point
Pork Ribs places 1–2: Leon and Aussie Tong Masters tied on 174.2972 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 4–5: Pigs N Ribs BBQ edged The King & His Q by 0.0116.
- Pork Ribs 1–2 · tie
- Brisket 4–5 · 0.0116
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
The King & His Q took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork ribs at 6th.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 6th
- Pork 2nd
- Brisket 5th
A contest record in pork
179.4400
best pork ever cooked here
Pit Bull Smokers turned in 179.4400 in pork — past the 177.1428 that had stood across 1 earlier editions.
- old best 177.1428
- across 1 past editions
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 | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 14, 2025 | Nanson, WA | 115 Nanson-Howatharra Road | 10 | 684.0568 | Ribs N Pigs BBQ | The King and His Q |
| Sep 26, 2026 ← this one | Nanson, WA | 305 Nanson-Howatharra Road | 10 | 693.2228 | The King and His Q | Pit Bull Smokers |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 178.3200 | 165.1428 | 152.0344 |
| Pork Ribs | 174.2972 | 168.6056 | 145.6800 |
| Pork | 179.4400 | 166.8228 | — |
| Brisket | 175.4172 | 170.2856 | — |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
10 entries · top 693.2228 · median 670.5600
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The King & His Q | |
| 2 | Pit Bull Smokers | |
| 3 | Aussie Tong Masters | |
| 4 | BLUE MIST BBQ | |
| 5 | Pigs N Ribs BBQ | |
| 6 | Smokin Genius | |
| 7 | Aussie Davo | |
| 8 | Leon | |
| 9 | Scottie | |
| 10 | Ben and Rick |
Chicken
10 entries · top 178.3200 · median 164.8456
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The King & His Q | |
| 2 | BLUE MIST BBQ | |
| 3 | Smokin Genius | |
| 4 | Pigs N Ribs BBQ | |
| 5 | Aussie Tong Masters | |
| 6 | Pit Bull Smokers | |
| 7 | Leon | |
| 8 | Ben and Rick | |
| 9 | Aussie Davo | |
| 10 | Scottie |
Pork Ribs
10 entries · top 174.2972 · median 168.0400
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leon | |
| 2 | Aussie Tong Masters | |
| 3 | Aussie Davo | |
| 4 | Pit Bull Smokers | |
| 5 | Pigs N Ribs BBQ | |
| 6 | The King & His Q | |
| 7 | Scottie | |
| 8 | Smokin Genius | |
| 9 | BLUE MIST BBQ | |
| 10 | Ben and Rick |
Pork
7 entries · top 179.4400 · median 169.7484
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pit Bull Smokers | |
| 2 | The King & His Q | |
| 3 | BLUE MIST BBQ | |
| 4 | Aussie Davo | |
| 5 | Aussie Tong Masters | |
| 6 | Smokin Genius | |
| 7 | Pigs N Ribs BBQ |
Brisket
7 entries · top 175.4172 · median 170.2972
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aussie Tong Masters | |
| 2 | Pit Bull Smokers | |
| 3 | Aussie Davo | |
| 4 | Pigs N Ribs BBQ | |
| 5 | The King & His Q | |
| 6 | Smokin Genius | |
| 7 | BLUE MIST BBQ |