Oct 7–8, 2022 · Rocky Mount, NC · 📍 S Church St · State championship
Reps: Alan Rothrock, Doug Reid · Prize money: $18,900
HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ won Grand Champion at the Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down on October 7, 2022 in Rocky Mount, NC at S Church St, scoring 705.1316 in a field of 27 teams. FRED VEGAS SMOKERS took Reserve Grand Champion with 701.0856. Category winners: Chicken — ROLLIN' SMOKE (180.0000); Pork Ribs — ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN (177.7028); Pork — HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ (179.4400); Brisket — HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ (177.1544). This is the 6th of 8 editions of this contest on record; the 2021 edition was won by Fred Vegas Smokers; 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, 2013 to 2024 — 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 79 times in 100
HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 21-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
2 of 8 tracked editions
MUTTLEY CREW BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 8 tracked editions.
Chicken places 3–4: Feelin' Swine BBQ and REDNECK SCIENTIFIC tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 5–6: BROWN LIQUOR BBQ and TWISTED PAIR BBQ tied on 177.1428 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 8–9: BIG DOG BBQ VA and Laytons backyard bbq tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ won Pork, Brisket — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 2 outright wins — their weakest board was chicken at 11th.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: MUTTLEY CREW BBQ (won 2017, 2018), Fred Vegas Smokers (won 2021).
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 11, 2013 | Rocky Mount, NC | Rocky Mount, NC | 55 | 682.2744 | FatBacks BBQ & Rib Shack | WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS |
| Oct 7, 2016 | Rocky Mount, NC | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oct 13, 2017 | Rocky Mount, NC | S Church St. | 50 | 701.0972 | MUTTLEY CREW BBQ | THE SMOKEHOUSE BANDITS!!! |
| Oct 12, 2018 | Rocky Mount, NC | S Church St. | 39 | 682.7428 | MUTTLEY CREW BBQ | REDNECK SCIENTIFIC |
| Oct 11, 2019 | Rocky Mount, NC | S Church st | 32 | 705.1316 | Old Colony Smokehouse | REDNECK SCIENTIFIC |
| Oct 8, 2021 | Rocky Mount, NC | S Church St | 26 | 702.2400 | Fred Vegas Smokers | GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ |
| Oct 7, 2022 ← this one | Rocky Mount, NC | S Church St | 27 | 705.1316 | Hold Your Horses BBQ | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS |
| Oct 13, 2023 | Rocky Mount, NC | S Church St | 27 | 702.2400 | Swine 'N' Roses BBQ | Smoke Central BBQ |
| Oct 11, 2024 | Rocky Mount, NC | 285 NE Main Street | 26 | 702.7884 | Smoke Central | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 177.1428 | 176.5600 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.7028 | 174.2744 | 171.9656 |
| Pork | 179.4400 | 175.4056 | 172.5716 |
| Brisket | 177.1544 | 170.8344 | 167.9656 |
27 entries · top 705.1316 · median 670.1944
27 entries · top 180 · median 172 · 🔥 perfect 180
27 entries · top 177.7028 · median 169.1200
27 entries · top 179.4400 · median 168.5372
27 entries · top 177.1544 · median 166.2284