A new contest record
708.5372
highest overall ever cooked here
708.5372 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 690.8116 Scuffletown Smokers set in 2022.
- old record 690.8116
- set 2022 by Scuffletown Smokers
WashMo BBQ & Bluesfest (JUDGING FULL) 2023
Apr 28–29, 2023 · Washington, MO · 📍 317 West Main Street · State championship
Reps: Charlie Brinza, Jeanne Titus · Prize money: $10,250
SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ won Grand Champion at the WashMo BBQ & Bluesfest (JUDGING FULL) on April 28, 2023 in Washington, MO at 317 West Main Street, scoring 708.5372 in a field of 37 teams. Heavy Smoke BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 699.3944. Category winners: Chicken — SMOKE THIS BBQ MO (177.1544); Pork Ribs — Damn Fine Beef & Swine (179.4400); Pork — Smoked & Furious (178.8572); Brisket — SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ (178.8572). This is the 3rd of 4 editions of this contest on record; the 2022 edition was won by Scuffletown Smokers; 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.
551.41
median 674.15
708.54 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 177.15
- Pork Ribs 179.44
- Pork 178.86
- Brisket 178.86
129.66
179.44
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2021 to 2023 — this edition picked out.
Entries
37
4 judged meats
Top score
708.5372
Winning margin
9.1428
GC over RC
Field average
666.30
551.41708.54
median 674.15 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork
1.7028 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
685.0284
551.41708.54
10th place overall
Field spread
157.1312
winner to last place
Prize money
$10,250
on the line
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 6%
beats 94% of 4715 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
55%
16 of 29 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.63 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,634
avg power rating going in · stronger than 92% of contests
Storylines (7 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.
A statement win
9.1428
points clear of the field
Wider than 85% of the 4,714 championships in the data
The champion won by 9.1428 points — a wider margin than 85% of championships in the data.
A stacked field
1634
average power rating going in
Stronger than 92% of every rated contest
The field averaged a 1634 power rating going in — stronger than 92% of every contest tracked.
- top seed SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ (2028)
- 37 rated teams
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 9 calls decided inside half a point
Pork Ribs places 9–10: ONE2BBQ and NA-DA-BONE BBQ tied on 173.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 1–2: Smoked & Furious and JANKY LEG BBQ tied on 178.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 2–3: JANKY LEG BBQ and SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ tied on 178.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Pork Ribs 9–10 · tie
- Pork 1–2 · tie
- Pork 2–3 · tie
- Pork 8–9 · tie
How the title was won
3 of 4
meats called to the stage
SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was chicken at 11th.
- Chicken 11th
- Pork Ribs 2nd
- Pork 3rd
- Brisket 1st
A contest record in pork
178.8572
best pork ever cooked here
Smoked & Furious turned in 178.8572 in pork — past the 177.1544 that had stood across 2 earlier editions.
- old best 177.1544
- across 2 past editions
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: T-Mac Smokin (won 2021).
- T-Mac Smokin · 2021
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 23, 2021 | Washington, MO | 317 West Main St | 45 | 689.0856 | T-Mac Smokin | BIG BOOTS BBQ |
| Apr 22, 2022 | Washington, MO | 317 West Main Street | 29 | 690.8116 | Scuffletown Smokers | COMING IN HOT STL |
| Apr 28, 2023 ← this one | Washington, MO | 317 West Main Street | 37 | 708.5372 | Shake N Bake BBQ | Heavy Smoke BBQ |
| Apr 28, 2023 | Washington, MO | 317 West Main Street | 13 | 177.7144 | Que U | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.1544 | 174.8456 | 173.1200 |
| Pork Ribs | 179.4400 | 175.4172 | 173.1200 |
| Pork | 178.8572 | 177.1544 | 172.5828 |
| Brisket | 178.8572 | 174.8456 | 171.9656 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
37 entries · top 708.5372 · median 674.1484
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ | |
| 2 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 3 | Smoked & Furious | |
| 4 | Mulkey's BBQ | |
| 5 | MEAT ME IN ST. LOUIS | |
| 6 | QUE U | |
| 7 | Damn Fine Beef & Swine | |
| 8 | A&R Q | |
| 9 | Darty-Q | |
| 10 | Dr. Squealgood BBQ | |
| 11 | OUTLAW HAWGS BBQ | |
| 12 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 13 | Eleven Thirteen Q | |
| 14 | SMOKE THIS BBQ MO | |
| 15 | ONE2BBQ | |
| 16 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 17 | Carrol Lou's Smokehouse | |
| 18 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 19 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 20 | First Class BBQ | |
| 21 | KEEP CALM & SAUCE ON | |
| 22 | OINK-A-DOODLE-MOO 1559 | |
| 23 | The Drunken Sailor | |
| 24 | DB BBQ | |
| 25 | COMING IN HOT STL | |
| 26 | BIG BOOTS BBQ | |
| 27 | T-MAC SMOKIN | |
| 28 | LA PASADITA | |
| 29 | CHICK HUGGINS BBQ | |
| 30 | NA-DA-BONE BBQ | |
| 31 | Blue Island | |
| 32 | Matty Macks | |
| 33 | Rubbin N Grillin | |
| 34 | The Grill Sergeant | |
| 35 | Que Lis Bbq | |
| 36 | NORCO PRIDE | |
| 37 | OZARK BROTHERHOOD OF BBQ |
Chicken
37 entries · top 177.1544 · median 170.8228
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKE THIS BBQ MO | |
| 2 | OUTLAW HAWGS BBQ | |
| 3 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 4 | Damn Fine Beef & Swine | |
| 5 | Carrol Lou's Smokehouse | |
| 6 | Mulkey's BBQ | |
| 7 | OINK-A-DOODLE-MOO 1559 | |
| 8 | Smoked & Furious | |
| 9 | MEAT ME IN ST. LOUIS | |
| 10 | First Class BBQ | |
| 11 | SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ | |
| 12 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 13 | DB BBQ | |
| 14 | LA PASADITA | |
| 15 | Eleven Thirteen Q | |
| 16 | Darty-Q | |
| 17 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 18 | A&R Q | |
| 19 | QUE U | |
| 20 | CHICK HUGGINS BBQ | |
| 21 | T-MAC SMOKIN | |
| 22 | Dr. Squealgood BBQ | |
| 23 | The Drunken Sailor | |
| 24 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 25 | ONE2BBQ | |
| 26 | COMING IN HOT STL | |
| 27 | BIG BOOTS BBQ | |
| 28 | NA-DA-BONE BBQ | |
| 29 | KEEP CALM & SAUCE ON | |
| 30 | Rubbin N Grillin | |
| 31 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 32 | Matty Macks | |
| 33 | Que Lis Bbq | |
| 34 | Blue Island | |
| 35 | NORCO PRIDE | |
| 36 | The Grill Sergeant | |
| 37 | OZARK BROTHERHOOD OF BBQ |
Pork Ribs
37 entries · top 179.4400 · median 165.7028
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Damn Fine Beef & Swine | |
| 2 | SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ | |
| 3 | Smoked & Furious | |
| 4 | A&R Q | |
| 5 | QUE U | |
| 6 | Darty-Q | |
| 7 | MEAT ME IN ST. LOUIS | |
| 8 | Mulkey's BBQ | |
| 9 | ONE2BBQ | |
| 10 | NA-DA-BONE BBQ | |
| 11 | OUTLAW HAWGS BBQ | |
| 12 | Dr. Squealgood BBQ | |
| 13 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 14 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 15 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 16 | Eleven Thirteen Q | |
| 17 | Blue Island | |
| 18 | CHICK HUGGINS BBQ | |
| 19 | The Grill Sergeant | |
| 20 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 21 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 22 | The Drunken Sailor | |
| 23 | Carrol Lou's Smokehouse | |
| 24 | T-MAC SMOKIN | |
| 25 | OINK-A-DOODLE-MOO 1559 | |
| 26 | COMING IN HOT STL | |
| 27 | SMOKE THIS BBQ MO | |
| 28 | Rubbin N Grillin | |
| 29 | BIG BOOTS BBQ | |
| 30 | Matty Macks | |
| 31 | First Class BBQ | |
| 32 | DB BBQ | |
| 33 | LA PASADITA | |
| 34 | NORCO PRIDE | |
| 35 | Que Lis Bbq | |
| 36 | KEEP CALM & SAUCE ON | |
| 37 | OZARK BROTHERHOOD OF BBQ |
Pork
37 entries · top 178.8572 · median 169.1200
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smoked & Furious | |
| 2 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 3 | SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ | |
| 4 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 5 | KEEP CALM & SAUCE ON | |
| 6 | First Class BBQ | |
| 7 | Mulkey's BBQ | |
| 8 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 9 | Dr. Squealgood BBQ | |
| 10 | A&R Q | |
| 11 | OINK-A-DOODLE-MOO 1559 | |
| 12 | Darty-Q | |
| 13 | QUE U | |
| 14 | DB BBQ | |
| 15 | MEAT ME IN ST. LOUIS | |
| 16 | Eleven Thirteen Q | |
| 17 | COMING IN HOT STL | |
| 18 | LA PASADITA | |
| 19 | BIG BOOTS BBQ | |
| 20 | OUTLAW HAWGS BBQ | |
| 21 | Damn Fine Beef & Swine | |
| 22 | Rubbin N Grillin | |
| 23 | ONE2BBQ | |
| 24 | Blue Island | |
| 25 | NA-DA-BONE BBQ | |
| 26 | Carrol Lou's Smokehouse | |
| 27 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 28 | SMOKE THIS BBQ MO | |
| 29 | Matty Macks | |
| 30 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 31 | T-MAC SMOKIN | |
| 32 | The Drunken Sailor | |
| 33 | CHICK HUGGINS BBQ | |
| 34 | The Grill Sergeant | |
| 35 | NORCO PRIDE | |
| 36 | OZARK BROTHERHOOD OF BBQ | |
| 37 | Que Lis Bbq |
Brisket
37 entries · top 178.8572 · median 167.9656
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ | |
| 2 | KEEP CALM & SAUCE ON | |
| 3 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 4 | SMOKE THIS BBQ MO | |
| 5 | MEAT ME IN ST. LOUIS | |
| 6 | The Drunken Sailor | |
| 7 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 8 | QUE U | |
| 9 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 10 | Mulkey's BBQ | |
| 11 | Dr. Squealgood BBQ | |
| 12 | Darty-Q | |
| 13 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 14 | CHICK HUGGINS BBQ | |
| 15 | A&R Q | |
| 16 | Eleven Thirteen Q | |
| 17 | T-MAC SMOKIN | |
| 18 | BIG BOOTS BBQ | |
| 19 | Carrol Lou's Smokehouse | |
| 20 | ONE2BBQ | |
| 21 | Damn Fine Beef & Swine | |
| 22 | First Class BBQ | |
| 23 | OUTLAW HAWGS BBQ | |
| 24 | COMING IN HOT STL | |
| 25 | Smoked & Furious | |
| 26 | LA PASADITA | |
| 27 | OINK-A-DOODLE-MOO 1559 | |
| 28 | DB BBQ | |
| 29 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 30 | Matty Macks | |
| 31 | Blue Island | |
| 32 | Que Lis Bbq | |
| 33 | NA-DA-BONE BBQ | |
| 34 | NORCO PRIDE | |
| 35 | Rubbin N Grillin | |
| 36 | The Grill Sergeant | |
| 37 | OZARK BROTHERHOOD OF BBQ |