A new contest record
703.3944
highest overall ever cooked here
703.3944 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 697.6572 T-Rex BBQ set in 2022.
- old record 697.6572
- set 2022 by T-Rex BBQ
King of the Corn 2023
May 19–20, 2023 · Ottumwa, IA · 📍 2818 N. Court St. · State championship
Reps: Bunny Tuttle, Rich Tuttle · Prize money: $10,000
Son of a Boar BBQ won Grand Champion at the King of the Corn on May 19, 2023 in Ottumwa, IA at 2818 N. Court St., scoring 703.3944 in a field of 45 teams. 4 LEGS UP BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 696.5372. Category winners: Chicken — Son of a Boar BBQ (180.0000); Pork Ribs — SIN CIRCLE BBQ (178.8800); Pork — Damn Fine Beef & Swine (180.0000); Brisket — TEAM CRAWFORD (179.4400). This is the 2nd of 5 editions of this contest on record; the 2022 edition was won by T-Rex BBQ; the next was held in 2024.
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.
619.40
median 677.68
703.39 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 180 🔥
- Pork Ribs 178.88
- Pork 180 🔥
- Brisket 179.44
137.13
180
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2022 to 2025 — this edition picked out.
Entries
45
4 judged meats · 1 ancillary
Top score
703.3944
Winning margin
6.8572
GC over RC
Field average
672.68
619.40703.39
median 677.68 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Pork
3.4056 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
687.9660
619.40703.39
10th place overall
Field spread
83.9992
winner to last place
Prize money
$10,000
on the line
Double threats
2
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 20%
beats 80% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
56%
20 of 36 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.72 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,606
avg power rating going in · stronger than 81% 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.
An upset on the books
16-in-100
shot on pre-contest ratings
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 84 times in 100
Son of a Boar BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 16-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
- champion 1624
- top seed 1907
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 11 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 3–4: PARROTHEAD SMOKERS and PARTS 'R' SMOKIN tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 2–3: IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ and HOT DADDY'S BBQ tied on 178.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 2–3: Bocephus BBQ and Smokin Suckers tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 3–4 · tie
- Pork 2–3 · tie
- Brisket 2–3 · tie
- Chicken 5–6 · 0.0112
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
Son of a Boar BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork ribs at 10th.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 10th
- Pork 4th
- Brisket 9th
A contest record in brisket
179.4400
best brisket ever cooked here
TEAM CRAWFORD turned in 179.4400 in brisket — past the 175.4400 that had stood across 1 earlier editions.
- old best 175.4400
- across 1 past editions
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: T-Rex BBQ (won 2022).
- T-Rex BBQ · 2022
A perfect score on the table
2
perfect 180s
2 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
- Son of a Boar BBQ · Chicken
- Damn Fine Beef & Swine · Pork
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 14, 2022 | Ottumwa, IA | 2818 N. Court St. | 36 | 697.6572 | T-Rex BBQ | PARTS 'R' SMOKIN |
| May 19, 2023 ← this one | Ottumwa, IA | 2818 N. Court St. | 45 | 703.3944 | SON OF A BOAR BBQ | 4 LEGS UP BBQ |
| May 17, 2024 | Ottumwa, IA | 2818 N. Court Street | 36 | 694.2284 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW |
| May 16, 2025 | Ottumwa, IA | 2818 North Court Street | 33 | 702.2516 | Wag's Backwoods BBQ | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW |
| Oct 16, 2026 | Ottumwa, IA | — | — | — | — | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 174.2972 | 173.1200 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.8800 | 175.4172 | 173.1200 |
| Pork | 180 | 176.5944 | 174.8572 |
| Brisket | 179.4400 | 174.8572 | 171.9772 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
45 entries · top 703.3944 · median 677.6804
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 2 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 3 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 4 | Damn Fine Beef & Swine | |
| 5 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 6 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 7 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 8 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 9 | Smoked & Furious | |
| 10 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 11 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 12 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 13 | Bocephus BBQ | |
| 14 | UP FROM THE PITS BBQ | |
| 15 | Dr. Squealgood BBQ | |
| 16 | FINGER LEIKAM GOOD | |
| 17 | PARTS 'R' SMOKIN | |
| 18 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 19 | Matty Macks | |
| 20 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 21 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 22 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 23 | NEVER EASY BBQ | |
| 24 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 25 | Bohica BBQ | |
| 26 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 27 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 28 | Fullsmoke BBQ | |
| 29 | Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ | |
| 30 | Bramble BBQ | |
| 31 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 32 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 33 | DRY 2 DA BONE | |
| 34 | CHICK HUGGINS BBQ | |
| 35 | PORK COUNTY BARBECUE | |
| 36 | Darty-Q | |
| 37 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 38 | Good Grefe! | |
| 39 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 40 | Trash Panda BBQ | |
| 41 | Memphis Made | |
| 42 | SILENCE OF THE HAMMS | |
| 43 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 44 | REBEL Q | |
| 45 | Smokin A BBQ |
Chicken
45 entries · top 180 · median 170.2628 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 2 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 3 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 4 | PARTS 'R' SMOKIN | |
| 5 | Bohica BBQ | |
| 6 | Damn Fine Beef & Swine | |
| 7 | UP FROM THE PITS BBQ | |
| 8 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 9 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 10 | Smoked & Furious | |
| 11 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 12 | Matty Macks | |
| 13 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 14 | FINGER LEIKAM GOOD | |
| 15 | Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ | |
| 16 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 17 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 18 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 19 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 20 | Darty-Q | |
| 21 | Bocephus BBQ | |
| 22 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 23 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 24 | Fullsmoke BBQ | |
| 25 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 26 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 27 | Dr. Squealgood BBQ | |
| 28 | DRY 2 DA BONE | |
| 29 | CHICK HUGGINS BBQ | |
| 30 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 31 | Bramble BBQ | |
| 32 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 33 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 34 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 35 | PORK COUNTY BARBECUE | |
| 36 | NEVER EASY BBQ | |
| 37 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 38 | Trash Panda BBQ | |
| 39 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 40 | REBEL Q | |
| 41 | Smokin A BBQ | |
| 42 | SILENCE OF THE HAMMS | |
| 43 | Good Grefe! | |
| 44 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 45 | Memphis Made |
Pork Ribs
45 entries · top 178.8800 · median 168.5372
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 2 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 3 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 4 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 5 | Matty Macks | |
| 6 | Damn Fine Beef & Swine | |
| 7 | NEVER EASY BBQ | |
| 8 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 9 | Dr. Squealgood BBQ | |
| 10 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 11 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 12 | Smoked & Furious | |
| 13 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 14 | PARTS 'R' SMOKIN | |
| 15 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 16 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 17 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 18 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 19 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 20 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 21 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 22 | CHICK HUGGINS BBQ | |
| 23 | Bocephus BBQ | |
| 24 | DRY 2 DA BONE | |
| 25 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 26 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 27 | UP FROM THE PITS BBQ | |
| 28 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 29 | Bohica BBQ | |
| 30 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 31 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 32 | Memphis Made | |
| 33 | Good Grefe! | |
| 34 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 35 | FINGER LEIKAM GOOD | |
| 36 | SILENCE OF THE HAMMS | |
| 37 | Fullsmoke BBQ | |
| 38 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 39 | Bramble BBQ | |
| 40 | PORK COUNTY BARBECUE | |
| 41 | Darty-Q | |
| 42 | Smokin A BBQ | |
| 43 | REBEL Q | |
| 44 | Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ | |
| 45 | Trash Panda BBQ |
Pork
45 entries · top 180 · median 170.2744 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Damn Fine Beef & Swine | |
| 2 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 3 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 4 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 5 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 6 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 7 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 8 | Smoked & Furious | |
| 9 | UP FROM THE PITS BBQ | |
| 10 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 11 | Bramble BBQ | |
| 12 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 13 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 14 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 15 | FINGER LEIKAM GOOD | |
| 16 | Bohica BBQ | |
| 17 | Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ | |
| 18 | Dr. Squealgood BBQ | |
| 19 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 20 | Darty-Q | |
| 21 | PARTS 'R' SMOKIN | |
| 22 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 23 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 24 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 25 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 26 | Bocephus BBQ | |
| 27 | NEVER EASY BBQ | |
| 28 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 29 | Matty Macks | |
| 30 | Good Grefe! | |
| 31 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 32 | DRY 2 DA BONE | |
| 33 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 34 | Fullsmoke BBQ | |
| 35 | CHICK HUGGINS BBQ | |
| 36 | Smokin A BBQ | |
| 37 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 38 | PORK COUNTY BARBECUE | |
| 39 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 40 | Trash Panda BBQ | |
| 41 | SILENCE OF THE HAMMS | |
| 42 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 43 | REBEL Q | |
| 44 | Memphis Made | |
| 45 | BBQ Pit Bros |
Brisket
45 entries · top 179.4400 · median 167.9656
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 2 | Bocephus BBQ | |
| 3 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 4 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 5 | FINGER LEIKAM GOOD | |
| 6 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 7 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 8 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 9 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 10 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 11 | Fullsmoke BBQ | |
| 12 | Dr. Squealgood BBQ | |
| 13 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 14 | Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ | |
| 15 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 16 | UP FROM THE PITS BBQ | |
| 17 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 18 | Smoked & Furious | |
| 19 | Matty Macks | |
| 20 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 21 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 22 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 23 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 24 | NEVER EASY BBQ | |
| 25 | PARTS 'R' SMOKIN | |
| 26 | Damn Fine Beef & Swine | |
| 27 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 28 | Memphis Made | |
| 29 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 30 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 31 | PORK COUNTY BARBECUE | |
| 32 | Good Grefe! | |
| 33 | Bohica BBQ | |
| 34 | Trash Panda BBQ | |
| 35 | Bramble BBQ | |
| 36 | DRY 2 DA BONE | |
| 37 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 38 | CHICK HUGGINS BBQ | |
| 39 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 40 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 41 | SILENCE OF THE HAMMS | |
| 42 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 43 | Darty-Q | |
| 44 | REBEL Q | |
| 45 | Smokin A BBQ |
Ancillary categories
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.
Turkey Smoke Series — Turkey Smoke
29 entries · top 174.8456 · median 166.2628
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PARTS 'R' SMOKIN | |
| 2 | UP FROM THE PITS BBQ | |
| 3 | Damn Fine Beef & Swine | |
| 4 | Trash Panda BBQ | |
| 5 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 6 | Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ | |
| 7 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 8 | Bramble BBQ | |
| 9 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 10 | Smoked & Furious | |
| 11 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 12 | CHICK HUGGINS BBQ | |
| 13 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 14 | Memphis Made | |
| 15 | Fullsmoke BBQ | |
| 16 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 17 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 18 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 19 | REBEL Q | |
| 20 | Smokin A BBQ | |
| 21 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 22 | Matty Macks | |
| 23 | Bocephus BBQ | |
| 24 | Dr. Squealgood BBQ | |
| 25 | Darty-Q | |
| 26 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 27 | PORK COUNTY BARBECUE | |
| 28 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 29 | FINGER LEIKAM GOOD |