May 19–20, 2023 · Warsaw, IN · 📍 1400 East Smith Street · State championship
Reps: Jeanne Titus, Tina Weller · Prize money: $5,000
SmokinGhost BBQ won Grand Champion at the Rocking BBQ Warsaw on May 19, 2023 in Warsaw, IN at 1400 East Smith Street, scoring 695.9200 in a field of 35 teams. GREY STREET BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 695.3828. Category winners: Chicken — PPF BBQ (177.7028); Pork Ribs — Smokin' Bones Barbecue (177.1544); Pork — BIG DOGG BBQ - CINCINNATI, OH (179.4400); Brisket — Blowing Smoke BBQ (180.0000). This is the 1st of 2 editions of this contest on record; 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.
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
Closer than 93% of the 4,713 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.5372 points — closer than 93% of every championship in the data.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 77 times in 100
SmokinGhost BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, GREY STREET BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 23-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
SmokinGhost BBQ won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 3 calls from 4 boards, best of them 3rd. Consistency beat fireworks.
Chicken places 4–5: MAC ATTACK BBQ and Blowing Smoke BBQ tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 9–10: DAT'S BBQ and BooyaQ tied on 173.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 3–4: ZTOP BBQ and TIRE SMOKE BBQ tied on 175.4056 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 19, 2023 ← this one | Warsaw, IN | 1400 East Smith Street | 35 | 695.9200 | SmokinGhost BBQ | GREY STREET BBQ |
| May 19, 2023 | Warsaw, IN | 1400 East Smith Street | 29 | 177.7144 | Que U | — |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.7028 | 175.4172 | 173.1200 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.1544 | 173.1428 | 172 |
| Pork | 179.4400 | 174.8572 | 171.9656 |
| Brisket | 180 | 175.4056 | 171.4400 |
35 entries · top 695.9200 · median 675.9200
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 2 | GREY STREET BBQ | |
| 3 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 4 | TIRE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 5 | DB BBQ | |
| 6 | BAD HABIT BBQ | |
| 7 | Smokin' Bones Barbecue | |
| 8 | BIG DOGG BBQ - CINCINNATI, OH | |
| 9 | QUE U | |
| 10 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 11 | BIG GUYS Q | |
| 12 | THE REAL SMOKIN ACES | |
| 13 | ZTOP BBQ | |
| 14 | Sailor Nicks BBQ | |
| 15 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 16 | UNCLE TOAD'S COMPETITION BBQ | |
| 17 | PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS | |
| 18 | JAYBIRD'S BBQ | |
| 19 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 20 | MAC ATTACK BBQ | |
| 21 | SMOKIN HOOSIERS | |
| 22 | Bleacher Bums BBQ | |
| 23 | BLUE SMOKE BBQ OF INDIANA | |
| 24 | SWEET CLEAVER BBQ | |
| 25 | BBQ Maestros | |
| 26 | BooyaQ | |
| 27 | Mediocre BBQ | |
| 28 | DAT'S BBQ | |
| 29 | iBQ'n | |
| 30 | PPF BBQ | |
| 31 | B&R SMOKE | |
| 32 | FLAT BOTTOM BBQ | |
| 33 | Smoke of Genius | |
| 34 | VanHoozen BBQ | |
| 35 | Shooting Star Farm BBQ |
35 entries · top 177.7028 · median 170.8228
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PPF BBQ | |
| 2 | SMOKIN HOOSIERS | |
| 3 | DB BBQ | |
| 4 | MAC ATTACK BBQ | |
| 5 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 6 | TIRE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 7 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 8 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 9 | DAT'S BBQ | |
| 10 | BooyaQ | |
| 11 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 12 | BAD HABIT BBQ | |
| 13 | GREY STREET BBQ | |
| 14 | BIG GUYS Q | |
| 15 | iBQ'n | |
| 16 | JAYBIRD'S BBQ | |
| 17 | SWEET CLEAVER BBQ | |
| 18 | BLUE SMOKE BBQ OF INDIANA | |
| 19 | QUE U | |
| 20 | ZTOP BBQ | |
| 21 | PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS | |
| 22 | B&R SMOKE | |
| 23 | Smokin' Bones Barbecue | |
| 24 | BBQ Maestros | |
| 25 | UNCLE TOAD'S COMPETITION BBQ | |
| 26 | Sailor Nicks BBQ | |
| 27 | THE REAL SMOKIN ACES | |
| 28 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 29 | Mediocre BBQ | |
| 30 | VanHoozen BBQ | |
| 31 | FLAT BOTTOM BBQ | |
| 32 | Bleacher Bums BBQ | |
| 33 | BIG DOGG BBQ - CINCINNATI, OH | |
| 34 | Smoke of Genius | |
| 35 | Shooting Star Farm BBQ |
35 entries · top 177.1544 · median 167.9772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smokin' Bones Barbecue | |
| 2 | QUE U | |
| 3 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 4 | BAD HABIT BBQ | |
| 5 | GREY STREET BBQ | |
| 6 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 7 | THE REAL SMOKIN ACES | |
| 8 | UNCLE TOAD'S COMPETITION BBQ | |
| 9 | BBQ Maestros | |
| 10 | Bleacher Bums BBQ | |
| 11 | Mediocre BBQ | |
| 12 | BIG DOGG BBQ - CINCINNATI, OH | |
| 13 | SWEET CLEAVER BBQ | |
| 14 | Sailor Nicks BBQ | |
| 15 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 16 | BIG GUYS Q | |
| 17 | TIRE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 18 | MAC ATTACK BBQ | |
| 19 | DB BBQ | |
| 20 | JAYBIRD'S BBQ | |
| 21 | ZTOP BBQ | |
| 22 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 23 | BooyaQ | |
| 24 | PPF BBQ | |
| 25 | VanHoozen BBQ | |
| 26 | DAT'S BBQ | |
| 27 | PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS | |
| 28 | BLUE SMOKE BBQ OF INDIANA | |
| 29 | iBQ'n | |
| 30 | FLAT BOTTOM BBQ | |
| 31 | Smoke of Genius | |
| 32 | SMOKIN HOOSIERS | |
| 33 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 34 | B&R SMOKE | |
| 35 | Shooting Star Farm BBQ |
35 entries · top 179.4400 · median 169.1544
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BIG DOGG BBQ - CINCINNATI, OH | |
| 2 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 3 | ZTOP BBQ | |
| 4 | TIRE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 5 | BLUE SMOKE BBQ OF INDIANA | |
| 6 | THE REAL SMOKIN ACES | |
| 7 | GREY STREET BBQ | |
| 8 | DB BBQ | |
| 9 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 10 | UNCLE TOAD'S COMPETITION BBQ | |
| 11 | Smokin' Bones Barbecue | |
| 12 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 13 | Bleacher Bums BBQ | |
| 14 | PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS | |
| 15 | QUE U | |
| 16 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 17 | JAYBIRD'S BBQ | |
| 18 | BAD HABIT BBQ | |
| 19 | iBQ'n | |
| 20 | Mediocre BBQ | |
| 21 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 22 | MAC ATTACK BBQ | |
| 23 | Sailor Nicks BBQ | |
| 24 | FLAT BOTTOM BBQ | |
| 25 | SMOKIN HOOSIERS | |
| 26 | B&R SMOKE | |
| 27 | BBQ Maestros | |
| 28 | BIG GUYS Q | |
| 29 | BooyaQ | |
| 30 | PPF BBQ | |
| 31 | SWEET CLEAVER BBQ | |
| 32 | DAT'S BBQ | |
| 33 | VanHoozen BBQ | |
| 34 | Smoke of Genius | |
| 35 | Shooting Star Farm BBQ |
35 entries · top 180 · median 168 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 2 | GREY STREET BBQ | |
| 3 | Sailor Nicks BBQ | |
| 4 | BIG GUYS Q | |
| 5 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 6 | BIG DOGG BBQ - CINCINNATI, OH | |
| 7 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 8 | PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS | |
| 9 | DB BBQ | |
| 10 | TIRE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 11 | BAD HABIT BBQ | |
| 12 | Smoke of Genius | |
| 13 | THE REAL SMOKIN ACES | |
| 14 | SWEET CLEAVER BBQ | |
| 15 | JAYBIRD'S BBQ | |
| 16 | SMOKIN HOOSIERS | |
| 17 | Bleacher Bums BBQ | |
| 18 | Smokin' Bones Barbecue | |
| 19 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 20 | ZTOP BBQ | |
| 21 | QUE U | |
| 22 | UNCLE TOAD'S COMPETITION BBQ | |
| 23 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 24 | BooyaQ | |
| 25 | DAT'S BBQ | |
| 26 | BBQ Maestros | |
| 27 | MAC ATTACK BBQ | |
| 28 | BLUE SMOKE BBQ OF INDIANA | |
| 29 | Mediocre BBQ | |
| 30 | iBQ'n | |
| 31 | PPF BBQ | |
| 32 | B&R SMOKE | |
| 33 | FLAT BOTTOM BBQ | |
| 34 | VanHoozen BBQ | |
| 35 | Shooting Star Farm BBQ |
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.
6 entries · top 179.4400 · median 174.8572
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DAT'S BBQ | |
| 2 | GREY STREET BBQ | |
| 3 | DB BBQ | |
| 4 | Smokin Bugatti BBQ | |
| 5 | SWEET CLEAVER BBQ | |
| 6 | Shiggin aint easy |