A dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 4 tracked editions
Triple H BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 4 tracked editions.
- 2022
- 2024
Covington World's Oldest Barbeque Festival 2023
Jun 2–3, 2023 · Covington, TN · 📍 Cobb Parr Park · State championship
Reps: Maria Lohman, Wayne Lohman
TRIPLE H BBQ won Grand Champion at the Covington World's Oldest Barbeque Festival on June 2, 2023 in Covington, TN at Cobb Parr Park, scoring 701.6688 in a field of 25 teams. Kith n' Kin took Reserve Grand Champion with 696.5028. Category winners: Chicken — UNCLE FEOL'S TENNESSEE STYLE BBQ (176.5600); Pork Ribs — TRIPLE H BBQ (178.8572); Pork — TRIPLE H BBQ (180.0000); Brisket — Q-BONES BBQ (177.7028). This is the 2nd of 4 editions of this contest on record; the 2022 edition was won by Triple H 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.
547.99
median 682.74
701.67 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 176.56
- Pork Ribs 178.86
- Pork 180 🔥
- Brisket 177.70
125.70
180
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2022 to 2025 — this edition picked out.
Entries
25
4 judged meats
Top score
701.6688
Winning margin
5.1660
GC over RC
Field average
664.78
547.99701.67
median 682.74 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Chicken
1.7144 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
687.3140
547.99701.67
10th place overall
Field spread
153.6804
winner to last place
Double threats
5
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 27%
beats 73% of 4715 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
50%
14 of 28 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.77 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,657
avg power rating going in · stronger than 97% 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 stacked field
1657
average power rating going in
Stronger than 97% of every rated contest
The field averaged a 1657 power rating going in — stronger than 97% of every contest tracked.
- top seed ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN (1916)
- 25 rated teams
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 15 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 1–2: UNCLE FEOL'S TENNESSEE STYLE BBQ and FIRE DANCER BBQ tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 3–4: Heavy Smoke BBQ and PIGGIN' WHISKEY tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 6–7: MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ and PIGLITICALLY INCORRECT BBQ tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 1–2 · tie
- Chicken 3–4 · tie
- Chicken 6–7 · tie
- Chicken 9–10 · tie
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
TRIPLE H BBQ won Pork Ribs, Pork — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 1st
How the title was won
3 of 4
meats called to the stage
TRIPLE H BBQ took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 2 outright wins — their weakest board was chicken at 18th.
- Chicken 18th
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 3rd
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Triple H BBQ (won 2022).
- Triple H BBQ · 2022
A perfect score on the table
1
perfect 180s
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
- TRIPLE H BBQ · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 3, 2022 | Covington, TN | Cobb Parr Park | 28 | 707.3828 | Triple H BBQ | JANKY LEG BBQ |
| Jun 2, 2023 ← this one | Covington, TN | Cobb Parr Park | 25 | 701.6688 | Triple H | Kith n' Kin |
| May 31, 2024 | Covington, TN | Cobb Parr Park | 25 | 702.2400 | Triple H BBQ | Poppa Pig |
| May 30, 2025 | Covington, TN | Cobb Parr Park | 25 | 707.3828 | Mudville BBQ | Kith n' Kin |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 176.5600 | 174.8456 | 173.1084 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.8572 | 175.4172 | 171.9772 |
| Pork | 180 | 174.2628 | 173.1084 |
| Brisket | 177.7028 | 174.2628 | 171.9656 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
25 entries · top 701.6688 · median 682.7428
Chicken
25 entries · top 176.5600 · median 170.2628
Pork Ribs
25 entries · top 178.8572 · median 170.2628
Pork
25 entries · top 180 · median 169.6684 · 🔥 perfect 180
Brisket
25 entries · top 177.7028 · median 171.4056