Jul 7–8, 2023 · Spencer, IA · 📍 800 W 18th Street · State championship
Reps: Clara Williams, Jonathan B Williams · Prize money: $7,810
HOT DADDY'S BBQ won Grand Champion at the Art of the Que on July 7, 2023 in Spencer, IA at 800 W 18th Street, scoring 697.1088 in a field of 28 teams. LAST CALL HEROES BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 694.2172. Category winners: Chicken — HOT DADDY'S BBQ (177.7028); Pork Ribs — LAST CALL HEROES BBQ (177.1428); Pork — HOT DADDY'S BBQ (178.8572); Brisket — PARROTHEAD SMOKERS (177.7028). The Backyard Series standings were won by DAWGS BBQ with 343.9656. This is the 1st of 4 editions of this contest on record; the next was held in 2025.
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, 2023 to 2025 — 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 65 times in 100
HOT DADDY'S BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, PORKY BUTTS BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 35-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
2 of 4 tracked editions
Hot Daddy's BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 4 tracked editions.
Master Series — Chicken places 2–3: RUM N' SMOKE BBQ and Papa Linda's Barbecue tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork Ribs places 5–6: Mr. Dudes BBQ and TEAM CRAWFORD tied on 172.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork places 1–2: HOT DADDY'S BBQ and Son of a Boar BBQ tied on 178.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
HOT DADDY'S BBQ won Chicken, Pork — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
HOT DADDY'S BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 2 outright wins — their weakest board was pork ribs at 10th.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 7, 2023 ← this one | Spencer, IA | 800 W 18th Street | 28 | 697.1088 | Hot Daddy's BBQ | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ |
| Jun 28, 2024 | Spencer, IA | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jun 27, 2025 | Spencer, IA | 800 W 18th Street | 15 | 705.7032 | BIG RACKS BBQ | HOT DADDY'S BBQ |
| Jun 27, 2025 | Spencer, IA | 800 W 18th Street | 17 | 350.8456 | BRAMBLE BBQ | — |
| Jun 27, 2025 | Spencer, IA | 800 W 18th Street | 12 | 177.7144 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | — |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 177.7028 | 174.2860 | 170.8228 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 177.1428 | 172.5600 | 170.2744 |
| Master Series — Pork | 178.8572 | 174.8572 | 171.4172 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 177.7028 | 173.7144 | 169.6800 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 176.0116 | 171.4172 | 162.2516 |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 172.5600 | 169.1200 | 159.9428 |
28 entries · top 697.1088 · median 675.3430
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 2 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 3 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 4 | Ash Kickin' BBQ | |
| 5 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 6 | NECTAR OF THE HOGS | |
| 7 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 8 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 9 | Hogline BBQ | |
| 10 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 11 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 12 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 13 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 14 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 15 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 16 | SPITFIRE | |
| 17 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 18 | Pittie Q | |
| 19 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 20 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 21 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 22 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 23 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 24 | SMOKE IN THE EYE | |
| 25 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 26 | PORK COUNTY BARBECUE | |
| 27 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 28 | Steel Smoke BBQ |
28 entries · top 177.7028 · median 168.8514
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 2 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 3 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 4 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 5 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 6 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 7 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 8 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 9 | Ash Kickin' BBQ | |
| 10 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 11 | SPITFIRE | |
| 12 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 13 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 14 | NECTAR OF THE HOGS | |
| 15 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 16 | Pittie Q | |
| 17 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 18 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 19 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 20 | Steel Smoke BBQ | |
| 21 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 22 | Hogline BBQ | |
| 23 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 24 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 25 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 26 | SMOKE IN THE EYE | |
| 27 | PORK COUNTY BARBECUE | |
| 28 | TEAM CRAWFORD |
28 entries · top 177.1428 · median 168.8458
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 2 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 3 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 4 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 5 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 6 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 7 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 8 | Ash Kickin' BBQ | |
| 9 | Hogline BBQ | |
| 10 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 11 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 12 | Pittie Q | |
| 13 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 14 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 15 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 16 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 17 | SPITFIRE | |
| 18 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 19 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 20 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 21 | NECTAR OF THE HOGS | |
| 22 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 23 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 24 | SMOKE IN THE EYE | |
| 25 | PORK COUNTY BARBECUE | |
| 26 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 27 | Steel Smoke BBQ | |
| 28 | Papa Linda's Barbecue |
28 entries · top 178.8572 · median 169.1200
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 2 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 3 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 4 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 5 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 6 | NECTAR OF THE HOGS | |
| 7 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 8 | SPITFIRE | |
| 9 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 10 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 11 | SMOKE IN THE EYE | |
| 12 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 13 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 14 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 15 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 16 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 17 | Hogline BBQ | |
| 18 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 19 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 20 | Ash Kickin' BBQ | |
| 21 | PORK COUNTY BARBECUE | |
| 22 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 23 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 24 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 25 | Pittie Q | |
| 26 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 27 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 28 | Steel Smoke BBQ |
28 entries · top 177.7028 · median 167.9772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 2 | Ash Kickin' BBQ | |
| 3 | Pittie Q | |
| 4 | Hogline BBQ | |
| 5 | NECTAR OF THE HOGS | |
| 6 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 7 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 8 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 9 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 10 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 11 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 12 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 13 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 14 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 15 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 16 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 17 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 18 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 19 | SPITFIRE | |
| 20 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 21 | SMOKE IN THE EYE | |
| 22 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 23 | PORK COUNTY BARBECUE | |
| 24 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 25 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 26 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 27 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 28 | Steel Smoke BBQ |
16 entries · top 343.9656 · median 331.3714
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DAWGS BBQ | |
| 2 | Furlongs Smoke & Seafood | |
| 3 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 4 | WRECKING CREW BBQ | |
| 5 | SMOKEY GQ | |
| 6 | Weasel's Bone Lickin' BBQ | |
| 7 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 8 | Big Ten Bones | |
| 9 | FENDER BENDER BBQ | |
| 10 | Sensuous BBQ | |
| 11 | Rack Shack bbq | |
| 12 | Sweet Natty's Smokin'Q | |
| 13 | Sota Smoke BBQ | |
| 14 | East Bow "Que | |
| 15 | Trash Panda BBQ | |
| 16 | Purrfect Que BBQ Team |
16 entries · top 176.0116 · median 167.6858
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 2 | DAWGS BBQ | |
| 3 | Big Ten Bones | |
| 4 | Furlongs Smoke & Seafood | |
| 5 | Sensuous BBQ | |
| 6 | SMOKEY GQ | |
| 7 | Weasel's Bone Lickin' BBQ | |
| 8 | WRECKING CREW BBQ | |
| 9 | Sweet Natty's Smokin'Q | |
| 10 | Rack Shack bbq | |
| 11 | East Bow "Que | |
| 12 | FENDER BENDER BBQ | |
| 13 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 14 | Sota Smoke BBQ | |
| 15 | Trash Panda BBQ | |
| 16 | Purrfect Que BBQ Team |
16 entries · top 172.5600 · median 164.5372
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 2 | WRECKING CREW BBQ | |
| 3 | FENDER BENDER BBQ | |
| 4 | Furlongs Smoke & Seafood | |
| 5 | DAWGS BBQ | |
| 6 | Weasel's Bone Lickin' BBQ | |
| 7 | SMOKEY GQ | |
| 8 | Sota Smoke BBQ | |
| 9 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 10 | Rack Shack bbq | |
| 11 | Sensuous BBQ | |
| 12 | Trash Panda BBQ | |
| 13 | Big Ten Bones | |
| 14 | East Bow "Que | |
| 15 | Sweet Natty's Smokin'Q | |
| 16 | Purrfect Que BBQ Team |