KTD Smokin Gobbler Cook-off
2023-07-14 – 2023-07-15 · Worthington, MN · 📍 Nobles County Fairgrounds · State championship
Reps: JOHN SCHARFFBILLIG, LAURIE TWETEN · Prize money: $8,800.00
Grand Champion: Pittie Q (694.8456) · 39 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 PORKY BUTTS BBQ
Entries
39
4 judged meats · 1 ancillary
Top score
694.8456
Winning margin
3.4740
GC over RC
Field average
666.99
median 670.78
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork
2.3428 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
676.5372
10th place overall
Field spread
64.7428
winner to last place
Prize money
$8,800.00
on the line
Double threats
3
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 71%
beats 29% of 1951 Master Series wins in the data
Traveled in
51%
of the 39 teams with a home region came from outside MN
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.63 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1579
avg power rating going in · stronger than 78% of contests
Storylines
👑 A dynasty in the making
Hot Daddy's BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 13 tracked editions.
📸 Photo finishes
Chicken places 4–5: WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ and HOT DADDY'S BBQ tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 5–6: HOT DADDY'S BBQ and OWENS BBQ tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 4–5: RUM N' SMOKE BBQ and HOT DADDY'S BBQ tied on 173.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
🛡️ Back to defend
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: PARROTHEAD SMOKERS (won 2016), ACES HIGH BBQ (won 2018), Wags Backwoods BBQ (won 2020), Shiggin & Grinnin (won 2022).
🃏 An upset on the books
Pittie Q came in rated below the field's top team, SHIGGIN & GRINNIN, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 17-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
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)
Where the field came from (home regions on file)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-09-13 | Worthington, MN | 39 | 695.4516 | SONS OF BUTCHERS | BIG T'Z Q CRU | |
| 2015-09-18 | Worthington, MN 56187 | 26 | 700.5944 | MUSTANG SALLY BBQ | TOTALLY SAUCED | |
| 2016-09-16 | Nobles County Fairgrounds | 29 | 700.0000 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | SPITFIRE | |
| 2017-09-15 | Downtown Worthington | 27 | 690.2628 | LUCKY'S Q | YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG | |
| 2018-09-14 | Downtown Worthington | 25 | 693.6800 | ACES HIGH BBQ | MUSTANG SALLY BBQ | |
| 2019-09-13 | Worthington, MN | Downtown Worthington | 26 | 686.1944 | WHO DAT BBQ | MUSTANG SALLY BBQ |
| 2020-09-18 | Worthington, MN | Downtown Worthington | 35 | 696.6516 | Wags Backwoods BBQ | MACHETE BOYS BBQ |
| 2021-07-16 | Worthington, MN | Nobles County Fairgrounds | 33 | 693.2004 | Richie Z | HOGLINE |
| 2022-07-15 | Worthington, MN | Nobles County Fairgrounds | 40 | 695.3940 | Shiggin & Grinnin | Ash Kickin' BBQ |
| 2022-07-15 | Worthington, MN | Nobles County Fairgrounds | 17 | 176.0000 | Smokin' Big | — |
| 2023-07-14 ← this one | Worthington, MN | Nobles County Fairgrounds | 39 | 694.8456 | Pittie Q | PORKY BUTTS BBQ |
| 2024-07-12 | Worthington, MN | 700 2nd Avenue | 34 | 695.9084 | Hot Daddy's BBQ | Dirty Little Pigs BBQ |
| 2024-07-12 | Worthington, MN | 700 2nd Avenue | 13 | 178.8572 | Hot Daddy's BBQ | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.7028 | 173.7028 | 172.5716 |
| Pork Ribs | 179.4400 | 174.2744 | 170.8344 |
| Pork | 175.4628 | 173.1200 | 170.2972 |
| Brisket | 179.4400 | 175.4172 | 170.8572 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
39 entries · top 694.8456 · median 670.7768
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pittie Q | |
| 2 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 3 | Bushmaster BBQ | |
| 4 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 5 | Hogline BBQ | |
| 6 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 7 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 8 | Lucky 19 Sauce Company | |
| 9 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 10 | Smokie and His Bandits | |
| 11 | Ash Kickin' BBQ | |
| 12 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 13 | ACES HIGH BBQ | |
| 14 | Eggspert BBQ | |
| 15 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 16 | PO PO PORK | |
| 17 | SPITFIRE | |
| 18 | Good Grefe! | |
| 19 | RUB MY RACK | |
| 20 | IT'S BBQ TIME | |
| 21 | RICHIE Z's | |
| 22 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 23 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 24 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 25 | MadChad's BBQ | |
| 26 | Steel Smoke BBQ | |
| 27 | SIX BUTT BBQ | |
| 28 | Sugar Shack | |
| 29 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 30 | Pigtamer BBQ | |
| 31 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 32 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 33 | BRAZEN BARREL BBQ | |
| 34 | GOOD OL BOYS BBQ | |
| 35 | SUBTLE SMOKE | |
| 36 | Smoking Hamm's BBQ Team | |
| 37 | Chasing Grand | |
| 38 | Smokin G's BBQ | |
| 39 | Daddy Dutch BBQ |
Chicken
39 entries · top 177.7028 · median 170.3088
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 2 | Good Grefe! | |
| 3 | Pittie Q | |
| 4 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 5 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 6 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 7 | ACES HIGH BBQ | |
| 8 | Smokie and His Bandits | |
| 9 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 10 | Hogline BBQ | |
| 11 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 12 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 13 | Smoking Hamm's BBQ Team | |
| 14 | RICHIE Z's | |
| 15 | RUB MY RACK | |
| 16 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 17 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 18 | Lucky 19 Sauce Company | |
| 19 | SIX BUTT BBQ | |
| 20 | Smokin G's BBQ | |
| 21 | PO PO PORK | |
| 22 | GOOD OL BOYS BBQ | |
| 23 | Steel Smoke BBQ | |
| 24 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 25 | Sugar Shack | |
| 26 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 27 | Eggspert BBQ | |
| 28 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 29 | IT'S BBQ TIME | |
| 30 | Ash Kickin' BBQ | |
| 31 | SUBTLE SMOKE | |
| 32 | Pigtamer BBQ | |
| 33 | Bushmaster BBQ | |
| 34 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 35 | MadChad's BBQ | |
| 36 | BRAZEN BARREL BBQ | |
| 37 | SPITFIRE | |
| 38 | Chasing Grand | |
| 39 | Daddy Dutch BBQ |
Pork Ribs
39 entries · top 179.4400 · median 166.8344
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bushmaster BBQ | |
| 2 | Pittie Q | |
| 3 | Ash Kickin' BBQ | |
| 4 | Eggspert BBQ | |
| 5 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 6 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 7 | SPITFIRE | |
| 8 | Good Grefe! | |
| 9 | Steel Smoke BBQ | |
| 10 | ACES HIGH BBQ | |
| 11 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 12 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 13 | SUBTLE SMOKE | |
| 14 | Smokie and His Bandits | |
| 15 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 16 | Hogline BBQ | |
| 17 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 18 | PO PO PORK | |
| 19 | BRAZEN BARREL BBQ | |
| 20 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 21 | RICHIE Z's | |
| 22 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 23 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 24 | Pigtamer BBQ | |
| 25 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 26 | Chasing Grand | |
| 27 | Smokin G's BBQ | |
| 28 | Lucky 19 Sauce Company | |
| 29 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 30 | RUB MY RACK | |
| 31 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 32 | GOOD OL BOYS BBQ | |
| 33 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 34 | SIX BUTT BBQ | |
| 35 | Smoking Hamm's BBQ Team | |
| 36 | Sugar Shack | |
| 37 | IT'S BBQ TIME | |
| 38 | MadChad's BBQ | |
| 39 | Daddy Dutch BBQ |
Pork
39 entries · top 175.4628 · median 168.5372
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SPITFIRE | |
| 2 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 3 | IT'S BBQ TIME | |
| 4 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 5 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 6 | Lucky 19 Sauce Company | |
| 7 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 8 | Pittie Q | |
| 9 | Sugar Shack | |
| 10 | Smokie and His Bandits | |
| 11 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 12 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 13 | ACES HIGH BBQ | |
| 14 | RUB MY RACK | |
| 15 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 16 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 17 | Bushmaster BBQ | |
| 18 | BRAZEN BARREL BBQ | |
| 19 | MadChad's BBQ | |
| 20 | Eggspert BBQ | |
| 21 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 22 | Ash Kickin' BBQ | |
| 23 | SIX BUTT BBQ | |
| 24 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 25 | Pigtamer BBQ | |
| 26 | RICHIE Z's | |
| 27 | Steel Smoke BBQ | |
| 28 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 29 | PO PO PORK | |
| 30 | SUBTLE SMOKE | |
| 31 | Hogline BBQ | |
| 32 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 33 | Good Grefe! | |
| 34 | GOOD OL BOYS BBQ | |
| 35 | Daddy Dutch BBQ | |
| 36 | Smoking Hamm's BBQ Team | |
| 37 | Smokin G's BBQ | |
| 38 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 39 | Chasing Grand |
Brisket
39 entries · top 179.4400 · median 165.0856
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MadChad's BBQ | |
| 2 | Hogline BBQ | |
| 3 | Bushmaster BBQ | |
| 4 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 5 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 6 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 7 | IT'S BBQ TIME | |
| 8 | PO PO PORK | |
| 9 | Pittie Q | |
| 10 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 11 | Lucky 19 Sauce Company | |
| 12 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 13 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 14 | Ash Kickin' BBQ | |
| 15 | RUB MY RACK | |
| 16 | Sugar Shack | |
| 17 | Daddy Dutch BBQ | |
| 18 | Eggspert BBQ | |
| 19 | Chasing Grand | |
| 20 | SIX BUTT BBQ | |
| 21 | RICHIE Z's | |
| 22 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 23 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 24 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 25 | Smokie and His Bandits | |
| 26 | SPITFIRE | |
| 27 | Pigtamer BBQ | |
| 28 | Good Grefe! | |
| 29 | ACES HIGH BBQ | |
| 30 | Steel Smoke BBQ | |
| 31 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 32 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 33 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 34 | BRAZEN BARREL BBQ | |
| 35 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 36 | GOOD OL BOYS BBQ | |
| 37 | Smoking Hamm's BBQ Team | |
| 38 | Smokin G's BBQ | |
| 39 | SUBTLE SMOKE |
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
23 entries · top 176.0000 · median 163.9428
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daddy Dutch BBQ | |
| 2 | Bushmaster BBQ | |
| 3 | Rack Shack bbq | |
| 4 | RUB MY RACK | |
| 5 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 6 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 7 | Pittie Q | |
| 8 | MadChad's BBQ | |
| 9 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 10 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 11 | Ash Kickin' BBQ | |
| 12 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 13 | Smoking Hamm's BBQ Team | |
| 14 | SUBTLE SMOKE | |
| 15 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 16 | Sugar Shack | |
| 17 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 18 | GOOD OL BOYS BBQ | |
| 19 | Steel Smoke BBQ | |
| 20 | Hogline BBQ | |
| 21 | Lucky Stiff BBQ | |
| 22 | BRAZEN BARREL BBQ | |
| 23 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS |