Sep 8–9, 2023 · Carrollton, KY · 📍 101 Main St. · State championship
Reps: Kent Schuetz, Rachel Schuetz · Prize money: $8,800
HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ won Grand Champion at the Bands & BBQ at the Point on September 8, 2023 in Carrollton, KY at 101 Main St., scoring 700.6060 in a field of 33 teams. Shiggin aint easy took Reserve Grand Champion with 693.6572. Category winners: Chicken — Butts-N-Racks BBQ (180.0000); Pork Ribs — HOT COLE'S BBQ (178.8800); Pork — HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ (177.7144); Brisket — SMOKE-N-PEPPERS (173.1428). The Backyard Series standings were won by MAGNOLIA with 695.3828. This is the 10th of 12 editions of this contest on record; the 2022 edition was won by Smoke-N-Peppers; the next was held in 2024.
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, 2013 to 2026 — 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 77 times in 100
HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 23-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
3 of 12 tracked editions
BLUE CHIP BBQ has won this contest 3 times across its 12 tracked editions.
Master Series — Chicken places 2–3: Shiggin aint easy and BIG DOGG BBQ - CINCINNATI, OH tied on 178.2972 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 7–8: ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN and GETTIN PIGGY WITH IT BACKYARD BBQ tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork Ribs places 4–5: HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ and MUDVILLE BBQ tied on 174.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was brisket at 8th.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: BLUE CHIP BBQ (won 2014, 2017, 2019), High on the Hawg - TN (won 2021), Smoke-N-Peppers (won 2022).
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
Records held by every edition of this contest put together, not just this one afternoon.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 6, 2013 | Carrollton, KY | Carrollton, KY | 34 | 693.6916 | Nobody from Nowhere | BLUE CHIP BBQ |
| Sep 5, 2014 | Carrollton, KY | Carrollton, KY 41008 | 36 | 694.8572 | BLUE CHIP BBQ | YELLOW RIVER BBQ |
| Sep 11, 2015 | Carrollton, KY | Carrollton, KY 41008 | 29 | 694.2856 | BARK BROTHERS BBQ | GREY STREET BBQ |
| Sep 16, 2016 | Carrollton, KY | Point Park | 31 | 707.9772 | GREY STREET BBQ | UNCLE TOAD'S COMPETITION BBQ |
| Sep 15, 2017 | Carrollton, KY | 101 Main St. | 33 | 696.5372 | BLUE CHIP BBQ | GREY STREET BBQ |
| Sep 14, 2018 | Carrollton, KY | 101 Main St. | 27 | 703.9544 | GREY STREET BBQ | SLIPPERY PETE'S BBQ |
| Sep 13, 2019 | Carrollton, KY | 101 Main St. | 28 | 697.0744 | Blue Chip BBQ | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN |
| Sep 10, 2021 | Carrollton, KY | 101 Main St. | 28 | 694.8228 | High on the Hawg - TN | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN |
| Sep 9, 2022 | Carrollton, KY | 101 Main St. | 32 | 698.8460 | Smoke-N-Peppers | BIG DOGG BBQ - CINCINNATI, OH |
| Sep 8, 2023 ← this one | Carrollton, KY | 101 Main St. | 33 | 700.6060 | Hold Your Horses BBQ | Shiggin aint easy |
| Sep 13, 2024 | Carrollton, KY | 101 Main Street | 31 | 699.3828 | WeQ4U | DANG GOOD BBQ |
| Sep 11, 2026 | Carrollton, KY | 101 Main Street | 38 | 704.5372 | Shiggin aint easy | Rooters - N - Tooters |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 180 | 176.5944 | 172.5600 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 178.8800 | 174.8572 | 171.9772 |
| Master Series — Pork | 177.7144 | 173.1428 | 173.1200 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 173.1428 | 171.9656 | 170.8112 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 174.8456 | 172 | 162.2856 |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 176.5828 | 169.7028 | 163.4288 |
| Backyard Series — Pork | 176.5600 | 167.3828 | 160.6056 |
| Backyard Series — Brisket | 176.5600 | 168.0228 | 159.3600 |
33 entries · top 700.6060 · median 677.1088
33 entries · top 180 · median 170.2628 · 🔥 perfect 180
33 entries · top 178.8800 · median 169.6800
33 entries · top 177.7144 · median 170.8344
33 entries · top 173.1428 · median 168
23 entries · top 695.3828 · median 623.9884 · out of 720, not the usual 360
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MAGNOLIA | |
| 2 | Pullin Out the Butts BBQ | |
| 3 | Smoke Wagon BBQ KY | |
| 4 | Big Daddy Dave's BBQ | |
| 5 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 6 | MADAB'S BBQ | |
| 7 | Five-G Family Barbeque | |
| 8 | Kue | |
| 9 | Eddie Q | |
| 10 | Saucy Roys BBQ` | |
| 11 | Smoke - N - Hops | |
| 12 | Dude's Q | |
| 13 | Smokin' Cowboys | |
| 14 | Smokin' Gone Wild | |
| 15 | Creek Smoke BBQ | |
| 16 | Uncle Bird O's BBQ | |
| 17 | Lip Smackin' Butts | |
| 18 | All Sauced Up | |
| 19 | Smoke' in Egg Heads | |
| 20 | RED DOG BBQ INDIANA | |
| 21 | Ribber Boiz | |
| 22 | SmoQued On Main St | |
| 23 | Piggin N Grinnin |
21 entries · top 174.8456 · median 162.2744
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pullin Out the Butts BBQ | |
| 2 | Five-G Family Barbeque | |
| 3 | MADAB'S BBQ | |
| 4 | Kue | |
| 5 | MAGNOLIA | |
| 6 | SmoQued On Main St | |
| 7 | Big Daddy Dave's BBQ | |
| 8 | Smoke Wagon BBQ KY | |
| 9 | Eddie Q | |
| 10 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 11 | Uncle Bird O's BBQ | |
| 12 | Smoke - N - Hops | |
| 13 | Smokin' Cowboys | |
| 14 | Dude's Q | |
| 15 | Creek Smoke BBQ | |
| 16 | Smoke' in Egg Heads | |
| 17 | Smokin' Gone Wild | |
| 18 | Saucy Roys BBQ` | |
| 19 | Lip Smackin' Butts | |
| 20 | All Sauced Up | |
| 21 | Piggin N Grinnin |
23 entries · top 176.5828 · median 159.4056
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RED DOG BBQ INDIANA | |
| 2 | Pullin Out the Butts BBQ | |
| 3 | MAGNOLIA | |
| 4 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 5 | Smoke Wagon BBQ KY | |
| 6 | SmoQued On Main St | |
| 7 | Big Daddy Dave's BBQ | |
| 8 | Five-G Family Barbeque | |
| 9 | MADAB'S BBQ | |
| 10 | Smoke - N - Hops | |
| 11 | Dude's Q | |
| 12 | Kue | |
| 13 | Saucy Roys BBQ` | |
| 14 | Smokin' Gone Wild | |
| 15 | Creek Smoke BBQ | |
| 16 | Smokin' Cowboys | |
| 17 | Lip Smackin' Butts | |
| 18 | Smoke' in Egg Heads | |
| 19 | Ribber Boiz | |
| 20 | All Sauced Up | |
| 21 | Piggin N Grinnin | |
| 22 | Eddie Q | |
| 23 | Uncle Bird O's BBQ |
21 entries · top 176.5600 · median 160.5484
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smoke Wagon BBQ KY | |
| 2 | Eddie Q | |
| 3 | MAGNOLIA | |
| 4 | MADAB'S BBQ | |
| 5 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 6 | RED DOG BBQ INDIANA | |
| 7 | Big Daddy Dave's BBQ | |
| 8 | Uncle Bird O's BBQ | |
| 9 | Smoke - N - Hops | |
| 10 | Five-G Family Barbeque | |
| 11 | Smokin' Cowboys | |
| 12 | Saucy Roys BBQ` | |
| 13 | Pullin Out the Butts BBQ | |
| 14 | Lip Smackin' Butts | |
| 15 | Creek Smoke BBQ | |
| 16 | Dude's Q | |
| 17 | Kue | |
| 18 | Ribber Boiz | |
| 19 | Smokin' Gone Wild | |
| 20 | Smoke' in Egg Heads | |
| 21 | All Sauced Up |
21 entries · top 176.5600 · median 156.5600
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MAGNOLIA | |
| 2 | Pullin Out the Butts BBQ | |
| 3 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 4 | Big Daddy Dave's BBQ | |
| 5 | Smoke Wagon BBQ KY | |
| 6 | RED DOG BBQ INDIANA | |
| 7 | All Sauced Up | |
| 8 | Saucy Roys BBQ` | |
| 9 | Smokin' Gone Wild | |
| 10 | Kue | |
| 11 | Dude's Q | |
| 12 | Five-G Family Barbeque | |
| 13 | Eddie Q | |
| 14 | MADAB'S BBQ | |
| 15 | Uncle Bird O's BBQ | |
| 16 | Lip Smackin' Butts | |
| 17 | Creek Smoke BBQ | |
| 18 | Smokin' Cowboys | |
| 19 | Smoke - N - Hops | |
| 20 | Ribber Boiz | |
| 21 | Smoke' in Egg Heads |
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.
26 entries · top 180 · median 173.4114 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LOADED BARREL BBQ | |
| 2 | Pullin Out the Butts BBQ | |
| 3 | WEQ4U | |
| 4 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 5 | BooyaQ | |
| 6 | ALE YEAH BBQ | |
| 7 | Smoke' in Egg Heads | |
| 8 | Five-G Family Barbeque | |
| 9 | Saucy Roys BBQ` | |
| 10 | Big Daddy Dave's BBQ | |
| 11 | MUDVILLE BBQ | |
| 12 | Piggin N Grinnin | |
| 13 | WHISKEY WHISKERS BBQ COMPANY | |
| 14 | Kue | |
| 15 | Dude's Q | |
| 16 | Uncle Bird O's BBQ | |
| 17 | Creek Smoke BBQ | |
| 18 | SmoQued On Main St | |
| 19 | McQ Smokers | |
| 20 | What Up Grill | |
| 21 | UNCLE TOAD'S COMPETITION BBQ | |
| 22 | Smoke - N - Hops | |
| 23 | Ribber Boiz | |
| 24 | FLAT BOTTOM BBQ | |
| 25 | Lip Smackin' Butts | |
| 26 | MADAB'S BBQ |
34 entries · top 176.5828 · median 168.2456
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LOADED BARREL BBQ | |
| 2 | BooyaQ | |
| 3 | WHISKEY WHISKERS BBQ COMPANY | |
| 4 | Smokin' Gone Wild | |
| 5 | McQ Smokers | |
| 6 | Pullin Out the Butts BBQ | |
| 7 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 8 | Dude's Q | |
| 9 | BBQ Maestros | |
| 10 | Ribber Boiz | |
| 11 | What Up Grill | |
| 12 | WEQ4U | |
| 13 | Divine Swine KY | |
| 14 | RED DOG BBQ INDIANA | |
| 15 | Great White Smoke | |
| 16 | HIGH ON THE HOG OHIO | |
| 17 | Lip Smackin' Butts | |
| 18 | Piggin N Grinnin | |
| 19 | FLAT BOTTOM BBQ | |
| 20 | Smoke - N - Hops | |
| 21 | MAGNOLIA | |
| 22 | All Sauced Up | |
| 23 | Smoke Wagon BBQ KY | |
| 24 | SmoQued On Main St | |
| 25 | Smoke' in Egg Heads | |
| 26 | Creek Smoke BBQ | |
| 27 | Five-G Family Barbeque | |
| 28 | Eddie Q | |
| 29 | Kue | |
| 30 | THE FLYING BURRITOS | |
| 31 | Saucy Roys BBQ` | |
| 32 | Big Daddy Dave's BBQ | |
| 33 | UNCLE TOAD'S COMPETITION BBQ | |
| 34 | Uncle Bird O's BBQ |