Tri City BBQ Fest
2023-09-15 – 2023-09-16 · Denison, IA · 📍 Broadway and Main · State championship
Reps: DAVE ROGERS, PEG ROGERS · Prize money: $12,400.00
Grand Champion: Last Call Heros BBQ (703.3712) · 32 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 SHIGGIN & GRINNIN
Entries
32
6 judged meats
Top score
703.3712
Winning margin
3.4284
GC over RC
Field average
669.10
median 673.33
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork
2.2628 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
679.3488
10th place overall
Field spread
105.7368
winner to last place
Prize money
$12,400.00
on the line
Double threats
9
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 33%
beats 67% of 1951 Master Series wins in the data
Traveled in
36%
of the 39 teams with a home region came from outside IA
Came back for more
56%
18 of 32 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.53 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1558
avg power rating going in · stronger than 63% of contests
Storylines
👑 A dynasty in the making
TIMBONE BARBECUE has won this contest 2 times across its 11 tracked editions.
📸 Photo finishes
Master Series — Chicken places 2–3: SHIGGIN & GRINNIN and PARROTHEAD SMOKERS tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 4–5: Colorado Bulldawg BBQ and LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 7–8: SPITFIRE and TEAM CRAWFORD tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
🛡️ Back to defend
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: SPITFIRE (won 2017), Hot Daddys BBQ (won 2021).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-09-19 | Denison, IA 51442 | 21 | 691.3940 | BIG T'Z Q CRU | PIGSKIN BBQ | |
| 2015-09-18 | Denison, IA 51442 | 18 | 690.7884 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | BIG T'Z Q CRU | |
| 2016-09-16 | Broodway & Main | 34 | 701.6800 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA | |
| 2017-09-22 | Broadway & Main St. (Historic Uptown Denison) | 37 | 702.3204 | SPITFIRE | LUCKY'S Q | |
| 2018-09-21 | Broadway & Main St. (Historic Uptown Denison) | 27 | 687.9888 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | DIRT ROAD BBQ | |
| 2019-09-20 | Denison, IA | Broadway & Main St. (Historic Uptown Denison) | 34 | 690.7540 | Timbone Barbecue | SPITFIRE |
| 2021-09-17 | Denison, IA | Broadway and Main | 20 | 697.6572 | Hot Daddys BBQ | SPITFIRE |
| 2022-09-16 | Denison, IA | Broadway and Main | 25 | 693.1316 | Parrothead Smokers SD | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ |
| 2023-09-15 ← this one | Denison, IA | Broadway and Main | 32 | 703.3712 | Last Call Heros BBQ | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN |
| 2024-09-20 | Denison, IA | 109 N. Main | 30 | 700.4912 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ |
| 2025-09-19 | Denison, IA | 109 N. Main | 26 | 703.4060 | Shiggin & Grinnin | Good Grefe! |
| 2026-09-18 | Denison, IA | — | — | — | — | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 178.8572 | 175.4172 | 173.1200 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 177.1428 | 174.2628 | 171.4172 |
| Master Series — Pork | 177.7028 | 175.4400 | 171.4172 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 177.1772 | 174.8456 | 170.8344 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 178.2972 | 169.7256 | — |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 173.2000 | 166.8572 | — |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
32 entries · top 703.3712 · median 673.3314
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 2 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 3 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 4 | SMOKIN' LEFTY'S BBQ | |
| 5 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 6 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 7 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 8 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 9 | SPITFIRE | |
| 10 | Good Grefe! | |
| 11 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 12 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | |
| 13 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 14 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 15 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 16 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 17 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 18 | Matty Macks | |
| 19 | LaTa-Que | |
| 20 | Squeling Pig BBQ | |
| 21 | Low Eye Que | |
| 22 | Team No Clue BBQ | |
| 23 | GRILLIN' GRINDES | |
| 24 | FAIRWAY SMOKERS | |
| 25 | Smokeback Mountain | |
| 26 | Daddy Dutch BBQ | |
| 27 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 28 | Casual Smokers | |
| 29 | Sweet Smokin Jones | |
| 30 | SMOKE DOCTOR | |
| 31 | Smokin A BBQ | |
| 32 | Smoke Addicts |
Chicken
32 entries · top 178.8572 · median 169.9828
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 2 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 3 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 4 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | |
| 5 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 6 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 7 | SPITFIRE | |
| 8 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 9 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 10 | Squeling Pig BBQ | |
| 11 | Sweet Smokin Jones | |
| 12 | SMOKIN' LEFTY'S BBQ | |
| 13 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 14 | FAIRWAY SMOKERS | |
| 15 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 16 | Smokeback Mountain | |
| 17 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 18 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 19 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 20 | LaTa-Que | |
| 21 | Matty Macks | |
| 22 | Good Grefe! | |
| 23 | Team No Clue BBQ | |
| 24 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 25 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 26 | Low Eye Que | |
| 27 | GRILLIN' GRINDES | |
| 28 | Daddy Dutch BBQ | |
| 29 | SMOKE DOCTOR | |
| 30 | Smoke Addicts | |
| 31 | Casual Smokers | |
| 32 | Smokin A BBQ |
Pork Ribs
32 entries · top 177.1428 · median 170.5428
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Good Grefe! | |
| 2 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 3 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 4 | Daddy Dutch BBQ | |
| 5 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 6 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 7 | SMOKIN' LEFTY'S BBQ | |
| 8 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 9 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 10 | GRILLIN' GRINDES | |
| 11 | Low Eye Que | |
| 12 | SPITFIRE | |
| 13 | Matty Macks | |
| 14 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 15 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 16 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 17 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 18 | LaTa-Que | |
| 19 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 20 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 21 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | |
| 22 | Team No Clue BBQ | |
| 23 | Squeling Pig BBQ | |
| 24 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 25 | FAIRWAY SMOKERS | |
| 26 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 27 | Casual Smokers | |
| 28 | Smokin A BBQ | |
| 29 | Smokeback Mountain | |
| 30 | Sweet Smokin Jones | |
| 31 | SMOKE DOCTOR | |
| 32 | Smoke Addicts |
Pork
32 entries · top 177.7028 · median 167.6742
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | |
| 2 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 3 | SMOKIN' LEFTY'S BBQ | |
| 4 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 5 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 6 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 7 | Matty Macks | |
| 8 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 9 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 10 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 11 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 12 | Team No Clue BBQ | |
| 13 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 14 | Good Grefe! | |
| 15 | GRILLIN' GRINDES | |
| 16 | Squeling Pig BBQ | |
| 17 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 18 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 19 | Low Eye Que | |
| 20 | Smokeback Mountain | |
| 21 | SPITFIRE | |
| 22 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 23 | Casual Smokers | |
| 24 | FAIRWAY SMOKERS | |
| 25 | LaTa-Que | |
| 26 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 27 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 28 | Daddy Dutch BBQ | |
| 29 | Sweet Smokin Jones | |
| 30 | SMOKE DOCTOR | |
| 31 | Smokin A BBQ | |
| 32 | Smoke Addicts |
Brisket
32 entries · top 177.1772 · median 166.2686
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 2 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 3 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 4 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 5 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 6 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 7 | LaTa-Que | |
| 8 | SPITFIRE | |
| 9 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 10 | SMOKIN' LEFTY'S BBQ | |
| 11 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 12 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 13 | Smokeback Mountain | |
| 14 | Good Grefe! | |
| 15 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 16 | Low Eye Que | |
| 17 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 18 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 19 | Team No Clue BBQ | |
| 20 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 21 | FAIRWAY SMOKERS | |
| 22 | Squeling Pig BBQ | |
| 23 | SMOKE DOCTOR | |
| 24 | Casual Smokers | |
| 25 | Matty Macks | |
| 26 | GRILLIN' GRINDES | |
| 27 | Daddy Dutch BBQ | |
| 28 | Sweet Smokin Jones | |
| 29 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | |
| 30 | Bucknutz BBQ | |
| 31 | Smoke Addicts | |
| 32 | Smokin A BBQ |
Backyard Series
Overall
7 entries · top 344.0000 · median 342.9256
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Backroad BBQ | |
| 2 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 3 | Smokin Fools | |
| 4 | Smokin B's | |
| 5 | Bar-Down BBQ | |
| 6 | Grill Em All | |
| 7 | Smokestack Barbeque |
Chicken
7 entries · top 178.2972 · median 170.8456
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smokin Fools | |
| 2 | Bar-Down BBQ | |
| 3 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 4 | Backroad BBQ | |
| 5 | Smokin B's | |
| 6 | Grill Em All | |
| 7 | Smokestack Barbeque |
Pork Ribs
7 entries · top 173.2000 · median 166.8800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smokin B's | |
| 2 | Backroad BBQ | |
| 3 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 4 | Bar-Down BBQ | |
| 5 | Grill Em All | |
| 6 | Smokin Fools | |
| 7 | Smokestack Barbeque |