2023-09-22 – 2023-09-23 · Rutherford College, NC · 📍 980 Malcolm Blvd · State championship
Reps: ALAN ROTHROCK, DOUG REID · Prize money: $11,980.00
Grand Champion: Chunky BBQ (700.4912) · 33 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ
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, 2020 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.
CHUNKY BBQ won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 3 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.
Chicken places 2–3: CHUNKY BBQ and SMOKIN SKULLIES tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 3–4: SMOKIN SKULLIES and SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 6–7: WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ and OFF THE RACK BBQ tied on 175.4056 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ won Chicken, Pork Ribs — a double.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Redneck Scientific (won 2021), JL Smokers (won 2022).
This contest usually draws about 28 teams
33 teams is the deepest field this contest has drawn in the data, against a typical 28.
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-09-11 | Connelly Springs, NC | 980 Malcolm Blvd. | 24 | 705.0856 | Smoke Monster BBQ | MCADOO HEIGHTS BBQ |
| 2021-09-24 | Rutherford College, NC | Rutherford College, NC 28671 | 27 | 698.2056 | Redneck Scientific | SMOKIN SKULLIES |
| 2022-09-23 | Connelly Springs, NC | 980 Malcolm Blvd | 32 | 699.3716 | JL Smokers | SMOKIN SKULLIES |
| 2023-09-22 ← this one | Rutherford College, NC | 980 Malcolm Blvd | 33 | 700.4912 | Chunky BBQ | HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ |
| 2025-09-19 | Rutherford College, NC | 980 Malcolm Blvd | 36 | 697.6572 | Smokin Skullies | MUTTLEY CREW BBQ |
| 2026-09-18 | Rutherford College, NC | — | — | — | — | — |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180.0000 | 176.5600 | 174.2744 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.8572 | 177.7028 | 173.1084 |
| Pork | 176.5600 | 174.2628 | 173.1200 |
| Brisket | 177.7028 | 174.2972 | 171.9656 |
33 entries · top 700.4912 · median 681.5884
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHUNKY BBQ | |
| 2 | HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | |
| 3 | MCADOO HEIGHTS BBQ | |
| 4 | OFF THE RACK BBQ | |
| 5 | SMOKIN SKULLIES | |
| 6 | JL Smokers | |
| 7 | UNDER THE RADAR | |
| 8 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | |
| 9 | Optimus Swine | |
| 10 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 11 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 12 | REDNECK SCIENTIFIC | |
| 13 | Swig N Pig | |
| 14 | ELITE BBQ SMOKERS | |
| 15 | Willingham's | |
| 16 | TWISTED PAIR BBQ | |
| 17 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 18 | Pappy & Roleys | |
| 19 | SMOKING STUDS BBQ | |
| 20 | MUTTLEY CREW BBQ | |
| 21 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 22 | EB'S BAR-B-QUE | |
| 23 | BROTHER IN LAW BBQ TEAM - NC | |
| 24 | CREEKSIDE SMOKERS NC | |
| 25 | House of Smoke | |
| 26 | CBF Que | |
| 27 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 28 | HOLT BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 29 | HOGGY BOTTOM BOYS | |
| 30 | Hoggin it Up BBQ | |
| 31 | BUD WISER'S BBQ | |
| 32 | RUB MY BUTT-TICKLE MY RIBS | |
| 33 | Hala%22Q%22Yah BBQ |
33 entries · top 180.0000 · median 171.9656 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | |
| 2 | CHUNKY BBQ | |
| 3 | SMOKIN SKULLIES | |
| 4 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 5 | MCADOO HEIGHTS BBQ | |
| 6 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | |
| 7 | OFF THE RACK BBQ | |
| 8 | Hoggin it Up BBQ | |
| 9 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 10 | UNDER THE RADAR | |
| 11 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 12 | Pappy & Roleys | |
| 13 | JL Smokers | |
| 14 | Swig N Pig | |
| 15 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 16 | MUTTLEY CREW BBQ | |
| 17 | House of Smoke | |
| 18 | TWISTED PAIR BBQ | |
| 19 | REDNECK SCIENTIFIC | |
| 20 | Optimus Swine | |
| 21 | BUD WISER'S BBQ | |
| 22 | ELITE BBQ SMOKERS | |
| 23 | HOLT BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 24 | SMOKING STUDS BBQ | |
| 25 | BROTHER IN LAW BBQ TEAM - NC | |
| 26 | Hala%22Q%22Yah BBQ | |
| 27 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 28 | Willingham's | |
| 29 | CBF Que | |
| 30 | HOGGY BOTTOM BOYS | |
| 31 | CREEKSIDE SMOKERS NC | |
| 32 | RUB MY BUTT-TICKLE MY RIBS | |
| 33 | EB'S BAR-B-QUE |
33 entries · top 178.8572 · median 170.8228
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | |
| 2 | CREEKSIDE SMOKERS NC | |
| 3 | MCADOO HEIGHTS BBQ | |
| 4 | CHUNKY BBQ | |
| 5 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | |
| 6 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 7 | OFF THE RACK BBQ | |
| 8 | JL Smokers | |
| 9 | UNDER THE RADAR | |
| 10 | Optimus Swine | |
| 11 | ELITE BBQ SMOKERS | |
| 12 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 13 | Swig N Pig | |
| 14 | SMOKING STUDS BBQ | |
| 15 | SMOKIN SKULLIES | |
| 16 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 17 | BROTHER IN LAW BBQ TEAM - NC | |
| 18 | TWISTED PAIR BBQ | |
| 19 | Willingham's | |
| 20 | HOGGY BOTTOM BOYS | |
| 21 | CBF Que | |
| 22 | House of Smoke | |
| 23 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 24 | HOLT BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 25 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 26 | MUTTLEY CREW BBQ | |
| 27 | EB'S BAR-B-QUE | |
| 28 | Pappy & Roleys | |
| 29 | REDNECK SCIENTIFIC | |
| 30 | RUB MY BUTT-TICKLE MY RIBS | |
| 31 | Hoggin it Up BBQ | |
| 32 | Hala%22Q%22Yah BBQ | |
| 33 | BUD WISER'S BBQ |
33 entries · top 176.5600 · median 167.3944
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | EB'S BAR-B-QUE | |
| 2 | REDNECK SCIENTIFIC | |
| 3 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 4 | HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | |
| 5 | OFF THE RACK BBQ | |
| 6 | JL Smokers | |
| 7 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 8 | MCADOO HEIGHTS BBQ | |
| 9 | UNDER THE RADAR | |
| 10 | SMOKIN SKULLIES | |
| 11 | Willingham's | |
| 12 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 13 | CHUNKY BBQ | |
| 14 | Optimus Swine | |
| 15 | Swig N Pig | |
| 16 | CBF Que | |
| 17 | BROTHER IN LAW BBQ TEAM - NC | |
| 18 | ELITE BBQ SMOKERS | |
| 19 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | |
| 20 | TWISTED PAIR BBQ | |
| 21 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 22 | CREEKSIDE SMOKERS NC | |
| 23 | House of Smoke | |
| 24 | MUTTLEY CREW BBQ | |
| 25 | SMOKING STUDS BBQ | |
| 26 | Pappy & Roleys | |
| 27 | BUD WISER'S BBQ | |
| 28 | HOLT BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 29 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 30 | Hoggin it Up BBQ | |
| 31 | HOGGY BOTTOM BOYS | |
| 32 | Hala%22Q%22Yah BBQ | |
| 33 | RUB MY BUTT-TICKLE MY RIBS |
33 entries · top 177.7028 · median 169.7028
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pappy & Roleys | |
| 2 | REDNECK SCIENTIFIC | |
| 3 | Optimus Swine | |
| 4 | Willingham's | |
| 5 | TWISTED PAIR BBQ | |
| 6 | ELITE BBQ SMOKERS | |
| 7 | CHUNKY BBQ | |
| 8 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 9 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | |
| 10 | JL Smokers | |
| 11 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 12 | OFF THE RACK BBQ | |
| 13 | SMOKIN SKULLIES | |
| 14 | MCADOO HEIGHTS BBQ | |
| 15 | UNDER THE RADAR | |
| 16 | MUTTLEY CREW BBQ | |
| 17 | Swig N Pig | |
| 18 | SMOKING STUDS BBQ | |
| 19 | EB'S BAR-B-QUE | |
| 20 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 21 | HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | |
| 22 | RUB MY BUTT-TICKLE MY RIBS | |
| 23 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 24 | BUD WISER'S BBQ | |
| 25 | BROTHER IN LAW BBQ TEAM - NC | |
| 26 | House of Smoke | |
| 27 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 28 | CBF Que | |
| 29 | HOLT BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 30 | HOGGY BOTTOM BOYS | |
| 31 | CREEKSIDE SMOKERS NC | |
| 32 | Hoggin it Up BBQ | |
| 33 | Hala%22Q%22Yah BBQ |
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.
13 entries · top 176.5828 · median 169.7256