The annual edition

Every sanctioned contest scored in 2012.

Covering KCBS-sanctioned contests

The Smoke Ring

Competition Barbecue’s Paper of Record

The Index

The Year in Brief A3
Firsts & Rookies A5
The Top Tens B1
Meat by Meat B2
Month by Month B3
Back Issues C1

Annual edition Monday, December 31, 2012 Price: One Coffee

The 2012 Season in Review

1 contest scored

24 teams competing

693.1426 top score, out of 720 SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ

24 team entries

1 different Grand Champions

1 first-time winners

1 won exactly once

0 perfect 180s

37 top-ten calls

25 biggest field

25 average field

693.14 average winning score

693.14 lowest winning score

4.57 average winning margin

1 states & provinces

0 reps at the table

1 contests per team

Score of the year

SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ Turns In the Year’s Best Card

693.1426 out of 720 at Wild Wild West III BBQ Championship — the highest Master overall scored in 2012.

By The Smoke Ring Staff

top 6% of every Master overall ever scored

LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. — SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ put up 693.1426 at Wild Wild West III BBQ Championship — the highest overall of the year.

Across 2012, 1 sanctioned contest was scored, in one state or province, drawing 24 teams to the turn-in table. Judges made 37 top-ten calls. The top tens run on B1.

Section AThe Year in BriefA3

First one ever

SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ Wins Its First Time Out

A Grand Championship at Wild Wild West III BBQ Championship, in the first contest they appear in anywhere in the record.

1st contest — and their first GC

LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. — SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ won their first Grand Championship at Wild Wild West III BBQ Championship, in their 1st contest in the data.

31 Dec

Closest call

Decided by 4.5712 Points

SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ edged HOG ISLAND PITMASTERS at Wild Wild West III BBQ Championship — the closest finish of the year.

4.5712 points between 1st and 2nd

LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. — SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ edged HOG ISLAND PITMASTERS by 4.5712 at Wild Wild West III BBQ Championship.

Master Series

Biggest riser

SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ Climbs 16 Rating Points

The biggest move on the board, over one contest, and No. 530 overall to show for it.

+16 power rating points

SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ gained 16 rating points across 1 contest — the biggest climb of the year.

1 contest
now #530 overall

The toughest table

Brisket Was the Hardest Meat of 2012

It averaged 158.12 out of 180 — 5.07 below chicken, the easiest of the four.

158.12 average brisket score, out of 180

Brisket was the hardest meat to score in 2012: it averaged 158.12, against 163.19 for chicken.

Brisket 158.12
Pork Ribs 160.81
Pork 161.38
Chicken 163.19

Biggest field

25 Teams Roll Into Lake Elsinore

Wild Wild West III BBQ Championship drew the year’s biggest field, and SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ won it.

25 teams at one contest

LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. — Wild Wild West III BBQ Championship drew 25 teams, and SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ won it.

Lake Elsinore, CA

New on the calendar

A New Contest Opens in Lake Elsinore

Wild Wild West III BBQ Championship ran for the first time on record, and SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ won it.

25 teams at a brand-new contest

LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. — Wild Wild West III BBQ Championship ran for the first time on record, drawing 25 teams, and SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ won it. Somebody put in the work to make a new contest happen.

first edition on record
Lake Elsinore, CA

Section AFirsts & RookiesA5

First Grand Championships 1 team won one for the first time on record

SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ Wild Wild West III BBQ Championship Dec 31 · 25 teams

Section BThe Top TensB1

15 standings from the 2012 season. Grand Championships count once per contest; overall scores are ranked only against their own board’s scale.

Highest Scores

Master overall, out of 720

Most Grand Championships

Contests won, counted once per contest

1 SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ1 contest · 1 top ten 1

Most Reserve Championships

Second overall

1 HOG ISLAND PITMASTERS0 GCs · 1 contest 1

Most Top-Ten Finishes

Top ten overall

1 ALL HOGS GO TO HEAVENof 1 contest 1
2 All Sauced Upof 1 contest 1
3 BIG B'S DOWN-N-DIRTY BBQof 1 contest 1
4 BOWLING OVER PIGSof 1 contest 1
5 Burnin and Lootinof 1 contest 1
6 HOG ISLAND PITMASTERSof 1 contest 1
7 KNOCK UR SOX OFF BBQof 1 contest 1
8 KRITTER KOOKERS COMPETITION BBQ TEAMof 1 contest 1
9 Rooftop BBQof 1 contest 1
10 SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQof 1 contest 1

Most Calls

Top-ten finishes in the four meats

1 HOG ISLAND PITMASTERS1 contest 4
2 SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ1 contest 4
3 All Sauced Up1 contest 3
4 BIG B'S DOWN-N-DIRTY BBQ1 contest 3
5 KNOCK UR SOX OFF BBQ1 contest 3
6 ALL HOGS GO TO HEAVEN1 contest 2
7 BOWLING OVER PIGS1 contest 2
8 Burnin and Lootin1 contest 2
9 HOG HEAVEN BARBECUE COMPANY1 contest 2
10 KRITTER KOOKERS COMPETITION BBQ TEAM1 contest 2

Most Category Wins

First place in a meat

1 HOG ISLAND PITMASTERS1 contest 2
2 SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ1 contest 2

Most Contests Cooked

Contests entered

1 SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ1 GC · 1 state 1
2 ALL HOGS GO TO HEAVEN0 GCs · 1 state 1
3 All Sauced Up0 GCs · 1 state 1
4 BIG B'S DOWN-N-DIRTY BBQ0 GCs · 1 state 1
5 BOOZERS BBQ0 GCs · 1 state 1
6 BOWLING OVER PIGS0 GCs · 1 state 1
7 Burnin and Lootin0 GCs · 1 state 1
8 Canada Danager BBQ0 GCs · 1 state 1
9 D'S SMOKEHOUSE0 GCs · 1 state 1
10 Gava D's BBQ0 GCs · 1 state 1

Best Chicken

Out of 180

Best Pork Ribs

Out of 180

Best Pork

Out of 180

Best Brisket

Out of 180

Biggest Fields

Teams at one contest

1 Wild Wild West III BBQ Championshipwon by SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ 25

Closest Finishes

Points between first and second

1 SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQover HOG ISLAND PITMASTERS · Wild Wild West III BBQ Championship 4.5712

Biggest Winning Margins

Points clear of second

1 SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQover HOG ISLAND PITMASTERS · Wild Wild West III BBQ Championship 4.57

Busiest States

Contests held · average field

1 Californiaaverage field 25 1

Section BMeat by MeatB2

How each meat scored across the season, both series, out of 180.

Meat	Average	Avg. winner	Entries	Winners	Best of the year
Chicken	163.19	176.57	24	1	SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ 176.5714
Pork Ribs	160.81	177.71	24	1	SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ 177.7142
Pork	161.38	174.86	24	1	HOG ISLAND PITMASTERS 174.8572
Brisket	158.12	174.86	24	1	HOG ISLAND PITMASTERS 174.8572

Section BMonth by MonthB3

Every month of the season. Each has an edition of its own, with every Grand Champion named.

Month	Contests	Teams	Top score	Biggest field	180s
December	1	24	693.1426 SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ	25 Wild Wild West III BBQ Championship	0

Notes on the Season from the 2012 season page

Dec 31 → Dec 31 Season ran first and last contest on the 2012 calendar
4.57 Average winning margin across 1 Master contests
37 Walks to the stage top-ten calls handed out in the four meats
1 Contest series distinct recurring contests on the calendar
Brisket Toughest table lowest average of the four meats at 158.12

Section CBack IssuesC1

Every season in review, and every month with scored results, back to the start of the record. 2013 in review → Latest edition

Seasons in review: 2026 · 2025 · 2024 · 2023 · 2022 · 2021 · 2020 · 2019 · 2018 · 2017 · 2016 · 2015 · 2014 · 2013 · 2012

The Smoke Ring

SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ Turns In the Year’s Best Card

SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ Wins Its First Time Out

Decided by 4.5712 Points

SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ Climbs 16 Rating Points

Brisket Was the Hardest Meat of 2012

25 Teams Roll Into Lake Elsinore

A New Contest Opens in Lake Elsinore

First Grand Championships 1 team won one for the first time on record

Highest Scores

Most Grand Championships

Most Reserve Championships

Most Top-Ten Finishes

Most Calls

Most Category Wins

Most Contests Cooked

Best Chicken

Best Pork Ribs

Best Pork

Best Brisket

Biggest Fields

Closest Finishes

Biggest Winning Margins

Busiest States

Notes on the Season from the 2012 season page

2026 316 contests

2025 386 contests

2024 343 contests

2023 376 contests

2022 376 contests

2021 310 contests

2020 134 contests

2019 430 contests

2018 480 contests

2017 517 contests

2016 505 contests

2015 494 contests

2014 469 contests

2013 436 contests

2012 1 contest