In this edition
Every sanctioned contest scored in July 2021 — 1 Jul to 31 Jul.
Covering KCBS-sanctioned contests
July 2021 in BBQ
The recap: every contest scored, every story, every board
Inside
The Stories
Score of the month
top 1% of every Master overall ever scored
SLAPS BBQ put up 716.0116 at Dodge City Days Smokin' Saddles BBQ Competition-Day 1 — the highest overall of the month.
Hottest hand
Smoke Central BBQ took 2 Grand Championships in July 2021.
First one ever
Risky Brisket won their first Grand Championship at Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown Day 2, in their 70th contest in the data.
- 17 Jul
Upset of the month
The ratings gave them a 6% chance
Grillbilly's BBQ won Real Squeal BBQ Smokeoff over top-rated IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ as the ratings underdog.
Perfect 180s
Six judges, every card a 9: 29 perfect 180s were handed out in July 2021.
- Chicken ×16
- Brisket ×7
- Pork Ribs ×4
- Pork ×2
Closest call
Not So Famous Dave's BBQ edged Top Gun Barbecue by 0.0228 at Smoke in the Grove.
- Master Series
Back on top
SCHLUCHTENGRILLER BBQ won Vienna Alps BBQ Days - Day 2 — their first Grand Championship since July 2017, after 23 contests without one.
- last won July 2017
- 23 contests in between
Contest record
Smoke Central BBQ put up 706.8576 at SC Festival of Discovery — the best overall in 8 editions of the contest on record, past the old mark of 700.5372.
- old record 700.5372
- 7 earlier editions
Near sweep
Texas Smoke Whisperer won 3 of 4 meats at Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off Day 2 (chicken, pork ribs and pork), and the Grand Championship with them.
- Chicken
- Pork Ribs
- Pork
- and the GC
Biggest riser
Texas Smoke Whisperer gained 41 rating points across 6 contests — the biggest climb of the month.
- 6 contests
- now #222 overall
State champions crowned
26 state championships were decided in July 2021. The biggest, SC Festival of Discovery (81 teams), went to SMOKE CENTRAL.
- South Carolina
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Kansas
- Georgia
- Illinois
Best debut
Grillbilly's BBQ finished 1st at Real Squeal BBQ Smokeoff — the first contest they appear in anywhere in the data.
- 163 new teams in Jul 2021
- field of 26
Best in the backyard
D’Qued Barbeque put up 350.8916 on the Backyard board at Country Roads BBQ Clash Day 1 — two meats, a different scale, and the same nerves.
- 10 Backyard boards in Jul 2021
- won it
Biggest blowout
Swine Life BBQ won Smoke on the Mountain BBQ Championship by 11.4628 points over JACK'S OLD SOUTH — the widest winning margin of the month.
- field of 17
Biggest field
SC Festival of Discovery drew 81 teams, and SMOKE CENTRAL won it.
- Greenwood, SC
Milestone
OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE cooked their 200th contest on record at Country Roads BBQ Clash Day 2, with 12 Grand Championships along the way.
- 12 GCs along the way
Road warriors
SLAPS BBQ cooked 8 contests in July 2021 — nobody hauled the rig further.
- best finish 1st
- 2 GCs
Won without a meat
Not So Famous Dave's BBQ won Smoke in the Grove without winning a single meat — their best category finish was 4th.
- field of 54
New on the calendar
New Jersey State BBQ Championship ran for the first time on record, drawing 59 teams, and Glazed and Infused New Jersey BBQ won it. Somebody put in the work to make a new contest happen.
- 12 first editions in Jul 2021
- North Wildwood, NJ
Always the reserve
Hogline finished second overall 2 times in July 2021 without a Grand Championship — one place short every time.
- 2 contests
Busiest weekend
13 sanctioned contests were cooked on 16 Jul alone.
- 16 Jul
Rep of the month
Charlie Brinza repped 5 contests in July 2021 — somebody has to run the table.
The Boards
Highest overall scores (Master · /720)
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SLAPS BBQ Dodge City Days Smokin' Saddles BBQ Competition-Day 1 |
716.0116 |
| 2 | Happy Grillmore Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest |
713.1316 |
| 3 | Smoke Central BBQ SC Festival of Discovery |
706.8576 |
| 4 | GETTIN' BASTED Dodge City Days Smokin' Saddles BBQ Competition-Day 1 |
706.2516 |
| 5 | Texas Smoke Whisperer Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off Day 2 |
705.6684 |
| 6 | SLAPS BBQ Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest |
705.0856 |
| 7 | KEEP CALM & SAUCE ON Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off Day 1 |
704.5372 |
| 8 | SLAPS BBQ Smokin on the Osage - Day 1 |
703.3944 |
| 9 | DIRT ROAD BBQ Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest |
702.8000 |
| 10 | CLARK CREW BBQ Dodge City Days Smokin' Saddles BBQ Competition-Day 1 |
702.7884 |
| 11 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ Smokin on the Osage - Day 2 |
702.2400 |
| 12 | Cities Edge BBQ Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest |
702.2284 |
| 13 | Bushmaster BBQ Dodge City Days Smokin' Saddles BBQ Competition-Day 1 |
702.2284 |
| 14 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE Country Roads BBQ Clash Day 2 |
701.6684 |
| 15 | Smoke Central BBQ GBC Summer Showdown |
701.6684 |
Best of each meat (both series · /180)
| Category | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken ×16 💯 | BUTCHER BBQ Sand Creek Summer Daze Saucy & Glazed BBQ Competition |
180 |
| Pork Ribs ×4 💯 | GETTIN' BASTED Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off One Meat Rib Contest |
180 |
| Pork ×2 💯 | Happy Grillmore Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest |
180 |
| Brisket ×7 💯 | Happy Grillmore Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest |
180 |
Straight nines (perfect 180s)
…and 5 more in July 2021.
On the move (power rating)
| Team | Rating | Jul 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Texas Smoke Whisperer No. 222 in the power rankings |
1,751 | +41 |
| Damn Fine Beef & Swine No. 58 in the power rankings |
1,838 | +35 |
| Rusty Pig BBQ No. 286 in the power rankings |
1,727 | +33 |
| Off The Rack BBQ No. 224 in the power rankings |
1,750 | +32 |
| MAD MUTT'S BBQ No. 201 in the power rankings |
1,757 | +31 |
| JaBs BBQ No. 387 in the power rankings |
1,702 | +30 |
| Fine As* Swine BBQ No. 466 in the power rankings |
1,685 | +29 |
| KEEP CALM & SAUCE ON No. 315 in the power rankings |
1,720 | +29 |
| JANKY LEG BBQ No. 3 in the power rankings |
1,959 | +29 |
| MACHETE BOYS BBQ No. 481 in the power rankings |
1,681 | +28 |
| MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ No. 516 in the power rankings |
1,674 | -23 |
| Fat&Dumb BBQ No. 906 in the power rankings |
1,616 | -34 |
| Rub Runners BBQ No. 5,848 in the power rankings |
1,441 | -34 |
| ALL FORKED UP FOR Q No. 506 in the power rankings |
1,675 | -35 |
| SmokinGhost BBQ No. 227 in the power rankings |
1,749 | -38 |
Who showed up
| Team | Contests | GCs | Best |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLAPS BBQ | 8 | 2 | 1 |
| Texas Smoke Whisperer | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| MAN MEAT BBQ | 8 | — | 3 |
| GETTIN' BASTED | 7 | — | 2 |
| PORKY BUTTS BBQ | 7 | — | 2 |
| 4 LEGS UP BBQ | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| TRIPLE H BBQ | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| THE BBQ BUS | 6 | — | 2 |
| MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ | 6 | — | 15 |
| Heavy Smoke BBQ | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| JANKY LEG BBQ | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Risky Brisket | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| JaBs BBQ | 5 | — | 2 |
| MACHETE BOYS BBQ | 5 | — | 2 |
| REDMULE'S BBQ | 5 | — | 4 |
Who ran the table
| Rep | Contests | States |
|---|---|---|
| Charlie Brinza | 5 | 1 |
| Donna Young | 5 | 1 |
| Ed Young | 5 | 1 |
| Dave Rogers | 4 | 2 |
| Doug Reid | 4 | 2 |
| Peg Rogers | 4 | 2 |
| Alan Rothrock | 3 | 1 |
| Becky Druetzler | 3 | 2 |
| Dave Druetzler | 3 | 2 |
| Dena Milhous | 3 | 2 |
| Larry Voth | 3 | 1 |
| Lynda Voth | 3 | 1 |
| Ron Milhous | 3 | 2 |
| Alex Jr Brown | 2 | 2 |
| Andreas Schnoell | 2 | — |
| Bill Jones | 2 | 1 |
| Cindy Juhl | 2 | 1 |
| Debra Gage | 2 | 1 |
| Eva Schnoell | 2 | — |
| Julie Cook | 2 | 2 |
Where they cooked
| State/Prov. | Contests | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas | 5 | 117 |
| Illinois | 5 | 70 |
| Missouri | 5 | 63 |
| Virginia | 2 | 57 |
| Iowa | 2 | 56 |
| North Carolina | 2 | 41 |
| Michigan | 2 | 36 |
| West Virginia | 2 | 36 |
| Minnesota | 2 | 33 |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 100 |
| South Carolina | 1 | 91 |
| Georgia | 1 | 67 |
| New Jersey | 1 | 67 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 22 |
| Indiana | 1 | 14 |
| Alaska | 1 | 6 |
Best in the backyard (Backyard · /360)
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | D’Qued Barbeque Country Roads BBQ Clash Day 1 |
350.8916 |
| 2 | Damn Fine Beef & Swine Dodge City Days Smokin' Saddles BBQ Competition-Day 1 |
349.1200 |
| 3 | Optimus Swine Smoke on the Mountain BBQ Championship |
345.0972 |
| 4 | LEM'S MEAT VARNISH Country Roads BBQ Clash Day 1 |
344.5256 |
| 5 | Ham Squad Smoke on the Mountain BBQ Championship |
343.9772 |
| 6 | Bowmans Butt & BBQ Smoke in the Grove |
343.9428 |
| 7 | Country Boys BBQ Country Roads BBQ Clash Day 1 |
343.4400 |
| 8 | Kane's BBQ Smoke in the Grove |
343.4172 |
| 9 | Ham Squad Smoke in the Grove |
343.4172 |
| 10 | Damn Fine Beef & Swine County Seat Cookoff |
343.3828 |
| 11 | Bowmans Butt & BBQ Smoke on the Mountain BBQ Championship |
343.3712 |
| 12 | T & S BBQ Country Roads BBQ Clash Day 1 |
341.7716 |
New to the circuit
First editions (new on the calendar)
| Contest | Teams | Won by |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey State BBQ Championship North Wildwood, NJ |
59 | Glazed and Infused New Jersey BBQ |
| GBC Summer Showdown Cumming, GA |
39 | SMOKE CENTRAL BBQ |
| Harvest On the Fire At the Winery Marshall, IL |
38 | Heavy Smoke BBQ |
| 5th Annual E'burg BBQ Contest Emmetsburg, IA |
35 | Last Call Heros |
| Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off Day 1 Cameron, MO |
33 | Keep Calm and Sauce On |
| Dodge City Days Smokin' Saddles BBQ Competition-Day 1 Dodge City, KS |
27 | Slaps BBQ |
| Real Squeal BBQ Smokeoff Cedar Rapids, IA |
26 | Grillbilly's BBQ |
| Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown Day 1 Eureka, IL |
25 | TRIPLE H BBQ |
| Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off Day 2 Cameron, MO |
25 | Texas Smoke Whisperer |
| Smokin on the Osage - Day 1 Osceola, MO |
25 | Slaps BBQ |
| Smokin on the Osage - Day 2 Osceola, MO |
25 | 4 Legs Up BBQ |
| Sand Creek Summer Daze Saucy & Glazed BBQ Competition Newton, KS |
21 | Mad Mutt's BBQ |
Running a contest? The organizer tools →
Every contest scored (37 in July 2021)
The Archive
Every month with scored results, back to the start of the data. Subscribe to the monthly feed and each one lands as it closes.
2026 (338 contests) · the 2026 season in review
2025 (386 contests) · the 2025 season in review
2024 (343 contests) · the 2024 season in review
2023 (376 contests) · the 2023 season in review
2022 (376 contests) · the 2022 season in review
2021 (310 contests) · the 2021 season in review
2020 (134 contests) · the 2020 season in review
2019 (430 contests) · the 2019 season in review
2018 (480 contests) · the 2018 season in review
2017 (517 contests) · the 2017 season in review
2016 (505 contests) · the 2016 season in review
2015 (494 contests) · the 2015 season in review
2014 (469 contests) · the 2014 season in review
2013 (436 contests) · the 2013 season in review
2012 (1 contest) · the 2012 season in review
Every figure here is computed from the public results at kcbs.us, refreshed nightly. The Smoke Ring is not a publication of the Kansas City Barbeque Society.