In this edition
Every sanctioned contest scored in January 2025 — 1 Jan to 31 Jan.
Covering KCBS-sanctioned contests
January 2025 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
Poppa Pig put up 714.2744 at Lakeland Pig Festival — the highest overall of the month.
- a new contest record
Hottest hand
GETTIN' BASTED took 2 Grand Championships in January 2025.
First one ever
Big Bear BBQ won their first Grand Championship at 9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam, in their 23rd contest in the data.
- 9 Jan
Upset of the month
The ratings gave them a 12% chance
Cherry Anchor BBQ won The Golden State Battle VII (Day 1) over top-rated GETTIN' BASTED as the ratings underdog.
Perfect 180s
Six judges, every card a 9: 15 perfect 180s were handed out in January 2025.
- Chicken ×5
- Pork ×4
- Pork Ribs ×3
- Brisket ×3
Closest call
Big Bear BBQ edged Dogpatch Q by 0.5944 at 9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam.
- Backyard Series
Back on top
ELITE BBQ SMOKERS won 9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam — their first Grand Championship since October 2021, after 52 contests without one.
- last won October 2021
- 52 contests in between
Biggest riser
BONE RUBBIN BBQ gained 33 rating points across 3 contests — the biggest climb of the month.
- 3 contests
- now #634 overall
State champions crowned
6 state championships were decided in January 2025. The biggest, 10th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge (48 teams), went to Gettin' Basted.
- Arizona
- Florida
- Nebraska
- California
Best debut
Mike's Backyard BBQ finished 5th at 9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam — the first contest they appear in anywhere in the data.
- 96 new teams in Jan 2025
- field of 38
Best in the backyard
Big Bear BBQ put up 353.7144 on the Backyard board at 9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam — two meats, a different scale, and the same nerves.
- 2 Backyard boards in Jan 2025
- won it
Biggest blowout
Cherry Anchor BBQ won The Golden State Battle VII (Day 1) by 14.3200 points over SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ — the widest winning margin of the month.
- field of 31
Biggest field
10th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge drew 48 teams, and Gettin' Basted won it.
- Bullhead City, AZ
Milestone
LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ cooked their 150th contest on record at The Golden State Battle VII (Day 1), with 16 Grand Championships along the way.
- 16 GCs along the way
Road warriors
GETTIN' BASTED cooked 3 contests in January 2025 — nobody hauled the rig further.
- best finish 1st
- 2 GCs
Won without a meat
GETTIN' BASTED won 10th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge without winning a single meat — their best category finish was 2nd.
- field of 48
New on the calendar
10th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge ran for the first time on record, drawing 48 teams, and Gettin' Basted won it. Somebody put in the work to make a new contest happen.
- 5 first editions in Jan 2025
- Bullhead City, AZ
Always the reserve
SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ finished second overall 2 times in January 2025 without a Grand Championship — one place short every time.
- 2 contests
Busiest weekend
5 sanctioned contests were cooked on 24 Jan alone.
- 24 Jan
Rep of the month
Charlie Brinza repped 3 contests in January 2025 — somebody has to run the table.
The Boards
Highest overall scores (Master · /720)
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Poppa Pig Lakeland Pig Festival |
714.2744 |
| 2 | With a 180 Lakeland Pig Festival |
707.4060 |
| 3 | Sailor Nicks BBQ Lakeland Pig Festival |
706.2400 |
| 4 | Cherry Anchor BBQ The Golden State Battle VII (Day 1) |
705.1428 |
| 5 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS Lakeland Pig Festival |
705.1088 |
| 6 | ELITE BBQ SMOKERS Lakeland Pig Festival |
703.9428 |
| 7 | GETTIN' BASTED The Golden State Battle VII (Day 2) |
703.4516 |
| 8 | Smokin' Ain't EZ Lakeland Pig Festival |
702.8460 |
| 9 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ The Golden State Battle VII (Day 2) |
702.2744 |
| 10 | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA Lakeland Pig Festival |
702.2400 |
| 11 | Low Eye Que Lakeland Pig Festival |
702.2396 |
| 12 | ELITE BBQ SMOKERS 9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam |
701.1316 |
| 13 | Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit Lakeland Pig Festival |
700.5256 |
| 14 | Kings BBQ Team 9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam |
699.9772 |
| 15 | Sloppy Hogs Lakeland Pig Festival |
699.4172 |
Best of each meat (both series · /180)
| Category | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken ×5 💯 | Smoke Central BBQ 9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam |
180 |
| Pork Ribs ×3 💯 | Stewey Magoos BBQ 9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam |
180 |
| Pork ×4 💯 | POPPA PIG AND PORKCHOP 10th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge |
180 |
| Brisket ×3 💯 | PeachCoast BBQ Lakeland Pig Festival |
180 |
Straight nines (perfect 180s)
| Team | Category | Contest |
|---|---|---|
| BULL MARKET BBQ | Pork | The Golden State Battle VII (Day 1) |
| Barely Sober BBQ | Brisket | Lakeland Pig Festival |
| Cherry Anchor BBQ | Pork | The Golden State Battle VII (Day 1) |
| Damn Fine Beef & Swine | Chicken | SJV Winter Rub |
| ELITE BBQ SMOKERS | Pork Ribs | Lakeland Pig Festival |
| GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ | Pork | Lakeland Pig Festival |
| PeachCoast BBQ | Brisket | Lakeland Pig Festival |
| Poppa Pig | Chicken | Lakeland Pig Festival |
| SmokinGhost BBQ | Pork Ribs | SJV Winter Rub |
| Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit | Chicken | Lakeland Pig Festival |
| When Pigs Fly Family BBQ | Brisket | Lakeland Pig Festival |
| POPPA PIG AND PORKCHOP | Pork | 10th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge |
| Dogpatch Q | Chicken | 9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam |
| Smoke Central BBQ | Chicken | 9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam |
| Stewey Magoos BBQ | Pork Ribs | 9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam |
On the move (power rating)
| Team | Rating | Jan 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| BONE RUBBIN BBQ No. 634 in the power rankings |
1,654 | +33 |
| Big Johns BBQ Company No. 508 in the power rankings |
1,675 | +26 |
| SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ No. 530 in the power rankings |
1,671 | +21 |
| Big Boys BBQ No. 953 in the power rankings |
1,610 | +19 |
| ELITE BBQ SMOKERS No. 438 in the power rankings |
1,690 | +18 |
| Mad Dog BBQ No. 933 in the power rankings |
1,612 | +18 |
| Whachu Smokin | 1,514 | +16 |
| Dogpatch Q No. 259 in the power rankings |
1,737 | +16 |
| Sons of Hamarchy No. 3,625 in the power rankings |
1,491 | +16 |
| K & E's Little Smokers No. 5,858 in the power rankings |
1,440 | +16 |
| Beards BBQ No. 3,371 in the power rankings |
1,496 | -20 |
| SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS No. 321 in the power rankings |
1,719 | -21 |
| Smoke Central BBQ No. 134 in the power rankings |
1,785 | -24 |
| AMERICAN FIRE BBQ No. 86 in the power rankings |
1,814 | -25 |
| LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ No. 101 in the power rankings |
1,807 | -28 |
Who showed up
| Team | Contests | GCs | Best |
|---|---|---|---|
| GETTIN' BASTED | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 5TH GEAR BBQ | 3 | — | 3 |
| BONE RUBBIN BBQ | 3 | — | 3 |
| Mad Dog BBQ | 3 | — | 3 |
| Big Johns BBQ Company | 3 | — | 4 |
| Meat Candy Q | 3 | — | 4 |
| LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ | 3 | — | 7 |
| Chompa Q | 3 | — | 8 |
| SoCal Outlaw BBQ | 3 | — | 17 |
| Pops BBQ 22 | 3 | — | 18 |
| Beards BBQ | 3 | — | 25 |
| Cherry Anchor BBQ | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| ELITE BBQ SMOKERS | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Poppa Pig | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Bike & Grill | 2 | — | — |
Who ran the table
| Rep | Contests | States |
|---|---|---|
| Charlie Brinza | 3 | 2 |
| John Mann | 3 | 1 |
| Kelly McIntosh | 3 | 1 |
| Michelle Mann | 3 | 1 |
| Kathleen McIntosh | 2 | 1 |
| Mike Garretson | 2 | 1 |
| Bill Jones | 1 | 1 |
| Carolyn Wells | 1 | 1 |
| Dave Rogers | 1 | 1 |
| David Burstein | 1 | 1 |
| Del Anderson | 1 | 1 |
| Jeanne Titus | 1 | 1 |
| Jodi Harriss | 1 | 1 |
| Kent Harriss | 1 | 1 |
| Peg Rogers | 1 | 1 |
| Randy G Bigler | 1 | 1 |
Where they cooked
| State/Prov. | Contests | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 2 | 194 |
| California | 2 | 33 |
| Arizona | 1 | 68 |
| Nebraska | 1 | 32 |
Best in the backyard (Backyard · /360)
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Bear BBQ 9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam |
353.7144 |
| 2 | Dogpatch Q 9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam |
353.1200 |
| 3 | Electro-Que-ted Lakeland Pig Festival |
353.1084 |
| 4 | Whachu Smokin 9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam |
351.4288 |
| 5 | LEE LA Q Lakeland Pig Festival |
349.6800 |
| 6 | 2 Guys Grilling 9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam |
348.5488 |
| 7 | Mike's Backyard BBQ 9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam |
348.5372 |
| 8 | Salt Run BBQ 9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam |
348.5256 |
| 9 | Podunk Porkers Lakeland Pig Festival |
347.4172 |
| 10 | PIPKIN CREEK BBQ CO. Lakeland Pig Festival |
346.2860 |
| 11 | Sons of Hamarchy Lakeland Pig Festival |
345.6800 |
| 12 | Dogpatch Q Lakeland Pig Festival |
345.1084 |
New to the circuit
First editions (new on the calendar)
| Contest | Teams | Won by |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge Bullhead City, AZ |
48 | Gettin' Basted |
| 9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam Elkton, FL |
38 | Elite BBQ Smokers |
| The Golden State Battle VII (Day 1) Hollister, CA |
31 | Cherry Anchor BBQ |
| Jaco Beach BBQ Challenge (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Play Jaco, Costa Rica |
12 | Heifers, Butts & Clucks |
| Jaco Beach BBQ Challenge (ONE MEAT RIBS) Play Jaco, Costa Rica |
12 | Justice BBQ |
Running a contest? The organizer tools →
Every contest scored (8 in January 2025)
| Contest | Grand Champion | score |
|---|---|---|
| The Golden State Battle VII (Day 2) Jan 25, 2025 · Hollister, CA · 27 teams |
Gettin' Basted RC: SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ |
703.4516 |
| Lakeland Pig Festival Jan 24, 2025 · Lakeland, FL · 40 teams |
Poppa Pig? RC: With a 180 |
714.2744 |
| SJV Winter Rub Jan 24, 2025 · Omaha, NE · 32 teams |
Shiggin aint easy RC: SMOKIN' LEFTY'S BBQ |
697.1088 |
| The Golden State Battle VII (Day 1) Jan 24, 2025 · Hollister, CA · 31 teams |
Cherry Anchor BBQ RC: SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ |
705.1428 |
| Jaco Beach BBQ Challenge (ONE MEAT RIBS) Jan 24, 2025 · Play Jaco · 12 teams |
Justice BBQ | 175.4400 |
| Jaco Beach BBQ Challenge (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Jan 24, 2025 · Play Jaco · 12 teams |
Heifers, Butts & Clucks | 178.2972 |
| 10th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge Jan 17, 2025 · Bullhead City, AZ · 48 teams |
Gettin' Basted RC: PORTERHOUSE BBQ |
699.3600 |
| 9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam Jan 9, 2025 · Elkton, FL · 38 teams |
Elite BBQ Smokers RC: Kings BBQ Team |
701.1316 |
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.