Score of the month
712.0000
Master overall, out of 720
top 1% of every Master overall ever scored
73-BBQ put up 712.0000 at Smoke in the Orchard, Powered by Sunpoke — the highest overall of the month.
August 2025 in BBQ
Every sanctioned contest scored in August 2025 — 1 Aug to 31 Aug.
50contests scored
987teams competed
1,778top-ten calls
67perfect 180s
62biggest field
25states & provinces
143new teams
11Backyard boards
Now on the newsstand
The Smoke Ring
Competition Barbecue’s Paper of Record
August 2025, set as a proper newspaper.
Every Grand Champion named, the month in figures across the top, the perfect 180s,
the box scores, and the calendar as classified notices.
Read the August 2025 edition →
The stories
Hottest hand
2×
Grand Championships
Squealin N Dealin BBQ took 2 Grand Championships in August 2025.
First one ever
49th
contest — and their first GC
Big Ten Bones won their first Grand Championship at Boomer Backyard BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY), in their 49th contest in the data.
- 16 Aug
Upset of the month
4-in-100
shot on pre-contest ratings
The ratings gave them a 4% chance
Angry Cock BBQ won Kora Kares for Kids over top-rated GETTIN' BASTED as the ratings underdog.
Perfect 180s
67
perfect scores handed out
Six judges, every card a 9: 67 perfect 180s were handed out in August 2025.
- Chicken ×25
- Pork Ribs ×15
- Pork ×15
- Brisket ×12
Closest call
0.0000
points between 1st and 2nd
Squealin N Dealin BBQ edged Glamping Grillers by 0.0000 at Smoke on the River (Day 1).
- Master Series
Biggest riser
+41
power rating points
B'S QUE gained 41 rating points across 3 contests — the biggest climb of the month.
- 3 contests
- now #249 overall
Best debut
3rd
in their very first contest
VIRUNUM SMOKERS finished 3rd at Wild West Fest on Fire — the first contest they appear in anywhere in the data.
- 143 new teams in Aug 2025
- field of 20
Best in the backyard
357.7144
Backyard overall, out of 360
Electro-Que-ted put up 357.7144 on the Backyard board at Up in Smoke on the Square (BACKYARD ONLY) — two meats, a different scale, and the same nerves.
- 11 Backyard boards in Aug 2025
- won it
Biggest field
62
teams at one contest
BBQ & Fly-In on the River drew 62 teams, and Smoke This Drink That BBQ won it.
- Excelsior Springs
- MO
Road warriors
8
contests cooked
GETTIN' BASTED cooked 8 contests in August 2025 — nobody hauled the rig further.
- best finish 1st
- 2 GCs
New on the calendar
47
teams at a brand-new contest
Grand American Barbecue New York State Championship (Open) ran for the first time on record, drawing 47 teams, and Gettin' Basted won it. Somebody put in the work to make a new contest happen.
- 12 first editions in Aug 2025
- Port Jervis
- NY
Busiest weekend
8
contests on one date
8 sanctioned contests were cooked on 22 Aug alone.
- 22 Aug
Rep of the month
6
contests worked
BILL JONES repped 6 contests in August 2025 — somebody has to run the table.
The boards
Highest overall scores (Master · /720)
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 73-BBQ Smoke in the Orchard, Powered by Sunpoke |
712.0000 |
| 2 | Smoke This Drink That BBQ BBQ & Fly-In on the River |
710.8572 |
| 3 | iBQ'n All American BBQ Throwdown |
709.1428 |
| 4 | GETTIN' BASTED Grand American Barbecue New York State Championship (Open) |
709.1200 |
| 5 | Take It Easy BBQ Smoke N for the Kids |
708.5600 |
| 6 | ZIPS BBQ Pigs & Peaches |
708.5372 |
| 7 | BAD ROOSTER BBQ Pigs & Peaches |
708.5372 |
| 8 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ Meat & Tater BBQ Fest |
707.9772 |
| 9 | Cook the books Smoke in the Orchard, Powered by Sunpoke |
707.4172 |
| 10 | Rub Sweat and Beers Smoke in the Orchard, Powered by Sunpoke |
707.4056 |
| 11 | Bocephus BBQ Smoke on the River (Day 2) |
707.3712 |
| 12 | GETTIN' BASTED Meat & Tater BBQ Fest |
706.8572 |
| 13 | WYO SMOKE SHOW Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ Championships and Bluegrass Festival |
706.8228 |
| 14 | Eleven Thirteen Q Smoke N for the Kids |
706.2516 |
| 15 | Squealin N Dealin BBQ Smoke on the River (Day 1) |
706.2516 |
Best of each meat (both series · /180)
| Category | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken ×25 💯 | Grandpa Val's BBQ Grand American Barbecue World Championship (Invitational) (COMPETITOR SERIES) |
180.0000 |
| Pork Ribs ×15 💯 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ Grand American Barbecue World Championship (Invitational) (COMPETITOR SERIES) |
180.0000 |
| Pork ×15 💯 | BOGGS HOG BBQ Grand American Barbecue World Championship (Invitational) (COMPETITOR SERIES) |
180.0000 |
| Brisket ×12 💯 | Shiggin aint easy All American BBQ Throwdown |
180.0000 |
Straight nines (perfect 180s)
…and 43 more in August 2025.
On the move (power rating)
| Team | Rating | Aug 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| B'S QUE #249 | 1,740 | +41 |
| Rub Sweat and Beers #2183 | 1,531 | +32 |
| The Swine Doctor's BBQ #461 | 1,686 | +31 |
| 73-BBQ #1608 | 1,557 | +29 |
| Bastian's Barbecue Co. #1792 | 1,547 | +28 |
| O.G. BANDITS #450 | 1,688 | +25 |
| Big James Kitchen #590 | 1,659 | +25 |
| Leaning Jowler BBQ #98 | 1,808 | +24 |
| Chompa Q #1071 | 1,596 | +24 |
| BBQ Maestros #488 | 1,680 | +24 |
| OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE #110 | 1,800 | -26 |
| TRIPLE H BBQ #13 | 1,902 | -27 |
| ELJEFE SMOKE #190 | 1,761 | -30 |
| RED SMOKE BAR-B-QUE #539 | 1,668 | -31 |
| Gold-N-Blue Barbecue #406 | 1,695 | -37 |
Who showed up
| Team | Contests | GCs | Best |
|---|---|---|---|
| GETTIN' BASTED | 8 | 2 | 1 |
| Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | 7 | — | 6 |
| Rudes BBQ | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| JANKY LEG BBQ | 6 | — | 3 |
| Bourbon & Blues BBQ | 6 | — | 5 |
| OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | 6 | — | 5 |
| Leaning Jowler BBQ | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| FIRE AT THE END OF THE DAY | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Take It Easy BBQ | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| BrewsCue | 5 | — | 2 |
| Glamping Grillers | 5 | — | 2 |
| PADDY MCQ'S | 5 | — | 2 |
| SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | 5 | — | 2 |
Who ran the table
| Rep | Contests | States |
|---|---|---|
| BILL JONES | 6 | 2 |
| ALEX JR BROWN | 5 | 1 |
| BECKY DRUETZLER | 5 | 3 |
| DAVE DRUETZLER | 5 | 3 |
| IAN SCHMIDT | 5 | 3 |
| JULIE POE | 5 | 3 |
| CRAIG MAIDENS | 4 | 3 |
| HEATHER MAIDENS | 4 | 3 |
| BILL WRIGHT | 3 | 2 |
| BRIAN MOORE | 3 | 3 |
| BUNNY TUTTLE | 3 | 2 |
| CAROL BIGLER | 3 | 2 |
| DAVE ROGERS | 3 | 3 |
| DEBRA GAGE | 3 | 1 |
| FORREST BRUCE | 3 | 2 |
| HAYMO GUTWENIGER | 3 | — |
| JEANNE TITUS | 3 | 2 |
| KARINA RUMENS | 3 | — |
| KIM WRIGHT | 3 | 2 |
| LARRY HADLEY | 3 | 2 |
Where they cooked
| State/Prov. | Contests | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 5 | 88 |
| Virginia | 5 | 62 |
| Kansas | 4 | 87 |
| California | 3 | 39 |
| Maine | 2 | 66 |
| Indiana | 2 | 63 |
| Michigan | 2 | 47 |
| New York | 2 | 47 |
| Minnesota | 2 | 43 |
| Missouri | 1 | 61 |
| Texas | 1 | 55 |
| Alberta | 1 | 50 |
| South Dakota | 1 | 44 |
| Georgia | 1 | 42 |
| Idaho | 1 | 40 |
| Montana | 1 | 38 |
| Washington | 1 | 30 |
| Wisconsin | 1 | 29 |
| Wyoming | 1 | 28 |
| Ontario | 1 | 27 |
Best in the backyard (Backyard · /360)
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electro-Que-ted Up in Smoke on the Square (BACKYARD ONLY) |
357.7144 |
| 2 | BBQ MIKE Smokin Downtown (BACKYARD ONLY) |
357.1428 |
| 3 | Capt. Blue BBQ Triple Crown BBQ (Day 1) |
353.1316 |
| 4 | Electro-Que-ted Smoke on the Water BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) |
353.1200 |
| 5 | Rudes BBQ Smokin Downtown (BACKYARD ONLY) |
352.0116 |
| 6 | Big James Kitchen Smoke on the Water BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) |
351.9656 |
| 7 | GSP Barbecue Smoke on the Water BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) |
351.4172 |
| 8 | Bramble BBQ Up in Smoke on the Square (BACKYARD ONLY) |
350.2628 |
| 9 | Leaning Jowler BBQ Stoney Creek BBQ Cookoff |
349.6916 |
| 10 | E SQUARED BBQ Up in Smoke on the Square (BACKYARD ONLY) |
349.6800 |
| 11 | Too Sauced BBQ Up in Smoke on the Square (BACKYARD ONLY) |
349.6800 |
| 12 | Leaning Jowler BBQ Triple Crown BBQ (Day 2) |
349.6684 |
New to the circuit
First editions (new on the calendar)
| Contest | Teams | Won by |
|---|---|---|
| Grand American Barbecue New York State Championship (Open) Port Jervis, NY |
47 | Gettin' Basted |
| Madison Ribberfest Madison, IN |
45 | Rooters-N-Tooters TN |
| SD BBQ Shootout @ Huset's Speedway Brandon, SD |
44 | Hot Daddy's BBQ |
| Meat & Tater BBQ Fest Meridian, ID |
39 | Smokin' Volts BBQ |
| Grand American Barbecue World Championship (Invitational) (COMPETITOR SERIES) Port Jervis, NY |
34 | Iowa's Smokey D's BBQ |
| 8th Annual DuPont BBQ Competition DuPont, WA |
30 | Rob's Smokin and Grillin BBQ |
| Brighton Barbeque Bash Oshkosh, WI |
29 | Gettin' Basted |
| Pigs & Peaches Kennesaw, GA |
27 | ZIPS BBQ |
| East Central State BBQ Cookoff Paola, KS |
27 | Go Pig or Go Home |
| 3rd Annual Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off (Day 1) Felton, CA |
25 | Smokin' Bliss BBQ |
| Triple Crown BBQ (Day 1) Doswell, VA |
25 | Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ |
| Smoke on the Water BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Florence, AL |
23 | Electro-Que-Ted |
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Every contest scored (50 in August 2025)
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