Longest wait for a first title
Proof it is worth going back. Every team here cooked for years before the call finally came.
122
contests before the first GC
🥇 HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY at WV Coalfields Cookoff WV KCBS State Championship
- Set Jun 6, 2025
- How the title finally came in 2025
- Standing held outright
- Scope national, and available by state on the record book
The top 25
| # | Holder | Contests before the first GC | Set |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY at WV Coalfields Cookoff WV KCBS State Championship the title finally came in 2025 |
122 | Jun 6, 2025 |
| 2 | Ambition Que at Buds Blues and BBQ the title finally came in 2025 |
104 | Sep 5, 2025 |
| 3 | WHEN PIGS DIE at BBQ 'Loo & Blues TOO! the title finally came in 2018 |
92 | Jul 20, 2018 |
| 4 | Wabash BBQ at Smokin' in the Creek BBQ Contest the title finally came in 2024 |
88 | Apr 26, 2024 |
| 5 | LOVE 2 Q at Smokin on The Harbor the title finally came in 2021 |
83 | Aug 20, 2021 |
| =6 | Extra Mile BBQ at 2017 Smokin' in the Forest the title finally came in 2017 |
82 | Apr 14, 2017 |
| =6 | Uncle Dubby's Backyard BBQ at Page County Heritage Festival - Backyard BBQ (BACKYARD ONLY) the title finally came in 2025 |
82 | Oct 11, 2025 |
| 8 | WeQ4U at PigMania Lebanon State Championship BBQ & Music Festival ( TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL) the title finally came in 2017 |
78 | Sep 1, 2017 |
| 9 | BLIND HOG BBQ at Old Town Smokeout the title finally came in 2025 |
77 | Jun 27, 2025 |
| =10 | MEAT ME IN ST. LOUIS at Atlanta BBQ Store Classic the title finally came in 2022 |
76 | Nov 18, 2022 |
| =10 | The Swine Doctor's BBQ at First State BBQ Bash the title finally came in 2026 |
76 | Sep 25, 2026 |
| 12 | MUTTLEY CREW BBQ at SC Festival of Discovery (PALMETTO BBQ SERIES) the title finally came in 2017 |
74 | Jul 6, 2017 |
| 13 | TEAM CRAWFORD at Ditmars Red White & Blue BBQ the title finally came in 2023 |
72 | Jun 30, 2023 |
| =14 | DIRTY OL' BUTT SLAPPERS at Devon Grube Memorial BBQ Classic the title finally came in 2017 |
71 | Oct 6, 2017 |
| =14 | FINGER LEIKAM GOOD at Smokin' Saddles Double Header (Day 2) the title finally came in 2024 |
71 | Jul 27, 2024 |
| =16 | Risky Brisket at Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown Day 2 the title finally came in 2021 |
70 | Jul 17, 2021 |
| =16 | WE WILL ROCK QUE at Smoke on the Falls the title finally came in 2023 |
70 | Apr 7, 2023 |
| =18 | BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM at York County BBQ Festival the title finally came in 2021 |
69 | Jun 18, 2021 |
| =18 | SWIG-N-PIG at Big BBQ Bash the title finally came in 2023 |
69 | Jun 23, 2023 |
| =18 | HOLLOW Q at University of Arkansas Animal Science Boots, Brews, and BBQ Contest the title finally came in 2025 |
69 | Mar 14, 2025 |
| 21 | Petie's Smokin Pits BBQ at Firelake BBQ Cook Off-Day 2 the title finally came in 2020 |
67 | Oct 24, 2020 |
| 22 | SMOKE-N-PEPPERS at Rockin' BBQ - Day 2 the title finally came in 2021 |
66 | May 15, 2021 |
| =23 | Kermit's Ex at Go Hog Wild BBQ the title finally came in 2023 |
65 | Oct 6, 2023 |
| =23 | SUPER SWINE at Harper County Bullseye BBQ - Day 2 the title finally came in 2023 |
65 | Oct 7, 2023 |
| =23 | BEER TIME BBQ at Grizzly BBQ Brawl the title finally came in 2025 |
65 | Sep 5, 2025 |
Rebuilt nightly from every KCBS result we can find. A record here is only as complete as the data behind it — if a contest is missing from the archive, so is anything that happened at it.
🏆 More from championships
Grand Championships, reserve finishes, dynasties and droughts.
- 🏆 Most Grand Championships
- 🥈 Most Reserve Championships
- 😤 Most runner-up finishes without a title
- 🎯 Best championship rate
- 🗓️ Most Grand Championships in one season
- 🔒 Most consecutive Grand Championships
- 🗺️ Champions in the most states
- 🎪 Most different contests won
- 👑 Most wins at one contest
- 🛡️ Most consecutive wins at one contest
- 🗡️ Biggest field ever beaten
- ⏳ Longest span between titles
- 🏅 Most state championships