SMOKEY BEAR'S BBQ

SMOKEY BEAR'S BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 17 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2016. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 34 at the 2nd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition (2013), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #2945 of 6,485 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#2,945

of 6,485 rated · rankings

Rating

1507

peak 1513 · rated over 17 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 26, 2013

latest Oct 29, 2016 · 3.5 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#784

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

4 podiums

Overall top-10s

6% of 17 contests

Avg finish

top 55%

overall standings

Best overall

672.5028 / 720

Master · 21st Annual State Barbeque Championship of Nebraska

Perfect 180s

Current form

647.01

last 5 Master vs avg 646.95 (+0.06)

Walk rate

59%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.7144

Pork Ribs · 21st Annual State Barbeque Championship of Nebraska

Consistency

±16.41

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 166.75 · weakest Pork Ribs (156.26)

Road miles

1,766

across 17 mapped stops · furthest 196 mi

Schedule strength

34%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1545)

Master avg

646.95 / 720

17 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (7 found in their record)

Each card leads with the number behind the story, straight from their results.

High-water mark

672.5028 career-best overall

93.4% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 672.5028 at 21st Annual State Barbeque Championship of Nebraska — 93.4% of a perfect 720.

Master
Aug 16, 2013

A tough matchup

11–3 behind in the head-to-head

PORK PATROL BBQ ahead in 79% of their meetings

PORK PATROL BBQ has come out ahead in 11 of their 14 shared contests.

The weak link

−10.5 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 10.49 points below their pork, and turns into a call 12% of the time against 35%.

Pork Ribs avg 156.26
Pork avg 166.75
2 calls in 17 entries

A strong matchup

7–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 88% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of YOU GONNA LIKE IT in 7 of their 8 shared contests.

Pork nemesis

10 of 10 shared pork entries lost

JAESTAR BBQ ahead 100% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, JAESTAR BBQ has out-cooked them in 10 of 10 shared pork entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

WHEN PIGS DIE has landed one call behind them 2 times.

The metronome

±2.28% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.28% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 89.9% of a perfect score
17 contests

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Year	Series	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2015 ↗	Master	#2158 (60 pts)	#2209 (60 pts)	#2209 (60 pts)	#2225 (60 pts)	#2214 (60 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#2084 (75 pts)	#2167 (75 pts)	#2161 (75 pts)	#2172 (75 pts)	#2148 (75 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#784 (393 pts)	#1195 (238 pts)	#878 (363 pts)	#598 (558 pts)	#856 (368 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to SMOKEY BEAR'S BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

118 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.

WOODSHED BBQ

#2,935 of the rated field

1507 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1508

1–2 in 3 shared contests (33% to SMOKEY BEAR'S BBQ)

These two have cooked 3 of the same contests — WOODSHED BBQ ahead 2–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 17 contests
last seen Oct 29, 2016

⚔ Head-to-head

BBQ Bonanza

#2,943 of the rated field

1507 power rating

Contests: 21
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1526

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to SMOKEY BEAR'S BBQ)

Careers of much the same size, 21 contests to 17, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 21 contests
last seen Apr 5, 2024

⚔ Head-to-head

CORN FED BBQ

#2,949 of the rated field

1507 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1521

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to SMOKEY BEAR'S BBQ)

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.

rated over 6 contests
last seen Jun 20, 2014

⚔ Head-to-head

DC'S SMOKIN BBQ

#2,960 of the rated field

1507 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1513

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to SMOKEY BEAR'S BBQ)

Level with SMOKEY BEAR'S BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 5 contests
last seen Jun 20, 2014

⚔ Head-to-head

HASHTAG BBQ

#2,946 of the rated field

1507 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 41%
Peak: 1507

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 17 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 17 contests
last seen Aug 1, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

JD'S LIPSMAKIN SMOKERS

#2,928 of the rated field

1507 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1511

17 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 18% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 17 contests
last seen Jul 28, 2017

⚔ Compare careers

Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
PORK PATROL BBQ	14	3	11	21%	⚔ compare
PORKY BUTTS BBQ	12	3	9	25%	⚔ compare
HELPING U BBQ	11	7	4	64%	⚔ compare
HOT GRILL ON GRILL ACTION	10	3	7	30%	⚔ compare
TATTOO BOB'S BAR-B-Q	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
PARROTHEAD SMOKERS	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
WOODWARD BARBEQUE	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
JAESTAR BBQ	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
SPITFIRE	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
WHEN PIGS DIE	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
YOU GONNA LIKE IT	8	7	1	88%	⚔ compare
LEEPS BBQ	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN' LEFTY'S BBQ	7	4	3	57%	⚔ compare
SMOKED	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
IOWA WILD HOGS BBQ	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	17	2	0	0	171.9772	145.1426	162.34	top 55%
Pork Ribs	17	2	1	2	177.7144	134.8460	156.26	top 66%
Pork	17	6	0	1	174.8572	158.8684	166.75	top 36%
Brisket	17	4	0	1	175.4172	144.5372	161.60	top 47%

“Calls” = top-10 category finishes (getting called to the stage). Scores here are the final weighted totals KCBS publishes; per-criterion appearance/taste/tenderness marks aren’t in the public results feed.

By field size and state

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	8	0	top 60%
Large (40+)	9	0	top 51%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
NE	10	top 50%
MO	3	top 59%
IA	3	top 61%
KS	1	top 76%

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
BBQ in the Bluffs	2	23	0	top 72%	May 9, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2013 8 contests

Contests a season 4.3 across 4 seasons in the data

Most contests held in NE 10 of 17 contests · 4 states in all

Contests visited 16 1 of them more than once

Opponents faced 1,408 finished ahead 1,071 times, behind 1,650

Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)

20161 milestone

Oct 29 Most recent contest 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)

20151 milestone

Aug 14 Peak power rating (1513) 23rd Annual State BBQ Championship of Nebraska

20141 milestone

Jun 27 10th tracked contest 2nd Annual Ribstock MBA BBQ Festival

20139 milestones

Apr 26 First tracked contest Pony Express BBQ Challenge
May 10 First call BBQ in the Bluffs
May 31 First overall top-10 2nd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition
May 31 First overall podium 2nd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition
May 31 First Reserve Championship 2nd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition
May 31 First overall past 90% of a perfect score667.4282 2nd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition
Aug 16 First category win (Pork Ribs) 21st Annual State Barbeque Championship of Nebraska
Aug 16 Career-best overall score672.5028 21st Annual State Barbeque Championship of Nebraska
Aug 16 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)177.7144 21st Annual State Barbeque Championship of Nebraska

Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.6	2nd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition	May 31, 2013
+10.3	Ak-Sar-Ben's River City Rodeo & Stock Show	Sep 27, 2013
+8.3	21st Annual State Barbeque Championship of Nebraska	Aug 16, 2013
+7.9	WinnaVegas Rib Master Classic	Oct 11, 2014
+4.5	Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-eye Steak Cookoff Challenge	Sep 3, 2016

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-8.5	RiverFest Red White and Que	Jul 19, 2013
-7.1	BBQ in the Bluffs	May 10, 2013
-6.6	Septemberfest BBQ & Ribeye Steak Cookoff Challenge	Aug 31, 2013
-5.9	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	Oct 29, 2016
-5.1	2nd Annual Ribstock MBA BBQ Festival	Jun 27, 2014

Scores over time (% of a perfect score — tap a meat to add it)

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Season by season

Season	Contests	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2016	2	0	0	50%	top 64%	91.2%	89.4%
2015	3	0	0	67%	top 61%	92%	90.1%
2014	4	0	0	50%	top 55%	92.1%	90.2%
2013	8	1	1	63%	top 51%	93.4%	89.7%

Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Oct 29, 2016	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	423 / 557 (631.3944)	226 (166.3200)	422 (156.5600)	400 (159.9544)	491 (148.5600)
Sep 3, 2016	Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-eye Steak Cookoff Challenge Omaha, NE	23 / 45 (656.5028)	10 (171.9772)	39 (155.3944)	27 (163.4056)	21 (165.7256)
Oct 3, 2015	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO	423 / 606 (635.3716)	442 (158.2972)	530 (150.2744)	176 (168)	366 (158.8000)
Aug 14, 2015	23rd Annual State BBQ Championship of Nebraska Omaha, NE	20 / 42 (662.1604)	24 (163.3828)	13 (169.1316)	10 (171.9772)	31 (157.6688)
Jul 10, 2015	Sauce & Cycles Falls City, NE	20 / 31 (649.6344)	9 (171.4056)	26 (155.9888)	16 (164.5600)	21 (157.6800)
Oct 11, 2014	WinnaVegas Rib Master Classic Sloan, IA	13 / 34 (663.4516)	22 (162.3088)	15 (166.2972)	20 (162.2856)	9 (172.5600)
Oct 2, 2014	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	240 / 552 (658.2516)	124 (170.3088)	433 (155.4400)	206 (166.8228)	196 (165.6800)
Jun 27, 2014	2nd Annual Ribstock MBA BBQ Festival Omaha, NE	21 / 30 (637.5540)	20 (162.8456)	27 (142.1600)	12 (167.4056)	8 (165.1428)
May 9, 2014	BBQ in the Bluffs Council Bluffs, IA	23 / 33 (638.3200)	23 (159.9656)	27 (159.4288)	20 (158.8684)	16 (160.0572)
Oct 3, 2013	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	335 / 535 (629.1660)	270 (161.1316)	186 (162.9028)	255 (160.5944)	458 (144.5372)
Sep 27, 2013	Ak-Sar-Ben's River City Rodeo & Stock Show Omaha, NE	13 / 56 (669.6228)	18 (167.9772)	33 (159.3828)	4 (172.5484)	11 (169.7144)
Aug 31, 2013	Septemberfest BBQ & Ribeye Steak Cookoff Challenge Omaha, NE	24 / 32 (650.2860)	12 (170.2856)	31 (142.8460)	11 (168.5600)	12 (168.5944)
Aug 16, 2013	21st Annual State Barbeque Championship of Nebraska LaPlatte, NE	12 / 43 (672.5028)	41 (147.9312)	1 (177.7144)	10 (171.4400)	2 (175.4172)
Jul 19, 2013	RiverFest Red White and Que Bellevue, NE	25 / 32 (623.9316)	18 (161.6684)	31 (134.8460)	4 (169.7028)	17 (157.7144)
May 31, 2013	2nd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition Valley, NE	2 / 34 (667.4282)	23 (155.4284)	3 (169.1428)	2 (174.8572)	6 (167.9998)
May 10, 2013	BBQ in the Bluffs Council Bluffs, IA	24 / 32 (623.9998)	17 (163.4286)	26 (146.8568)	7 (166.2858)	26 (147.4286)
Apr 26, 2013	Pony Express BBQ Challenge Gothenburg, NE	27 / 47 (628.5710)	44 (145.1426)	36 (152)	12 (167.4284)	12 (164)

SMOKEY BEAR'S BBQ

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Master avg

Storylines (7 found in their record)

High-water mark

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Pork nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

The metronome

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)

By meat

By field size and state

By contest size

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

More numbers

Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)

Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)

📈 Biggest rating jumps

📉 Toughest weekends

Scores over time (% of a perfect score — tap a meat to add it)

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Season by season

Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)