PIG PICKERS

At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)

Power ranking

#4808

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1466

peak 1511 · rated over 13 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-05-10

latest 2016-08-05

Best ToY finish

#939

Master 2013

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 13 contests

Avg finish

top 66%

overall standings

Best overall

647.3488 / 720

Master · Covington Cork & Pork Festival

Perfect 180s

Current form

632.05 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 625.51 (+6.54)

Walk rate

46%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

173.1772

Chicken · Covington Cork & Pork Festival

Consistency

±13.75

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 160.65 · weakest Brisket (153.66)

Road miles

2,225

mi across 13 mapped stops · furthest 609 mi

Schedule strength

34%

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

Master avg

625.51 / 720

13 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (7 found in this team's record)

Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

BIG MOOK'S BBQ has finished one call ahead of PIG PICKERS 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2013 their best year

2013 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 52%.

3 contests
0 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 52%

A tough matchup

10–0 behind in the head-to-head

APORKALYPSE NOW ahead in 100% of their meetings

APORKALYPSE NOW has come out ahead in 10 of their 10 shared contests.

The weak link

−7.0 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 6.99 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 31%.

Brisket avg 153.66
Chicken avg 160.65
0 calls in 13 entries

A strong matchup

4–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 80% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of THE PIG'S EAR in 4 of their 5 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

8 of 8 shared chicken entries lost

3 EYZ BBQ ahead 100% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, 3 EYZ BBQ has out-cooked them in 8 of 8 shared chicken entries.

The metronome

±1.91% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.91% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 86.9% of a perfect score
13 contests

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The nearest teams in the power rankings, with a different reason on each card — six teams on one rating are rarely on it for the same reason. Rating decides who makes the list; where teams tie on it, the ones this team has actually cooked against come first, then teams at a similar point in their own career. KCBS doesn’t publish where a team is from, so nothing here is inferred from geography.

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

A SIMPLE PIG

#4790 of the rated field

1467 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1467

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 14 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 14 contests
last seen 2026-08-15

⚔ Head-to-head

The Smokin' B.A.R.

#4792 of the rated field

1467 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1467

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 12 contests to 13, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 12 contests
last seen 2026-05-23

⚔ Head-to-head

STINKY D'S BBQ

#4803 of the rated field

1466 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 8%
Peak: 1466

No shared contest yet.

12 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 8% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 12 contests
last seen 2019-06-21

⚔ Head-to-head

GREAT WHITE BBQ

#4798 of the rated field

1467 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1503

No shared contest yet.

Level with PIG PICKERS on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 12 contests
last seen 2019-05-17

⚔ Head-to-head

A-QUE

#4794 of the rated field

1467 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 9%
Peak: 1467

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 11 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 11 contests
last seen 2019-08-16

⚔ Head-to-head

Wubba's BBQ

#4810 of the rated field

1466 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1466

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 10 contests
last seen 2024-10-30

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
APORKALYPSE NOW	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
3 EYZ BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
4:20 Q	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
Smoke-A-Holics	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
PAVONE BROTHERS BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
Serial Griller	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
CHIX, SWINE & BOVINE BBQ	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
HAMBONES BY THE FIRE	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
LIFE IS GOOD BUT BBQ IS BETTER	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
THE PIG'S EAR	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	13	4	2	173.1772	142.2744	160.65	top 54%
Pork Ribs	13	2	0	166.2972	145.1772	157.14	top 60%
Pork	13	2	0	169.7028	139.3944	154.05	top 62%
Brisket	13	0	0	159.4172	148.6060	153.66	top 61%

“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 state / province

Where	Contests	Avg finish
VA	6	top 60%
MD	5	top 69%
GA	1	top 84%
DE	1	top 66%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	5	0	top 74%
Large (40+)	8	0	top 61%

Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
BBQ Jamboree	3	11	top 52%	2016-05-13
Covington Cork & Pork Festival	2	18	top 71%	2016-06-24
Beltway BBQ Showdown	2	20	top 64%	2014-06-06

The story so far (14 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 3.2 yrs 2013-05-10 → 2016-08-05

Busiest season 2014 5 contests

Contests a season 3.3 across 4 seasons in the data

Cooks most in VA 6 of 13 contests · 4 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 9 3 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 13 entries · 0 wins · 4 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 160.65 · weakest Brisket (153.66)

Walk rate 46% a top-10 call in 6 of 13 contests

Overall top-10 rate 0% 0 of 13 contests

Master average 625.51 out of 720 · 13 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 383 231–425 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 2,225 13 mapped stops · furthest 609 mi

Schedule strength 1545 average field rating faced — tougher than 34% of rated contests

Power rating 1466 peak 1511 · #4808 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
May 10 First tracked contest BBQ Jamboree
May 10 First call BBQ Jamboree
May 10 Peak power rating (1511) BBQ Jamboree
2015
Jun 26 Career-best single call (Chicken)173.1772 Covington Cork & Pork Festival
2016
Mar 11 10th tracked contest Flames on the Flint (GBC Qualifier)
Jun 24 Career-best overall score647.3488 Covington Cork & Pork Festival
Aug 5 Most recent contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+10.6	BBQ Jamboree	2013-05-10
+3.2	Beltway BBQ Showdown	2014-06-06

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9.1	Beltway BBQ Showdown	2013-05-31
-7.5	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2016-08-05
-6.8	BBQ Jamboree	2014-05-09
-6.3	Flames on the Flint (GBC Qualifier)	2016-03-11
-4.5	Southern Maryland Brew & BBQ	2014-08-01

Category scores over time

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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2016	4	25%	top 77%	89.9%	87.7%
2015	1	100%	top 72%	88.2%	88.2%
2014	5	40%	top 65%	88.6%	85.7%
2013	3	67%	top 52%	88.7%	87.2%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2016-08-05	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Laurel, MD	26 / 29 (607.2804)	24 (158.2628)	26 (154.2172)	29 (139.3944)	19 (155.4060)
2016-06-24	Covington Cork & Pork Festival Covington, VA	19 / 27 (647.3488)	21 (158.8344)	17 (159.9772)	8 (169.1200)	17 (159.4172)
2016-05-13	BBQ Jamboree Fredericksburg, VA	45 / 72 (632.5028)	23 (167.4400)	20 (166.2972)	68 (142.7884)	42 (155.9772)
2016-03-11	Flames on the Flint (GBC Qualifier) Bainbridge, GA	75 / 89 (638.1832)	83 (155.9544)	71 (160.5944)	18 (169.7028)	78 (151.9316)
2015-06-26	Covington Cork & Pork Festival Covington, VA	18 / 25 (634.9144)	2 (173.1772)	15 (159.4400)	24 (145.7372)	14 (156.5600)
2014-08-01	Southern Maryland Brew & BBQ Leonardtown, MD	42 / 59 (614.8228)	42 (156.5256)	28 (158.8800)	54 (145.1200)	32 (154.2972)
2014-06-06	Beltway BBQ Showdown Ft. Washington, MD	20 / 42 (637.7832)	10 (167.4516)	9 (164.0116)	22 (157.1656)	29 (149.1544)
2014-05-09	BBQ Jamboree Fredericksburg, VA	48 / 64 (603.3832)	60 (142.2744)	53 (146.8460)	22 (160.5484)	30 (153.7144)
2014-04-11	Delaware's Triple Threat BBQ Festival at the Fair Harrington, DE	72 / 109 (605.8176)	39 (159.4400)	85 (145.1772)	65 (152.5944)	70 (148.6060)
2014-04-04	Rockahock's Pickin' and Pullin' Festival Lanexa, VA	26 / 41 (625.0172)	30 (157.6800)	29 (153.0972)	10 (163.4056)	28 (150.8344)
2013-10-11	3rd Annual High Point BBQ Clarksburg, MD	18 / 31 (625.6684)	5 (169.7028)	21 (153.1544)	24 (151.9884)	18 (150.8228)
2013-05-31	Beltway BBQ Showdown Ft. Washington, MD	20 / 25 (619.9996)	21 (154.2854)	19 (156.0004)	19 (152.5712)	14 (157.1426)
2013-05-10	BBQ Jamboree Fredericksburg, VA	11 / 60 (638.8568)	3 (167.4286)	6 (165.1428)	32 (152.5712)	25 (153.7142)

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

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

Year	Series	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2013 ↗	Master	#939 (311 pts)	#655 (501 pts)	#908 (346 pts)	#1269 (216 pts)	#1075 (271 pts)