SULTANS OF SWINE

SULTANS OF SWINE is a competition barbecue team with 25 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2017. Their best overall finish is 8th of 16 at the Blue Ridge BBQ & Music Festival (2014). They are ranked #5737 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#5,737

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1445

peak 1445 · rated over 23 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Jun 28, 2013

latest Jun 16, 2017 · 4 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#692

Master 2014 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

4 podiums

Overall top-10s

4% of 25 contests

Avg finish

top 69%

overall standings

Best overall

662.1140 / 720

Master · Almost Heaven BBQ Bash

Perfect 180s

Current form

639.07 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 624.21 (+14.86)

Walk rate

32%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.1428

Pork · Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge

Consistency

±47.14

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 161.99 · weakest Brisket (152.76)

Road miles

7,686

across 25 mapped stops · furthest 743 mi

Schedule strength

35%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1547)

Master avg

624.21 / 720

23 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (8 found in their record)

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

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

Pig In or Pig Out has finished one call ahead of SULTANS OF SWINE 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2014 their best year

2014 was the year it came together: 8 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 54%.

8 contests
1 overall top-10
0 category wins
average top 54%

A tough matchup

10–0 behind in the head-to-head

3 EYZ BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

3 EYZ BBQ has come out ahead in 10 of their 10 shared contests.

The weak link

−9.2 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 9.24 points below their pork, and turns into a call 13% of the time against 17%.

Brisket avg 152.76
Pork avg 161.99
3 calls in 23 entries

A strong matchup

6–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 86% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of JAM'N HAMS in 6 of their 7 shared contests.

Pork nemesis

8 of 10 shared pork entries lost

3 EYZ BBQ ahead 80% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, 3 EYZ BBQ has out-cooked them in 8 of 10 shared pork entries.

An April team

Top 51% average finish in April

Something about April: average finish in the top 51% across 3 contests, versus top 69% the rest of the year.

3 April contests
top 69% the rest of the year

Show 1 more storyline

The long haul

7,686 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 7,686 miles across 25 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 743 miles to When Pigs Fly South.

25 mapped stops
furthest 743 mi

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
2016 ↗	Master	#2274 (60 pts)	#2353 (60 pts)	#2349 (60 pts)	#2326 (60 pts)	#2345 (60 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#887 (369 pts)	#749 (494 pts)	#982 (354 pts)	#791 (469 pts)	#913 (384 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#692 (518 pts)	#657 (578 pts)	#691 (548 pts)	#573 (688 pts)	#647 (573 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#942 (310 pts)	#1058 (290 pts)	#677 (490 pts)	#501 (655 pts)	#838 (375 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to SULTANS OF SWINE, each with one reason worth a look.

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

Bulldog BBQ

#5,752 of the rated field

1444 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 20%
Peak: 1444

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 24 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 24 contests
last seen Oct 16, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Flying W North BBQ

#5,744 of the rated field

1445 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1445

Careers of much the same size, 25 contests to 25, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 25 contests
last seen Aug 9, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

Bob's Morning Wood Barbeque

#5,736 of the rated field

1445 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1445

27 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 27 contests
last seen May 30, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

NEANDERTHAL Q

#5,728 of the rated field

1445 power rating

Contests: 30
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 20%
Peak: 1445

Level with SULTANS OF SWINE on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 30 contests
last seen Oct 2, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

BRUSHFIRE BBQ

#5,739 of the rated field

1445 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1507

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

rated over 16 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Every Man A Smoker

#5,749 of the rated field

1445 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1445

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 16 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 16 contests
last seen Jun 26, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
3 EYZ BBQ	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
PAVONE BROTHERS BBQ	9	2	7	22%	⚔ compare
OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
LIFE IS GOOD BUT BBQ IS BETTER	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
4:20 Q	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
APORKALYPSE NOW	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
CHECKERED PIG	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
JAM'N HAMS	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare
2 RHODIES BBQ	7	4	3	57%	⚔ compare
MAKIN BACON BBQ	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
HOOS SMOKIN	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	22	3	0	173.7028	137.1316	159.14	top 65%
Pork Ribs	23	4	1	169.1544	138.7772	157.24	top 64%
Pork	23	4	3	177.1428	149.0972	161.99	top 54%
Brisket	23	3	0	167.9772	129.0972	152.76	top 68%

“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	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 50%
Medium (20–39)	7	top 70%
Large (40+)	15	top 69%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
VA	12	top 59%
WV	4	top 71%
FL	2	top 98%
NC	2	top 66%
TN	1	top 94%
KY	1	top 79%
IN	1	top 86%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Almost Heaven BBQ Bash	2	22	0	top 65%	Jun 17, 2016
Shenandoah Valley BBQ Fest	2	17	0	top 50%	Oct 16, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2014 8 contests

Contests a season 5 across 5 seasons in the data

Most contests held in VA 12 of 25 contests · 7 states in all

Contests visited 21 2 of them more than once

Opponents faced 560 finished ahead 301 times, behind 656

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

20172 milestones

Jun 16 25th tracked contest Almost Heaven BBQ Bash
Jun 16 Most recent contest Almost Heaven BBQ Bash

20161 milestone

Jun 17 Career-best overall score662.1140 Almost Heaven BBQ Bash

20144 milestones

May 9 First overall past 90% of a perfect score660.9940 Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge
May 9 Career-best single call (Pork)177.1428 Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge
Jun 27 10th tracked contest Hogging Up BBQ Festival
Aug 22 First overall top-10 Blue Ridge BBQ & Music Festival

20133 milestones

Jun 28 First tracked contest Covington Cork and Pork Festival
Jul 26 First call Bluemont BBQ Bash & Blackberry Bonanza
Jul 26 Peak power rating (1492) Bluemont BBQ Bash & Blackberry Bonanza

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+9.8	Rockahock's Pickin' and Pullin' Festival	Apr 4, 2014
+8.6	Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge	May 9, 2014
+7	2nd Annual Pickin' N' Pullin BBQ Competition	Apr 17, 2015
+6.1	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash	Jun 17, 2016
+5.6	Shenandoah Valley BBQ Fest	Oct 17, 2014

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-14.3	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic	Sep 20, 2013
-13.7	When Pigs Fly South	Nov 7, 2014
-12.7	When Pigs Fly South	Nov 15, 2013
-11.3	Covington Cork and Pork Festival	Jun 28, 2013
-8.6	Smoke on the Shores	Mar 10, 2017

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — 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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2017	2	0	0%	top 84%	89.2%	89.1%
2016	3	0	33%	top 66%	92%	88.5%
2015	6	0	17%	top 71%	91.2%	89.2%
2014	8	1	50%	top 54%	91.8%	88%
2013	6	0	33%	top 78%	88%	81.2%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jun 16, 2017	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash Weston, WV	43 / 57 (642.2176)	34 (164)	42 (155.3716)	41 (160.5716)	28 (162.2744)
Mar 10, 2017	Smoke on the Shores Nashville, TN	58 / 62 (640.9828)	43 (165.6684)	56 (155.9772)	27 (167.9772)	59 (151.3600)
Sep 30, 2016	Que & Cruz Louisa, VA	19 / 31 (641.0512)	25 (156.5256)	10 (166.8916)	17 (161.6912)	20 (155.9428)
Jun 17, 2016	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash Buckhannon, WV	22 / 42 (662.1140)	30 (165.6684)	21 (166.2400)	15 (169.6684)	27 (160.5372)
Apr 29, 2016	3rd Annual Pickin' N Pullin Lanexa, VA	40 / 48 (608.9948)	31 (159.9772)	28 (160.5488)	38 (154.8116)	48 (133.6572)
Oct 16, 2015	Shenandoah Valley BBQ Fest Woodstock, VA	21 / 37 (636.4568)	15 (163.9656)	19 (161.6684)	32 (149.0972)	13 (161.7256)
Sep 11, 2015	Bands & BBQ at the Point Carrollton, KY	23 / 29 (651.8632)	13 (169.7144)	27 (155.3716)	16 (168.5600)	23 (158.2172)
Jul 17, 2015	Wine, Brew & Bar-B-Que Too! New Palestine, IN	38 / 44 (646.2172)	29 (166.8456)	43 (147.3716)	23 (168.5600)	26 (163.4400)
Jun 26, 2015	Covington Cork & Pork Festival Covington, VA	21 / 25 (613.6572)	24 (148.5256)	20 (154.8456)	14 (161.1544)	21 (149.1316)
Jun 19, 2015	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash Buckhannon, WV	32 / 41 (650.2056)	25 (167.4400)	24 (167.9656)	15 (168.0116)	39 (146.7884)
Apr 17, 2015	2nd Annual Pickin' N' Pullin BBQ Competition Lanexa, VA	18 / 46 (656.5028)	8 (172.5600)	23 (160.5600)	18 (164.5600)	23 (158.8228)
Nov 7, 2014	When Pigs Fly South Lakeland, FL	42 / 42 (590.1828)	35 (149.7372)	39 (147.3600)	24 (163.9884)	41 (129.0972)
Oct 17, 2014	Shenandoah Valley BBQ Fest Woodstock, VA	17 / 40 (651.3028)	4 (173.7028)	27 (157.6916)	5 (169.6800)	33 (150.2284)
Aug 22, 2014	Music City BBQ Festival Nashville, TN	—	—	—	—	—
Aug 22, 2014	Blue Ridge BBQ & Music Festival Harrisonburg, VA	8 / 16 (636.4568)	10 (157.6800)	6 (161.7372)	11 (156.5140)	6 (160.5256)
Jun 27, 2014	Hogging Up BBQ Festival Winchester, VA	33 / 46 (615.2568)	41 (151.3712)	41 (150.7772)	30 (155.4056)	20 (157.7028)
May 9, 2014	Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge Kannapolis, NC	25 / 80 (660.9940)	43 (161.6684)	36 (162.8228)	3 (177.1428)	48 (159.3600)
Apr 4, 2014	Rockahock's Pickin' and Pullin' Festival Lanexa, VA	12 / 41 (646.7432)	18 (162.2400)	6 (164.0116)	34 (152.5144)	6 (167.9772)
Jan 23, 2014	The Tiger Town Pig Festival Lakeland, FL	—	—	—	—	—
Nov 15, 2013	When Pigs Fly South Lakeland, FL	47 / 49 (562.6748)	49 (137.1316)	44 (138.7772)	44 (153.1200)	49 (133.6460)
Oct 18, 2013	Autumnfest Woodstock, VA	23 / 40 (627.2912)	40 (139.9428)	24 (154.2400)	3 (169.1428)	8 (163.9656)
Sep 20, 2013	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC	72 / 72 (430.8004)	—	70 (145.6916)	70 (152)	72 (133.1088)
Sep 6, 2013	Pickin' in the Panhandle Inwood, WV	29 / 37 (630.6860)	28 (156.5372)	21 (158.2744)	20 (162.2400)	27 (153.6344)
Jul 26, 2013	Bluemont BBQ Bash & Blackberry Bonanza Bluemont, VA	15 / 33 (633.6800)	31 (149.7028)	2 (169.1544)	2 (170.2856)	31 (144.5372)
Jun 28, 2013	Covington Cork and Pork Festival Covington, VA	22 / 25 (620.5714)	14 (160.5712)	19 (153.1432)	21 (149.1428)	16 (157.7142)

SULTANS OF SWINE

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 (8 found in their record)

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Pork nemesis

An April team

The long haul

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, averaged over 5 contests — 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)