THREE DOGS BBQ

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

Power ranking

#1392

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1571

peak 1605 · rated over 52 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-05-25

latest 2019-08-16

Best ToY finish

#290

Master 2017

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

15 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 52 contests

Avg finish

top 45%

overall standings

Best overall

678.8572 / 720

Master · Roc City Rib Fest

Perfect 180s

Current form

643.46 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 639.62 (+3.84)

Walk rate

73%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

176.5600

Pork Ribs · Almost Heaven BBQ Bash

Consistency

±30.84

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 164.40 · weakest Brisket (156.94)

Road miles

13,386

mi across 52 mapped stops · furthest 856 mi

Schedule strength

33%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1544)

Purse competed for

$42K

listed at 4 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 6 state-championship entries

Master avg

639.62 / 720

52 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (12 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.

They almost always walk

73% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 38 of 52 contests

A top-10 category call in 73% of their 52 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

678.8572 career-best overall

94.3% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 678.8572 at Roc City Rib Fest — 94.3% of a perfect 720.

Master
2016-05-28

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

RED VALLEY BBQ has finished one call ahead of THREE DOGS BBQ 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2017 their best year

2017 was the year it came together: 8 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 2 category wins, at an average finish in the top 25%.

8 contests
5 overall top-10s
2 category wins
average top 25%

A tough matchup

23–4 behind in the head-to-head

GOOD SMOKE BBQ ahead in 85% of their meetings

GOOD SMOKE BBQ has come out ahead in 23 of their 27 shared contests.

The weak link

−7.5 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 7.46 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 17% of the time against 35%.

Brisket avg 156.94
Chicken avg 164.40
9 calls in 52 entries

Chicken nemesis

17 of 28 shared chicken entries lost

RED VALLEY BBQ ahead 61% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, RED VALLEY BBQ has out-cooked them in 17 of 28 shared chicken entries.

Going the wrong way

-25 rating points in a year

The rating has slipped 25 points across 9 contests since 2018-08-17 — from 1596 down to 1571.

9 contests since 2018-08-17
now 1571

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

BEHIND BBQ has landed one call behind them 3 times.

A September team

Top 35% average finish in September

Something about September: average finish in the top 35% across 6 contests, versus top 45% the rest of the year.

6 September contests
top 45% the rest of the year

The long haul

13,386 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 13,386 miles across 52 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 856 miles to Minnesota in May.

52 mapped stops
furthest 856 mi

A standing appointment

7 years running at one contest

They've cooked Hudson Valley Ribfest every year from 2013 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.

7 visits in all
best finish 5th

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.

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

JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS

#1396 of the rated field

1570 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 84
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1674

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to THREE DOGS BBQ)

2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team THREE DOGS BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 84 contests
last seen 2023-06-02

⚔ Head-to-head

FU MAN QUE CREW

#1389 of the rated field

1571 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 51
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 14%
Peak: 1582

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 51 contests to 52, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 51 contests
last seen 2021-04-16

⚔ Head-to-head

OINK, MOO & COCK-A-DOODLE DOO

#1390 of the rated field

1571 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 35
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1571

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 35 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 35 contests
last seen 2026-06-26

⚔ Head-to-head

BUTCHER'S DAUGHTER BBQ

#1391 of the rated field

1571 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 28
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 29%
Peak: 1609

No shared contest yet.

28 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 29% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 28 contests
last seen 2026-08-07

⚔ Head-to-head

TEAM GETTING SAUCED

#1395 of the rated field

1571 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 39%
Peak: 1577

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 23 contests
last seen 2017-09-01

⚔ Head-to-head

Cluckin’ Crazy BBQ

#1397 of the rated field

1570 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 35%
Peak: 1599

No shared contest yet.

Level with THREE DOGS BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 21 contests
last seen 2026-07-24

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS	30	9	21	30%	⚔ compare
RED VALLEY BBQ	28	10	18	36%	⚔ compare
GOOD SMOKE BBQ	27	4	23	15%	⚔ compare
BEHIND BBQ	22	18	4	82%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN BOYS AND HOT GRILLS	22	8	14	36%	⚔ compare
Sweet Heat BBQ	21	15	6	71%	⚔ compare
KISS MY BBQ	21	13	8	62%	⚔ compare
THE GOOD CUE CREW	19	10	9	53%	⚔ compare
PULLIN' MY MONEY MUSCLE	19	5	14	26%	⚔ compare
MORT'S MEAT MAFIA	18	11	7	61%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA	18	4	14	22%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN' AIN'T EASY	17	13	4	76%	⚔ compare
TEAM EATAPEDIA	17	6	11	35%	⚔ compare
Rogue Hog BBQ	15	5	10	33%	⚔ compare
BLACK HART BBQ	14	4	10	29%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	52	18	3	6	175.4400	122.1256	164.40	top 37%
Pork Ribs	52	18	0	2	176.5600	142.2856	161.25	top 43%
Pork	52	18	2	4	174.2972	144.5714	160.50	top 47%
Brisket	52	9	0	3	174.8572	138.2628	156.94	top 54%

“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
NY	32	top 40%
PA	8	top 51%
WV	3	top 43%
OH	2	top 45%
VA	2	top 65%
MD	2	top 55%
ON	1	top 88%
MN	1	top 86%
NC	1	top 39%

By contest size

Field	Contests	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 17%
Medium (20–39)	19	top 48%
Large (40+)	32	top 44%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Hudson Valley Ribfest	7	5	top 42%	2019-08-16
Oinktoberfest	4	6	top 29%	2018-09-22
*Salt City BBQ Festival	4	4	top 32%	2018-05-18
I Love Barbecue & Music Festival	3	10	top 40%	2019-07-05
Keystone Classic Barbeque	3	20	top 57%	2015-10-02
Almost Heaven BBQ Bash	2	18	top 45%	2018-06-15
BBQ in The Valley	2	10	top 43%	2018-05-04
Finger Lakes Fire & Smoke	2	8	top 47%	2016-09-03
Covington Cork & Pork Festival	2	17	top 65%	2016-06-24
Roc City Rib Fest	2	4	top 32%	2016-05-28
Crossborder Blues, Brews & Que	2	7	top 26%	2015-06-19
Roc City Rib Fest	2	29	top 50%	2015-05-23

The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 6.2 yrs 2013-05-25 → 2019-08-16

Busiest season 2018 9 contests

Contests a season 7.4 across 7 seasons in the data

Cooks most in NY 32 of 52 contests · 9 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 29 12 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 52 entries · 3 wins · 18 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 164.40 · weakest Brisket (156.94)

Walk rate 73% a top-10 call in 38 of 52 contests

Overall top-10 rate 25% 13 of 52 contests

Best top-10 run 3 straight contests

Master average 639.62 out of 720 · 52 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 943 1,257–1,097 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 13,386 52 mapped stops · furthest 856 mi

Schedule strength 1544 average field rating faced — tougher than 33% of rated contests

Purse competed for $41,500 listed at 4 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 6 state-championship entries

Power rating 1571 peak 1605 · #1392 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
May 25 First tracked contest Roc City Rib Fest
Aug 16 First call Hudson Valley Ribfest
2014
Jun 13 First overall past 90% of a perfect score651.9316 Crossborder Blues, Brews & Que
Aug 16 10th tracked contest Hudson Valley Ribfest
2015
May 15 First overall top-10 Salt City BBQ Festival
2016
May 28 Career-best overall score678.8572 Roc City Rib Fest
Jun 24 25th tracked contest Covington Cork & Pork Festival
2017
Jun 2 First overall podium *Conquer The Grill
Jun 2 First Reserve Championship *Conquer The Grill
Jun 16 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)176.5600 Almost Heaven BBQ Bash
Aug 18 First category win (Pork) Hudson Valley Ribfest
2018
Oct 19 Peak power rating (1605) *Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival
2019
Jul 5 50th tracked contest I Love Barbecue & Music Festival
Aug 16 Most recent contest Hudson Valley Ribfest

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.4	Roc City Rib Fest	2016-05-28
+13.6	*Salt City BBQ Festival	2017-05-19
+11.9	Crossborder Blues, Brews & Que	2015-06-19
+11.3	*Conquer The Grill	2017-06-02
+10.8	Finger Lakes Fire & Smoke	2016-09-03

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-14.5	Capital BBQ Festival	2019-05-25
-13.4	Minnesota in May	2018-05-11
-10.4	Warren County All American BBQ Festival	2014-07-18
-8.6	Marietta River City BBQ	2019-04-26
-7.9	Hudson Valley Ribfest	2016-08-19

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)

Team of the Year rank by season

Season by season

Season	Contests	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2019	6	0	0	100%	top 56%	92%	89.5%
2018	9	4	3	78%	top 44%	94.1%	89.4%
2017	8	5	2	88%	top 25%	93.3%	92.3%
2016	8	2	0	75%	top 47%	94.3%	89.7%
2015	9	2	0	56%	top 54%	90.9%	88.2%
2014	7	0	0	71%	top 45%	90.5%	88.7%
2013	5	0	0	40%	top 52%	89.8%	86.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2019-08-16	Hudson Valley Ribfest 🏅 New Paltz, NY	28 / 53 (642.7316)	7 (170.8228)	18 (165.7144)	43 (151.9544)	38 (154.2400)
2019-07-26	Smoke in the Grove 🏅 Spring Grove, PA	22 / 53 (655.3940)	29 (164.5256)	7 (170.2744)	39 (157.7140)	27 (162.8800)
2019-07-05	I Love Barbecue & Music Festival 🏅 Lake Placid, NY	14 / 32 (651.3828)	19 (163.3828)	11 (161.7144)	25 (155.4400)	2 (170.8456)
2019-06-07	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash 🏅 Roanoke, WV	12 / 31 (662.2400)	9 (167.4172)	10 (166.8344)	14 (164.0228)	12 (163.9656)
2019-05-25	Capital BBQ Festival Ottawa, ON	38 / 43 (605.5540)	40 (122.1256)	24 (160.5828)	4 (172.0228)	35 (150.8228)
2019-04-26	Marietta River City BBQ 🏅 Marietta, OH	18 / 26 (647.9428)	12 (166.8800)	10 (165.7144)	24 (151.3600)	11 (163.9884)
2018-10-19	*Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival Nelsonville, OH	6 / 28 (677.6912)	1 (175.4172)	6 (169.1656)	3 (171.4400)	21 (161.6684)
2018-09-22	Oinktoberfest Clarence, NY	21 / 51 (622.2056)	1 (175.4400)	16 (161.0972)	35 (147.4056)	47 (138.2628)
2018-08-17	Hudson Valley Ribfest New Paltz, NY	36 / 58 (637.1316)	4 (175.4400)	39 (159.4060)	50 (152.0228)	45 (150.2628)
2018-07-21	Rotary Ribs and Rhythm & Blues Auburn, NY	10 / 31 (650.2400)	2 (173.7256)	9 (162.8344)	11 (163.4056)	20 (150.2744)
2018-07-06	I Love Barbecue & Music Festival Lake Placid, NY	10 / 39 (639.3944)	23 (158.2628)	9 (161.1316)	1 (169.7600)	23 (150.2400)
2018-06-15	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash Weston, WV	35 / 59 (645.6344)	34 (163.4056)	21 (165.1316)	42 (158.8228)	41 (158.2744)
2018-05-18	*Salt City BBQ Festival Syracuse, NY	6 / 34 (649.7032)	11 (163.4400)	15 (158.2860)	6 (165.1316)	13 (162.8456)
2018-05-11	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	60 / 70 (624.9940)	64 (156.5256)	54 (158.8228)	25 (167.4284)	68 (142.2172)
2018-05-04	BBQ in The Valley Jamestown, NY	12 / 25 (646.8456)	8 (163.9428)	13 (161.1544)	6 (166.8684)	20 (154.8800)
2017-09-22	Oinktoberfest Clarence, NY	6 / 53 (667.4060)	1 (173.7028)	6 (167.3944)	7 (165.7600)	18 (160.5488)
2017-08-18	Hudson Valley Ribfest New Paltz, NY	5 / 59 (671.4056)	21 (164.5484)	4 (170.8800)	1 (174.2972)	23 (161.6800)
2017-07-28	*The Great Adirondack BBQ Old Forge, NY	13 / 30 (641.1088)	8 (166.2400)	7 (166.8688)	27 (145.6684)	11 (162.3316)
2017-06-16	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash Weston, WV	18 / 57 (670.8460)	29 (166.2628)	3 (176.5600)	37 (161.6916)	19 (166.3316)
2017-06-02	*Conquer The Grill Coudersport, PA	2 / 12 (672.0344)	2 (172.5828)	3 (169.7144)	6 (162.8800)	3 (166.8572)
2017-05-19	*Salt City BBQ Festival Syracuse, NY	4 / 41 (657.1544)	9 (166.2628)	8 (165.1544)	4 (166.2628)	12 (159.4744)
2017-05-05	BBQ In the Valley Jamestown, NY	10 / 26 (663.9888)	13 (163.9544)	13 (165.1544)	7 (166.2972)	7 (168.5828)
2017-04-14	21st Annual Fire House BBQ Cook-Off Kings Mountain, NC	19 / 49 (670.2516)	13 (171.9656)	25 (164.5488)	12 (170.3200)	27 (163.4172)
2016-10-07	Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship 🏅 Harrisburg, PA	18 / 47 (659.9084)	19 (166.8800)	9 (169.1200)	13 (166.8456)	32 (157.0628)
2016-09-03	Finger Lakes Fire & Smoke Geneva, NY	8 / 35 (653.7488)	11 (166.8456)	5 (167.4288)	27 (150.9372)	5 (168.5372)
2016-08-19	Hudson Valley Ribfest New Paltz, NY	28 / 52 (638.8232)	8 (172.0000)	26 (160.5028)	31 (154.8916)	37 (151.4288)
2016-08-12	Salamanca Rock'in Ribfest Salamanca, NY	21 / 28 (641.5996)	24 (151.3828)	27 (153.6912)	8 (167.4172)	7 (169.1084)
2016-06-24	Covington Cork & Pork Festival Covington, VA	17 / 27 (650.1944)	23 (154.8228)	4 (170.8916)	12 (167.4172)	20 (157.0628)
2016-05-28	Roc City Rib Fest Rochester, NY	4 / 50 (678.8572)	19 (168.5600)	19 (166.2972)	8 (169.1428)	2 (174.8572)
2016-05-20	Salt City BBQ Festival Syracuse, NY	18 / 32 (610.1716)	21 (149.7144)	18 (153.0856)	20 (149.7144)	13 (157.6572)
2016-04-01	The Ironman Greencastle, PA	30 / 54 (635.2684)	29 (160.5256)	26 (161.7028)	33 (157.6800)	35 (155.3600)
2015-10-02	Keystone Classic Barbeque Harrisburg, PA	41 / 57 (627.9200)	31 (161.6800)	13 (166.2972)	46 (151.9772)	50 (147.9656)
2015-09-04	Finger Lakes Fire & Smoke Geneva, NY	18 / 25 (625.1204)	20 (153.7144)	20 (153.6916)	8 (165.1772)	15 (152.5372)
2015-08-14	Hudson Valley Ribfest New Paltz, NY	22 / 57 (634.8000)	37 (153.0856)	8 (168.5600)	4 (165.7372)	38 (147.4172)
2015-07-03	I Love Barbecue & Music Festival Lake Placid, NY	16 / 31 (623.3600)	12 (161.1200)	17 (155.9772)	10 (160.0228)	26 (146.2400)
2015-06-26	Covington Cork & Pork Festival Covington, VA	17 / 25 (642.7772)	18 (162.8228)	14 (161.1544)	12 (162.2628)	15 (156.5372)
2015-06-19	Crossborder Blues, Brews & Que Wilson, NY	7 / 47 (654.7428)	4 (173.7028)	7 (164.5256)	12 (163.9772)	24 (152.5372)
2015-05-23	Roc City Rib Fest Rochester, NY	29 / 57 (645.7260)	19 (168.0228)	31 (159.4288)	38 (157.7144)	32 (160.5600)
2015-05-15	Salt City BBQ Festival Syracuse, NY	9 / 21 (644.5828)	11 (158.8456)	8 (158.8800)	10 (159.9772)	4 (166.8800)
2015-05-01	Naptown barBAYq Contest and Music Festival Annapolis, MD	47 / 64 (617.5316)	29 (162.2284)	37 (156.5600)	35 (158.8228)	57 (139.9204)
2014-10-03	Keystone Classic Barbeque Harrisburg, PA	20 / 53 (649.6456)	9 (170.2628)	22 (162.2856)	15 (165.7028)	39 (151.3944)
2014-09-20	Oinktoberfest Clarence, NY	25 / 66 (635.4176)	12 (166.8800)	49 (149.1316)	5 (169.1316)	41 (150.2744)
2014-08-16	Hudson Valley Ribfest New Paltz, NY	17 / 60 (643.3596)	9 (165.6912)	12 (164.5140)	45 (147.3828)	7 (165.7716)
2014-07-18	Warren County All American BBQ Festival Pittsfield, PA	18 / 21 (619.3256)	4 (169.1428)	17 (153.6800)	19 (153.1200)	20 (143.3828)
2014-06-13	Crossborder Blues, Brews & Que Wilson, NY	17 / 47 (651.9316)	2 (173.7144)	30 (157.6800)	21 (162.8000)	23 (157.7372)
2014-05-24	Roc City Rib Fest Rochester, NY	42 / 86 (628.5828)	29 (163.9884)	73 (146.2628)	55 (155.4744)	28 (162.8572)
2014-05-02	Naptown barBAYq Contest & Music Festival Annapolis, MD	22 / 59 (642.2284)	11 (167.9884)	21 (161.6800)	32 (159.4056)	33 (153.1544)
2013-10-04	Keystone Classic Barbeque Harrisburg, PA	34 / 55 (615.9088)	16 (161.6800)	24 (155.9772)	37 (154.2744)	42 (143.9772)
2013-09-20	Oinktoberfest Clarence, NY	17 / 71 (646.7884)	10 (167.4400)	49 (145.6456)	25 (161.1200)	5 (172.5828)
2013-08-16	Hudson Valley Ribfest New Paltz, NY	26 / 51 (627.3256)	15 (165.0856)	41 (150.2400)	3 (169.1428)	43 (142.8572)
2013-06-28	Boston Hill BBQ Fest Hamburg, NY	33 / 49 (613.1432)	22 (160.5714)	32 (153.7146)	41 (144.5714)	26 (154.2858)
2013-05-25	Roc City Rib Fest Rochester, NY	44 / 80 (608.5714)	18 (164.0000)	66 (142.2856)	63 (146.2856)	27 (156.0002)

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
2019 ↗	Master	#639 (514 pts)	#551 (629 pts)	#489 (709 pts)	#617 (554 pts)	#492 (679 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#344 (983 pts)	#164 (1493 pts)	#349 (978 pts)	#245 (1218 pts)	#556 (658 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#290 (1233 pts)	#281 (1188 pts)	#236 (1318 pts)	#283 (1208 pts)	#416 (933 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#481 (837 pts)	#560 (722 pts)	#454 (887 pts)	#504 (802 pts)	#410 (977 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#468 (827 pts)	#449 (877 pts)	#376 (977 pts)	#338 (1027 pts)	#495 (757 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#579 (648 pts)	#296 (1148 pts)	#606 (633 pts)	#539 (718 pts)	#582 (633 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#964 (299 pts)	#739 (444 pts)	#1015 (304 pts)	#703 (474 pts)	#1004 (299 pts)