EMERALD BUFFALO

EMERALD BUFFALO is a competition barbecue team with 15 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2018. Their best overall finish is 5th of 30 at the Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (2013). They are ranked #2676 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#2,676

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1514

peak 1537 · rated over 15 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Mar 22, 2013

latest Aug 3, 2018 · 5.4 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#1098

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

3 podiums

Overall top-10s

20% of 15 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 52%

overall standings

Best overall

678.2516 / 720

Master · Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

Perfect 180s

Current form

621.72 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 648.40 (-26.68)

Walk rate

53%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

176

Chicken · Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

Consistency

±46.19

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 166.46 · weakest Pork (163.63)

Road miles

10,349

across 15 mapped stops · furthest 1,192 mi

Schedule strength

42%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1555)

Master avg

648.40 / 720

15 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (10 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

678.2516 career-best overall

94.2% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 678.2516 at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour — 94.2% of a perfect 720.

Master
Mar 18, 2016

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

Rhythm n QUE has finished one call ahead of EMERALD BUFFALO 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2013 their best year

2013 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 37%.

4 contests
2 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 37%

A tough matchup

7–1 behind in the head-to-head

PIG NEWTON ahead in 88% of their meetings

PIG NEWTON has come out ahead in 7 of their 8 shared contests.

A strong matchup

6–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 75% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of SEDALIA MASTERBASTERS in 6 of their 8 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

7 of 8 shared chicken entries lost

LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ ahead 88% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ has out-cooked them in 7 of 8 shared chicken entries.

Announced themselves early

5th at their very first contest

Finished 5 of 30 at their very first tracked contest, Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Mar 22, 2013).

Mar 22, 2013
30-team field

Show 3 more storylines

An October team

Top 43% average finish in October

Something about October: average finish in the top 43% across 5 contests, versus top 52% the rest of the year.

5 October contests
top 52% the rest of the year

The long haul

10,349 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 10,349 miles across 15 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,192 miles to Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional).

15 mapped stops
furthest 1,192 mi

A standing appointment

5 years running at one contest

They've cooked Sam's Club National BBQ Tour every year from 2013 to 2017 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 5th

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
2018 ↗	Master	#1954 (60 pts)	#2012 (60 pts)	#1771 (110 pts)	#2030 (60 pts)	—
2017 ↗	Master	#1680 (129 pts)	#999 (379 pts)	#1945 (119 pts)	#1959 (114 pts)	#1644 (154 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1186 (250 pts)	#1120 (300 pts)	#1120 (300 pts)	#1201 (280 pts)	#1309 (235 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1190 (239 pts)	#1106 (289 pts)	#1300 (234 pts)	#967 (364 pts)	#1207 (244 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1510 (165 pts)	#1558 (175 pts)	#1606 (160 pts)	#1653 (155 pts)	#1488 (185 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1098 (255 pts)	#1650 (140 pts)	#942 (330 pts)	#1534 (155 pts)	#984 (305 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to EMERALD BUFFALO, each with one reason worth a look.

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

Smokin' Pelletheads

#2,683 of the rated field

1514 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1519

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to EMERALD BUFFALO)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team EMERALD BUFFALO has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 13 contests
last seen Sep 12, 2019

⚔ Head-to-head

Mad Cow BBQ

#2,677 of the rated field

1514 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1524

Careers of much the same size, 15 contests to 15, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 15 contests
last seen Jun 26, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

CARSON'S BBQ / LIVY-Q

#2,674 of the rated field

1514 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1523

15 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 7% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 15 contests
last seen Aug 19, 2016

⚔ Compare careers

SAUCY DAWG BBQ

#2,669 of the rated field

1514 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 57%
Peak: 1533

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

rated over 14 contests
last seen Jun 8, 2019

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RedHog BBQ

#2,665 of the rated field

1514 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 24%
Peak: 1516

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 Oct 2, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Last Place Chicken

#2,684 of the rated field

1514 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 8%
Peak: 1526

Careers of much the same size, 13 contests to 15, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 13 contests
last seen Oct 16, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SEDALIA MASTERBASTERS	8	6	2	75%	⚔ compare
Bare Bones BBQ Team	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
BIG POPPA SMOKERS	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
SQUEAL OF APPROVAL	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN O BBQ	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
PIG NEWTON	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
SMOKERS PURGATORY	7	5	2	71%	⚔ compare
BURNT FINGER BBQ	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
Rhythm n QUE	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
UNCLE BUB'S BBQ, LLC	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
CHILLIN AND GRILLIN CREW	6	6	0	100%	⚔ compare
Bad Boyz BBQ	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare
MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKING HILLS	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	15	5	1	176	151.4056	166.46	top 44%
Pork Ribs	15	2	1	174.2628	156.5712	163.97	top 55%
Pork	15	3	0	173.7144	155.4056	163.63	top 56%
Brisket	14	2	1	173.7144	155.3944	165.37	top 44%

“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 54%
Large (40+)	7	0	top 49%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
MO	7	top 57%
AZ	5	top 45%
KS	1	top 51%
AR	1	top 66%
NV	1	top 33%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	5	5	0	top 45%	Mar 17, 2017
Laurie Hillbilly BBQ	4	28	0	top 75%	Aug 3, 2018

More numbers

Busiest season 2013 4 contests

Contests a season 2.5 across 6 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MO 7 of 15 contests · 5 states in all

Contests visited 8 2 of them more than once

Opponents faced 1,363 finished ahead 1,566 times, behind 1,057

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

20181 milestone

Aug 3 Most recent contest Laurie Hillbilly BBQ

20171 milestone

Mar 17 Career-best single call (Chicken)176 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

20163 milestones

Mar 18 10th tracked contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Mar 18 Career-best overall score678.2516 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Mar 18 Peak power rating (1537) Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

20134 milestones

Mar 22 First tracked contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Mar 22 First call Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Mar 22 First overall top-10 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Mar 22 First overall past 90% of a perfect score657.7144 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+11.8	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Mar 22, 2013
+7.6	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open	Oct 2, 2014
+7.5	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Mar 18, 2016
+6.3	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	Apr 19, 2013
+5.8	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open	Oct 3, 2013

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.5	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ	Aug 3, 2018
-7.3	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ	Jul 31, 2015
-5.2	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Mar 17, 2017
-4.6	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ	Aug 4, 2017
-3	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Mar 21, 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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2018	1	0	0%	top 97%	66.5%	66.5%
2017	2	0	100%	top 73%	91.1%	91.1%
2016	3	1	67%	top 47%	94.2%	92.4%
2015	3	0	67%	top 51%	93.2%	92.2%
2014	2	0	0%	top 45%	92.6%	91.2%
2013	4	2	50%	top 37%	93.7%	91.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Aug 3, 2018	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ Laurie, MO	34 / 35 (478.7540)	34 (151.4056)	15 (166.2400)	26 (161.1084)	—
Aug 4, 2017	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ Laurie, MO	28 / 40 (655.8400)	4 (175.4172)	29 (160.5028)	27 (162.8344)	35 (157.0856)
Mar 17, 2017	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Tucson, AZ	22 / 29 (655.8856)	6 (176)	24 (160.5256)	27 (155.4056)	17 (163.9544)
Oct 29, 2016	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	284 / 557 (654.2400)	181 (167.9884)	397 (158.2972)	83 (171.9772)	380 (155.9772)
Aug 5, 2016	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ Laurie, MO	29 / 50 (663.8972)	19 (169.6800)	7 (174.2628)	27 (164.5600)	43 (155.3944)
Mar 18, 2016	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Tucson, AZ	10 / 30 (678.2516)	8 (171.4400)	21 (165.1200)	7 (173.7144)	13 (167.9772)
Oct 3, 2015	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO	219 / 606 (662.1716)	377 (161.1200)	315 (163.3828)	313 (163.9544)	44 (173.7144)
Jul 31, 2015	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ Laurie, MO	29 / 38 (658.6856)	37 (151.9084)	16 (168.5716)	7 (173.1200)	25 (165.0856)
Mar 20, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Tucson, AZ	12 / 29 (671.3484)	6 (174.2856)	22 (161.6800)	9 (169.6800)	11 (165.7028)
Oct 2, 2014	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	164 / 552 (666.7200)	79 (173.1200)	398 (157.6572)	303 (162.8228)	49 (173.1200)
Mar 21, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Tucson, AZ	18 / 30 (646.7656)	16 (164.5944)	19 (160.5028)	20 (159.4056)	14 (162.2628)
Oct 18, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship Bentonville, AR	33 / 50 (674.8004)	11 (175.4400)	27 (169.6800)	46 (159.9544)	28 (169.7260)
Oct 3, 2013	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	175 / 535 (650.1028)	383 (155.3484)	134 (165.6800)	342 (157.0972)	33 (171.9772)
Apr 19, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Las Vegas, NV	10 / 30 (650.8570)	3 (172)	23 (156.5712)	21 (159.4286)	10 (162.8572)
Mar 22, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Tucson, AZ	5 / 30 (657.7144)	23 (157.1430)	2 (170.8572)	20 (159.4286)	3 (170.2856)

EMERALD BUFFALO

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Master avg

Storylines (10 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

Announced themselves early

An October team

The long haul

A standing appointment

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)