High-water mark
675.8972
career-best overall
93.9% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 675.8972 at Battle of the Brisket — 93.9% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- Sep 13, 2013
THE BARON & HIS PITMASTERS
THE BARON & HIS PITMASTERS is a competition barbecue team with 11 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2023. Their best overall finish is 6th of 53 at the Battle of the Brisket (2013). They are ranked #5499 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1451
peak 1504 · rated over 11 contests
Contests
11
in the data
First seen
Apr 26, 2013
latest Jun 23, 2023 · 10.2 years on the trail
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
1
1 podium
Overall top-10s
1
9% of 11 contests
Avg finish
top 70%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
624.18 ▼
last 5 Master vs avg 627.17 (-2.99)
Walk rate
18%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±22.33
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork Ribs
avg 157.85 · weakest Pork (154.55)
Road miles
1,760
across 11 mapped stops · furthest 475 mi
Schedule strength
15%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1521)
Purse competed for
$63K
listed at 4 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 6 state-championship entries
Master avg
627.17 / 720
11 Master contests · 0 GCs
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #1255 (60 pts) | #1319 (60 pts) | #1432 (60 pts) | #1287 (60 pts) | #1296 (60 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #1309 (60 pts) | #1341 (60 pts) | #1404 (60 pts) | #1348 (60 pts) | #1333 (60 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #1236 (60 pts) | #1286 (60 pts) | #1309 (60 pts) | #1262 (60 pts) | #1245 (60 pts) |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #1955 (60 pts) | #2049 (60 pts) | #2026 (60 pts) | #2029 (60 pts) | #2010 (60 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #1954 (60 pts) | #2012 (60 pts) | #1996 (60 pts) | #2030 (60 pts) | #1990 (60 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #2212 (60 pts) | #2286 (60 pts) | #2304 (60 pts) | #2260 (60 pts) | #2266 (60 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #2158 (60 pts) | #2209 (60 pts) | #2209 (60 pts) | #2225 (60 pts) | #2214 (60 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #1589 (150 pts) | #1666 (150 pts) | #1653 (150 pts) | #1668 (150 pts) | #1488 (185 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #1124 (245 pts) | #1522 (155 pts) | #1406 (190 pts) | #856 (385 pts) | #1098 (265 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to THE BARON & HIS PITMASTERS, each with one reason worth a look.
121 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#5,506 of the rated field
- Contests
- 11
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1451
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 11 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careers#5,502 of the rated field
- Contests
- 12
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1451
Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 4 years before THE BARON & HIS PITMASTERS's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#5,513 of the rated field
- Contests
- 12
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 8%
- Peak
- 1451
Careers of much the same size, 12 contests to 11, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers#5,483 of the rated field
- Contests
- 9
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1451
Level with THE BARON & HIS PITMASTERS on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Compare careers#5,490 of the rated field
- Contests
- 9
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1504
Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.
⚔ Compare careers#5,487 of the rated field
- Contests
- 9
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1451
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 9 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' RUB | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| PASSIONS OF THE PIT | 8 | 1 | 7 | 13% | ⚔ compare |
| BREW 'N' BAR-B-QUE | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| No Clue BBQ | 7 | 6 | 1 | 86% | ⚔ compare |
| Fire in the Hole | 7 | 5 | 2 | 71% | ⚔ compare |
| DUNN UP BBQ | 7 | 4 | 3 | 57% | ⚔ compare |
| Slow Cookin' Cats | 7 | 4 | 3 | 57% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokin Engineers | 7 | 4 | 3 | 57% | ⚔ compare |
| Smoking Our Butts Off | 7 | 4 | 3 | 57% | ⚔ compare |
| The Drizzlers | 7 | 4 | 3 | 57% | ⚔ compare |
| Too Hot to Handle | 7 | 4 | 3 | 57% | ⚔ compare |
| Mad Cow Angry Beaver | 7 | 4 | 3 | 57% | ⚔ compare |
| Beware of the Hog BBQ | 7 | 3 | 4 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| Can't Beat Our Meat | 7 | 3 | 4 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| Genuswine Brisket Authority | 7 | 3 | 4 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 168.5484 | 141.6800 | 157.80 | top 63% |
| Pork Ribs | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 169.1200 | 145.1430 | 157.85 | top 62% |
| Pork | 11 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 177.1428 | 133.1772 | 154.55 | top 69% |
| Brisket | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 167.4286 | 146.2400 | 156.96 | top 59% |
“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) | 1 | 0 | top 83% |
| Large (40+) | 10 | 0 | top 68% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship | 3 | 72 | 0 | top 60% | Jun 23, 2023 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2014
2 contests
Contests a season
1.2
across 9 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
KS
9 of 11 contests · 3 states in all
Contests visited
9
1 of them more than once
Opponents faced
573
finished ahead 406 times, behind 991
Longest layoff
2 yrs
Jun 21, 2019 → Jun 25, 2021
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20231 milestone
- Most recent contest The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship
20221 milestone
- 10th tracked contest The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship
20138 milestones
- First tracked contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
- First call Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
- First category win (Pork) Battle of the Brisket
- First overall top-10 Battle of the Brisket
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score675.8972 Battle of the Brisket
- Career-best overall score675.8972 Battle of the Brisket
- Career-best single call (Pork)177.1428 Battle of the Brisket
- Peak power rating (1504) Battle of the Brisket
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +13.9 | Battle of the Brisket | Sep 13, 2013 |
| +2.4 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship | Jun 25, 2021 |
| +1.3 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship | Jun 21, 2019 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -12.5 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship | Jun 24, 2022 |
| -10.2 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour | Apr 26, 2013 |
| -9.7 | Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship | Jun 27, 2014 |
| -8.5 | The Masters in May | May 2, 2014 |
| -7.9 | Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship | Jun 23, 2017 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 79% | 86.9% | 86.9% |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 96% | 81.7% | 81.7% |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 50% | 89.6% | 89.6% |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 52% | 88.9% | 88.9% |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 68% | 86.4% | 86.4% |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 79% | 84.9% | 84.9% |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 86% | 89.4% | 89.4% |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 81% | 85.3% | 84.8% |
| 2013 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 100% | top 47% | 93.9% | 90.4% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 23, 2023 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 132 / 167 (625.6340) | 120 (158.8456) | 153 (149.1200) | 135 (155.9884) | 83 (161.6800) |
| Jun 24, 2022 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 157 / 164 (588.4916) | 160 (141.6800) | 90 (162.2284) | 163 (133.1772) | 144 (151.4060) |
| Jun 25, 2021 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 72 / 145 (645.0972) | 45 (165.1200) | 105 (156.5144) | 73 (161.7600) | 67 (161.7028) |
| Jun 21, 2019 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 96 / 183 (639.9540) | 35 (168.5484) | 132 (153.7144) | 58 (166.2856) | 139 (151.4056) |
| Jun 22, 2018 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle Lenexa, KS | 125 / 185 (621.7256) | 124 (155.4284) | 59 (164.0344) | 125 (154.2744) | 146 (147.9884) |
| Jun 23, 2017 | Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 145 / 184 (611.3600) | 126 (154.2856) | 131 (153.1200) | 151 (150.2972) | 114 (153.6572) |
| Jul 3, 2015 | Blues Hog Barbecue, Music & Craft Festival Jackson, TN | 44 / 51 (643.9540) | 39 (162.8228) | 35 (164.5600) | 48 (158.3200) | 39 (158.2512) |
| Jun 27, 2014 | Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 150 / 184 (607.3488) | 129 (155.9772) | 69 (161.1428) | 165 (143.9888) | 145 (146.2400) |
| May 2, 2014 | The Masters in May Fremont, WI | 50 / 62 (614.2284) | 39 (155.9656) | 37 (157.7028) | 61 (138.8456) | 18 (161.7144) |
| Sep 13, 2013 | Battle of the Brisket Mission, KS | 6 / 53 (675.8972) | 20 (164.5488) | 13 (169.1200) | 1 (177.1428) | 17 (165.0856) |
| Apr 26, 2013 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Overland Park, KS | 25 / 30 (625.1430) | 27 (152.5714) | 28 (145.1430) | 19 (160) | 8 (167.4286) |