Perfect scores on the board
3
perfect 180s
3 perfect 180s in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, across 3 different meats.
- Pork Ribs ×1
- Pork ×1
- Brisket ×1
Shark Q
Shark Q is a competition barbecue team with 50 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2019 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 5th of 20 at the Smokin' Saddles Double Header (Day 1) (2024). They are ranked #1125 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1593
peak 1595 · rated over 40 contests5 invitational or side-series contests not counted
Contests
50
in the data
First seen
Apr 12, 2019
latest Sep 30, 2026 · 7.5 years on the trail
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
4
10 podiums
Overall top-10s
6
12% of 50 contests
Best top-10 run
2
straight overall top-10s
Avg finish
top 52%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
3 🔥
Current form
682.29 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 677.15 (+5.14)
Walk rate
52%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±16.28
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 170.17 · weakest Pork (168.08)
Road miles
4,989
across 50 mapped stops · furthest 570 mi
Schedule strength
82%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1608)
Purse competed for
$631K
listed at 42 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 39 state-championship entries
Master avg
677.15 / 720
42 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ↗ | Master | #420 (450 pts) | #448 (475 pts) | #395 (605 pts) | #466 (420 pts) | #435 (460 pts) |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #332 (647 pts) | #320 (707 pts) | #280 (914 pts) | #370 (607 pts) | #199 (1,092 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #275 (804 pts) | #304 (764 pts) | #310 (814 pts) | #269 (824 pts) | #187 (1,079 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #338 (617 pts) | #377 (602 pts) | #315 (807 pts) | #405 (532 pts) | #352 (607 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #406 (544 pts) | #354 (689 pts) | #320 (812 pts) | #439 (519 pts) | #453 (504 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #428 (428 pts) | #491 (388 pts) | #290 (723 pts) | #251 (783 pts) | #554 (333 pts) |
| 2020 ↗ | Master | #655 (120 pts) | #696 (120 pts) | #627 (160 pts) | #706 (120 pts) | #608 (160 pts) |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #1955 (60 pts) | #2049 (60 pts) | #1930 (75 pts) | #2029 (60 pts) | #2010 (60 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to Shark Q, each with one reason worth a look.
34 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#1,123 of the rated field
- Contests
- 60
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 23%
- Peak
- 1674
3–0 in 3 shared contests (100% to Shark Q)
These two have cooked 3 of the same contests — Shark Q ahead 3–0 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.
⚔ Head-to-head#1,127 of the rated field
- Contests
- 63
- GCs
- 2
- Top-10s
- 35%
- Peak
- 1596
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Shark Q)
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 59 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Head-to-head#1,122 of the rated field
- Contests
- 22
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 23%
- Peak
- 1601
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Shark Q)
Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 7 years before Shark Q's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Head-to-head#1,121 of the rated field
- Contests
- 21
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 29%
- Peak
- 1593
3–0 in 3 shared contests (100% to Shark Q)
Fewer contests behind them than Shark Q has cooked, 21 to 50, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.
⚔ Head-to-head#1,129 of the rated field
- Contests
- 140
- GCs
- 2
- Top-10s
- 34%
- Peak
- 1716
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Shark Q)
Their rating is built on 2 Grand Championships in 140 contests, alongside a 34% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Head-to-head#1,120 of the rated field
- Contests
- 50
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 34%
- Peak
- 1615
They were already cooking in 2013, 6 years before Shark Q's first contest.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAN MEAT BBQ | 40 | 5 | 35 | 13% | ⚔ compare |
| FINGER LEIKAM GOOD | 32 | 10 | 22 | 31% | ⚔ compare |
| MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ | 28 | 6 | 22 | 21% | ⚔ compare |
| LOVE 2 Q | 25 | 9 | 16 | 36% | ⚔ compare |
| KC Meat Sweats | 24 | 12 | 12 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| SLAPS BBQ | 24 | 1 | 23 | 4% | ⚔ compare |
| Damn Fine Beef & Swine | 20 | 1 | 19 | 5% | ⚔ compare |
| ROCK N BLUES BBQ | 19 | 12 | 7 | 63% | ⚔ compare |
| Fergolicious BBQ | 19 | 2 | 17 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| WOOD HOOK BBQ | 18 | 4 | 14 | 22% | ⚔ compare |
| Cow Creek BBQ | 18 | 4 | 14 | 22% | ⚔ compare |
| Cities Edge BBQ | 17 | 8 | 9 | 47% | ⚔ compare |
| GETTIN' SAUCED | 17 | 5 | 12 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| PARTS 'R' SMOKIN | 17 | 3 | 14 | 18% | ⚔ compare |
| Barking Dog BBQ | 16 | 6 | 10 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 43 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 177.7144 | 153.6800 | 170.17 | top 51% |
| Pork Ribs | 45 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 180 🔥 | 153.0628 | 169.54 | top 48% |
| Pork | 42 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 180 🔥 | 149.0856 | 168.08 | top 56% |
| Brisket | 42 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 180 🔥 | 148.5256 | 169.26 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 3 | 0 | top 66% |
| Medium (20–39) | 17 | 0 | top 47% |
| Large (40+) | 22 | 0 | top 55% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke in the Spring (OPEN FORMAT) | 7 | 31 | 0 | top 59% | Apr 10, 2026 |
| Big Blue BBQ Championship | 4 | 10 | 0 | top 47% | Jun 6, 2025 |
| American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | 2 | 131 | 0 | top 42% | Nov 5, 2025 |
| Meat Inferno | 2 | 7 | 0 | top 48% | Oct 3, 2025 |
| Dodge City Days Smokin' Saddles Double Header (Day 2) | 2 | 11 | 0 | top 68% | Jul 26, 2025 |
| Smoke on the Water | 2 | 17 | 0 | top 54% | Oct 11, 2024 |
| Smokin' Saddles Double Header (Day 2) | 2 | 5 | 0 | top 30% | Jul 27, 2024 |
| The National Beef Smokin' Saddles Official BBQ Contest (Day 2) | 2 | 12 | 0 | top 50% | Jul 29, 2023 |
| Smoke on the Trails | 2 | 28 | 0 | top 68% | Sep 11, 2020 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2025
12 contests
Contests a season
6.3
across 8 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
KS
45 of 50 contests · 3 states in all
Contests visited
26
9 of them more than once
Most-entered meat
Pork Ribs
45 entries · 2 wins · 16 calls
Opponents faced
1,305
finished ahead 1,722 times, behind 1,648
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20262 milestones
- 50th tracked contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides
- Most recent contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides
20243 milestones
- 25th tracked contest Smoke in the Spring
- Career-best overall score703.9772 Smokin' Saddles Double Header (Day 1)
- Peak power rating (1595) American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest
20233 milestones
- First category win (Pork Ribs) 7th Annual Smoke on the Trails
- First overall top-10 7th Annual Smoke on the Trails
- First perfect 180 (Pork Ribs) 7th Annual Smoke on the Trails
20221 milestone
- 10th tracked contest Qlathe BBQ Championship
20211 milestone
- First call Kickin It Route 66 Barbeque Challenge
20201 milestone
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score670.2056 Smoke on the Trails
20191 milestone
- First tracked contest Smoke In the Springs
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +13.6 | 7th Annual Smoke on the Trails | Sep 9, 2023 |
| +12.8 | Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest | Jul 9, 2021 |
| +10.4 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship | Jun 24, 2022 |
| +10.3 | Smokin' Saddles Double Header (Day 1) | Jul 26, 2024 |
| +9.6 | Smoke in the Spring | Apr 7, 2023 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -10.7 | Smoke in the Spring | Apr 11, 2025 |
| -9.5 | Dodge City Days Smokin' Saddles Double Header (Day 1) | Jul 25, 2025 |
| -9.3 | Smoke In the Springs | Apr 12, 2019 |
| -5.8 | Smoke on the Trails | Sep 27, 2019 |
| -5.6 | East Central State BBQ Cookoff - Paola Roots Festival | Aug 28, 2026 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% | top 51% | 95.6% | 94.8% |
| 2025 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 50% | top 61% | 96.2% | 94.5% |
| 2024 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 44% | top 48% | 97.8% | 95.1% |
| 2023 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 67% | top 45% | 96.5% | 95.2% |
| 2022 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 42% | 94.4% | 93.8% |
| 2021 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 50% | 95.5% | 94% |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 70% | 93.1% | 92% |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 84% | 86.2% | 86% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 30, 2026 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sep 30, 2026 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest Kansas City, KS | 116 / 360 (687.3484) | 159 (170.8344) | 37 (176.5828) | 204 (169.1084) | 146 (170.8228) |
| Aug 28, 2026 | East Central State BBQ Cookoff - Paola Roots Festival 🏅 Paola, KS | 20 / 31 (667.8400) | 21 (162.8000) | 5 (176.5600) | 21 (166.2400) | 20 (162.2400) |
| Jul 24, 2026 | Dodge City Days Smokin' Saddles BBQ Comp (OPEN FORMAT) 🏅 Dodge City, KS | 8 / 13 (687.3024) | 5 (175.4056) | 7 (171.9656) | 12 (164.5256) | 4 (175.4056) |
| Jun 5, 2026 | Big Blue BBQ Championship 🏅 Marysville, KS | 13 / 25 (680.4684) | 13 (170.8344) | 7 (170.8228) | 11 (171.9656) | 21 (166.8456) |
| Apr 10, 2026 | Smoke in the Spring (OPEN FORMAT) 🏅 Osage City, KS | 45 / 101 (688.4912) | 78 (168.5256) | 29 (174.2628) | 40 (172.5600) | 29 (173.1428) |
| Nov 5, 2025 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Nov 5, 2025 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 216 / 401 (675.9316) | 57 (175.4172) | 320 (162.8228) | 58 (175.4400) | 301 (162.2516) |
| Oct 3, 2025 | Meat Inferno 🏅 Edgerton, KS | 7 / 21 (689.0400) | 10 (169.6800) | 10 (171.9772) | 15 (167.3828) | 1 (180) |
| Oct 3, 2025 | Meat Inferno (One Meat Ribs) Edgerton, KS | — | — | 9 (169.6916) | — | — |
| Jul 26, 2025 | Dodge City Days Smokin' Saddles Double Header (Day 2) 🏅 Dodge City, KS | 11 / 19 (692.4800) | 16 (167.3944) | 1 (178.8572) | 14 (170.8228) | 5 (175.4056) |
| Jul 25, 2025 | Dodge City Days Smokin' Saddles Double Header (Day 1) 🏅 Dodge City, KS | 14 / 18 (685.0284) | 10 (173.1200) | 16 (166.8228) | 13 (173.1200) | 9 (171.9656) |
| Jun 6, 2025 | Big Blue BBQ Championship 🏅 Marysville, KS | 15 / 29 (680.4800) | 9 (174.2744) | 27 (158.2400) | 10 (172.5600) | 6 (175.4056) |
| May 24, 2025 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational (Saturday, May 24, 2025) unrated Lebanon, TN | 77 / 106 (678.7428) | 93 (167.3944) | 46 (172.5600) | 104 (159.3484) | 3 (179.4400) |
| May 23, 2025 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational Anything Molasses (Friday, May 23, 2025) unrated Lebanon, TN | — | — | — | — | — |
| May 23, 2025 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational Chicken (Friday, May 23, 2025) unrated Lebanon, TN | — | 37 (167.3828) | — | — | — |
| May 23, 2025 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational Ribs (Friday, May 23, 2025) unrated Lebanon, TN | — | — | 21 (171.9772) | — | — |
| Apr 11, 2025 | Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS | 75 / 92 (661.5544) | 35 (173.1200) | 66 (166.8344) | 89 (153.6228) | 53 (167.9772) |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 131 / 444 (685.0284) | 57 (176.5600) | 393 (158.2172) | 62 (175.4056) | 47 (174.8456) |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oct 11, 2024 | Smoke on the Water 🏅 Topeka, KS | 20 / 31 (679.3028) | 14 (174.2628) | 16 (170.8228) | 27 (163.9428) | 13 (170.2744) |
| Jul 27, 2024 | Smokin' Saddles Double Header (Day 2) 🏅 Dodge City, KS | 7 / 20 (698.8000) | 16 (170.2628) | 4 (177.7144) | 2 (180) | 13 (170.8228) |
| Jul 26, 2024 | Smokin' Saddles Double Header (Day 1) 🏅 Dodge City, KS | 5 / 20 (703.9772) | 9 (174.8572) | 5 (176.5600) | 10 (174.2628) | 2 (178.2972) |
| Jun 28, 2024 | Happy Basset 4th Annual BBQ Competition 🏅 Topeka, KS | 16 / 28 (687.3140) | 8 (176.5600) | 21 (168.5256) | 20 (167.3828) | 9 (174.8456) |
| May 31, 2024 | Big Blue BBQ Championship 🏅 Marysville, KS | 10 / 25 (681.0400) | 17 (165.0972) | 16 (166.8228) | 8 (171.4056) | 1 (177.7144) |
| Apr 5, 2024 | Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS | 68 / 97 (671.8516) | 24 (175.4172) | 90 (159.3600) | 76 (165.0972) | 38 (171.9772) |
| Mar 15, 2024 | 6th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS | 35 / 58 (671.3256) | 23 (171.9772) | 29 (169.1428) | 51 (161.6456) | 21 (168.5600) |
| Oct 13, 2023 | Smoke on the Water 🏅 Topeka, KS | 17 / 39 (682.1712) | 34 (164.5256) | 5 (177.7028) | 19 (167.3828) | 10 (172.5600) |
| Sep 9, 2023 | 7th Annual Smoke on the Trails 🏅 Gardner, KS | 6 / 38 (694.7772) | 15 (173.1200) | 1 (180) | 15 (169.6800) | 12 (171.9772) |
| Aug 11, 2023 | 5th Annual KCBS World Invitational - OPEN unrated Mayetta, KS | 73 / 90 (671.2684) | 74 (166.8112) | 56 (170.8228) | 88 (160.5144) | 29 (173.1200) |
| Jul 29, 2023 | The National Beef Smokin' Saddles Official BBQ Contest (Day 2) 🏅 Dodge City, KS | 12 / 27 (691.3372) | 18 (173.1200) | 13 (171.9888) | 15 (171.9656) | 8 (174.2628) |
| Jul 28, 2023 | The National Beef Smokin' Saddles Official BBQ Contest (Day 1) 🏅 Dodge City, KS | 14 / 25 (684.4572) | 3 (177.7144) | 14 (171.9656) | 22 (169.6800) | 19 (165.0972) |
| Apr 7, 2023 | Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS | 31 / 103 (687.3600) | 49 (170.8344) | 26 (173.1428) | 16 (174.2628) | 51 (169.1200) |
| Oct 7, 2022 | Meat Inferno (JUDGING FULL) 🏅 Edgerton, KS | 18 / 29 (678.7656) | 8 (175.4288) | 7 (174.8456) | 26 (162.2400) | 18 (166.2512) |
| Oct 7, 2022 | Meat Inferno (ONE MEAT RIBS) (JUDGING FULL) Edgerton, KS | — | — | 12 (165.1428) | — | — |
| Sep 9, 2022 | 6th Annual Smoke on the Trails 🏅 Gardner, KS | 19 / 37 (670.1256) | 21 (168.5372) | 8 (175.4056) | 26 (164.5372) | 22 (161.6456) |
| Jun 24, 2022 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 27 / 164 (675.4056) | 29 (170.8344) | 83 (162.8456) | 29 (171.4628) | 27 (170.2628) |
| Jun 3, 2022 | Big Blue BBQ Championship 🏅 Marysville, KS | 12 / 25 (670.1024) | 11 (168.5256) | 7 (171.9656) | 12 (167.3828) | 19 (162.2284) |
| Apr 29, 2022 | Red, White, Blue BBQ Competition 🏅 Topeka, KS | 29 / 77 (679.8856) | 20 (173.7028) | 48 (163.9544) | 15 (174.2628) | 30 (167.9656) |
| Apr 8, 2022 | Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS | 46 / 94 (675.8968) | 25 (173.7028) | 37 (170.2856) | 85 (158.7884) | 21 (173.1200) |
| Mar 18, 2022 | Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS | 23 / 71 (678.8000) | 10 (173.7028) | 30 (168) | 39 (168.5372) | 27 (168.5600) |
| Sep 10, 2021 | Smoke on the Trails 🏅 Gardner, KS | 21 / 53 (685.0168) | 23 (170.8228) | 4 (176.5600) | 16 (173.7028) | 30 (163.9312) |
| Jul 9, 2021 | Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest 🏅 Mayetta, KS | 13 / 43 (687.9544) | 15 (174.2628) | 7 (173.7488) | 8 (175.4172) | 27 (164.5256) |
| Jun 4, 2021 | Big Blue BBQ Championship 🏅 Marysville, KS | 14 / 28 (671.4060) | 18 (166.2744) | 3 (173.7488) | 20 (165.6800) | 18 (165.7028) |
| Apr 9, 2021 | Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS | 56 / 105 (675.9540) | 77 (165.6684) | 70 (165.1200) | 5 (178.8800) | 67 (166.2856) |
| Mar 26, 2021 | Kickin It Route 66 Barbeque Challenge 🏅 St. Roberts, MO | 41 / 52 (663.3256) | 42 (163.3712) | 50 (153.1200) | 2 (177.7144) | 24 (169.1200) |
| Oct 30, 2020 | Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS | 76 / 93 (654.7544) | 78 (163.3712) | 69 (162.8228) | 59 (166.2860) | 67 (162.2744) |
| Sep 11, 2020 | Smoke on the Trails 🏅 Gardner, KS | 28 / 48 (670.2056) | 36 (162.2744) | 17 (171.9772) | 33 (164.5484) | 17 (171.4056) |
| Sep 27, 2019 | Smoke on the Trails 🏅 Gardner, KS | 41 / 53 (617.5884) | 39 (153.6800) | 22 (163.9656) | 43 (151.4172) | 41 (148.5256) |
| Apr 12, 2019 | Smoke In the Springs 🏅 Osage City, KS | 95 / 104 (620.4340) | 62 (165.7256) | 98 (153.0628) | 97 (149.0856) | 85 (152.5600) |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.