They almost always walk
60%
of contests with a top-10 call
A call in 9 of 15 contests
A top-10 category call in 60% of their 15 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.
HQO
At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)
Rating
1434
peak 1501 · rated over 14 contests ⓘ
Contests
15
in the data
First seen
2013-04-05
latest 2023-06-09
Best ToY finish
#1275
Master 2016
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
0 podiums
Overall top-10s
0
of 15 contests
Avg finish
top 76%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
646.66 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 638.97 (+7.68)
Walk rate
60%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±13.05
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 163.64 · weakest Brisket (152.81)
Road miles
5,085
mi across 15 mapped stops · furthest 1435 mi
Schedule strength
39%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1551)
Purse competed for
$41K
listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
GCs in 2 state-championship entries
Master avg
638.97 / 720
15 Master contests · 0 GCs
Storylines (14 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.
High-water mark
672.5028
career-best overall
93.4% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 672.5028 at GMG NorUt State BBQ Championship — 93.4% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- 2023-06-09
The one to beat
4×
one call ahead of them
G AND L BBQ has finished one call ahead of HQO 4 times — their closest competition in the data.
Their season
2013
their best year
2013 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 63%.
- 3 contests
- 0 overall top-10s
- 0 category wins
- average top 63%
A tough matchup
11–0
behind in the head-to-head
GOT SMOKE BAR-B-QUE ahead in 100% of their meetings
GOT SMOKE BAR-B-QUE has come out ahead in 11 of their 11 shared contests.
The weak link
−10.8
points behind their best meat
Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 10.83 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 13%.
- Brisket avg 152.81
- Chicken avg 163.64
- 0 calls in 15 entries
A strong matchup
5–1
ahead in the head-to-head
Ahead in 83% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of RICHARDS ROUNDUP BBQ in 5 of their 6 shared contests.
The comeback
3.8 yrs
off the trail, then back
Off the trail for 3.8 years, then back at GMG NorUt State BBQ Championship (2023-06-09).
- last seen 2019-08-23
- back 2023-06-09
Chicken nemesis
10 of 11
shared chicken entries lost
GOT SMOKE BAR-B-QUE ahead 91% of the time
Even in their strongest meat, GOT SMOKE BAR-B-QUE has out-cooked them in 10 of 11 shared chicken entries.
Looking over their shoulder
3×
one call behind them
SORRY CHARLOTTE BBQ has landed one call behind them 3 times.
An April team
Top 65%
average finish in April
Something about April: average finish in the top 65% across 5 contests, versus top 76% the rest of the year.
- 5 April contests
- top 76% the rest of the year
The long haul
5,085
road miles between contests
Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 5,085 miles across 15 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,435 miles to Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY).
- 15 mapped stops
- furthest 1,435 mi
The metronome
±1.81%
swing around their own average
Their overall lands within ±1.81% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.
- averages 88.7% of a perfect score
- 15 contests
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 14th
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.
58 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#5965 of the rated field
- Contests
- 14
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1434
No shared contest yet.
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 14 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Head-to-head#5953 of the rated field
- Contests
- 17
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1434
No shared contest yet.
Careers of much the same size, 17 contests to 15, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-head#5951 of the rated field
- Contests
- 13
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 15%
- Peak
- 1434
No shared contest yet.
13 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 15% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Head-to-head#5958 of the rated field
- Contests
- 16
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1434
No shared contest yet.
Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.
⚔ Head-to-head#5950 of the rated field
- Contests
- 12
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1512
No shared contest yet.
Level with HQO on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-head#5954 of the rated field
- Contests
- 17
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1434
No shared contest yet.
Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 4 years before HQO's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HALF BAKED HIPPIES BBQ | 13 | 4 | 9 | 31% | ⚔ compare |
| GOT SMOKE BAR-B-QUE | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| G AND L BBQ | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| BIG JOHNSON'S BBQ | 7 | 3 | 4 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| Whistle Pig BBQ | 7 | 3 | 4 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| TEAM AMERICA | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| Backdraft BBQ | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| RICHARDS ROUNDUP BBQ | 6 | 5 | 1 | 83% | ⚔ compare |
| BBQ PIT STOP | 6 | 2 | 4 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| Rooftop BBQ | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| CHICKEN BUTT BBQ UTAH | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| CROOKED PIGS | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| SORRY CHARLOTTE BBQ | 5 | 5 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKE-IN-LAW | 5 | 2 | 3 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 171.9656 | 153.7138 | 163.64 | top 62% |
| Pork Ribs | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 173.1428 | 145.0740 | 160.18 | top 61% |
| Pork | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 174.8800 | 146.7772 | 162.35 | top 58% |
| Brisket | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 162.9032 | 131.3944 | 152.81 | top 80% |
“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 | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| UT | 7 | 0 | top 72% |
| NV | 4 | 0 | top 81% |
| CO | 2 | 0 | top 69% |
| SD | 1 | 0 | top 87% |
| TN | 1 | 0 | top 82% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 2 | 0 | top 88% |
| Medium (20–39) | 10 | 0 | top 72% |
| Large (40+) | 3 | 0 | top 80% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam's Club National BBQ Tour | 5 | 14 | 0 | top 65% | 2017-04-07 |
| Wild West BBQ Shoot Out | 2 | 35 | 0 | top 95% | 2019-08-23 |
| Wild West BBQ Shoot Out | 2 | 16 | 0 | top 67% | 2014-08-22 |
The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)
On the trail
10.2 yrs
2013-04-05 → 2023-06-09
Busiest season
2016
3 contests
Contests a season
1.9
across 8 seasons in the data
Cooks most in
UT
7 of 15 contests · 5 states/provinces in all
Contests visited
9
3 of them cooked more than once
Most-entered meat
Chicken
15 entries · 0 wins · 2 calls
Strongest meat
Chicken
averages 163.64 · weakest Brisket (152.81)
Walk rate
60%
a top-10 call in 9 of 15 contests
Overall top-10 rate
0%
0 of 15 contests
Master average
638.97
out of 720 · 15 contests · 0 GCs
Opponents faced
308
127–394 across every shared overall standing
Road miles
5,085
15 mapped stops · furthest 1,435 mi
Schedule strength
1551
average field rating faced — tougher than 39% of rated contests
Purse competed for
$41,300
listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0
from 2 state-championship entries
Longest layoff
3.8 yrs
2019-08-23 → 2023-06-09
Power rating
1434
peak 1501 · #5960 of 6,413 rated
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
- 2013
- First tracked contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
- First call Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
- 2014
- Peak power rating (1501) Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
- 2016
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score657.0400 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
- 10th tracked contest Hill City Wine Brew & BBQ
- 2018
- Career-best single call (Pork)174.8800 Wild West BBQ Shoot Out
- 2023
- Career-best overall score672.5028 GMG NorUt State BBQ Championship
- Most recent contest GMG NorUt State BBQ Championship
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +5.1 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour | 2016-04-08 |
| +2.6 | Wild West BBQ Shoot Out | 2013-08-23 |
| +0.4 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour | 2014-04-11 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -9.9 | Days of 47 BBQ Rib & Rodeo | 2015-07-24 |
| -9.5 | Wild West BBQ Shoot Out | 2014-08-22 |
| -9 | Wild West BBQ Shoot Out | 2019-08-23 |
| -8.7 | Wild West BBQ Shoot Out | 2018-08-24 |
| -8.2 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour | 2015-04-10 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 88% | 93.4% | 93.4% |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 95% | 87.6% | 87.6% |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 96% | 88.2% | 88.2% |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 86% | 89.1% | 89.1% |
| 2016 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67% | top 66% | 91.3% | 90.1% |
| 2015 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33% | top 82% | 88.9% | 87.8% |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 69% | 88.1% | 87.2% |
| 2013 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67% | top 63% | 89.7% | 88.3% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-09 | GMG NorUt State BBQ Championship 🏅 Ogden, UT | 14 / 16 (672.5028) | 11 (171.9656) | 12 (171.4056) | 6 (174.8572) | 16 (154.2744) |
| 2019-08-23 | Wild West BBQ Shoot Out 🏅 Wendover, NV | 35 / 37 (630.6972) | 28 (165.6800) | 36 (152.5488) | 30 (162.2628) | 37 (150.2056) |
| 2018-08-24 | Wild West BBQ Shoot Out Wendover, NV | 44 / 46 (635.3712) | 32 (165.1428) | 46 (145.0740) | 7 (174.8800) | 41 (150.2744) |
| 2017-04-07 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Salt Lake City, UT | 25 / 29 (641.6576) | 8 (169.1544) | 17 (162.8228) | 28 (146.7772) | 18 (162.9032) |
| 2016-09-09 | Colorado Pork & Hops Challenge Grand Junction, CO | 31 / 49 (653.0516) | 27 (164.5372) | 5 (173.1428) | 41 (156.5600) | 34 (158.8116) |
| 2016-08-26 | Hill City Wine Brew & BBQ Hill City, SD | 27 / 31 (636.4228) | 24 (162.8228) | 14 (167.4056) | 27 (159.9772) | 29 (146.2172) |
| 2016-04-08 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Salt Lake City, UT | 14 / 30 (657.0400) | 13 (166.2628) | 12 (165.7028) | 9 (166.8228) | 24 (158.2516) |
| 2015-09-11 | Colorado Pork & Hops Challenge Grand Junction, CO | 24 / 32 (628.4344) | 17 (163.9656) | 28 (146.8000) | 19 (162.8228) | 23 (154.8460) |
| 2015-07-24 | Days of 47 BBQ Rib & Rodeo Salt Lake City, UT | 15 / 17 (640.0000) | 17 (156.5600) | 6 (168.5828) | 13 (162.8800) | 16 (151.9772) |
| 2015-04-10 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Salt Lake City, UT | 25 / 30 (627.3488) | 16 (164.5484) | 24 (154.8344) | 24 (154.8456) | 24 (153.1204) |
| 2014-08-22 | Wild West BBQ Shoot Out Wendover, NV | 27 / 31 (621.6232) | 9 (169.7144) | 21 (157.1544) | 29 (147.3828) | 29 (147.3716) |
| 2014-04-11 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Salt Lake City, UT | 15 / 29 (634.2168) | 13 (166.2284) | 19 (155.4400) | 18 (157.1428) | 13 (155.4056) |
| 2013-10-25 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) unrated Lynchburg, TN | 80 / 97 (625.6456) | 72 (158.8456) | 36 (168.0000) | 31 (167.4056) | 97 (131.3944) |
| 2013-08-23 | Wild West BBQ Shoot Out Wendover, NV | 16 / 34 (645.7144) | 22 (155.4172) | 17 (160.5944) | 4 (172.0228) | 23 (157.6800) |
| 2013-04-05 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Salt Lake City, UT | 17 / 29 (634.8568) | 26 (153.7138) | 20 (153.1432) | 7 (168.5714) | 15 (159.4284) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #2898 (54 pts) | #1665 (149 pts) | #2107 (94 pts) | #2883 (54 pts) | #2098 (89 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #1275 (226 pts) | #1324 (236 pts) | #916 (416 pts) | #1262 (256 pts) | #1557 (176 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #1537 (160 pts) | #1234 (255 pts) | #1606 (160 pts) | #1748 (145 pts) | #1573 (170 pts) |