The heartbreaker
Came within 3.4168 points of the Grand Championship at Horse Town Brew N Que Festival (JUDGES FULL) (2019-05-31).
Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.
Came within 3.4168 points of the Grand Championship at Horse Town Brew N Que Festival (JUDGES FULL) (2019-05-31).
In the top 7% of every rated team in the data
A power rating of 1691 puts them #431 of 6,413 rated teams — the top 7% of the field.
1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in brisket.
America's Finest BBQ State Championship (JUDGES FULL) is their spot: an average finish in the top 13% across 2 visits.
They've won two or more meats on the same day 1 time — the best of them 2 category wins at *Big Bear Memorial Weekend BBQ Festival (JUDGES FULL) (2018-05-25).
A call in 39 of 54 contests
A top-10 category call in 72% of their 54 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.
96.7% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 696.5600 at Clayton BBQ Cook-off — 96.7% of a perfect 720.
DG FIREHOUSE BBQ has finished one call ahead of TEAM WOODSHED 3 times — their closest competition in the data.
2019 was the year it came together: 15 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 4 category wins, at an average finish in the top 26%.
BIG POPPA SMOKERS ahead in 95% of their meetings
BIG POPPA SMOKERS has come out ahead in 36 of their 38 shared contests.
Ahead in 86% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of 7 SINS BBQ in 24 of their 28 shared contests.
BIG POPPA SMOKERS ahead 79% of the time
Even in their strongest meat, BIG POPPA SMOKERS has out-cooked them in 30 of 38 shared pork entries.
SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ has landed one call behind them 4 times.
Something about July: average finish in the top 22% across 4 contests, versus top 38% the rest of the year.
Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 9,849 miles across 54 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,764 miles to Certified BBQ Judging Class - Cancelled.
Their overall lands within ±1.76% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.
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.
They've been 1746 at their best, 55 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-headTheir last contest in the data was back in 2015, 6 years before TEAM WOODSHED's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Head-to-headFewer contests behind them than TEAM WOODSHED has cooked, 23 to 54, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.
⚔ Head-to-headTheir rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 53 contests, alongside a 42% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Head-to-headThey turned up 7 years after TEAM WOODSHED did, first appearing in 2021.
⚔ Head-to-headLevel with TEAM WOODSHED on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-head| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LADY OF Q | 41 | 11 | 30 | 27% | ⚔ compare |
| Burnin and Lootin | 38 | 7 | 31 | 18% | ⚔ compare |
| BIG POPPA SMOKERS | 38 | 2 | 36 | 5% | ⚔ compare |
| SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | 37 | 10 | 27 | 27% | ⚔ compare |
| RAD FONDO BBQ | 33 | 20 | 13 | 61% | ⚔ compare |
| NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q | 32 | 17 | 15 | 53% | ⚔ compare |
| Meat Candy Q | 31 | 15 | 16 | 48% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokin it Up BBQ | 30 | 18 | 12 | 60% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKE HOUND BBQ | 29 | 19 | 10 | 66% | ⚔ compare |
| 7 SINS BBQ | 28 | 24 | 4 | 86% | ⚔ compare |
| FU MAN QUE CREW | 27 | 20 | 7 | 74% | ⚔ compare |
| RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ | 27 | 7 | 20 | 26% | ⚔ compare |
| TOOT & STINKY'S CALI-Q | 27 | 6 | 21 | 22% | ⚔ compare |
| COOL GRILLING | 25 | 17 | 8 | 68% | ⚔ compare |
| 2LiveQ | 25 | 15 | 10 | 60% | ⚔ compare |
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 54 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 177.7028 | 156.5028 | 167.07 | top 52% |
| Pork Ribs | 54 | 20 | 2 | 5 | 177.7144 | 153.6456 | 168.01 | top 41% |
| Pork | 54 | 20 | 2 | 10 | 178.8572 | 154.2516 | 169.83 | top 36% |
| Brisket | 54 | 20 | 4 | 5 | 180.0000 🔥 | 154.7884 | 168.09 | top 39% |
“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.
| Where | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA | 50 | 0 | top 37% |
| AZ | 3 | 0 | top 44% |
| AL | 1 | 0 | top 39% |
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 2 | 0 | top 46% |
| Medium (20–39) | 21 | 0 | top 32% |
| Large (40+) | 31 | 0 | top 42% |
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona National BBQ Stampede | 2 | 16 | 0 | top 42% | 2019-12-27 |
| America's Finest BBQ State Championship (JUDGES FULL) | 2 | 4 | 0 | top 13% | 2019-09-13 |
| Turf & Surf BBQ Championship | 2 | 7 | 0 | top 31% | 2019-08-16 |
| Horse Town Brew N Que Festival (JUDGES FULL) | 2 | 2 | 0 | top 37% | 2019-05-31 |
| West Coast BBQ Classic | 2 | 12 | 0 | top 47% | 2017-05-12 |
| Dana Point State BBQ Championship | 2 | 41 | 0 | top 50% | 2016-10-07 |
| Ribs, Pigs & Watermelons | 2 | 14 | 0 | top 40% | 2016-08-05 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +15 | 5th Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship | 2016-04-01 |
| +14 | *Big Bear Memorial Weekend BBQ Festival (JUDGES FULL) | 2018-05-25 |
| +13.2 | *Temecula State BBQ Championship | 2018-10-12 |
| +12.8 | 8th Annual Santa Anita Winners Circle BBQ Championship Day 2 | 2019-03-30 |
| +12.5 | The Tyson Guinea Pig, Matt Dalton Memorial | 2020-02-21 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -14.9 | The Golden State Battle III - Day 2 | 2021-04-17 |
| -6.4 | 4th Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship | 2015-03-20 |
| -6.2 | The Golden State Battle II | 2020-01-24 |
| -5.7 | City of Dana Point State BBQ Championship | 2015-10-02 |
| -5.3 | Horse Town Brew n Que Festival | 2015-05-29 |
| Season | Contests | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100% | top 52% | 94.8% | 93.3% |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 100% | top 27% | 96.1% | 94.6% |
| 2019 | 15 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 87% | top 26% | 96.7% | 94.5% |
| 2018 | 13 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 69% | top 35% | 96.1% | 93.9% |
| 2017 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40% | top 48% | 94.1% | 92.1% |
| 2016 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 83% | top 41% | 95.2% | 93% |
| 2015 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 43% | top 54% | 93.3% | 91.6% |
| 2014 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67% | top 41% | 94.2% | 93.5% |
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-05-28 | Big Bear Grill & Chill BBQ Championships 🏅 Big Bear Lake, CA | 7 / 27 (682.7772) | 17 (166.2400) | 9 (167.3944) | 4 (176.0000) | 5 (173.1428) |
| 2021-04-17 | The Golden State Battle III - Day 2 🏅 Hollister, CA | 22 / 26 (668.9828) | 24 (163.9544) | 5 (176.5600) | 15 (169.1200) | 25 (159.3484) |
| 2021-04-16 | The Golden State Battle III - Day 1 🏅 Hollister, CA | 19 / 41 (663.9200) | 7 (170.8344) | 13 (170.8800) | 24 (167.4172) | 36 (154.7884) |
| 2020-02-21 | The Tyson Guinea Pig, Matt Dalton Memorial 🏅 Coachella, CA | 3 / 50 (691.9660) | 2 (177.7028) | 1 (177.7144) | 15 (169.1316) | 15 (167.4172) |
| 2020-01-24 | The Golden State Battle II 🏅 Hollister, CA | 22 / 46 (670.2060) | 37 (163.9540) | 18 (166.2744) | 5 (174.8688) | 29 (165.1088) |
| 2019-12-27 | Arizona National BBQ Stampede 🏅 Phoenix, AZ | 16 / 44 (675.8740) | 36 (163.9428) | 27 (167.9656) | 1 (178.8572) | 23 (165.1084) |
| 2019-11-01 | Indio California State BBQ Championship & Festival 🏅 Indio, CA | 5 / 37 (690.2284) | 5 (176.0000) | 8 (171.4172) | 3 (174.2856) | 16 (168.5256) |
| 2019-09-27 | Mazatzal Grill Masters-BBQ Competition & Testicle Festival 🏅 Payson, AZ | 16 / 33 (666.7200) | 20 (165.1200) | 29 (156.4572) | 5 (175.4400) | 10 (169.7028) |
| 2019-09-13 | America's Finest BBQ State Championship (JUDGES FULL) 🏅 San Diego, CA | 4 / 30 (691.3600) | 16 (166.2284) | 6 (174.2744) | 1 (178.2972) | 5 (172.5600) |
| 2019-08-16 | Turf & Surf BBQ Championship 🏅 Del Mar, CA | 7 / 35 (677.5996) | 23 (163.4056) | 3 (173.1200) | 2 (174.2628) | 19 (166.8112) |
| 2019-08-02 | 10th Annual Vista BBQ Classic 🏅 Vista, CA | 7 / 34 (683.3484) | 16 (169.6684) | 1 (177.7144) | 14 (170.2628) | 19 (165.7028) |
| 2019-07-26 | Gilroy Garli-Que BBQ Challenge 🏅 Gilroy, CA | 7 / 36 (675.3484) | 30 (156.5256) | 7 (170.8572) | 3 (177.1428) | 5 (170.8228) |
| 2019-07-12 | Clayton BBQ Cook-off 🏅 Clayton, CA | 4 / 31 (696.5600) | 4 (174.8572) | 3 (173.7028) | 5 (175.4400) | 6 (172.5600) |
| 2019-05-31 | Horse Town Brew N Que Festival (JUDGES FULL) 🏅 Norco, CA | 2 / 49 (692.5144) | 19 (169.7028) | 17 (167.3944) | 4 (175.4172) | 1 (180.0000) |
| 2019-05-24 | Big Bear Grill & Chill 🏅 Big Bear Lake, CA | 3 / 25 (686.2056) | 9 (167.9656) | 9 (169.7028) | 4 (173.1200) | 4 (175.4172) |
| 2019-05-10 | Queen Mary Waterfront Cook-Off 🏅 Long Beach, CA | 5 / 12 (678.7772) | 7 (166.2628) | 8 (161.6572) | 3 (175.4400) | 2 (175.4172) |
| 2019-03-30 | 8th Annual Santa Anita Winners Circle BBQ Championship Day 2 🏅 Arcadia, CA | 4 / 47 (691.9772) | 14 (172.5944) | 3 (176.5716) | 7 (174.2628) | 23 (168.5484) |
| 2019-03-29 | 8th Annual Santa Anita Winners Circle BBQ Championship Day 1 🏅 Arcadia, CA | 31 / 70 (667.3368) | 50 (161.1428) | 4 (174.2628) | 12 (174.2628) | 54 (157.6684) |
| 2019-02-15 | The Smithfield Guinea Pig (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL) Indian Wells, CA | 21 / 49 (672.4688) | 37 (162.2400) | 19 (169.6916) | 14 (170.8572) | 22 (169.6800) |
| 2019-01-25 | The Golden State Battle 🏅 Santa Ynez, CA | 24 / 48 (664.5028) | 40 (164.5488) | 18 (169.1428) | 12 (172.5828) | 39 (158.2284) |
| 2018-12-28 | Arizona National BBQ Stampede Phoenix, AZ | 22 / 47 (674.1828) | 16 (172.5600) | 40 (158.8000) | 3 (178.2972) | 26 (164.5256) |
| 2018-11-03 | Indio California State BBQ Championship & Festival DAY 2 (JUDGES FULL) Indio, CA | 21 / 33 (671.8628) | 27 (164.5372) | 16 (166.2400) | 13 (173.7144) | 20 (167.3712) |
| 2018-11-02 | *Indio California State BBQ Championship & Festival DAY 1 (JUDGES FULL) Indio, CA | 10 / 33 (682.7656) | 24 (167.3828) | 10 (171.9772) | 16 (169.6684) | 7 (173.7372) |
| 2018-10-12 | *Temecula State BBQ Championship Temecula, CA | 3 / 46 (691.9316) | 21 (168.5256) | 4 (177.1544) | 3 (175.4172) | 14 (170.8344) |
| 2018-09-14 | America's Finest BBQ State Championship 🏅 San Diego, CA | 5 / 40 (681.6228) | 7 (173.1200) | 15 (168.5372) | 18 (169.1428) | 7 (170.8228) |
| 2018-08-17 | Turf & Surf BBQ Championship Del Mar, CA | 21 / 51 (659.3144) | 39 (156.5028) | 11 (169.7028) | 18 (165.7144) | 15 (167.3944) |
| 2018-07-28 | *Gilroy Garli-Que Challenge Gilroy, CA | 12 / 34 (668.4684) | 16 (167.3828) | 21 (164.5600) | 3 (176.5600) | 21 (159.9656) |
| 2018-07-13 | 9th Annual Vista BBQ Classic(JUDGES FULL) Vista, CA | 7 / 37 (691.4632) | 7 (173.1428) | 19 (168.5716) | 12 (170.8916) | 4 (178.8572) |
| 2018-06-01 | Horse Town Brew B Que Festival Norco, CA | 17 / 57 (682.8460) | 3 (175.4172) | 28 (168.0000) | 34 (167.9772) | 11 (171.4516) |
| 2018-05-25 | *Big Bear Memorial Weekend BBQ Festival (JUDGES FULL) Big Bear Lake, CA | 2 / 29 (687.9544) | 1 (175.4400) | 11 (166.8344) | 10 (167.9772) | 1 (177.7028) |
| 2018-05-04 | Elk Grove Western Festival and BBQ Championship Elk Grove, CA | 12 / 35 (659.4056) | 20 (165.1428) | 17 (162.2744) | 20 (160.5828) | 5 (171.4056) |
| 2018-03-23 | 7th Annual Santa Anita Winners Circle BBQ Championship Arcadia, CA | 48 / 78 (660.5028) | 55 (162.8800) | 30 (167.4172) | 32 (167.9656) | 48 (162.2400) |
| 2018-02-23 | The Smithfield Guinea Pig (JUDGES FULL) Coachella, CA | 32 / 47 (675.3600) | 22 (171.4172) | 34 (166.8572) | 26 (170.8456) | 34 (166.2400) |
| 2017-10-13 | *OC BBQ Competition Costa Messa, CA | 13 / 56 (677.6228) | 17 (170.8228) | 10 (173.7028) | 27 (165.6800) | 19 (167.4172) |
| 2017-05-19 | *SoCal BBQ Bash and Expo(JUDGES FULL) Pomona, CA | 30 / 46 (659.3372) | 24 (169.6800) | 41 (160.5600) | 23 (167.3944) | 33 (161.7028) |
| 2017-05-12 | West Coast BBQ Classic Long Beach, CA | 27 / 40 (644.4116) | 33 (157.6572) | 26 (163.3828) | 34 (154.2516) | 12 (169.1200) |
| 2017-03-31 | 6th Annual Santa Anita Winners Circle BBQ Championship Arcadia, CA | 28 / 77 (673.6112) | 6 (177.1544) | 66 (153.6456) | 39 (166.2512) | 7 (176.5600) |
| 2017-01-27 | *Newport Beach Winter Q Newport, CA | 27 / 56 (662.2172) | 41 (162.8228) | 16 (169.7144) | 35 (164.5600) | 21 (165.1200) |
| 2016-10-07 | Dana Point State BBQ Championship Dana Point, CA | 41 / 75 (655.8856) | 47 (163.9312) | 53 (159.4400) | 61 (158.8116) | 8 (173.7028) |
| 2016-08-19 | 4th Annual Best BBQ In Town Long Beach BBQ Festival Long Beach, CA | 9 / 18 (669.5888) | 6 (169.6800) | 10 (163.3944) | 7 (170.2744) | 7 (166.2400) |
| 2016-08-05 | Ribs, Pigs & Watermelons Huntington Beach, CA | 14 / 36 (665.0060) | 29 (159.3600) | 22 (164.5372) | 22 (165.0972) | 1 (176.0116) |
| 2016-05-13 | West Coast BBQ Classic Long Beach, CA | 12 / 44 (682.2404) | 14 (171.4172) | 5 (171.4288) | 15 (169.7028) | 19 (169.6916) |
| 2016-04-01 | 5th Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship Arciadia, CA | 6 / 72 (685.7144) | 19 (169.7028) | 11 (172.6288) | 3 (176.0116) | 23 (167.3712) |
| 2016-02-19 | The Pig(Guinea Pig) Indio, CA | 32 / 48 (657.6348) | 33 (165.1200) | 12 (171.4172) | 43 (159.3944) | 31 (161.7032) |
| 2015-10-02 | City of Dana Point State BBQ Championship Dana Point, CA | 52 / 75 (650.0796) | 61 (158.8112) | 63 (158.2056) | 13 (172.5716) | 47 (160.4912) |
| 2015-08-07 | Ribs, Pigs & Watermelons Huntington Beach, CA | 24 / 58 (667.9772) | 38 (162.8228) | 10 (173.7600) | 43 (159.9772) | 18 (171.4172) |
| 2015-06-26 | Newport Beach Barbecue Contest Newport Beach, CA | 14 / 29 (671.8628) | 7 (173.1200) | 23 (159.9312) | 11 (166.2516) | 5 (172.5600) |
| 2015-05-29 | Horse Town Brew n Que Festival Norco, CA | 52 / 75 (654.1372) | 45 (165.6800) | 40 (166.8572) | 44 (165.1088) | 61 (156.4912) |
| 2015-03-20 | 4th Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship Arcadia, CA | 72 / 100 (646.2288) | 85 (158.8000) | 49 (166.8572) | 78 (158.2744) | 61 (162.2972) |
| 2015-02-20 | The Pig (Guinea Pig) Competitor's Series Rancho Mirage, CA | 20 / 49 (658.8348) | 20 (167.9888) | 15 (168.5716) | 32 (159.9772) | 24 (162.2972) |
| 2015-01-17 | Certified BBQ Judging Class - Cancelled Hartselle, AL | 14 / 36 (665.0060) | 29 (159.3600) | 22 (164.5372) | 22 (165.0972) | 1 (176.0116) |
| 2014-10-02 | Dana Point State BBQ Championship Dana Point, CA | 44 / 97 (665.0628) | 18 (172.5600) | 68 (160.5372) | 11 (174.8456) | 67 (157.1200) |
| 2014-08-09 | Ribs, Pigs & Watermelons Day 2 Huntington Beach, CA | 16 / 38 (678.1944) | 31 (163.9544) | 15 (169.1316) | 7 (174.2628) | 12 (170.8456) |
| 2014-08-08 | Ribs, Pigs & Watermelons Day 1 Huntington Beach, CA | 14 / 39 (675.3944) | 30 (165.0856) | 10 (170.8572) | 16 (165.7144) | 5 (173.7372) |
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #544 (313 pts) | #563 (313 pts) | #473 (433 pts) | #505 (368 pts) | #606 (288 pts) |
| 2020 ↗ | Master | #200 (600 pts) | #216 (565 pts) | #202 (595 pts) | #142 (815 pts) | #356 (345 pts) |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #85 (1937 pts) | #219 (1230 pts) | #59 (1952 pts) | #31 (2161 pts) | #107 (1675 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #1902 (108 pts) | #2670 (63 pts) | #1958 (113 pts) | #1597 (168 pts) | #1863 (128 pts) |