BARK 'N BONES BBQ

BARK 'N BONES BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 41 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2014 and 2019. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 31 at the Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off (2019), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #506 of 6,485 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#506

of 6,485 rated · rankings

Rating

1675

peak 1675 · rated over 40 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Aug 22, 2014

latest Oct 18, 2019 · 5.2 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#252

Master 2017 · every season

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

16 podiums

Overall top-10s

46% of 41 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 34%

overall standings

Best overall

695.9200 / 720

Master · Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

675.81 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 670.56 (+5.25)

Walk rate

78%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Pork · Original SD BBQ Championships

Consistency

±12.21

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 168.85 · weakest Brisket (166.94)

Road miles

8,050

across 41 mapped stops · furthest 651 mi

Schedule strength

57%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1573)

Purse competed for

$77K

listed at 7 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 7 state-championship entries

Master avg

670.56 / 720

40 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (14 found in their record)

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

Among the elite

#506 of 6,485 rated teams

In the top 8% of every rated team in the data

A power rating of 1675 puts them #506 of 6,485 rated teams — the top 8% of the field.

rating 1675
peak 1675
40 rated contests

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180

1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in pork.

Pork ×1

Happy hunting ground

Top 8% average finish here

Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off is their spot: an average finish in the top 8% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 2nd
average top 8%

They almost always walk

78% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 32 of 41 contests

A top-10 category call in 78% of their 41 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

695.9200 career-best overall

96.7% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 695.9200 at Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off — 96.7% of a perfect 720.

Master
Oct 18, 2019

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

BIG CITY BBQ has finished one call ahead of BARK 'N BONES BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

24–4 behind in the head-to-head

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN ahead in 86% of their meetings

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN has come out ahead in 24 of their 28 shared contests.

Show 7 more storylines

A strong matchup

12–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 86% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of NAGAN FOR MORE BBQ in 12 of their 14 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

20 of 29 shared chicken entries lost

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN ahead 69% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SHIGGIN & GRINNIN has out-cooked them in 20 of 29 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN has landed one call behind them 3 times.

An October team

Top 16% average finish in October

Something about October: average finish in the top 16% across 3 contests, versus top 34% the rest of the year.

3 October contests
top 34% the rest of the year

The long haul

8,050 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 8,050 miles across 41 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 651 miles to Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off.

41 mapped stops
furthest 651 mi

The metronome

±1.70% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.70% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 93.1% of a perfect score
41 contests

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked KTD Smokin Gobbler Cook-Off every year from 2016 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.

4 visits in all
best finish 3rd

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
2019 ↗	Master	#298 (1,022 pts)	#385 (847 pts)	#425 (807 pts)	#350 (932 pts)	#303 (1,022 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#317 (1,037 pts)	#401 (892 pts)	#241 (1,212 pts)	#306 (1,062 pts)	#441 (822 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#252 (1,318 pts)	#325 (1,113 pts)	#268 (1,228 pts)	#196 (1,408 pts)	#335 (1,118 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#305 (1,155 pts)	#249 (1,275 pts)	#433 (930 pts)	#419 (965 pts)	#205 (1,465 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#792 (435 pts)	#821 (440 pts)	#865 (415 pts)	#1077 (310 pts)	#797 (460 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#2084 (75 pts)	#1579 (170 pts)	#2161 (75 pts)	#2172 (75 pts)	#2148 (75 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to BARK 'N BONES BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

Big Racks BBQ

#507 of the rated field

1675 power rating

Contests: 62
GCs: 4
Top-10s: 53%
Peak: 1689

0–0 in 1 shared contest (0% to BARK 'N BONES BBQ)

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

rated over 60 contests
last seen Sep 4, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

RAD FONDO BBQ

#508 of the rated field

1675 power rating

Contests: 54
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 28%
Peak: 1683

Careers of much the same size, 54 contests to 41, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 54 contests
last seen Nov 5, 2021

⚔ Compare careers

Big Johns BBQ Company

#505 of the rated field

1675 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 60%
Peak: 1676

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 24 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 24 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

ALL FORKED UP FOR Q

#504 of the rated field

1675 power rating

Contests: 163
GCs: 5
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1787

Their rating is built on 5 Grand Championships in 163 contests, alongside a 25% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 147 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Bonemaker Outdoors

#509 of the rated field

1674 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 45
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 51%
Peak: 1731

Level with BARK 'N BONES BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 44 contests
last seen Oct 30, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

Rocks Money Pit BBQ

#510 of the rated field

1674 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 48
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 52%
Peak: 1710

They've been 1710 at their best, 36 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 45 contests
last seen Oct 11, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	28	4	24	14%	⚔ compare
SPITFIRE	27	9	18	33%	⚔ compare
LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY	24	9	15	38%	⚔ compare
Hogline	24	6	18	25%	⚔ compare
CROIX VALLEY SAUCES	22	14	8	64%	⚔ compare
TRUE SMOKE BBQ	20	7	13	35%	⚔ compare
CASE OF RIBS	19	12	7	63%	⚔ compare
SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS	19	9	10	47%	⚔ compare
RUB MY RACK	18	4	14	22%	⚔ compare
Totally Sauced	18	3	15	17%	⚔ compare
ACES HIGH BBQ	17	6	11	35%	⚔ compare
SMOKE IN THE EYE	16	7	9	44%	⚔ compare
NECTAR OF THE HOGS	16	6	10	38%	⚔ compare
CITY SLICKERS BBQ	16	2	14	13%	⚔ compare
PO PO PORK	15	11	4	73%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	41	13	0	4	176	157.6572	168.85	top 39%
Pork Ribs	41	10	1	4	176.0344	152.5028	167.01	top 40%
Pork	41	15	1	4	180 🔥	156.5140	167.53	top 39%
Brisket	40	15	1	4	177.1544	149.6572	166.94	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.

By field size and state

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	21	0	top 32%
Large (40+)	19	0	top 36%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
MN	26	top 39%
SD	7	top 29%
WI	3	top 20%
KY	2	top 8%
MI	1	top 42%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
KTD Smokin Gobbler Cook-Off	4	3	top 32%	Sep 13, 2019
Cookin On Kampeska	3	4	top 29%	Jul 19, 2019
Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off	2	2	top 8%	Oct 18, 2019
SMSU Smokefest	2	17	top 58%	Aug 16, 2019
Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship	2	10	top 36%	Mar 2, 2018
Minnesota in May	2	16	top 37%	May 12, 2017
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2	10	top 50%	Jul 22, 2016

More numbers

Busiest season 2017 11 contests

Contests a season 6.8 across 6 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MN 27 of 41 contests · 5 states in all

Contests visited 30 7 of them more than once

Opponents faced 532 finished ahead 1,111 times, behind 552

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

20194 milestones

Oct 18 First Reserve Championship Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off
Oct 18 Career-best overall score695.9200 Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off
Oct 18 Peak power rating (1675) Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off
Oct 18 Most recent contest Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off

20173 milestones

Jun 2 First overall podium Original SD BBQ Championships
Jun 2 First perfect 180 (Pork) Original SD BBQ Championships
Sep 8 25th tracked contest Ribs, Rod & Rock'n Roll

20162 milestones

Jun 17 10th tracked contest Treasure Island BBQ/ Steak Food Fest
Aug 12 First category win (Brisket) Lake Minnetonka BBQ & Beer Fest (Teams spots Full)

20151 milestone

Aug 28 First overall top-10 8th Annual Big Island BBQ

20143 milestones

Aug 22 First tracked contest Big Island BBQ
Aug 22 First call Big Island BBQ
Aug 22 First overall past 90% of a perfect score659.9428 Big Island BBQ

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+13.5	9th Annual Big Island BBQ	Aug 26, 2016
+13.2	8th Annual Big Island BBQ	Aug 28, 2015
+12.8	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off	Oct 18, 2019
+12.4	Original SD BBQ Championships	Jun 2, 2017
+11.3	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off	Oct 19, 2018

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9.5	SMSU Smokefest	Aug 16, 2019
-5.8	KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off	Sep 14, 2018
-5.8	Smokin in Steele	Jun 3, 2016
-5.7	Mankato Cookout Day 1 and (BACKYARD)	Jun 9, 2017
-3.2	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship	Mar 2, 2018

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	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2019	7	3	1	71%	top 33%	96.7%	93.5%
2018	8	4	1	88%	top 34%	95.6%	93.5%
2017	11	5	0	73%	top 35%	96.1%	93.4%
2016	9	6	1	89%	top 31%	95.6%	92.7%
2015	5	1	0	60%	top 38%	94.7%	92.3%
2014	1	0	0	100%	top 50%	91.7%	91.7%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Oct 18, 2019	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Munfordville, KY	2 / 31 (695.9200)	8 (171.9772)	4 (175.4172)	3 (174.2628)	7 (174.2628)
Sep 13, 2019	KTD Smokin Gobbler Cook-Off 🏅 Worthington, MN	3 / 26 (682.2404)	3 (175.4400)	17 (163.9660)	1 (176)	8 (166.8344)
Aug 16, 2019	SMSU Smokefest 🏅 Marshall, MN	34 / 46 (655.8856)	43 (157.6572)	12 (171.4400)	36 (161.1084)	27 (165.6800)
Jul 19, 2019	Cookin On Kampeska 🏅 Watertown, SD	20 / 40 (667.3256)	23 (165.7144)	21 (166.2628)	26 (162.8000)	6 (172.5484)
Jun 21, 2019	Bring'n Home the Bacon 🏅 West Salem, WI	4 / 37 (677.6800)	9 (169.1200)	5 (170.8572)	20 (161.1200)	2 (176.5828)
May 31, 2019	Original SD BBQ Championship 🏅 Huron, SD	17 / 37 (661.6112)	12 (169.7028)	33 (152.5028)	11 (171.4056)	8 (168)
May 10, 2019	Minnesota in May 🏅	20 / 57 (673.0516)	23 (169.6916)	26 (166.2744)	19 (170.2628)	24 (166.8228)
Oct 19, 2018	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off Munfordville, KY	3 / 29 (688.4800)	21 (166.2284)	2 (175.4172)	6 (173.1200)	3 (173.7144)
Oct 5, 2018	Wisconsin Colorfest & BBQ Bash Turtle Lake, WI	8 / 26 (674.1600)	13 (169.1200)	3 (175.4172)	9 (170.2628)	18 (159.3600)
Sep 14, 2018	KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN	15 / 25 (666.1484)	5 (174.2628)	15 (166.8228)	16 (166.8228)	22 (158.2400)
Aug 24, 2018	11th Annual Big Island BBQ Alberta Lea, MN	17 / 49 (669.6460)	14 (172)	11 (168.5488)	6 (171.9772)	32 (157.1200)
Aug 17, 2018	Bordertown BBQ Brawl Sault Ste Marie, MI	10 / 24 (673.6800)	2 (174.8572)	18 (160.5600)	11 (169.7028)	11 (168.5600)
Jul 20, 2018	Cookin On Kampeska Watertown, SD	4 / 45 (683.4172)	29 (164)	1 (176)	5 (171.9772)	7 (171.4400)
Jun 1, 2018	The Original SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	11 / 33 (666.7540)	15 (165.6800)	10 (166.2628)	5 (171.9656)	17 (162.8456)
Mar 2, 2018	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship Onamia, MN	29 / 57 (661.5656)	31 (165.1084)	26 (165.1316)	21 (168.5256)	39 (162.8000)
Sep 15, 2017	KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN	11 / 27 (668.5140)	11 (170.2856)	13 (166.2744)	8 (170.2512)	17 (161.7028)
Sep 8, 2017	Ribs, Rod & Rock'n Roll Vermillion, SD	9 / 31 (681.6460)	13 (171.4288)	11 (170.2744)	6 (173.1200)	12 (166.8228)
Aug 25, 2017	10th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	6 / 56 (685.0972)	22 (170.8228)	2 (176.0344)	15 (169.1200)	19 (169.1200)
Aug 18, 2017	SMSU Smokefest Marshall, MN	17 / 41 (669.0284)	16 (169.7028)	23 (164.5372)	29 (162.2284)	5 (172.5600)
Jul 21, 2017	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Eagan, MN	10 / 30 (666.7656)	11 (167.9772)	20 (161.1200)	3 (173.7028)	15 (163.9656)
Jul 14, 2017	Cookin On Kampeska Watertown, SD	14 / 48 (679.9312)	25 (167.9884)	11 (173.1544)	21 (167.3828)	13 (171.4056)
Jun 10, 2017	Mankato Cookout Day 2 Mankato, MN	15 / 33 (674.7884)	23 (166.2628)	16 (168)	11 (171.4056)	16 (169.1200)
Jun 9, 2017	Mankato Cookout Day 1 and (BACKYARD) Mankato, MN	26 / 35 (661.0172)	18 (168.5372)	21 (163.4172)	7 (171.4172)	30 (157.6456)
Jun 2, 2017	Original SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	3 / 32 (691.9200)	5 (176)	7 (170.8344)	2 (180)	19 (165.0856)
May 12, 2017	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	34 / 71 (647.8628)	35 (162.2628)	34 (164)	41 (161.0972)	40 (160.5028)
Mar 3, 2017	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship Onamia, MN	10 / 47 (673.6000)	7 (172.5600)	16 (167.3944)	29 (161.6684)	8 (171.9772)
Sep 16, 2016	KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN	5 / 29 (683.4056)	2 (176)	13 (166.2972)	11 (168.5256)	6 (172.5828)
Sep 2, 2016	6th Annual Smokin' In the Bogs Warrens, WI	6 / 32 (671.3716)	13 (166.8228)	13 (165.6916)	12 (165.6800)	4 (173.1772)
Aug 26, 2016	9th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	5 / 48 (688.4800)	3 (173.7028)	4 (174.2628)	11 (170.8344)	13 (169.6800)
Aug 12, 2016	Lake Minnetonka BBQ & Beer Fest (Teams spots Full) Tonka Bay, MN	9 / 35 (674.7772)	4 (171.9772)	15 (166.8228)	31 (159.3944)	1 (176.5828)
Jul 22, 2016	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Woodbury, MN	10 / 30 (665.6576)	16 (166.2516)	19 (160.5372)	23 (161.7144)	2 (177.1544)
Jun 17, 2016	Treasure Island BBQ/ Steak Food Fest Red Wing, MN	10 / 34 (662.7544)	9 (169.7028)	21 (160.5372)	8 (168.5600)	12 (163.9544)
Jun 3, 2016	Smokin in Steele Owatonna, MN	38 / 53 (640.3772)	28 (163.9772)	32 (160.5144)	18 (166.2284)	46 (149.6572)
May 13, 2016	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	28 / 71 (658.2744)	37 (163.4400)	30 (164.5716)	8 (171.4400)	44 (158.8228)
Mar 4, 2016	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship Isle, MN	19 / 59 (662.2056)	18 (166.8572)	18 (165.6800)	44 (156.5140)	5 (173.1544)
Aug 28, 2015	8th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	8 / 55 (681.6228)	5 (174.8572)	7 (173.1084)	21 (165.1200)	17 (168.5372)
Jul 24, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Woodbury, MN	20 / 30 (645.0628)	11 (170.2972)	22 (158.2172)	20 (159.4056)	18 (157.1428)
Jun 12, 2015	Bend of the River CookOut Mankato, MN	18 / 42 (663.9428)	23 (166.2628)	13 (168.5600)	32 (159.4172)	14 (169.7028)
May 15, 2015	Minnesota in May St. Paul, MN	16 / 60 (666.8344)	33 (162.8344)	25 (165.7028)	19 (168)	8 (170.2972)
Feb 27, 2015	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship (Competitor's Series) Isle, MN	—	25 (161.7028)	13 (164.5600)	10 (167.3828)	—
Aug 22, 2014	Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	27 / 54 (659.9428)	8 (173.7372)	26 (166.2972)	46 (157.6456)	27 (162.2628)

BARK 'N BONES BBQ

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

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (14 found in their record)

Among the elite

Perfect scores on the board

Happy hunting ground

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

An October team

The long haul

The metronome

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, 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

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)