Take It Easy BBQ MO
Rating
1661
peak 1671
Contests
61
in the data
First seen
2024-03-15
latest 2026-06-12
Best ToY finish
#43
Master 2025
Grand champs
2
0 reserve
Category wins
8
19 podiums
Overall top-10s
12
of 61 contests
Avg finish
top 39%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
6 🔥
Current form
689.04 ▲
last 5 vs career avg 688.07 (+0.97)
Walk rate
62%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
3
best run (overall)
Consistency
±10.49
std dev of overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 174.14 · weakest Pork (170.42)
Road miles
11886
mi across 61 mapped stops · furthest 993 mi
Storylines
🎯 The one to beat
WHEN PIGS DIE has finished one call ahead of Take It Easy BBQ 3 times — their closest competition in the data.
👀 Looking over their shoulder
Can Country Outlaw BBQ has landed one call behind them 3 times.
⚔️ A tough matchup
JANKY LEG BBQ has come out ahead in 21 of their 28 shared contests.
⚔️ A strong matchup
They've finished ahead of MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ in 13 of their 18 shared contests.
🗡️ Giant slayer
Took the Grand Championship over a 32-team field at Smoke N for the Kids.
📅 A November team
Something about November: average finish in the top 14% across 3 contests, versus top 39% the rest of the year.
🃏 Against the odds
Their Grand Championship at Smoke N for the Kids (2025-08-16) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 14-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, TRIPLE H BBQ.
Teams like this (closest power rating, MO first)
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 47 | 19 | 5 | 9 | 180.0000 🔥 | 166.2400 | 174.14 | top 36% |
| Pork Ribs | 55 | 21 | 1 | 5 | 180.0000 🔥 | 160.5028 | 171.95 | top 45% |
| Pork | 43 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 178.8572 | 163.9428 | 170.42 | top 56% |
| Brisket | 43 | 17 | 2 | 4 | 180.0000 🔥 | 153.0628 | 171.48 | top 40% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| MO | 13 | 0 | top 51% |
| KS | 10 | 0 | top 34% |
| IL | 7 | 1 | top 33% |
| TN | 5 | 0 | top 36% |
| NJ | 2 | 0 | top 28% |
| IN | 2 | 0 | top 44% |
| MI | 1 | 0 | top 15% |
| NE | 1 | 0 | top 68% |
| OK | 1 | 1 | top 5% |
| MS | 1 | 0 | top 29% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 1 | 0 | top 67% |
| Medium (20–39) | 26 | 2 | top 41% |
| Large (40+) | 16 | 0 | top 34% |
The story so far
- Busiest season: 2025 (40 contests)
- Cooks mostly in MO (16 of 61 contests)
- Most-entered category: Pork Ribs (55 entries)
- First Grand Championship in the data: Smoke N for the Kids (2025-08-16)
- Wins it all in 3% of contests
- All-time average overall score: 688.07
- 6 perfect 180s on the books 🔥
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
Category scores over time
Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)
Where they finish (overall)
Best vs average (by meat)
Team of the Year rank by season
Season by season
| Season | Contests | GCs | Category wins | Best overall | Avg overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 701.0856 | 687.51 |
| 2025 | 40 | 2 | 7 | 708.5600 | 690.39 |
| 2024 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 692.4800 | 678.56 |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-12 | Smoke on the Plains BBQ & Music Fest Derby, KS | 12 / 36 (689.6112) | 8 (176.5600) | 6 (176.5600) | 20 (169.1084) | 23 (167.3828) |
| 2026-06-05 | Big Blue BBQ Championship Marysville, KS | 19 / 25 (669.5312) | 22 (166.2400) | 18 (165.0972) | 23 (166.2284) | 7 (171.9656) |
| 2026-05-24 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: Master Series Invitational and the Backyard Series Invitational (Sunday, May 24, 2026) Lebanon, TN | 19 / 82 (701.0856) | 26 (176.0000) | 2 (178.8572) | 65 (170.8228) | 25 (175.4056) |
| 2026-05-23 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: Wells Cup, Cocktail Ancillary, Dessert Ancillary (Saturday, May 23, 2026) Lebanon, TN | 41 / 117 (691.3372) | 16 (177.7028) | 68 (170.8344) | 78 (168.5256) | 29 (174.2744) |
| 2026-05-22 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: World Chicken Finals (Friday, May 22, 2026) Lebanon, TN | — | 41 (171.9772) | — | — | — |
| 2026-05-22 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: World Rib Finals (Friday, May 22, 2026) Lebanon, TN | — | — | 31 (174.2860) | — | — |
| 2026-05-08 | 44th Annual Kennett Jaycees BBQ Cook Off Kennett, MO | 13 / 25 (693.6460) | 8 (176.5600) | 7 (175.4288) | 24 (163.9428) | 4 (177.7144) |
| 2026-05-01 | Smoke in the Mitten Westland, MI | 5 / 34 (684.5256) | 2 (177.7028) | 14 (170.8572) | 21 (166.2856) | 14 (169.6800) |
| 2026-04-10 | Smoke in the Spring (OPEN FORMAT) Osage City, KS | 19 / 101 (695.3716) | 14 (177.1544) | 66 (169.6800) | 71 (168.5372) | 1 (180.0000) |
| 2026-03-27 | Kickin' It Route 66 Barbecue Challenge St. Robert, MO | 15 / 26 (693.6112) | 6 (176.5600) | 20 (168.5256) | 17 (171.9656) | 10 (176.5600) |
| 2026-03-20 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship Lebanon, TN | 38 / 125 (689.6460) | 27 (175.4288) | 67 (169.6800) | 84 (168.5372) | 22 (176.0000) |
| 2026-03-20 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Lebanon, TN | — | 23 (175.4056) | — | — | — |
| 2026-03-20 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT RIBS) Lebanon, TN | — | — | 20 (174.2628) | — | — |
| 2026-01-30 | SJV Winter Rub Omaha, NE | 26 / 38 (666.6852) | 12 (171.4056) | 28 (166.2284) | 35 (163.9656) | 22 (165.0856) |
| 2025-11-05 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2025-11-05 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest Kansas City, KS | 22 / 158 (696.5028) | 15 (177.7028) | 29 (175.4288) | 69 (171.9656) | 66 (171.4056) |
| 2025-11-05 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest Kansas City, KS | 54 / 401 (694.7656) | 106 (174.2628) | 219 (168.5372) | 128 (173.1084) | 15 (178.8572) |
| 2025-11-01 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 2) Oak Grove, MO | 7 / 50 (697.6572) | 9 (178.8572) | 18 (173.1316) | 19 (174.2628) | 14 (171.4056) |
| 2025-10-31 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 1) Oak Grove, MO | 25 / 53 (689.6228) | 34 (171.9656) | 2 (178.8572) | 47 (166.8344) | 26 (171.9656) |
| 2025-10-25 | Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2) Jackson, NJ | 15 / 32 (683.3028) | 6 (174.2628) | 10 (173.1200) | 10 (174.2628) | 26 (161.6572) |
| 2025-10-25 | Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (One Meat Ribs) Jackson, NJ | — | — | 7 (173.7144) | — | — |
| 2025-10-24 | Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1) Jackson, NJ | 3 / 31 (694.8344) | 6 (175.4172) | 11 (171.4172) | 10 (173.7144) | 6 (174.2856) |
| 2025-10-24 | Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (One Meat Chicken) Jackson, NJ | — | 11 (171.9888) | — | — | — |
| 2025-10-10 | Smoke on the Water Topeka, KS | 5 / 30 (691.3372) | 8 (175.4172) | 4 (174.2744) | 15 (169.6800) | 6 (171.9656) |
| 2025-10-03 | La Belle MO Show Me BBQ Showdown La Belle, MO | 23 / 39 (687.8856) | 7 (175.4172) | 23 (173.1084) | 26 (169.6800) | 19 (169.6800) |
| 2025-09-26 | Smokin on the Route Miami, OK | 1 / 20 (705.0856) | 1 (180.0000) | 4 (175.4172) | 9 (173.1084) | 3 (176.5600) |
| 2025-09-19 | Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard Murphysboro, IL | 21 / 56 (694.2400) | 28 (173.1544) | 32 (171.4056) | 5 (178.8572) | 35 (170.8228) |
| 2025-09-13 | Trekking for CDH Pierron, IL | 21 / 27 (680.4224) | 16 (173.1084) | 13 (174.2744) | 22 (166.8112) | 22 (166.2284) |
| 2025-09-12 | Smoke on the Ohio Mt. Vernon, IN | 14 / 27 (663.2568) | 15 (166.8228) | 5 (173.7028) | 12 (169.6684) | 23 (153.0628) |
| 2025-09-05 | Buds Blues and BBQ Columbia, MO | 6 / 9 (682.7428) | 8 (170.2628) | 8 (169.6800) | 4 (171.9772) | 5 (170.8228) |
| 2025-09-05 | Buds Blues and BBQ (ONE MEAT RIBS) Columbia, MO | — | — | 4 (173.1200) | — | — |
| 2025-08-31 | Smokin Ghost BBQ Rib Double Dip 2 (ONE MEAT RIBS) Chillicothe, IL | — | — | 13 (165.0972) | — | — |
| 2025-08-31 | Smokin Ghost BBQ Rib Double Dip 1 (ONE MEAT RIBS) Chillicothe, IL | — | — | 14 (161.6572) | — | — |
| 2025-08-29 | Smoke on the River (Day 1) Burlington, KS | 9 / 25 (697.1088) | 8 (174.2628) | 7 (176.5716) | 13 (173.1544) | 8 (173.1200) |
| 2025-08-16 | Smoke N for the Kids Troy, IL | 1 / 32 (708.5600) | 1 (180.0000) | 15 (173.1544) | 9 (175.4056) | 1 (180.0000) |
| 2025-08-15 | BBQ & Fly-In on the River Excelsior Springs, MO | 36 / 62 (682.2172) | 3 (178.8572) | 37 (168.5372) | 41 (167.4056) | 43 (167.4172) |
| 2025-07-26 | Code 3 Spices - Smokin' on Main Collinsville, IL | 4 / 32 (698.8116) | 1 (178.8572) | 8 (175.4172) | 28 (167.9772) | 4 (176.5600) |
| 2025-07-11 | Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off Cameron, MO | 21 / 36 (679.8860) | 23 (168.5372) | 9 (175.4288) | 9 (173.1200) | 30 (162.8000) |
| 2025-07-11 | Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off (ONE MEAT RIBS) Cameron, MO | — | — | 5 (173.7028) | — | — |
| 2025-06-27 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown Eureka, IL | 3 / 26 (696.4912) | 1 (178.8572) | 13 (170.2628) | 3 (177.7028) | 16 (169.6684) |
| 2025-06-27 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (ONE MEAT RIBS) Eureka, IL | — | — | 8 (173.1428) | — | — |
| 2025-06-06 | Hoosier BBQ Classic Franklin, IN | 11 / 30 (682.2056) | 21 (167.3828) | 16 (167.3944) | 14 (170.2856) | 2 (177.1428) |
| 2025-06-06 | Hoosier BBQ Classic (ONE MEAT RIBS) Franklin, IN | — | — | 5 (176.5600) | — | — |
| 2025-05-24 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational (Saturday, May 24, 2025) Lebanon, TN | 47 / 106 (688.4800) | 70 (170.2628) | 5 (177.7144) | 81 (168.5256) | 45 (171.9772) |
| 2025-05-23 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational Anything Molasses (Friday, May 23, 2025) Lebanon, TN | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2025-05-23 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational Chicken (Friday, May 23, 2025) Lebanon, TN | — | 1 (177.7028) | — | — | — |
| 2025-05-23 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational Ribs (Friday, May 23, 2025) Lebanon, TN | — | — | 11 (174.2744) | — | — |
| 2025-04-25 | Southaven Springfest Southaven, MS | 10 / 34 (694.1940) | 20 (169.6800) | 1 (180.0000) | 20 (169.1084) | 9 (175.4056) |
| 2025-04-11 | Smoke in the Spring Osage City, KS | 15 / 92 (694.7772) | 32 (173.1200) | 18 (175.4172) | 10 (177.7028) | 49 (168.5372) |
| 2025-03-29 | Kickin' It Route 66 Barbecue Challenge (Day 2) St. Robert, MO | 12 / 25 (688.4684) | 21 (167.3828) | 2 (179.4400) | 18 (167.3828) | 6 (174.2628) |
| 2025-03-28 | Kickin' It Route 66 Barbecue Challenge (Day 1) St. Robert, MO | 7 / 27 (701.6684) | 2 (180.0000) | 18 (172.5600) | 16 (171.9656) | 4 (177.1428) |
| 2025-03-21 | 7th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship Olathe, KS | 37 / 70 (680.4340) | 38 (170.8228) | 44 (168.5256) | 43 (170.2628) | 29 (170.8228) |
| 2025-03-14 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship Lebanon, TN | 45 / 100 (685.5884) | 31 (175.4056) | 52 (169.6800) | 56 (169.6800) | 45 (170.8228) |
| 2025-03-14 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT RIBS) Lebanon, TN | — | — | 3 (178.8572) | — | — |
| 2024-10-26 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 2) (MASTERS and BACKYARD) Oak Grove, MO | 13 / 56 (686.7660) | 31 (171.9772) | 38 (168.5372) | 10 (174.2744) | 10 (171.9772) |
| 2024-09-14 | Trekking for CDH Pierron, IL | 11 / 35 (692.4800) | 3 (177.7144) | 28 (167.3828) | 22 (170.8228) | 8 (176.5600) |
| 2024-08-17 | Smoke N for the Kids Troy, IL | 15 / 27 (678.7656) | 11 (173.1316) | 15 (169.6800) | 20 (169.6684) | 18 (166.2856) |
| 2024-03-23 | Kickin' It Route 66 BBQ (Day 2) St. Robert, MO | 24 / 34 (681.5884) | 18 (174.2628) | 27 (169.6684) | 25 (168.5372) | 24 (169.1200) |
| 2024-03-23 | Kickin' It Route 66 BBQ (ONE MEAT RIBS) St. Robert, MO | — | — | 20 (160.5028) | — | — |
| 2024-03-22 | Kickin' It Route 66 BBQ (Day 1) St. Robert, MO | 28 / 35 (663.8628) | 23 (167.9772) | 30 (161.6572) | 22 (167.4056) | 23 (166.8228) |
| 2024-03-15 | 6th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship Olathe, KS | 37 / 58 (667.8744) | 28 (170.8344) | 39 (166.8344) | 41 (165.6800) | 35 (164.5256) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ↗ | Master | #85 (960 pts) | #43 (1265 pts) | #77 (1130 pts) | #153 (670 pts) | #41 (1220 pts) |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #43 (2002 pts) | #6 (2390 pts) | #26 (2150 pts) | #101 (1527 pts) | #37 (1976 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #391 (536 pts) | #364 (641 pts) | #502 (471 pts) | #439 (481 pts) | #390 (571 pts) |