BONES BRIGADE KC

BONES BRIGADE KC is a competition barbecue team with 27 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2016 and 2022. Their best overall finish is 3rd of 41 at the Sertoma 48 BBQ (2018). They are ranked #1114 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#1,114

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1593

peak 1597 · rated over 27 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Jul 22, 2016

latest Apr 8, 2022 · 5.7 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#352

Master 2020 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

5 podiums

Overall top-10s

11% of 27 contests

Avg finish

top 43%

overall standings

Best overall

694.8000 / 720

Master · Smoke on the Trails

Perfect 180s

Current form

682.32 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 671.17 (+11.15)

Walk rate

37%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

179.4400

Pork Ribs · American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST

Consistency

±13.17

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 169.23 · weakest Brisket (165.17)

Road miles

990

across 27 mapped stops · furthest 83 mi

Schedule strength

75%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1596)

Purse competed for

$217K

listed at 12 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 18 state-championship entries

Master avg

671.17 / 720

27 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (9 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

694.8000 career-best overall

96.5% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 694.8000 at Smoke on the Trails — 96.5% of a perfect 720.

Master
Sep 10, 2021

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

Happy Grillmore has finished one call ahead of BONES BRIGADE KC 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2018 their best year

2018 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 2 category wins, at an average finish in the top 32%.

4 contests
1 overall top-10
2 category wins
average top 32%

A tough matchup

19–2 behind in the head-to-head

913 BBQ ahead in 90% of their meetings

913 BBQ has come out ahead in 19 of their 21 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.1 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.05 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 15% of the time against 11%.

Brisket avg 165.17
Chicken avg 169.23
4 calls in 27 entries

A strong matchup

8–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 80% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of OINK, MOO & COCK-A-DOODLE DOO in 8 of their 10 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

16 of 21 shared chicken entries lost

913 BBQ ahead 76% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, 913 BBQ has out-cooked them in 16 of 21 shared chicken entries.

Show 2 more storylines

A September team

Top 31% average finish in September

Something about September: average finish in the top 31% across 7 contests, versus top 43% the rest of the year.

7 September contests
top 43% the rest of the year

The metronome

±1.83% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.83% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 93.2% of a perfect score
27 contests

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
2022 ↗	Master	#1309 (60 pts)	#1341 (60 pts)	#1404 (60 pts)	#1348 (60 pts)	#1333 (60 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#362 (525 pts)	#353 (580 pts)	#331 (615 pts)	#330 (630 pts)	#355 (575 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#352 (316 pts)	#399 (291 pts)	#325 (381 pts)	#291 (421 pts)	#406 (291 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#529 (625 pts)	#702 (485 pts)	#720 (465 pts)	#454 (760 pts)	#547 (615 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#705 (475 pts)	#810 (420 pts)	#633 (580 pts)	#908 (355 pts)	#755 (465 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1004 (331 pts)	#858 (456 pts)	#1082 (321 pts)	#1034 (346 pts)	#1088 (311 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1775 (120 pts)	#1883 (120 pts)	#1672 (160 pts)	#1872 (120 pts)	#1839 (120 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to BONES BRIGADE KC, each with one reason worth a look.

32 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.

Smokin Brothers Pro Team

#1,116 of the rated field

1593 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 36%
Peak: 1593

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to BONES BRIGADE KC)

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

rated over 14 contests
last seen Jun 27, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

HATFIELD AND MCCOY BARBECUE

#1,117 of the rated field

1593 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 40%
Peak: 1621

Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 3 years before BONES BRIGADE KC's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 25 contests

⚔ Compare careers

Chester's Twisted Que

#1,115 of the rated field

1593 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 60%
Peak: 1593

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 20 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 20 contests
last seen Jul 31, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

PERFECTLY BLENDED

#1,113 of the rated field

1594 power rating

Contests: 45
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 51%
Peak: 1644

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 45 contests to 27.

rated over 43 contests
last seen May 5, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

Big Reds Backyard BBQ

#1,110 of the rated field

1594 power rating

Contests: 49
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 51%
Peak: 1610

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 49 contests, alongside a 51% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 45 contests
last seen Oct 10, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Bucked Up BBQ

#1,112 of the rated field

1594 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 44%
Peak: 1601

They turned up 5 years after BONES BRIGADE KC did, first appearing in 2021.

rated over 16 contests
last seen Aug 21, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
913 BBQ	21	2	19	10%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	20	2	18	10%	⚔ compare
HIGH i QUE	20	1	19	5%	⚔ compare
ALL FORKED UP FOR Q	17	6	11	35%	⚔ compare
AMERICAN FIRE BBQ	17	2	15	12%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' SAUCED	16	1	15	6%	⚔ compare
4 LEGS UP BBQ	16	1	15	6%	⚔ compare
Sons of a Brisket	15	4	11	27%	⚔ compare
MAN MEAT BBQ	15	1	14	7%	⚔ compare
LOVE 2 Q	14	6	8	43%	⚔ compare
HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' RUB	13	1	12	8%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' BASTED	13	0	13	0%	⚔ compare
SMOKE THIS BBQ MO	12	4	8	33%	⚔ compare
KC Meat Sweats	11	7	4	64%	⚔ compare
3 PIGS SMOKIN	11	4	7	36%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	27	3	1	1	178.2972	154.2516	169.23	top 43%
Pork Ribs	27	3	1	1	179.4400	155.9200	167.86	top 44%
Pork	27	6	0	2	177.1428	159.3712	168.91	top 41%
Brisket	27	4	1	1	177.7144	139.9772	165.17	top 49%

“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	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 53%
Medium (20–39)	4	top 67%
Large (40+)	22	top 38%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
KS	19	0	top 41%
MO	8	0	top 48%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Smoke in the Spring	2	37	0	top 48%	Apr 8, 2022
Kelley Wilson BBQ (KWBBQ)	2	14	0	top 33%	Jun 4, 2021

More numbers

Busiest season 2021 6 contests

Contests a season 3.9 across 7 seasons in the data

Most contests held in KS 19 of 27 contests · 2 states in all

Contests visited 25 2 of them more than once

Opponents faced 1,688 finished ahead 2,144 times, behind 1,526

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

20221 milestone

Apr 8 Most recent contest Smoke in the Spring

20214 milestones

Sep 10 25th tracked contest Smoke on the Trails
Sep 10 Career-best overall score694.8000 Smoke on the Trails
Sep 16 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)179.4400 American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST
Sep 16 Peak power rating (1597) American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST

20183 milestones

May 4 First overall top-10 Sertoma 48 BBQ
May 4 First overall podium Sertoma 48 BBQ
Oct 12 10th tracked contest 15th Annual Cookin on the Kaw BBQ Contest

20172 milestones

Jul 14 First call Wolf Creek Wildblue BBQ
Jul 14 First category win (Chicken) Wolf Creek Wildblue BBQ

20162 milestones

Jul 22 First tracked contest The Kansas Smithfield Guinea Pig
Jul 22 First overall past 90% of a perfect score664.5028 The Kansas Smithfield Guinea Pig

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16	Sertoma 48 BBQ	May 4, 2018
+13.7	VFW Post 846 Battle of the Pits	Apr 5, 2019
+12.8	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	Oct 29, 2016
+9.9	Kelley Wilson BBQ	Jun 2, 2017
+9.5	Smoke on the Trails	Sep 10, 2021

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-6.7	Nevada Chamber Low and Slow Barbecue cook off	Aug 28, 2020
-6.1	Farm Stock Smoke Off	Jul 24, 2020
-5.8	The Kansas Smithfield Guinea Pig	Jul 22, 2016
-3.5	Smoke in the Spring	Apr 8, 2022
-3.3	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST	Sep 12, 2019

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)
2022	1	0	0	0%	top 62%	93.2%	93.2%
2021	6	0	0	50%	top 35%	96.5%	94.5%
2020	4	0	0	25%	top 62%	95.6%	93.6%
2019	6	2	0	50%	top 36%	95.6%	93%
2018	4	1	2	50%	top 32%	96.2%	94.1%
2017	4	0	1	25%	top 45%	91.6%	90.4%
2016	2	0	0	0%	top 55%	93.6%	92.9%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Apr 8, 2022	Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS	58 / 94 (670.7312)	28 (173.1200)	67 (164.5256)	52 (169.1084)	61 (163.9772)
Sep 16, 2021	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	113 / 467 (674.7656)	138 (170.2628)	4 (179.4400)	270 (163.4172)	279 (161.6456)
Sep 10, 2021	Smoke on the Trails 🏅 Gardner, KS	11 / 53 (694.8000)	18 (174.2628)	21 (169.7028)	18 (173.1316)	5 (177.7028)
Aug 21, 2021	BBQ & Fly in on the River - Day 2 🏅 Excelsior Springs, MO	11 / 30 (687.3484)	16 (174.8456)	23 (165.1200)	2 (176.5600)	15 (170.8228)
Aug 20, 2021	BBQ & Fly in on the River - Day 1 🏅 Excelsior Springs, MO	20 / 40 (683.9312)	12 (174.2856)	16 (172)	26 (166.8228)	16 (170.8228)
Jun 4, 2021	Kelley Wilson BBQ (KWBBQ) 🏅 Kansas City, MO	24 / 55 (659.8624)	21 (168.5484)	18 (168.5944)	19 (169.1084)	39 (153.6112)
Apr 9, 2021	Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS	37 / 105 (682.2168)	13 (176.5600)	82 (162.8228)	23 (173.7028)	53 (169.1312)
Sep 11, 2020	Smoke on the Trails 🏅 Gardner, KS	14 / 48 (688.5028)	18 (173.1200)	11 (173.7144)	11 (172.5600)	26 (169.1084)
Aug 28, 2020	Nevada Chamber Low and Slow Barbecue cook off 🏅 Nevada, MO	31 / 37 (663.2684)	30 (166.2400)	27 (167.9772)	29 (168.5256)	32 (160.5256)
Aug 14, 2020	BBQ & Fly in on the River 🏅 Excelsior Springs, MO	27 / 55 (679.8856)	39 (167.3712)	13 (173.1200)	31 (169.1200)	19 (170.2744)
Jul 24, 2020	Farm Stock Smoke Off 🏅 Lane, KS	18 / 21 (664.4456)	19 (165.6800)	20 (157.6456)	5 (177.1428)	18 (163.9772)
Sep 27, 2019	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS	16 / 102 (673.0512)	47 (166.2400)	32 (167.4056)	26 (170.2628)	19 (169.1428)
Sep 12, 2019	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	194 / 468 (665.0512)	198 (167.4056)	288 (162.8456)	231 (165.6800)	145 (169.1200)
Aug 31, 2019	Crimson & Blue BBQ 🏅 Lawrence, KS	8 / 15 (671.9432)	9 (166.8344)	12 (167.4172)	2 (175.4172)	10 (162.2744)
Aug 16, 2019	BBQ and Fly In on the River 🏅 Excelsior Springs, MO	44 / 68 (659.2920)	25 (170.8344)	45 (162.8460)	44 (163.9428)	43 (161.6688)
May 31, 2019	Kelly Wilson BBQ (KWBBQ) 🏅 Kansas City, MO	18 / 56 (661.6116)	45 (154.2516)	29 (161.1316)	6 (175.4056)	12 (170.8228)
Apr 5, 2019	VFW Post 846 Battle of the Pits 🏅 Overland Park, KS	6 / 53 (688.5256)	13 (172.5600)	13 (169.7256)	7 (171.9772)	7 (174.2628)
Oct 12, 2018	15th Annual Cookin on the Kaw BBQ Contest Desoto, KS	41 / 69 (670.6968)	33 (169.6800)	32 (167.9772)	53 (162.7884)	31 (170.2512)
Sep 15, 2018	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	153 / 467 (672.5144)	167 (169.1428)	51 (174.2744)	40 (174.8456)	376 (154.2516)
Jun 8, 2018	Smoke Out Hunger BBQ Challenge Kansas City, KS	13 / 46 (673.6688)	14 (169.1544)	1 (177.7028)	21 (165.1316)	25 (161.6800)
May 4, 2018	Sertoma 48 BBQ Lawrence, KS	3 / 41 (692.4912)	5 (173.7028)	6 (171.9656)	8 (169.1084)	1 (177.7144)
Sep 1, 2017	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	224 / 407 (658.1372)	325 (157.6688)	196 (165.6800)	316 (159.3712)	23 (175.4172)
Jul 14, 2017	Wolf Creek Wildblue BBQ Burlington, KS	16 / 26 (647.8288)	1 (178.2972)	19 (155.9200)	11 (168.0116)	26 (145.6000)
Jun 23, 2017	Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS	77 / 184 (639.3712)	39 (166.2628)	21 (169.7256)	71 (163.4056)	171 (139.9772)
Jun 2, 2017	Kelley Wilson BBQ Kansas City, MO	14 / 61 (659.3484)	37 (158.7884)	17 (166.8800)	16 (166.8572)	11 (166.8228)
Oct 29, 2016	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	112 / 557 (673.6680)	42 (174.2856)	318 (162.8456)	189 (167.9884)	144 (168.5484)
Jul 22, 2016	The Kansas Smithfield Guinea Pig Desoto, KS	44 / 49 (664.5028)	31 (169.7372)	17 (173.1428)	48 (161.0972)	42 (160.5256)

BONES BRIGADE KC

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

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 (9 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

A September team

The metronome

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)