Needs More Cowbell BBQ CO
Rating
1569
peak 1570
Contests
45
in the data
First seen
2022-07-01
latest 2025-04-25
Best ToY finish
#105
Master 2023
Grand champs
1
0 reserve
Category wins
1
15 podiums
Overall top-10s
14
of 45 contests
Avg finish
top 49%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
1 🔥
Current form
678.76 ▲
last 5 vs career avg 677.67 (+1.09)
Walk rate
69%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
3
best run (overall)
Consistency
±13.68
std dev of overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Brisket
avg 169.94 · weakest Pork Ribs (168.71)
Road miles
16288
mi across 45 mapped stops · furthest 1153 mi
Storylines
🎯 The one to beat
Texas Smoke Whisperer has finished one call ahead of Needs More Cowbell BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
👀 Looking over their shoulder
Meat Machine BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.
⚔️ A tough matchup
Colorado Bulldawg BBQ has come out ahead in 28 of their 33 shared contests.
⚔️ A strong matchup
They've finished ahead of ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ in 12 of their 17 shared contests.
🏕️ Happy hunting ground
Smoke & Soul Fest is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 3 visits.
📅 A October team
Something about October: average finish in the top 35% across 7 contests, versus top 49% the rest of the year.
🃏 Against the odds
Their Grand Championship at Smoke & Soul Fest (2023-10-06) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 25-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, Colorado Bulldawg BBQ.
Teams like this (closest power rating, CO first)
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 41 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 177.7028 | 159.9428 | 169.91 | top 51% |
| Pork Ribs | 44 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 177.1544 | 154.2056 | 168.71 | top 53% |
| Pork | 41 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 178.8572 | 141.6572 | 169.28 | top 49% |
| Brisket | 41 | 18 | 0 | 8 | 180.0000 🔥 | 150.8228 | 169.94 | top 42% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CO | 11 | 0 | top 44% |
| KS | 8 | 0 | top 55% |
| WY | 6 | 1 | top 28% |
| OK | 3 | 0 | top 46% |
| SD | 3 | 0 | top 73% |
| TN | 2 | 0 | top 43% |
| MT | 2 | 0 | top 39% |
| MO | 2 | 0 | top 74% |
| NE | 2 | 0 | top 57% |
| NV | 1 | 0 | top 76% |
| AZ | 1 | 0 | top 53% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 2 | 0 | top 25% |
| Medium (20–39) | 31 | 1 | top 51% |
| Large (40+) | 8 | 0 | top 48% |
The story so far
- Busiest season: 2023 (19 contests)
- Cooks mostly in CO (11 of 45 contests)
- Most-entered category: Pork Ribs (44 entries)
- First Grand Championship in the data: Smoke & Soul Fest (2023-10-06)
- Wins it all in 2% of contests
- All-time average overall score: 677.67
- 1 perfect 180 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 682.7428 | 677.89 |
| 2024 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 697.0856 | 680.14 |
| 2023 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 705.1316 | 679.66 |
| 2022 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 685.6228 | 669.04 |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-25 | Wild West BBQ Cook-Off Lamar, CO | 16 / 30 (673.0396) | 17 (169.6912) | 22 (163.3828) | 20 (165.6800) | 3 (174.2856) |
| 2025-04-11 | Smoke in the Spring Osage City, KS | 42 / 92 (682.7428) | 46 (171.9656) | 58 (168.5372) | 75 (164.5256) | 3 (177.7144) |
| 2024-10-30 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2024-10-30 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest Kansas City, KS | 89 / 169 (684.4684) | 99 (171.4056) | 153 (165.0972) | 58 (172.5600) | 32 (175.4056) |
| 2024-10-30 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest Kansas City, KS | 248 / 444 (672.4456) | 376 (160.5028) | 251 (168.5372) | 28 (177.1428) | 245 (166.2628) |
| 2024-10-11 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series) (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) Lynchburg, TN | 39 / 87 (681.0856) | 36 (170.8456) | 73 (164.5372) | 42 (169.1428) | 9 (176.5600) |
| 2024-09-20 | Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off Ponca City, OK | 6 / 26 (686.2284) | 4 (174.2628) | 3 (176.5600) | 14 (170.2628) | 17 (165.1428) |
| 2024-09-20 | Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off (ONE MEAT RIBS) Ponca City, OK | — | — | 2 (174.2744) | — | — |
| 2024-09-06 | Veterans of Foreign Wars Colorado KCBS Pitmaster BBQ Contest Castle Rock, CO | 23 / 36 (668.4112) | 24 (167.3828) | 19 (167.3828) | 27 (164.5372) | 18 (169.1084) |
| 2024-08-23 | Hill City Wine, Brew & BBQ Hill City, SD | 21 / 29 (671.2916) | 12 (171.9772) | 6 (173.1316) | 24 (161.6572) | 25 (164.5256) |
| 2024-08-16 | Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ Championships and Bluegrass Festival Worland, WY | 7 / 29 (696.5256) | 11 (173.1084) | 5 (176.5600) | 2 (178.8572) | 16 (168.0000) |
| 2024-07-26 | Albany County Fair Smokin' BBQ Cookoff Laramie, WY | 5 / 17 (687.9312) | 2 (174.8456) | 7 (169.1428) | 11 (167.3828) | 4 (176.5600) |
| 2024-07-12 | Smoke & Soul Fest Casper, WY | 9 / 26 (685.5652) | 13 (171.9656) | 21 (166.2284) | 4 (175.4056) | 8 (171.9656) |
| 2024-06-28 | The Art of Barbeque Sterling, CO | 11 / 25 (674.7196) | 12 (168.5256) | 4 (175.4056) | 24 (161.0856) | 11 (169.7028) |
| 2024-05-24 | Best Dam Barbeque Boulder City, NV | 25 / 33 (659.2800) | 10 (171.9772) | 28 (159.3484) | 30 (154.8344) | 7 (173.1200) |
| 2024-05-03 | 3rd Annual Alva Police Department Cars, Concerts and BBQ Contest Alva, OK | 19 / 20 (682.1940) | 10 (175.4400) | 16 (171.4172) | 17 (169.6684) | 16 (165.6684) |
| 2024-04-05 | Smoke in the Spring Osage City, KS | 8 / 97 (697.0856) | 22 (175.4400) | 78 (165.0856) | 13 (176.5600) | 3 (180.0000) |
| 2024-01-12 | 9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge Bullhead City, AZ | 31 / 58 (674.7544) | 25 (171.9656) | 12 (174.2744) | 14 (173.7144) | 50 (154.8000) |
| 2023-10-06 | Smoke & Soul Fest Casper, WY | 1 / 28 (693.6572) | 1 (175.4172) | 7 (173.1200) | 13 (169.6800) | 5 (175.4400) |
| 2023-08-11 | Beat the Heat BBQ & Brews Alamosa, CO | 10 / 27 (674.7316) | 8 (171.9656) | 10 (168.5488) | 17 (167.3828) | 15 (166.8344) |
| 2023-08-05 | East Helena Smoke Show East Helena, MT | 11 / 24 (680.4916) | 5 (174.8572) | 14 (166.2632) | 3 (176.5600) | 15 (162.8112) |
| 2023-07-29 | The National Beef Smokin' Saddles Official BBQ Contest (Day 2) Dodge City, KS | 19 / 27 (684.4572) | 19 (171.9772) | 10 (173.1316) | 22 (166.2400) | 12 (173.1084) |
| 2023-07-28 | The National Beef Smokin' Saddles Official BBQ Contest (Day 1) Dodge City, KS | 18 / 25 (680.4688) | 18 (169.6916) | 17 (169.6916) | 20 (170.2628) | 11 (170.8228) |
| 2023-07-15 | Smokin in the Electric City (Day 2) Butler, MO | 18 / 21 (669.5428) | 16 (168.5372) | 13 (170.8344) | 20 (161.6572) | 16 (168.5140) |
| 2023-07-14 | Smokin in the Electric City (Day 1) Butler, MO | 17 / 27 (680.4572) | 21 (167.9772) | 10 (168.5372) | 21 (167.3828) | 3 (176.5600) |
| 2023-07-14 | Smokin in the Electric City (ONE MEAT RIBS) Butler, MO | — | — | 11 (173.1316) | — | — |
| 2023-06-30 | Art of Barbeque Sterling, CO | 19 / 35 (673.6000) | 20 (167.3828) | 31 (160.5256) | 4 (175.4288) | 15 (170.2628) |
| 2023-06-16 | Miles City Cowtown Cookoff Miles City, MT | 7 / 22 (694.2284) | 15 (169.6684) | 5 (177.1544) | 5 (174.8456) | 9 (172.5600) |
| 2023-06-02 | Original SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD | 25 / 39 (655.8856) | 24 (163.9656) | 21 (166.2400) | 8 (174.8572) | 36 (150.8228) |
| 2023-06-01 | Original SD BBQ Championships (One Meat Ribs) Huron, SD | — | — | 12 (166.2400) | — | — |
| 2023-05-27 | Veterans of Foreign Wars Colorado KCBS Pitmaster BBQ Contest Castle Rock, CO | 7 / 37 (692.5028) | 8 (173.1200) | 24 (166.8228) | 6 (175.4056) | 2 (177.1544) |
| 2023-05-19 | Bloomin' BBQ Music & Food Festival Sevierville, TN | 13 / 32 (679.8512) | 7 (174.2744) | 23 (163.9428) | 15 (169.6684) | 9 (171.9656) |
| 2023-05-12 | Wild West BBQ Cook-Off Lamar, CO | 7 / 30 (679.3372) | 10 (171.4172) | 24 (159.3944) | 9 (173.1200) | 3 (175.4056) |
| 2023-05-05 | 2nd Annual Alva Police Department Cars, Concerts and BBQ Contest Alva, OK | 3 / 15 (705.1316) | 6 (177.7028) | 11 (171.4288) | 3 (177.7028) | 5 (178.2972) |
| 2023-04-21 | Rod Trowbridge Memorial Cook Flyin BBQ Competition Derby, KS | 20 / 28 (674.6968) | 26 (165.0856) | 14 (171.4056) | 6 (175.4056) | 23 (162.8000) |
| 2023-04-07 | Smoke in the Spring Osage City, KS | 64 / 103 (671.8628) | 84 (162.8000) | 66 (166.2628) | 19 (173.1200) | 46 (169.6800) |
| 2023-01-27 | SJV Winter Rub Omaha, NE | 16 / 31 (663.3144) | 18 (166.2628) | 15 (167.3944) | 18 (167.4172) | 20 (162.2400) |
| 2022-10-22 | Meat Scream BBQ Competition-Day 2 Westminster, CO | 15 / 31 (675.8856) | 27 (159.9428) | 8 (171.4172) | 21 (167.3828) | 2 (177.1428) |
| 2022-10-21 | Meat Scream BBQ Competition-Day 1 Westminster, CO | 7 / 32 (685.6228) | 14 (169.6800) | 11 (168.5372) | 5 (171.9656) | 2 (175.4400) |
| 2022-10-07 | Smoke & Soul Fest Casper, WY | 6 / 29 (681.0168) | 16 (167.3828) | 6 (170.8228) | 8 (169.7028) | 5 (173.1084) |
| 2022-09-03 | Septemberfest BBQ & RibEye Steak Cookoff Challenge Omaha, NE | 28 / 45 (673.1084) | 21 (169.7028) | 26 (168.5716) | 31 (165.6912) | 23 (169.1428) |
| 2022-08-26 | Hill City Wine, Brew & BBQ Fest Hill City, SD | 23 / 28 (666.1484) | 22 (166.2400) | 20 (167.9772) | 26 (163.9428) | 19 (167.9884) |
| 2022-08-19 | Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ Championships & Bluegrass Festival Worland, WY | 16 / 29 (666.7200) | 16 (166.2516) | 9 (169.6800) | 14 (168.5256) | 16 (162.2628) |
| 2022-08-05 | Beat the Heat BBQ & Brews Alamosa, CO | 9 / 35 (683.4516) | 23 (165.6916) | 10 (173.1544) | 11 (172.6172) | 8 (171.9884) |
| 2022-07-01 | The Art of BBQ Sterling, CO | 26 / 28 (620.3312) | 14 (167.9656) | 25 (154.2056) | 27 (141.6572) | 23 (156.5028) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #775 (160 pts) | #866 (155 pts) | #983 (130 pts) | #882 (140 pts) | #456 (465 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #161 (1182 pts) | #132 (1305 pts) | #95 (1526 pts) | #158 (1173 pts) | #130 (1291 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #105 (1464 pts) | #99 (1468 pts) | #174 (1201 pts) | #75 (1599 pts) | #71 (1651 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #266 (857 pts) | #349 (692 pts) | #272 (912 pts) | #302 (812 pts) | #170 (1162 pts) |