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 brisket.
- Brisket ×1
Needs More Cowbell BBQ
Needs More Cowbell BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 45 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2022 and 2025. They have won 1 Grand Championship, at the Smoke & Soul Fest (2023). They are ranked #1230 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1584
peak 1591 · rated over 39 contests2 invitational or side-series contests not counted
Contests
45
in the data
First seen
Jul 1, 2022
latest Apr 25, 2025 · 2.8 years on the trail
Grand champs
1
0 reserve · wins it all 2% of the time
Category wins
1
15 podiums
Overall top-10s
14
31% of 45 contests
Best top-10 run
3
straight overall top-10s
Avg finish
top 49%
overall standings
Best overall
705.1316 / 720
Perfect 180s
1 🔥
Current form
678.76 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 677.67 (+1.09)
Walk rate
69%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±13.68
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Brisket
avg 169.94 · weakest Pork Ribs (168.71)
Road miles
16,288
across 45 mapped stops · furthest 1,153 mi
Schedule strength
74%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1593)
Purse competed for
$500K
listed at 38 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
1 🏅
won from 38 state-championship entries
Master avg
677.67 / 720
41 Master contests · 1 GC
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #775 (160 pts) | #866 (155 pts) | #983 (130 pts) | #882 (140 pts) | #456 (465 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #161 (1,182 pts) | #132 (1,305 pts) | #95 (1,526 pts) | #158 (1,173 pts) | #130 (1,291 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #105 (1,464 pts) | #99 (1,468 pts) | #174 (1,201 pts) | #75 (1,599 pts) | #71 (1,651 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #266 (857 pts) | #349 (692 pts) | #272 (912 pts) | #302 (812 pts) | #170 (1,162 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to Needs More Cowbell BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.
31 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#1,229 of the rated field
- Contests
- 12
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 33%
- Peak
- 1584
1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to Needs More Cowbell BBQ)
2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Needs More Cowbell BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#1,228 of the rated field
- Contests
- 35
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 17%
- Peak
- 1616
They've been 1616 at their best, 33 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Compare careers#1,231 of the rated field
- Contests
- 55
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 20%
- Peak
- 1588
Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 6 years before Needs More Cowbell BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#1,226 of the rated field
- Contests
- 20
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 40%
- Peak
- 1606
Fewer contests behind them than Needs More Cowbell BBQ has cooked, 20 to 45, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.
⚔ Compare careers#1,225 of the rated field
- Contests
- 19
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 68%
- Peak
- 1584
19 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 68% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Compare careers#1,232 of the rated field
- Contests
- 11
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 73%
- Peak
- 1590
Level with Needs More Cowbell BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | 33 | 5 | 28 | 15% | ⚔ compare |
| Bushmaster BBQ | 20 | 6 | 14 | 30% | ⚔ compare |
| Brinkerhoff BBQ | 19 | 8 | 11 | 42% | ⚔ compare |
| Smoked & Furious | 19 | 3 | 16 | 16% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | 18 | 5 | 13 | 28% | ⚔ compare |
| ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ | 17 | 12 | 5 | 71% | ⚔ compare |
| BRACKEN RACKS BBQ | 17 | 12 | 5 | 71% | ⚔ compare |
| Heifers, Butts, & Clucks BBQ | 17 | 1 | 16 | 6% | ⚔ compare |
| MAN MEAT BBQ | 16 | 6 | 10 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| POPPA PIG AND PORKCHOP | 14 | 5 | 9 | 36% | ⚔ compare |
| GETTIN' BASTED | 14 | 2 | 12 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| Monarchbbq | 13 | 10 | 3 | 77% | ⚔ compare |
| PROUD SOULS BARBECUE | 13 | 4 | 9 | 31% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | 12 | 8 | 4 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| Cluster Cluck Barbecue | 12 | 8 | 4 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
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 🔥 | 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 field size and state
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% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke in the Spring | 3 | 8 | 0 | top 39% | Apr 11, 2025 |
| Smoke & Soul Fest | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 12% | Oct 6, 2023 |
| Wild West BBQ Cook-Off | 2 | 7 | 0 | top 38% | Apr 25, 2025 |
| Veterans of Foreign Wars Colorado KCBS Pitmaster BBQ Contest | 2 | 7 | 0 | top 41% | Sep 6, 2024 |
| Beat the Heat BBQ & Brews | 2 | 9 | 0 | top 31% | Aug 11, 2023 |
| The National Beef Smokin' Saddles Official BBQ Contest (Day 2) | 2 | 18 | 0 | top 71% | Jul 29, 2023 |
| Smokin in the Electric City (Day 2) | 2 | 17 | 0 | top 74% | Jul 15, 2023 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2023
19 contests · 1 GC
Contests a season
11.3
across 4 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
CO
11 of 45 contests · 11 states in all
Contests visited
33
7 of them more than once
Most-entered meat
Pork Ribs
44 entries · 0 wins · 15 calls
First title
Oct 6, 2023
Smoke & Soul Fest
Opponents faced
925
finished ahead 1,017 times, behind 1,028
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20251 milestone
- Most recent contest Wild West BBQ Cook-Off
20242 milestones
- First perfect 180 (Brisket) Smoke in the Spring
- Peak power rating (1591) Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ Championships and Bluegrass Festival
20237 milestones
- 10th tracked contest Smoke in the Spring
- First overall podium 2nd Annual Alva Police Department Cars, Concerts and BBQ Contest
- Career-best overall score705.1316 2nd Annual Alva Police Department Cars, Concerts and BBQ Contest
- 25th tracked contest East Helena Smoke Show
- First category win (Chicken) Smoke & Soul Fest
- First Grand Championship Smoke & Soul Fest
- First state championship Smoke & Soul Fest
20224 milestones
- First tracked contest The Art of BBQ
- First call Beat the Heat BBQ & Brews
- First overall top-10 Beat the Heat BBQ & Brews
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score683.4516 Beat the Heat BBQ & Brews
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +16.9 | Smoke & Soul Fest | Oct 6, 2023 |
| +15.7 | Smoke in the Spring | Apr 5, 2024 |
| +15.6 | 2nd Annual Alva Police Department Cars, Concerts and BBQ Contest | May 5, 2023 |
| +13.1 | Smoke & Soul Fest | Oct 7, 2022 |
| +12.9 | Meat Scream BBQ Competition-Day 1 | Oct 21, 2022 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -11.9 | The Art of BBQ | Jul 1, 2022 |
| -11.5 | 3rd Annual Alva Police Department Cars, Concerts and BBQ Contest | May 3, 2024 |
| -9.4 | Smokin in the Electric City (Day 2) | Jul 15, 2023 |
| -8.3 | Rod Trowbridge Memorial Cook Flyin BBQ Competition | Apr 21, 2023 |
| -7.9 | Hill City Wine, Brew & BBQ Fest | Aug 26, 2022 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 49% | 94.8% | 94.2% |
| 2024 | 16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 69% | top 48% | 96.8% | 94.5% |
| 2023 | 19 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 68% | top 48% | 97.9% | 94.4% |
| 2022 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 63% | top 51% | 95.2% | 92.9% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25, 2025 | Wild West BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Lamar, CO | 16 / 30 (673.0396) | 17 (169.6912) | 22 (163.3828) | 20 (165.6800) | 3 (174.2856) |
| Apr 11, 2025 | Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS | 42 / 92 (682.7428) | 46 (171.9656) | 58 (168.5372) | 75 (164.5256) | 3 (177.7144) |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oct 30, 2024 | 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) |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest unrated Kansas City, KS | 89 / 169 (684.4684) | 99 (171.4056) | 153 (165.0972) | 58 (172.5600) | 32 (175.4056) |
| Oct 11, 2024 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series) (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) unrated Lynchburg, TN | 39 / 87 (681.0856) | 36 (170.8456) | 73 (164.5372) | 42 (169.1428) | 9 (176.5600) |
| Sep 20, 2024 | 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) |
| Sep 20, 2024 | Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off (ONE MEAT RIBS) Ponca City, OK | — | — | 2 (174.2744) | — | — |
| Sep 6, 2024 | 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) |
| Aug 23, 2024 | Hill City Wine, Brew & BBQ 🏅 Hill City, SD | 21 / 29 (671.2916) | 12 (171.9772) | 6 (173.1316) | 24 (161.6572) | 25 (164.5256) |
| Aug 16, 2024 | 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) |
| Jul 26, 2024 | Albany County Fair Smokin' BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Laramie, WY | 5 / 17 (687.9312) | 2 (174.8456) | 7 (169.1428) | 11 (167.3828) | 4 (176.5600) |
| Jul 12, 2024 | Smoke & Soul Fest 🏅 Casper, WY | 9 / 26 (685.5652) | 13 (171.9656) | 21 (166.2284) | 4 (175.4056) | 8 (171.9656) |
| Jun 28, 2024 | The Art of Barbeque 🏅 Sterling, CO | 11 / 25 (674.7196) | 12 (168.5256) | 4 (175.4056) | 24 (161.0856) | 11 (169.7028) |
| May 24, 2024 | Best Dam Barbeque 🏅 Boulder City, NV | 25 / 33 (659.2800) | 10 (171.9772) | 28 (159.3484) | 30 (154.8344) | 7 (173.1200) |
| May 3, 2024 | 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) |
| Apr 5, 2024 | Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS | 8 / 97 (697.0856) | 22 (175.4400) | 78 (165.0856) | 13 (176.5600) | 3 (180) |
| Jan 12, 2024 | 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) |
| Oct 6, 2023 | Smoke & Soul Fest 🏅 Casper, WY | 1 / 28 (693.6572) | 1 (175.4172) | 7 (173.1200) | 13 (169.6800) | 5 (175.4400) |
| Aug 11, 2023 | Beat the Heat BBQ & Brews 🏅 Alamosa, CO | 10 / 27 (674.7316) | 8 (171.9656) | 10 (168.5488) | 17 (167.3828) | 15 (166.8344) |
| Aug 5, 2023 | East Helena Smoke Show 🏅 East Helena, MT | 11 / 24 (680.4916) | 5 (174.8572) | 14 (166.2632) | 3 (176.5600) | 15 (162.8112) |
| Jul 29, 2023 | 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) |
| Jul 28, 2023 | 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) |
| Jul 15, 2023 | 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) |
| Jul 14, 2023 | 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) |
| Jul 14, 2023 | Smokin in the Electric City (ONE MEAT RIBS) Butler, MO | — | — | 11 (173.1316) | — | — |
| Jun 30, 2023 | Art of Barbeque 🏅 Sterling, CO | 19 / 35 (673.6000) | 20 (167.3828) | 31 (160.5256) | 4 (175.4288) | 15 (170.2628) |
| Jun 16, 2023 | Miles City Cowtown Cookoff 🏅 Miles City, MT | 7 / 22 (694.2284) | 15 (169.6684) | 5 (177.1544) | 5 (174.8456) | 9 (172.5600) |
| Jun 2, 2023 | Original SD BBQ Championships 🏅 Huron, SD | 25 / 39 (655.8856) | 24 (163.9656) | 21 (166.2400) | 8 (174.8572) | 36 (150.8228) |
| Jun 1, 2023 | Original SD BBQ Championships (One Meat Ribs) Huron, SD | — | — | 12 (166.2400) | — | — |
| May 27, 2023 | 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) |
| May 19, 2023 | Bloomin' BBQ Music & Food Festival 🏅 Sevierville, TN | 13 / 32 (679.8512) | 7 (174.2744) | 23 (163.9428) | 15 (169.6684) | 9 (171.9656) |
| May 12, 2023 | Wild West BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Lamar, CO | 7 / 30 (679.3372) | 10 (171.4172) | 24 (159.3944) | 9 (173.1200) | 3 (175.4056) |
| May 5, 2023 | 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) |
| Apr 21, 2023 | 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) |
| Apr 7, 2023 | Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS | 64 / 103 (671.8628) | 84 (162.8000) | 66 (166.2628) | 19 (173.1200) | 46 (169.6800) |
| Jan 27, 2023 | SJV Winter Rub 🏅 Omaha, NE | 16 / 31 (663.3144) | 18 (166.2628) | 15 (167.3944) | 18 (167.4172) | 20 (162.2400) |
| Oct 22, 2022 | Meat Scream BBQ Competition-Day 2 🏅 Westminster, CO | 15 / 31 (675.8856) | 27 (159.9428) | 8 (171.4172) | 21 (167.3828) | 2 (177.1428) |
| Oct 21, 2022 | Meat Scream BBQ Competition-Day 1 🏅 Westminster, CO | 7 / 32 (685.6228) | 14 (169.6800) | 11 (168.5372) | 5 (171.9656) | 2 (175.4400) |
| Oct 7, 2022 | Smoke & Soul Fest 🏅 Casper, WY | 6 / 29 (681.0168) | 16 (167.3828) | 6 (170.8228) | 8 (169.7028) | 5 (173.1084) |
| Sep 3, 2022 | Septemberfest BBQ & RibEye Steak Cookoff Challenge 🏅 Omaha, NE | 28 / 45 (673.1084) | 21 (169.7028) | 26 (168.5716) | 31 (165.6912) | 23 (169.1428) |
| Aug 26, 2022 | 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) |
| Aug 19, 2022 | 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) |
| Aug 5, 2022 | Beat the Heat BBQ & Brews 🏅 Alamosa, CO | 9 / 35 (683.4516) | 23 (165.6916) | 10 (173.1544) | 11 (172.6172) | 8 (171.9884) |
| Jul 1, 2022 | The Art of BBQ 🏅 Sterling, CO | 26 / 28 (620.3312) | 14 (167.9656) | 25 (154.2056) | 27 (141.6572) | 23 (156.5028) |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.