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 ribs.
- Pork Ribs ×1
Big Cat BBQ
Big Cat BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 46 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2014 and 2026. They have won 1 Grand Championship, at the CBCA Clayton BBQ and Brews Festival (MASTERS) (2024), and finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #1396 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1571
peak 1597 · rated over 44 contests2 invitational or side-series contests not counted
Contests
46
in the data
First seen
Apr 4, 2014
latest Aug 8, 2026 · 12.3 years on the trail
Grand champs
1
1 reserve · wins it all 2% of the time
Category wins
4
13 podiums
Overall top-10s
15
33% of 46 contests
Best top-10 run
4
straight overall top-10s
Avg finish
top 51%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
1 🔥
Current form
684.82 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 673.15 (+11.67)
Walk rate
65%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±14.22
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 168.70 · weakest Brisket (167.33)
Road miles
20,174
across 46 mapped stops · furthest 2,207 mi
Schedule strength
67%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1585)
Purse competed for
$593K
listed at 41 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
1 🏅
won from 42 state-championship entries
Master avg
673.15 / 720
46 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ↗ | Master | #232 (822 pts) | #337 (627 pts) | #270 (832 pts) | #279 (727 pts) | #202 (917 pts) |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #216 (1,011 pts) | #269 (831 pts) | #213 (1,118 pts) | #193 (1,126 pts) | #205 (1,065 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #196 (1,049 pts) | #240 (959 pts) | #271 (914 pts) | #205 (1,024 pts) | #226 (954 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #377 (536 pts) | #370 (616 pts) | #544 (406 pts) | #351 (601 pts) | #413 (491 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #197 (1,062 pts) | #155 (1,257 pts) | #265 (927 pts) | #238 (962 pts) | #126 (1,362 pts) |
| 2020 ↗ | Master | #496 (203 pts) | #749 (118 pts) | #442 (268 pts) | #508 (213 pts) | #335 (363 pts) |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #1161 (203 pts) | #1672 (118 pts) | #1052 (268 pts) | #1203 (213 pts) | #856 (363 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to Big Cat BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.
35 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#1,399 of the rated field
- Contests
- 20
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 35%
- Peak
- 1587
1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to Big Cat BBQ)
2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Big Cat BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#1,394 of the rated field
- Contests
- 41
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 24%
- Peak
- 1572
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 41 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careers#1,402 of the rated field
- Contests
- 51
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 14%
- Peak
- 1582
Their last contest in the data was back in 2021, 5 years before Big Cat BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#1,395 of the rated field
- Contests
- 32
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 28%
- Peak
- 1579
Fewer contests behind them than Big Cat BBQ has cooked, 32 to 46, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.
⚔ Compare careers#1,397 of the rated field
- Contests
- 84
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 25%
- Peak
- 1676
Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 84 contests, alongside a 25% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Compare careers#1,398 of the rated field
- Contests
- 21
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 29%
- Peak
- 1571
Level with Big Cat 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meat Candy Q | 29 | 4 | 25 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | 26 | 16 | 10 | 62% | ⚔ compare |
| BULL MARKET BBQ | 26 | 5 | 21 | 19% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokin' Bliss BBQ | 25 | 12 | 13 | 48% | ⚔ compare |
| BONE RUBBIN BBQ | 25 | 7 | 18 | 28% | ⚔ compare |
| SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | 24 | 7 | 17 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| Cynical BBQ | 23 | 3 | 20 | 13% | ⚔ compare |
| Cherry Anchor BBQ | 22 | 4 | 18 | 18% | ⚔ compare |
| Bad Bears BBQ | 20 | 6 | 14 | 30% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | 20 | 6 | 14 | 30% | ⚔ compare |
| Pops BBQ 22 | 19 | 13 | 6 | 68% | ⚔ compare |
| Big Boys BBQ | 19 | 9 | 10 | 47% | ⚔ compare |
| Porterhouse BBQ | 19 | 8 | 11 | 42% | ⚔ compare |
| Old Town Franklin BBQ | 19 | 8 | 11 | 42% | ⚔ compare |
| OM BBQ COMPANY | 18 | 4 | 14 | 22% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 46 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 177.7600 | 153.6572 | 168.70 | top 54% |
| Pork Ribs | 46 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 180 🔥 | 157.6456 | 168.35 | top 53% |
| Pork | 42 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 178.8572 | 151.9656 | 168.66 | top 50% |
| Brisket | 46 | 16 | 2 | 5 | 179.4400 | 145.6572 | 167.33 | top 47% |
“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) | 3 | 0 | top 55% |
| Medium (20–39) | 27 | 1 | top 49% |
| Large (40+) | 16 | 0 | top 53% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship | 3 | 12 | 0 | top 53% | Apr 24, 2026 |
| Dinuba's BBQ & Brew Fest | 3 | 2 | 0 | top 33% | Mar 20, 2026 |
| Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off (Day 2) | 2 | 10 | 0 | top 55% | Aug 8, 2026 |
| American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | 2 | 260 | 0 | top 69% | Nov 5, 2025 |
| American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest | 2 | 129 | 0 | top 84% | Nov 5, 2025 |
| The Santiam Smoke Show (Day 2) | 2 | 4 | 0 | top 51% | May 31, 2025 |
| The Golden State Battle VII (Day 2) | 2 | 14 | 0 | top 71% | Jan 25, 2025 |
| Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off | 2 | 27 | 0 | top 52% | Apr 1, 2022 |
| Polar Pig BBQ Cook-Off (Duel B) | 2 | 14 | 0 | top 44% | Nov 9, 2019 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2025
12 contests
Contests a season
5.8
across 8 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
CA
26 of 46 contests · 8 states in all
Contests visited
35
9 of them more than once
First title
Jun 14, 2024
CBCA Clayton BBQ and Brews Festival (MASTERS)
Opponents faced
1,111
finished ahead 1,092 times, behind 1,562
Longest layoff
3.6 yrs
Apr 1, 2016 → Nov 8, 2019
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20263 milestones
- First Reserve Championship Dinuba's BBQ & Brew Fest
- First perfect 180 (Pork Ribs) Dinuba's BBQ & Brew Fest
- Most recent contest Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off (Day 2)
20245 milestones
- 25th tracked contest Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship
- First Grand Championship CBCA Clayton BBQ and Brews Festival (MASTERS)
- First state championship CBCA Clayton BBQ and Brews Festival (MASTERS)
- Career-best overall score698.2744 CBCA Clayton BBQ and Brews Festival (MASTERS)
- Peak power rating (1597) CBCA Clayton BBQ and Brews Festival (MASTERS)
20224 milestones
- 10th tracked contest 9th Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship - Day 2
- First overall top-10 3rd Annual Lodi BeerFest & BBQ Championship
- First category win (Brisket) Reata Round Up BBQ Contest
- First overall podium Reata Round Up BBQ Contest
20191 milestone
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score677.6000 Polar Pig BBQ Cook-Off (Duel A)
20142 milestones
- First tracked contest Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off (Teams Full)
- First call Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off (Teams Full)
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +15.6 | Dinuba's BBQ & Brew Fest | Mar 20, 2026 |
| +15.1 | Reata Round Up BBQ Contest | Aug 12, 2022 |
| +13.9 | CBCA Clayton BBQ and Brews Festival (MASTERS) | Jun 14, 2024 |
| +13.9 | The Santiam Smoke Show (Day 1) | May 30, 2025 |
| +13.7 | 9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge | Jan 12, 2024 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -13.4 | The Golden State Battle VII (Day 2) | Jan 25, 2025 |
| -11.5 | The Santiam Smoke Show (Day 2) | May 31, 2025 |
| -9.2 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | Nov 5, 2025 |
| -9.1 | The Golden State Battle IV - Day 2 | Jan 22, 2022 |
| -8.1 | Tri City BBQ Fest | Sep 20, 2024 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 80% | top 47% | 96.9% | 95.1% |
| 2025 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 50% | top 62% | 96% | 93.3% |
| 2024 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 75% | top 45% | 97% | 94.5% |
| 2023 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 67% | top 44% | 95.3% | 93.7% |
| 2022 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 64% | top 51% | 95.5% | 93.1% |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 44% | 94.1% | 94.1% |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 49% | 87.5% | 87.5% |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 54% | 87.6% | 87.6% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 8, 2026 | Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off (Day 2) 🏅 Felton, CA | 10 / 17 (697.6572) | 13 (171.9656) | 12 (173.1316) | 13 (173.1200) | 1 (179.4400) |
| Aug 7, 2026 | Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off (Day 1) 🏅 Felton, CA | 13 / 25 (682.1828) | 10 (171.4172) | 13 (170.8228) | 10 (174.2628) | 17 (165.6800) |
| Apr 24, 2026 | Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship 🏅 Lodi, CA | 12 / 29 (680.5256) | 14 (171.4056) | 20 (165.7256) | 12 (171.9772) | 9 (171.4172) |
| Mar 20, 2026 | Dinuba's BBQ & Brew Fest 🏅 Dinuba, CA | 2 / 27 (696.5144) | 14 (173.1084) | 1 (180) | 9 (172.5716) | 7 (170.8344) |
| Jan 30, 2026 | The Golden State Battle VIII 🏅 Riverside, CA | 31 / 41 (667.2220) | 34 (163.3596) | 33 (165.0856) | — | 22 (167.9656) |
| Nov 21, 2025 | BBQ Jackpot 🏅 Las Vegas, NV | 56 / 90 (676.4572) | 25 (174.2628) | 66 (166.8344) | 70 (165.6800) | 47 (169.6800) |
| Nov 5, 2025 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 321 / 401 (651.9200) | 384 (153.6572) | 276 (165.7028) | 232 (168) | 263 (164.5600) |
| Nov 5, 2025 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest unrated Kansas City, KS | 129 / 158 (672.4452) | 123 (168) | 124 (168.5256) | 92 (170.2512) | 125 (165.6684) |
| Jul 19, 2025 | Sutherlin Throwdown 🏅 Sutherlin, OR | 9 / 35 (691.3716) | 22 (170.2744) | 11 (173.1200) | 5 (176.5716) | 9 (171.4056) |
| May 31, 2025 | The Santiam Smoke Show (Day 2) 🏅 Sweet Home, OR | 25 / 28 (666.1484) | 22 (167.9772) | 23 (167.3828) | 14 (171.4056) | 27 (159.3828) |
| May 30, 2025 | The Santiam Smoke Show (Day 1) 🏅 Sweet Home, OR | 4 / 30 (687.9200) | 19 (169.1200) | 12 (173.1200) | 10 (171.9772) | 3 (173.7028) |
| May 16, 2025 | Gold Country Casino Resort BrewFest & State BBQ Championship 🏅 Oroville, CA | 10 / 19 (673.0512) | 5 (174.2744) | 10 (168.5484) | 15 (163.4172) | 11 (166.8112) |
| Apr 25, 2025 | Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship 🏅 Lodi, CA | 19 / 31 (668.5032) | 16 (171.9772) | 9 (173.7260) | 7 (171.9772) | 28 (150.8228) |
| Mar 28, 2025 | Q's & Brews 🏅 Lake Havasu, AZ | 19 / 26 (659.8172) | 20 (167.3944) | 18 (165.6800) | 15 (167.3828) | 20 (159.3600) |
| Mar 14, 2025 | Dinuba's BBQ & Brew Fest 🏅 Dinuba, CA | 17 / 26 (677.6916) | 23 (162.8344) | 15 (169.7144) | 9 (171.4400) | 8 (173.7028) |
| Jan 25, 2025 | The Golden State Battle VII (Day 2) 🏅 Hollister, CA | 26 / 27 (662.1716) | 27 (159.9888) | 22 (169.1316) | — | 21 (166.2400) |
| Jan 24, 2025 | The Golden State Battle VII (Day 1) 🏅 Hollister, CA | 14 / 31 (676.5260) | 21 (166.8344) | 3 (177.1544) | 18 (166.8344) | 15 (165.7028) |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 260 / 444 (670.1944) | 330 (163.3828) | 300 (165.6916) | 88 (173.7372) | 221 (167.3828) |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest unrated Kansas City, KS | 145 / 169 (670.6968) | 137 (167.3828) | 92 (170.8228) | 152 (164.5256) | 125 (167.9656) |
| Sep 20, 2024 | Tri City BBQ Fest 🏅 Denison, IA | 20 / 30 (668.4456) | 27 (162.8228) | 17 (166.8344) | 28 (163.3828) | 6 (175.4056) |
| Jun 14, 2024 | CBCA Clayton BBQ and Brews Festival (MASTERS) 🏅 Clayton, CA | 1 / 25 (698.2744) | 5 (176) | 3 (176) | 8 (173.1200) | 6 (173.1544) |
| Apr 26, 2024 | Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship 🏅 Lodi, CA | 19 / 34 (678.1940) | 9 (175.4400) | 25 (165.0856) | 8 (175.4056) | 26 (162.2628) |
| Mar 15, 2024 | Dinuba's BBQ & Brew Fest 🏅 Dinuba, CA | 7 / 27 (688.4912) | 10 (169.6684) | 12 (169.6800) | 2 (178.8572) | 13 (170.2856) |
| Mar 1, 2024 | The Golden State Battle VI 🏅 Hollister, CA | 16 / 33 (676.4456) | 25 (168.5256) | 22 (163.9428) | 16 (169.7028) | 4 (174.2744) |
| Jan 12, 2024 | 9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge 🏅 Bullhead City, AZ | 7 / 58 (690.1828) | 6 (176.5600) | 7 (176.5600) | 10 (175.4172) | 40 (161.6456) |
| Nov 17, 2023 | Golden State Battle of Indio 🏅 Indio, CA | 27 / 40 (682.7884) | 16 (174.2628) | 31 (168.5600) | — | 25 (169.7028) |
| Sep 29, 2023 | Field, Fire Fork! 🏅 Los Banos, CA | 10 / 19 (672.9940) | 1 (175.4172) | 16 (157.6456) | 11 (173.1084) | 11 (166.8228) |
| Aug 4, 2023 | Dinuba's Annual BBQ & Brew Fest 🏅 Dinuba, CA | 6 / 29 (686.2512) | 14 (170.8228) | 6 (172) | 2 (176.5600) | 15 (166.8684) |
| Mar 31, 2023 | Cedar Fest BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Cedar Park, TX | 31 / 57 (650.7544) | 28 (165.7144) | 27 (167.9656) | 16 (171.4172) | 51 (145.6572) |
| Mar 3, 2023 | The Golden State Battle V 🏅 Hollister, CA | 13 / 28 (676.4916) | 11 (173.7028) | 18 (163.9660) | 15 (167.9656) | 9 (170.8572) |
| Jan 13, 2023 | Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge 🏅 Bullhead City, AZ | 10 / 45 (679.3140) | 14 (171.9772) | 29 (164.5600) | 11 (171.9656) | 10 (170.8112) |
| Sep 23, 2022 | The Great Kearney BBQ Smoke-Out 🏅 Fresno, CA | 10 / 43 (675.9428) | 12 (168.5484) | 7 (171.4172) | 3 (176.0344) | 29 (159.9428) |
| Aug 12, 2022 | Reata Round Up BBQ Contest 🏅 San Juan Capistrano, CA | 3 / 25 (687.9084) | 9 (171.4056) | 14 (169.1200) | — | 1 (175.4056) |
| Jul 8, 2022 | Clayton BBQ Cook-off 🏅 Clayton, CA | 10 / 27 (666.7428) | 6 (171.4056) | 7 (168.5372) | 13 (164) | 14 (162.8000) |
| Jul 2, 2022 | Sweet Home Icebox Cookoff 2022 🏅 Sweet Home, OR | 22 / 34 (658.7880) | 18 (169.1428) | 21 (163.4056) | 27 (158.8340) | 16 (167.4056) |
| Apr 29, 2022 | 3rd Annual Lodi BeerFest & BBQ Championship 🏅 Lodi, CA | 8 / 29 (680.0116) | 4 (174.8800) | 17 (167.9772) | 20 (161.7372) | 2 (175.4172) |
| Apr 2, 2022 | 9th Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship - Day 2 🏅 Arcadia, CA | 22 / 27 (667.2912) | 19 (169.1428) | 24 (161.6572) | 22 (164.5256) | 16 (171.9656) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Cedar Park, TX | 28 / 56 (658.7768) | 35 (159.3712) | 14 (171.4516) | 43 (157.6912) | 15 (170.2628) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 9th Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship 🏅 Arcadia, CA | 21 / 37 (672.5372) | 2 (177.7600) | 21 (167.3944) | 27 (163.4172) | 22 (163.9656) |
| Jan 22, 2022 | The Golden State Battle IV - Day 2 🏅 Santa Barbara, CA | 23 / 25 (669.0172) | 22 (169.1316) | 20 (166.2400) | 22 (161.6684) | 10 (171.9772) |
| Jan 21, 2022 | The Golden State Battle IV - Day 1 🏅 Santa Barbara, CA | 19 / 30 (666.1484) | 23 (164.5372) | 26 (157.6800) | 18 (169.6684) | 5 (174.2628) |
| Jan 14, 2022 | Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge 🏅 Bullhead City, AZ | 28 / 59 (668.4456) | 25 (169.1200) | 35 (165.6916) | 32 (167.3712) | 20 (166.2628) |
| Nov 9, 2019 | Polar Pig BBQ Cook-Off (Duel B) 🏅 Concord, NC | 19 / 33 (676.9824) | 26 (165.6800) | 14 (170.8228) | 8 (171.9656) | 16 (168.5140) |
| Nov 8, 2019 | Polar Pig BBQ Cook-Off (Duel A) 🏅 Concord, NC | 14 / 47 (677.6000) | 38 (163.3944) | 8 (173.1200) | 35 (163.9428) | 2 (177.1428) |
| Apr 1, 2016 | Cedar Fest BBQ Cedar Park, TX | 33 / 67 (630.2400) | 37 (154.2856) | 33 (158.2972) | 31 (158.8228) | 26 (158.8344) |
| Apr 4, 2014 | Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off (Teams Full) Cedar Park, TX | 27 / 50 (630.7884) | 13 (162.8572) | 8 (168.5600) | 38 (151.9656) | 41 (147.4056) |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.