2nd Hand Smoke

2nd Hand Smoke is a competition barbecue team with 46 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 36 at the When Pigs Fly South (2016), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #6391 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “2NDHAND SMOKE”.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#6,391

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1391

peak 1391 · rated over 38 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Nov 15, 2013

latest Apr 24, 2026 · 12.4 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#1020

Master 2021 · every season

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

7 podiums

Overall top-10s

9% of 46 contests

Avg finish

top 74%

overall standings

Best overall

687.9772 / 720

Master · Back The Blue BBQ

Perfect 180s

Current form

650.04 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 642.80 (+7.24)

Walk rate

48%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

179.4400

Brisket · Lakeland Pig Festival

Consistency

±26.03

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 162.75 · weakest Brisket (157.49)

Road miles

18,606

across 46 mapped stops · furthest 1,129 mi

Schedule strength

52%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1567)

Purse competed for

$344K

listed at 24 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 28 state-championship entries

Master avg

642.80 / 720

32 Master contests · 0 GCs

Backyard avg

327.36 / 360

5 Backyard contests · 0 GCs

Backyard (4-meat) avg

659.28 / 720

1 Backyard (4-meat) contest · 0 GCs

These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360, Backyard (4-meat) out of 720), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.

This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.

Storylines (10 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

4.5600 points from the title

Came within 4.5600 points of the Grand Championship at When Pigs Fly South (Dec 2, 2016).

High-water mark

687.9772 career-best overall

95.6% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 687.9772 at Back The Blue BBQ — 95.6% of a perfect 720.

Master
Oct 28, 2022

Their season

2016 their best year

2016 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 50%.

4 contests
1 overall top-10
1 category win
average top 50%

A tough matchup

15–0 behind in the head-to-head

PIGLITICALLY INCORRECT BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

PIGLITICALLY INCORRECT BBQ has come out ahead in 15 of their 15 shared contests.

The weak link

−5.3 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.26 points below their pork ribs, and turns into a call 18% of the time against 28%.

Brisket avg 157.49
Pork Ribs avg 162.75
6 calls in 33 entries

A strong matchup

4–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Pig In or Pig Out in 4 of their 4 shared contests.

Pork Ribs nemesis

13 of 16 shared pork ribs entries lost

PIGLITICALLY INCORRECT BBQ ahead 81% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, PIGLITICALLY INCORRECT BBQ has out-cooked them in 13 of 16 shared pork ribs entries.

Show 3 more storylines

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

Rankin County BBQ Company has landed one call behind them 2 times.

An October team

Top 64% average finish in October

Something about October: average finish in the top 64% across 3 contests, versus top 74% the rest of the year.

3 October contests
top 74% the rest of the year

The long haul

18,606 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 18,606 miles across 46 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,129 miles to Troy Pig Out.

46 mapped stops
furthest 1,129 mi

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
2021 ↗	Master	#1020 (111 pts)	#954 (126 pts)	#1084 (116 pts)	#1141 (91 pts)	#764 (191 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1954 (60 pts)	#2012 (60 pts)	#1996 (60 pts)	#2030 (60 pts)	#1990 (60 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1887 (111 pts)	#2060 (96 pts)	#1255 (246 pts)	#1930 (121 pts)	#2009 (101 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to 2nd Hand Smoke, each with one reason worth a look.

BULLHEADED BBQ

#6,390 of the rated field

1392 power rating

Contests: 33
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 3%
Peak: 1392

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 33 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 33 contests
last seen Jul 24, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

YARDHOGS BBQ

#6,392 of the rated field

1391 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1391

Fewer contests behind them than 2nd Hand Smoke has cooked, 18 to 46, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 18 contests
last seen Sep 26, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

MOUNTAIN WILLIAM BBQ

#6,389 of the rated field

1392 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1501

Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 8 years before 2nd Hand Smoke's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 17 contests

⚔ Compare careers

Service Dog BBQ

#6,393 of the rated field

1391 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1391

12 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Aug 9, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

BLAIR'S BIGFOOT BBQ

#6,394 of the rated field

1390 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 32
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1390

Level with 2nd Hand Smoke on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 32 contests
last seen Jun 5, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

PORK 'N MINDY

#6,395 of the rated field

1390 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 29
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 3%
Peak: 1523

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.

rated over 28 contests
last seen Sep 27, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
PIGLITICALLY INCORRECT BBQ	15	0	15	0%	⚔ compare
Poppa Pig	12	0	12	0%	⚔ compare
Kith n' Kin	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
Rankin County BBQ Company	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
UNCLE FEOL'S TENNESSEE STYLE BBQ	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
Glamping Grillers	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
RAZORRACKS	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
LEE LA Q	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
Smokin N The Bandits	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
Accutech BBQ	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
REDBONES BBQ	8	1	6	13%	⚔ compare
Organizer Portal	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
Piggin' Whiskey	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	38	8	0	1	176.5716	138.7656	162.29	top 67%
Pork Ribs	40	11	2	5	178.8572	138.1944	162.75	top 62%
Pork	34	8	0	0	176.5600	144.4912	161.80	top 72%
Brisket	33	6	1	1	179.4400	126.7772	157.49	top 70%

“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)	6	top 87%
Medium (20–39)	19	top 68%
Large (40+)	13	top 78%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
MS	11	top 82%
FL	9	top 66%
AL	6	top 72%
TN	3	top 89%
KS	3	top 75%
LA	1	top 23%
GA	1	top 75%
IN	1	top 94%
AR	1	top 55%
NY	1	top 64%
SD	1	top 90%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Lakeland Pig Festival	4	10	0	top 73%	Jan 24, 2025
Southaven Springfest	2	27	0	top 81%	Apr 24, 2026

More numbers

Busiest season 2019 8 contests

Contests a season 3.3 across 14 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MS 13 of 46 contests · 11 states in all

Contests visited 34 2 of them more than once

Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 40 entries · 2 wins · 11 calls

Opponents faced 1,197 finished ahead 493 times, behind 1,418

Longest layoff 1.2 yrs Jan 27, 2017 → Apr 6, 2018

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

20261 milestone

Apr 24 Most recent contest Southaven Springfest

20241 milestone

Jan 26 Career-best single call (Brisket)179.4400 Lakeland Pig Festival

20221 milestone

Oct 28 Career-best overall score687.9772 Back The Blue BBQ

20201 milestone

Jul 31 25th tracked contest Hawgin On Lanier

20165 milestones

Sep 9 10th tracked contest Decatur Jaycee's 22nd Annual Riverfest
Dec 2 First category win (Pork Ribs) When Pigs Fly South
Dec 2 First overall top-10 When Pigs Fly South
Dec 2 First overall podium When Pigs Fly South
Dec 2 First Reserve Championship When Pigs Fly South

20151 milestone

Jun 12 First overall past 90% of a perfect score662.2628 Delta Smoke BBQ Contest (JUDGE LIST IS FULL)

20141 milestone

Feb 21 First call Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

20132 milestones

Nov 15 First tracked contest When Pigs Fly South
Nov 15 Peak power rating (1497) When Pigs Fly South

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+17.2	When Pigs Fly South	Dec 2, 2016
+16.8	Smoke on the Falls	Apr 12, 2019
+13.9	Back The Blue BBQ	Oct 28, 2022
+12.9	Lakeland Pig Festival	Jan 24, 2020
+4.3	Smoke on the Plains Derby BBQ & Music Fest	Jun 7, 2019

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.6	Cookin' on Kampeska	Jul 18, 2014
-10.8	Lakeland Pig Festival	Jan 25, 2019
-10.6	Smoke on the Square: In memory of David Harness	Jun 24, 2016
-10.2	Smoke in the Spring	Apr 6, 2018
-9.7	Smoke In the Springs	Apr 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)
2026	1	0	0	0%	top 88%	90.7%	90.7%
2025	4	0	0	25%	top 92%	91.9%	90.2%
2024	4	0	1	50%	top 92%	94.4%	91.3%
2023	2	0	0	50%	top 91%	92.7%	91.5%
2022	4	1	0	100%	top 60%	95.6%	91.8%
2021	6	0	0	67%	top 76%	93%	90.4%
2020	3	1	0	67%	top 57%	91.6%	90.5%
2019	8	1	1	50%	top 70%	95.7%	88.1%
2018	2	0	0	0%	top 95%	81.5%	81.5%
2017	1	0	0	0%	—	—	—
2016	4	1	1	25%	top 50%	95.4%	88.2%
2015	2	0	0	0%	top 55%	92%	92%
2014	4	0	0	75%	top 70%	90%	87.2%
2013	1	0	0	0%	top 61%	88%	88%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Apr 24, 2026	Southaven Springfest 🏅 Southaven, MS	29 / 33 (652.9712)	26 (167.3828)	27 (165.0856)	32 (161.1084)	29 (159.3944)
May 2, 2025	Hog Wild BBQ Cookoff and Family Fest 🏅 Brookhaven, MS	24 / 27 (660.5604)	6 (176.5716)	25 (164.0116)	23 (163.4172)	26 (156.5600)
Apr 4, 2025	Smokin on the Rez 🏅 Ridgeland, MS	17 / 17 (661.6232)	17 (164.5600)	11 (167.4172)	17 (165.6916)	15 (163.9544)
Feb 14, 2025	Ribs on the Ridge 🏅 Haines City, FL	14 / 16 (634.0916)	13 (161.1316)	13 (165.0972)	15 (155.9200)	15 (151.9428)
Jan 24, 2025	Lakeland Pig Festival 🏅 Lakeland, FL	37 / 40 (640.9712)	37 (160.5600)	35 (162.7884)	37 (154.8000)	31 (162.8228)
May 3, 2024	Hog Wild BBQ & Family Fest 🏅 Brookhaven, MS	23 / 25 (645.5544)	12 (171.9656)	22 (156.5144)	17 (166.2972)	24 (150.7772)
Apr 12, 2024	12th Annual Bull Moose BBQ 🏅 Somerville, TN	13 / 14 (679.9656)	4 (175.4400)	3 (176.5600)	14 (165.1428)	13 (162.8228)
Feb 16, 2024	Ribs on the Ridge Brews & BBQ 🏅 Haines City, FL	27 / 29 (651.2920)	26 (162.8000)	28 (155.9888)	16 (171.9772)	25 (160.5260)
Jan 26, 2024	Lakeland Pig Festival 🏅 Lakeland, FL	55 / 61 (651.8744)	57 (160.5716)	60 (156.5028)	59 (155.3600)	1 (179.4400)
Oct 5, 2023	Poosa Q 🏅 Montgomery, AL	68 / 73 (650.1600)	57 (164.5256)	58 (162.2516)	62 (163.3828)	65 (160)
Apr 28, 2023	Hog Wild BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Brandon, MS	25 / 28 (667.2800)	18 (169.6800)	20 (169.6800)	5 (174.2628)	25 (153.6572)
Dec 1, 2022	Christmas on the River State Bar B Q Championship 🏅 Demopolis, AL	11 / 13 (630.6060)	11 (156.5144)	8 (167.3828)	10 (165.6800)	12 (141.0288)
Oct 28, 2022	Back The Blue BBQ 🏅 Vidalia, LA	5 / 22 (687.9772)	8 (165.7028)	6 (173.7028)	5 (176.5600)	5 (172.0116)
Aug 26, 2022	Roast N Boast - Rib Roast (ONE MEAT RIBS) Columbus, MS	—	—	4 (175.4172)	—	—
May 20, 2022	Sevierville's Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass Festival 🏅 Sevierville, TN	22 / 30 (664.4684)	29 (153.0856)	16 (170.8228)	4 (175.4172)	18 (165.1428)
Nov 12, 2021	Barbecue With A View (BACKYARD ONLY) Vicksburg, MS	17 / 30 (334.7656)	16 (168.5256)	18 (166.2400)	—	—
Oct 29, 2021	Southaven Springfest 🏅 Southaven, MS	27 / 36 (652.9944)	31 (160.5144)	10 (170.2856)	17 (168.5372)	34 (153.6572)
Sep 3, 2021	Smithfield Classic in Nashville 🏅 Nashville, TN	50 / 50 (616.4232)	50 (154.8000)	48 (161.6916)	49 (157.6572)	50 (142.2744)
Aug 20, 2021	Ole Brook Porkfest - One Meat Rib Brookhaven, MS	—	—	2 (172.5828)	4 (167.4056)	—
Jun 25, 2021	Back the Blue 🏅 Brookhaven, MS	11 / 16 (662.6972)	9 (167.3828)	10 (166.8228)	15 (155.9316)	4 (172.5600)
Apr 9, 2021	Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL	31 / 38 (652.9484)	10 (173.1084)	32 (159.3484)	36 (151.9316)	18 (168.5600)
Jul 31, 2020	Hawgin On Lanier 🏅 Cumming, GA	41 / 55 (657.0744)	27 (170.8456)	39 (163.3828)	49 (160.0116)	38 (162.8344)
Jun 26, 2020	Swinging Bridge BBQ Festival 🏅 Byram, MS	24 / 31 (637.5540)	25 (155.9428)	30 (152.4912)	26 (157.6800)	6 (171.4400)
Jan 24, 2020	Lakeland Pig Festival 🏅 Lakeland, FL	10 / 53 (659.2800)	28 (161.0856)	21 (163.9544)	7 (169.1084)	11 (165.1316)
Jul 26, 2019	Cotton Pickin BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Hartselle, AL	25 / 27 (318.1828)	32 (149.0628)	9 (169.1200)	—	—
Jun 14, 2019	Desoto Shrine Club BBQ Cook off 🏅 Hernado, MS	41 / 49 (647.2912)	25 (170.2744)	41 (159.9428)	—	37 (160.5256)
Jun 7, 2019	Smoke on the Plains Derby BBQ & Music Fest 🏅 Derby, KS	13 / 39 (316.5604)	5 (164.5832)	14 (151.9772)	—	—
Apr 26, 2019	Smoke on the Water Festival (BACKYARD ONlY) Florence, AL	30 / 45 (322.7660)	39 (156.5260)	18 (166.2400)	42 (150.7656)	—
Apr 12, 2019	Smoke In the Springs 🏅 Osage City, KS	101 / 104 (589.4400)	102 (138.7656)	85 (158.8344)	100 (146.7884)	100 (145.0516)
Apr 12, 2019	Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL	4 / 30 (344.5256)	20 (165.6684)	1 (178.8572)	—	—
Feb 22, 2019	D'Iberville BBQ Throw Down Festival 🏅 Diberville, MS	14 / 16 (611.2572)	12 (159.9544)	15 (138.1944)	15 (150.8228)	7 (162.2856)
Jan 25, 2019	Lakeland Pig Festival 🏅 Lakeland, FL	52 / 58 (624.9716)	54 (149.6688)	49 (157.7144)	33 (163.9428)	45 (153.6456)
Jun 8, 2018	Derby BBQ Festival Derby, KS	—	—	—	—	—
Apr 6, 2018	Smoke in the Spring Osage City, KS	98 / 103 (586.6172)	36 (169.6916)	100 (139.3600)	102 (144.4912)	102 (133.0744)
Jan 27, 2017	Lakeland Pig Festival Lakeland, FL	—	—	—	—	—
Dec 2, 2016	When Pigs Fly South Lakeland, FL	2 / 36 (686.8344)	3 (171.4400)	1 (177.7144)	9 (171.4172)	19 (166.2628)
Sep 9, 2016	Decatur Jaycee's 22nd Annual Riverfest Decatur, AL	—	—	—	—	—
Jun 24, 2016	Smoke on the Square: In memory of David Harness Franklin, IN	29 / 31 (583.8520)	29 (153.7028)	30 (145.6804)	26 (157.6916)	31 (126.7772)
Jan 29, 2016	Lakeland Pig Festival Lakeland, FL	—	—	—	—	—
Sep 11, 2015	Decatur Jaycee's 21st Annual Riverfest Decatur, AL	—	—	—	—	—
Jun 12, 2015	Delta Smoke BBQ Contest (JUDGE LIST IS FULL) Wynne, AR	27 / 49 (662.2628)	30 (165.1656)	16 (169.1544)	36 (166.2400)	36 (161.7028)
Jul 19, 2014	Troy Pig Out Troy, NY	16 / 25 (617.6456)	20 (146.8000)	11 (155.9656)	15 (153.7028)	6 (161.1772)
Jul 18, 2014	Cookin' on Kampeska Watertown, SD	28 / 31 (618.7428)	9 (168.5600)	30 (142.8116)	20 (165.1312)	30 (142.2400)
Feb 21, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Tampa, FL	12 / 21 (647.9316)	15 (158.8688)	2 (171.9772)	10 (165.6800)	14 (151.4056)
Jan 23, 2014	The Tiger Town Pig Festival Lakeland, FL	—	—	—	—	—
Nov 15, 2013	When Pigs Fly South Lakeland, FL	30 / 49 (633.7148)	34 (155.4172)	30 (160.5716)	31 (161.1772)	32 (156.5488)

2nd Hand Smoke

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

Backyard avg

Backyard (4-meat) avg

Storylines (10 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

High-water mark

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Pork Ribs nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

An October team

The long haul

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)