Texas Smoke Whisper

Texas Smoke Whisper is a competition barbecue team with 26 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2019 and 2020. They have won 1 Grand Championship, at the San Luis Valley Beat the Heat BBQ (2019). They are ranked #422 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#422

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1693

peak 1693 · rated over 26 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Feb 1, 2019

latest Nov 21, 2020 · 1.8 years on the trail

Grand champs

0 reserve · wins it all 4% of the time

Category wins

10 podiums

Overall top-10s

50% of 26 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s, still running

Avg finish

top 30%

overall standings

Best overall

697.6456 / 720

Master · Firelake BBQ Cook Off-Day 2

Perfect 180s

Current form

687.94 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 678.77 (+9.16)

Walk rate

85%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

179.4400

Brisket · McGregor Lions Club Barrels & BBQ (Day 1)

Consistency

±12.08

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Brisket

avg 171.52 · weakest Pork Ribs (166.66)

Road miles

6,728

across 26 mapped stops · furthest 645 mi

Schedule strength

83%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1611)

Purse competed for

$245K

listed at 20 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

1 🏅

won from 25 state-championship entries

Master avg

678.77 / 720

26 Master contests · 1 GC

Storylines (16 found in their record)

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

Among the elite

#422 of 6,476 rated teams

In the top 7% of every rated team in the data

A power rating of 1693 puts them #422 of 6,476 rated teams — the top 7% of the field.

rating 1693
peak 1693
26 rated contests

Against the odds

8-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 92 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at San Luis Valley Beat the Heat BBQ (Aug 2, 2019) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 8-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, BOOMERANG BBQ.

On the rise

+69 rating points in a year

Their power rating has climbed 69 points across 9 contests since Feb 14, 2020 — from 1624 up to 1693.

9 contests since Feb 14, 2020
now 1693

Giant slayer

54 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 54-team field at San Luis Valley Beat the Heat BBQ.

Aug 2, 2019

They almost always walk

85% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 22 of 26 contests

A top-10 category call in 85% of their 26 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

697.6456 career-best overall

96.9% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 697.6456 at Firelake BBQ Cook Off-Day 2 — 96.9% of a perfect 720.

Master
Oct 24, 2020

State champions

1 state championship won

They've taken 1 state championship from 25 entries at contests carrying the title.

25 state-championship entries

Show 9 more storylines

The one to beat

5× one call ahead of them

B-S BBQ OUTLAWS has finished one call ahead of Texas Smoke Whisper 5 times — their closest competition in the data.

The weak link

−4.9 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.86 points below their brisket, and turns into a call 8% of the time against 65%.

Pork Ribs avg 166.66
Brisket avg 171.52
2 calls in 26 entries

The drought

15 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at San Luis Valley Beat the Heat BBQ on Aug 2, 2019 — 15 contests and 7.2 years ago.

last GC Aug 2, 2019
7.2 years ago

A strong matchup

10–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 91% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of SMOKIN TRIGGERS in 10 of their 11 shared contests.

Brisket nemesis

12 of 15 shared brisket entries lost

BUCKSHOT BBQ - TX ahead 80% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, BUCKSHOT BBQ - TX has out-cooked them in 12 of 15 shared brisket entries.

They cook the hard rooms

1611 average field rating faced

A tougher draw than 83% of rated fields

The fields they enter average a 1611 power rating — a tougher draw than 83% of every rated contest in the data.

26 rated contests

An August team

Top 20% average finish in August

Something about August: average finish in the top 20% across 5 contests, versus top 30% the rest of the year.

5 August contests
top 30% the rest of the year

The long haul

6,728 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 6,728 miles across 26 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 645 miles to Buskers, Brews & BBQ.

26 mapped stops
furthest 645 mi

The metronome

±1.68% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.68% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 94.3% of a perfect score
26 contests

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Texas Smoke Whisper, each with one reason worth a look.

Jury's Out

#423 of the rated field

1693 power rating

Contests: 34
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 62%
Peak: 1693

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 32 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 32 contests
last seen Jun 12, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Kane's BBQ

#424 of the rated field

1692 power rating

Contests: 43
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 72%
Peak: 1700

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 43 contests to 26.

rated over 40 contests
last seen Mar 23, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

BARRY & ERICA

#426 of the rated field

1692 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 53
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 42%
Peak: 1692

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Texas Smoke Whisper)

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

rated over 53 contests
last seen Apr 22, 2022

⚔ Head-to-head

BULL CREEK BBQ

#432 of the rated field

1692 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 79
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 37%
Peak: 1746

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Texas Smoke Whisper)

Their rating is built on 3 Grand Championships in 79 contests, alongside a 37% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 72 contests
last seen Apr 11, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

Three Hog Night Smokers

#425 of the rated field

1692 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 174
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 38%
Peak: 1759

7–0 in 7 shared contests (100% to Texas Smoke Whisper)

They were already cooking in 2013, 6 years before Texas Smoke Whisper's first contest.

rated over 165 contests
last seen Sep 12, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

PHAT JACKS BBQ NE

#430 of the rated field

1692 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 4
Top-10s: 83%
Peak: 1701

Level with Texas Smoke Whisper on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 23 contests
last seen May 11, 2018

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
LA PASADITA	23	13	10	57%	⚔ compare
BOOMERANG BBQ	18	6	12	33%	⚔ compare
B-S BBQ OUTLAWS	18	3	15	17%	⚔ compare
Rio Valley Meat BBQ	16	4	12	25%	⚔ compare
BUCKSHOT BBQ - TX	15	2	13	13%	⚔ compare
Rollin' Smoke BBQ Texas	14	10	4	71%	⚔ compare
THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ	13	2	11	15%	⚔ compare
4 LEGS UP BBQ	12	8	4	67%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN TRIGGERS	11	10	1	91%	⚔ compare
HONKY-TONK SMOKERS	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
FAT BOYS BBQ - TEMPLE, TX	11	3	8	27%	⚔ compare
Smoking OCD	10	9	1	90%	⚔ compare
ONE MAN PITS	10	7	3	70%	⚔ compare
UNCLE J'S	10	7	3	70%	⚔ compare
Chingon BBQ	10	7	3	70%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	26	13	0	3	178.8800	146.8344	170.66	top 36%
Pork Ribs	26	2	0	1	176	149.0860	166.66	top 51%
Pork	21	8	0	2	177.1544	153.6572	169.48	top 35%
Brisket	26	17	1	4	179.4400	161.0972	171.52	top 27%

“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)	1	0	top 28%
Medium (20–39)	11	0	top 42%
Large (40+)	14	1	top 20%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
TX	10	0	top 29%
OK	6	0	top 26%
NM	4	0	top 40%
AR	2	0	top 32%
CO	2	1	top 14%
KS	1	0	top 33%
MO	1	0	top 34%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
McGregor Lions Club Barrels & BBQ (Day 2)	2	4	top 27%	Nov 21, 2020
Smokin On The Pecos (Day 2)	2	12	top 36%	Jun 29, 2019
Mark Marley's Go Big or Go Home BBQ Bash (DAY 2)	2	11	top 54%	May 11, 2019

More numbers

Busiest season 2019 17 contests · 1 GC

Contests a season 13 across 2 seasons in the data

Most contests held in TX 10 of 26 contests · 7 states in all

Contests visited 23 3 of them more than once

First title Aug 2, 2019 San Luis Valley Beat the Heat BBQ

Opponents faced 637 finished ahead 902 times, behind 297

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

20206 milestones

Oct 24 Career-best overall score697.6456 Firelake BBQ Cook Off-Day 2
Nov 20 First category win (Brisket) McGregor Lions Club Barrels & BBQ (Day 1)
Nov 20 25th tracked contest McGregor Lions Club Barrels & BBQ (Day 1)
Nov 20 Career-best single call (Brisket)179.4400 McGregor Lions Club Barrels & BBQ (Day 1)
Nov 21 Peak power rating (1693) McGregor Lions Club Barrels & BBQ (Day 2)
Nov 21 Most recent contest McGregor Lions Club Barrels & BBQ (Day 2)

20199 milestones

Feb 1 First tracked contest Humble Rodeo and BBQ
Feb 1 First call Humble Rodeo and BBQ
Feb 1 First overall past 90% of a perfect score669.6456 Humble Rodeo and BBQ
Mar 14 First overall top-10 Mountain Smoke Barbecue Festival Day 1
Jun 29 10th tracked contest Smokin On The Pecos (Day 2)
Aug 2 First overall podium San Luis Valley Beat the Heat BBQ
Aug 2 First Grand Championship San Luis Valley Beat the Heat BBQ
Aug 2 First state championship San Luis Valley Beat the Heat BBQ
Aug 2 Biggest field won (54 teams) San Luis Valley Beat the Heat BBQ

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16.9	San Luis Valley Beat the Heat BBQ	Aug 2, 2019
+15.3	The Oklahoma Grand BBQ Championship Day 1	Sep 18, 2020
+14	Firelake BBQ Cook Off-Day 2	Oct 24, 2020
+13.6	Humble Rodeo and BBQ	Feb 1, 2019
+13	Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off	Apr 5, 2019

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-4	Smokin' on the Square	Oct 25, 2019
-3.5	Mark Marley's Go Big or Go Home BBQ Bash (DAY 1)	May 10, 2019
-3.1	McGregor Lions Club Barrels & BBQ	Nov 15, 2019
-0.7	Mountain Smoke Barbecue Festival Day 2	Mar 15, 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	GCs	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2020	9	0	6	1	78%	top 24%	96.9%	95.4%
2019	17	1	7	0	88%	top 33%	96.7%	93.7%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Nov 21, 2020	McGregor Lions Club Barrels & BBQ (Day 2) 🏅 Waco, TX	4 / 25 (690.8344)	10 (174.8572)	17 (167.4172)	4 (174.8572)	5 (173.7028)
Nov 20, 2020	McGregor Lions Club Barrels & BBQ (Day 1) 🏅 Waco, TX	10 / 26 (686.7424)	8 (172.5484)	22 (161.6456)	11 (173.1084)	1 (179.4400)
Oct 30, 2020	Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS	31 / 93 (679.9656)	19 (174.8456)	75 (160.5600)	22 (173.1200)	28 (171.4400)
Oct 24, 2020	Firelake BBQ Cook Off-Day 2 🏅 Shawnee, OK	5 / 58 (697.6456)	36 (171.9656)	12 (176)	—	8 (176.5600)
Oct 23, 2020	Firelake BBQ Cook Off-Day 1 🏅 Shawnee, OK	29 / 64 (684.4916)	47 (168.5716)	26 (170.8344)	—	19 (173.1200)
Sep 19, 2020	The Oklahoma Grand BBQ Championship Day 2 🏅 Shawnee, OK	9 / 56 (692.5028)	18 (174.2628)	6 (175.4172)	22 (171.9772)	25 (170.8456)
Sep 18, 2020	The Oklahoma Grand BBQ Championship Day 1 🏅 Shawnee, OK	6 / 56 (689.6800)	7 (174.2628)	30 (169.1200)	33 (169.1544)	3 (177.1428)
Aug 7, 2020	15th Annual HANOR Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ 🏅 Enid, OK	18 / 54 (674.1484)	10 (173.1200)	16 (170.2512)	—	38 (161.0972)
Feb 14, 2020	Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown 🏅 Huntsville, TX	6 / 42 (687.3484)	24 (166.2400)	13 (171.4056)	4 (177.1544)	10 (172.5484)
Nov 15, 2019	McGregor Lions Club Barrels & BBQ Belton, TX	15 / 24 (654.2168)	23 (155.3712)	23 (152)	2 (177.1428)	9 (169.7028)
Oct 25, 2019	Smokin' on the Square 🏅 El Dorado, AR	9 / 20 (669.5308)	9 (170.2628)	12 (165.0740)	11 (164.5256)	9 (169.6684)
Oct 4, 2019	Go Hog Wild Arkansas BBQ Championship 🏅 Sheridan, AR	5 / 26 (683.3252)	2 (175.4056)	2 (173.7028)	16 (161.1084)	4 (173.1084)
Aug 30, 2019	Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival 🏅 Bedford, TX	12 / 58 (685.0856)	14 (173.7028)	41 (164.5372)	26 (170.2856)	3 (176.5600)
Aug 23, 2019	Raider Red Meat BBQ & Ribeye Championship 🏅 Lubbock, TX	6 / 62 (683.3484)	5 (174.2628)	11 (170.8228)	23 (166.2856)	9 (171.9772)
Aug 16, 2019	BBQ and Fly In on the River 🏅 Excelsior Springs, MO	23 / 68 (677.5996)	44 (166.8112)	28 (170.2628)	29 (167.3828)	11 (173.1428)
Aug 2, 2019	San Luis Valley Beat the Heat BBQ 🏅 Alamosa, CO	1 / 54 (695.9884)	3 (178.8800)	19 (169.1428)	4 (175.4056)	7 (172.5600)
Jun 29, 2019	Smokin On The Pecos (Day 2) 🏅 Artesia, NM	12 / 34 (683.4284)	11 (173.1428)	23 (165.7372)	—	11 (170.8456)
Jun 28, 2019	Smokin On The Pecos (Day 1) 🏅 Artesia, NM	15 / 41 (675.9200)	9 (174.2628)	21 (166.2744)	—	19 (164.5256)
Jun 22, 2019	Festival of the Pig - Oklahoma BBQ Championship 🏅 Oklahoma City, OK	12 / 27 (671.3140)	12 (169.7028)	14 (167.4172)	14 (163.3828)	7 (170.8112)
Jun 7, 2019	Buskers, Brews & BBQ 🏅 Aurora, CO	10 / 38 (678.2060)	12 (170.8228)	23 (166.2516)	5 (172)	4 (169.1316)
May 11, 2019	Mark Marley's Go Big or Go Home BBQ Bash (DAY 2) 🏅 Plainview, TX	11 / 21 (676.4684)	8 (173.1200)	18 (166.2628)	4 (174.8456)	18 (162.2400)
May 10, 2019	Mark Marley's Go Big or Go Home BBQ Bash (DAY 1) 🏅 Plainview, TX	21 / 38 (642.7660)	33 (146.8344)	30 (149.0860)	10 (171.4284)	6 (175.4172)
Apr 5, 2019	Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Cedar Park, TX	7 / 61 (681.6112)	10 (173.1084)	11 (171.4172)	27 (165.1200)	6 (171.9656)
Mar 15, 2019	Mountain Smoke Barbecue Festival Day 2 🏅 Ruidoso, NM	13 / 21 (664.9944)	3 (175.4172)	14 (166.2516)	19 (153.6572)	11 (169.6684)
Mar 14, 2019	Mountain Smoke Barbecue Festival Day 1 🏅 Ruidoso, NM	5 / 18 (671.3368)	5 (172.5484)	11 (161.6800)	3 (172.5828)	8 (164.5256)
Feb 1, 2019	Humble Rodeo and BBQ 🏅 Humble, TX	14 / 126 (669.6456)	44 (162.8228)	37 (164.5944)	38 (164.5256)	3 (177.7028)

Texas Smoke Whisper

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

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 (16 found in their record)

Among the elite

Against the odds

On the rise

Giant slayer

They almost always walk

High-water mark

State champions

The one to beat

The weak link

The drought

A strong matchup

Brisket nemesis

They cook the hard rooms

An August team

The long haul

The metronome

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)