Happy hunting ground
Top 13%
average finish here
Lakeland Pig Festival is their spot: an average finish in the top 13% across 2 visits.
- 2 visits
- best finish 4th
- average top 13%
SWEET SMOKE Q
SWEET SMOKE Q is a competition barbecue team with 21 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 54 at the Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival (2020), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #839 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1624
peak 1628 · rated over 18 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted
Contests
21
in the data
First seen
Oct 31, 2013
latest Jul 9, 2026 · 12.7 years on the trail
Grand champs
0
1 reserve
Category wins
2
4 podiums
Overall top-10s
5
24% of 21 contests
Best top-10 run
2
straight overall top-10s
Avg finish
top 33%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
685.05 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 678.68 (+6.37)
Walk rate
71%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±9.15
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork Ribs
avg 170.65 · weakest Pork (166.53)
Road miles
10,755
across 21 mapped stops · furthest 2,024 mi
Schedule strength
66%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1584)
Purse competed for
$351K
listed at 12 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 13 state-championship entries
Master avg
678.68 / 720
19 Master contests · 0 GCs
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to SWEET SMOKE Q, each with one reason worth a look.
25 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#842 of the rated field
- Contests
- 26
- GCs
- 2
- Top-10s
- 58%
- Peak
- 1629
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to SWEET SMOKE Q)
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team SWEET SMOKE Q has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#841 of the rated field
- Contests
- 37
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 27%
- Peak
- 1631
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to SWEET SMOKE Q)
Their last contest in the data was back in 2023, 3 years before SWEET SMOKE Q's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Head-to-head#838 of the rated field
- Contests
- 43
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 26%
- Peak
- 1632
2–2 in 4 shared contests (50% to SWEET SMOKE Q)
A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 43 contests to 21.
⚔ Head-to-head#835 of the rated field
- Contests
- 70
- GCs
- 3
- Top-10s
- 47%
- Peak
- 1691
2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to SWEET SMOKE Q)
They've been 1691 at their best, 67 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-head#837 of the rated field
- Contests
- 101
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 25%
- Peak
- 1669
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to SWEET SMOKE Q)
Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 101 contests, alongside a 25% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Head-to-head#836 of the rated field
- Contests
- 27
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 41%
- Peak
- 1624
Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOT WACHULA'S | 16 | 6 | 10 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| Smoke Central BBQ | 10 | 3 | 7 | 30% | ⚔ compare |
| Going Yard BBQ | 9 | 7 | 2 | 78% | ⚔ compare |
| MUTTLEY CREW BBQ | 8 | 4 | 4 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| BACKYARD BROS | 8 | 3 | 5 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| Pig-Chicka-Cow-Cow | 8 | 1 | 7 | 13% | ⚔ compare |
| 4 LEGS UP BBQ | 7 | 2 | 5 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | 6 | 4 | 2 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| KNIFE PORK AND SPOON | 6 | 4 | 2 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| HOGS GONE WILD BBQ | 6 | 4 | 2 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| ELITE BBQ SMOKERS | 6 | 3 | 3 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N | 6 | 3 | 3 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| WHISKEY BENT BBQ - FL | 6 | 3 | 3 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| SWAMP BOYS | 6 | 3 | 3 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| ATLANTA BBQ STORE | 6 | 3 | 3 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 19 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 178.2972 | 159.3600 | 170.18 | top 39% |
| Pork Ribs | 21 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 179.4400 | 159.3484 | 170.65 | top 32% |
| Pork | 21 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 176.5716 | 153.7028 | 166.53 | top 50% |
| Brisket | 21 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 177.1772 | 158.2284 | 170.24 | top 33% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 4 | 0 | top 36% |
| Large (40+) | 15 | 0 | top 32% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire it up Frostproof! | 3 | 7 | 0 | top 42% | Mar 6, 2020 |
| Lakeland Pig Festival | 2 | 4 | 0 | top 13% | Jan 24, 2020 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2019
8 contests
Contests a season
2.6
across 8 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
FL
8 of 21 contests · 7 states in all
Contests visited
16
2 of them more than once
Opponents faced
1,140
finished ahead 1,261 times, behind 476
Longest layoff
5.8 yrs
Sep 5, 2020 → Jul 9, 2026
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20261 milestone
- Most recent contest South Carolina Festival of Discovery
20204 milestones
- First Reserve Championship Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival
- Career-best overall score706.8344 Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival
- Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)179.4400 Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival
- Peak power rating (1628) Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival
20191 milestone
- 10th tracked contest Fire it up Frostproof!
20136 milestones
- First tracked contest Riverside Resort Casino USA Barbecue Championship
- First call Riverside Resort Casino USA Barbecue Championship
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score658.7424 Riverside Resort Casino USA Barbecue Championship
- First category win (Chicken) When Pigs Fly South
- First overall top-10 When Pigs Fly South
- First overall podium When Pigs Fly South
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +16.4 | Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival | Sep 5, 2020 |
| +15.1 | When Pigs Fly South | Nov 15, 2013 |
| +14.4 | 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST | Sep 12, 2019 |
| +11.3 | SC Festival of Discovery | Jul 12, 2019 |
| +10.8 | Lakeland Pig Festival | Jan 24, 2020 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -4.5 | South Carolina Festival of Discovery | Jul 9, 2026 |
| -3.4 | Fire it up Frostproof! | Mar 6, 2020 |
Scores over time (% of a perfect score — 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 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 60% | 94.3% | 94.3% |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 100% | top 26% | 98.2% | 95.4% |
| 2019 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 63% | top 29% | 95.2% | 94.3% |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 46% | 93.6% | 93.6% |
| 2016 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 42% | 94.6% | 94% |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 47% | 93.6% | 93.6% |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | — | — | — |
| 2013 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 67% | top 27% | 94.8% | 93.2% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 9, 2026 | South Carolina Festival of Discovery 🏅 Greenwood, SC | 45 / 75 (678.7196) | 42 (171.4056) | 70 (159.3484) | 25 (173.1084) | 16 (174.8572) |
| Sep 5, 2020 | Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival 🏅 Augusta, GA | 2 / 54 (706.8344) | 11 (177.7028) | 1 (179.4400) | 6 (176.5716) | 19 (173.1200) |
| Sep 4, 2020 | Practice for Cash 🏅 Augusta, GA | 18 / 46 (679.9084) | 22 (170.2628) | 24 (167.3828) | 31 (166.2628) | 9 (176) |
| Mar 6, 2020 | Fire it up Frostproof! 🏅 Frostproof, FL | 17 / 32 (669.5768) | 14 (167.3940) | 25 (162.2400) | 19 (167.3828) | 7 (172.5600) |
| Jan 24, 2020 | Lakeland Pig Festival 🏅 Lakeland, FL | 4 / 53 (690.1940) | 6 (175.4172) | 15 (170.2628) | 18 (169.6684) | 4 (174.8456) |
| Nov 22, 2019 | Plant City Pig Jam 🏅 Plant City, FL | 7 / 39 (682.2056) | 13 (169.1428) | 3 (175.4172) | 6 (171.4172) | 19 (166.2284) |
| Sep 12, 2019 | 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 12 / 468 (514.2972) | 151 (169.1200) | 177 (167.4056) | 215 (166.2628) | 16 (177.1772) |
| Sep 12, 2019 | 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- INVITATIONAL CONTEST 🏅 unrated Kansas City, KS | 102 / 135 (671.2912) | 132 (159.3600) | 14 (176) | 132 (159.9312) | 17 (176) |
| Jul 12, 2019 | SC Festival of Discovery 🏅 Greenwood, SC | 14 / 83 (677.0856) | 49 (162.8344) | 6 (175.4400) | 27 (167.9656) | 12 (170.8456) |
| Jun 14, 2019 | Poosa-Q 🏅 Montgomery, AL | 18 / 48 (680.4572) | 16 (170.8344) | 8 (174.8572) | 38 (163.9428) | 22 (170.8228) |
| May 24, 2019 | Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival 🏅 Evans, GA | 24 / 72 (677.0172) | 26 (170.8344) | 51 (165.0856) | 17 (170.8344) | 28 (170.2628) |
| Apr 12, 2019 | Fire it up Frostproof! 🏅 Frostproof, FL | 7 / 25 (678.2172) | 5 (174.8572) | 14 (166.8344) | 4 (174.8572) | 15 (161.6684) |
| Jan 25, 2019 | Lakeland Pig Festival 🏅 Lakeland, FL | 11 / 58 (680.5028) | 16 (170.2972) | 29 (165.0972) | 10 (170.8228) | 7 (174.2856) |
| Sep 1, 2018 | Fire it up Frostproof! Frostproof, FL | 11 / 24 (673.6456) | 5 (172.0228) | 9 (171.9656) | 15 (162.8000) | 13 (166.8572) |
| Nov 11, 2016 | World Barbecue Championship Orange Beach, AL | 35 / 89 (680.9940) | 9 (176.5600) | 21 (170.8344) | 61 (163.9312) | 35 (169.6684) |
| Oct 21, 2016 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitation Barbecue (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) Lynchburg, TN | 42 / 96 (673.1084) | 83 (160.0228) | 14 (175.4172) | 30 (170.2972) | 55 (167.3712) |
| Nov 3, 2015 | World Food Championships Kissimmee, FL | 27 / 58 (673.6112) | 46 (165.0856) | 5 (175.4400) | 37 (167.4056) | 35 (165.6800) |
| Nov 13, 2014 | World Food Championships - World Barbecue Championships (Competitiors Series) Las Vegas, NV | — | — | 10 (172) | 15 (168.5600) | 4 (174.8456) |
| Nov 15, 2013 | When Pigs Fly South Lakeland, FL | 3 / 49 (682.8000) | 1 (178.2972) | 3 (173.1544) | 39 (157.0856) | 4 (174.2628) |
| Nov 7, 2013 | World Food Championships - World Barbecue Championship (Competitor's Series) Las Vegas, NV | — | — | 33 (165.6800) | 58 (153.7028) | 38 (159.4056) |
| Oct 31, 2013 | Riverside Resort Casino USA Barbecue Championship Laughlin, NV | 40 / 85 (658.7424) | 18 (172) | 5 (174.2856) | 72 (154.2284) | 52 (158.2284) |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.