Barking Pig BBQ

Barking Pig BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 41 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2018 and 2026. They have won 2 Grand Championships, most recently at the Railyard BBQ Brawl (2022), and finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #3499 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#3,499

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1493

peak 1552 · rated over 30 contests3 invitational or side-series contests not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Aug 10, 2018

latest Jul 17, 2026 · 7.9 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#306

Master 2023 · every season

Grand champs

1 reserve · wins it all 5% of the time

Category wins

10 podiums

Overall top-10s

7% of 41 contests

Avg finish

top 60%

overall standings

Best overall

702.7884 / 720

Master · Railyard BBQ Brawl 2023

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

670.74 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 670.16 (+0.58)

Walk rate

37%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Pork · Railyard BBQ Brawl 2023

Consistency

±18.23

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 168.31 · weakest Brisket (164.71)

Road miles

6,474

across 40 mapped stops · furthest 508 mi

Schedule strength

67%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1584)

Purse competed for

$467K

listed at 28 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

2 🏅

won from 27 state-championship entries

Master avg

670.16 / 720

27 Master contests · 1 GC

Backyard avg

333.55 / 360

5 Backyard contests · 1 GC

Backyard (3-meat) avg

491.86 / 540

1 Backyard (3-meat) contest · 0 GCs

These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360, Backyard (3-meat) out of 540), 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 (16 found in their record)

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

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.

Pork ×1

Against the odds

18-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 82 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Railyard BBQ Brawl (Oct 28, 2022) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 18-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, Hickory Hangover.

Giant slayer

34 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 34-team field at Smoke on the Falls.

Apr 8, 2022

Happy hunting ground

1× Grand Championship here

Railyard BBQ Brawl 2023 is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 1st
average top 12%

High-water mark

702.7884 career-best overall

97.6% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 702.7884 at Railyard BBQ Brawl 2023 — 97.6% of a perfect 720.

Master
Oct 27, 2023

State champions

2 state championships won

They've taken 2 state championships from 27 entries at contests carrying the title.

27 state-championship entries

Their season

2022 2 Grand Championships

2022 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 2 Grand Championships and 2 category wins, at an average finish in the top 23%.

4 contests
2 overall top-10s
2 category wins
average top 23%

Show 9 more storylines

A tough matchup

19–2 behind in the head-to-head

Organizer Portal ahead in 90% of their meetings

Organizer Portal has come out ahead in 19 of their 21 shared contests.

The drought

27 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Railyard BBQ Brawl on Oct 28, 2022 — 27 contests and 3.9 years ago.

last GC Oct 28, 2022
3.9 years ago

A strong matchup

10–3 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 77% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Kick Em In The Butt BBQ in 10 of their 13 shared contests.

Pork nemesis

14 of 17 shared pork entries lost

Organizer Portal ahead 82% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Organizer Portal has out-cooked them in 14 of 17 shared pork entries.

Going the wrong way

-27 rating points in a year

The rating has slipped 27 points across 5 contests since Jul 25, 2025 — from 1520 down to 1493.

5 contests since Jul 25, 2025
now 1493

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

BAMA BOYS BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

An April team

Top 47% average finish in April

Something about April: average finish in the top 47% across 7 contests, versus top 60% the rest of the year.

7 April contests
top 60% the rest of the year

The long haul

6,474 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 6,474 miles across 40 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 508 miles to American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides.

40 mapped stops
furthest 508 mi

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship every year from 2023 to 2026 — the contest they never miss.

4 visits in all
best finish 50th

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	#814 (120 pts)	#754 (180 pts)	#765 (195 pts)	#795 (135 pts)	#838 (120 pts)
2025 ↗	Master	#528 (336 pts)	#592 (316 pts)	#433 (561 pts)	#295 (786 pts)	#579 (296 pts)
2024 ↗	Master	#423 (486 pts)	#458 (466 pts)	#303 (826 pts)	#473 (436 pts)	#455 (481 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#306 (699 pts)	#385 (589 pts)	#319 (804 pts)	#286 (759 pts)	#348 (619 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Barking Pig BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

137 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.

THE NUT HOUSE

#3,510 of the rated field

1493 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 32%
Peak: 1566

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Barking Pig BBQ)

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

rated over 17 contests
last seen Oct 13, 2023

⚔ Head-to-head

Just Cluckin Off

#3,501 of the rated field

1493 power rating

Contests: 5
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1503

3–1 in 4 shared contests (75% to Barking Pig BBQ)

Their last contest in the data was back in 2023, 3 years before Barking Pig BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 5 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

CHOCOLATE CITY BBQ

#3,484 of the rated field

1493 power rating

Contests: 28
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1526

They've been 1526 at their best, 33 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 28 contests
last seen Oct 18, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

Whistle Pig BBQ

#3,490 of the rated field

1493 power rating

Contests: 33
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 24%
Peak: 1529

Careers of much the same size, 33 contests to 41, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 33 contests
last seen Aug 28, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

T-BONE BBQ MA

#3,517 of the rated field

1493 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 5%
Peak: 1493

20 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 5% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 20 contests
last seen Oct 4, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

COAL CRACKER BBQ

#3,514 of the rated field

1493 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 16%
Peak: 1516

Level with Barking Pig BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 19 contests
last seen Jul 25, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
LEE LA Q	21	3	17	14%	⚔ compare
Organizer Portal	21	1	19	5%	⚔ compare
Hickory Hangover	18	3	15	17%	⚔ compare
ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	17	1	16	6%	⚔ compare
PIGLITICALLY INCORRECT BBQ	16	4	11	25%	⚔ compare
BAD ROOSTER BBQ	16	3	13	19%	⚔ compare
HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ	16	3	13	19%	⚔ compare
NORALA BBQ TEAM	16	2	13	13%	⚔ compare
TENNESSEE SMOKE SHOWIN	15	4	11	27%	⚔ compare
Glamping Grillers	15	1	14	7%	⚔ compare
2 Swine Crew	14	5	8	36%	⚔ compare
Poppa Pig	14	1	13	7%	⚔ compare
Kick Em In The Butt BBQ	13	10	3	77%	⚔ compare
Blue Smoke Q	13	5	8	38%	⚔ compare
Stewbabys BBQ	13	5	8	38%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	37	4	2	3	178.8572	152.5256	166.95	top 63%
Pork Ribs	39	12	0	3	178.2972	142.8228	167.89	top 47%
Pork	30	6	1	3	180 🔥	152.5144	168.31	top 54%
Brisket	27	3	0	1	177.7028	153.6688	164.71	top 66%

“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	1	top 12%
Medium (20–39)	17	1	top 59%
Large (40+)	15	0	top 67%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
AL	15	2	top 54%
TN	10	0	top 69%
VA	3	0	top 65%
IN	2	0	top 57%
KS	1	0	top 71%
KY	1	0	top 46%
GA	1	0	top 44%
NC	1	0	top 72%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Smoke on the Falls	5	1	1	top 61%	Apr 3, 2026
Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship	4	50	0	top 73%	Mar 20, 2026
Poosa Q	4	28	0	top 66%	Jun 20, 2025
Railyard BBQ Brawl 2023	2	1	1	top 12%	Oct 27, 2023
Chillin & Grillin in the Glades	2	21	0	top 74%	Jul 17, 2026

More numbers

Busiest season 2024 10 contests

Contests a season 3.7 across 11 seasons in the data

Most contests held in TN 16 of 41 contests · 8 states in all

Contests visited 22 5 of them more than once

Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 39 entries · 0 wins · 12 calls

First title Apr 8, 2022 Smoke on the Falls

Opponents faced 1,325 finished ahead 1,003 times, behind 1,855

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

20261 milestone

Jul 17 Most recent contest Chillin & Grillin in the Glades

20241 milestone

May 24 25th tracked contest 6th Annual KCBS World Invitational - OPEN

20234 milestones

Oct 27 First Reserve Championship Railyard BBQ Brawl 2023
Oct 27 First perfect 180 (Pork) Railyard BBQ Brawl 2023
Oct 27 Career-best overall score702.7884 Railyard BBQ Brawl 2023
Oct 27 Peak power rating (1552) Railyard BBQ Brawl 2023

20226 milestones

Apr 8 First category win (Chicken) Smoke on the Falls
Apr 8 First overall top-10 Smoke on the Falls
Apr 8 First overall podium Smoke on the Falls
Apr 8 First Grand Championship Smoke on the Falls
Apr 8 First state championship Smoke on the Falls
Apr 8 Biggest field won (34 teams) Smoke on the Falls

20211 milestone

Apr 9 10th tracked contest Smoke on the Falls

—3 milestones

First tracked contest Scottsboro BBQ Cook Off Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)
First call Scottsboro BBQ Cook Off Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)
First overall past 90% of a perfect score334.8228 Scottsboro BBQ Cook Off Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+18.4	Smoke on the Falls	Apr 8, 2022
+16.7	Railyard BBQ Brawl	Oct 28, 2022
+15.6	Railyard BBQ Brawl 2023	Oct 27, 2023
+9.8	Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ	Sep 8, 2022
+9.4	High on the Hog Festival	Apr 19, 2019

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.2	Smokin in McMinnville	Aug 10, 2018
-9.5	Smoke on the Falls	Apr 3, 2026
-8.2	Smoke on the Falls	Sep 18, 2020
-8	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship	Mar 20, 2026
-7.8	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship	Mar 14, 2025

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)
—	1	0	0	0	100%	top 57%	93%	93%
2026	5	0	0	0	20%	top 82%	92.8%	92.7%
2025	5	0	0	1	40%	top 69%	94.7%	93.5%
2024	10	0	0	0	20%	top 70%	94.9%	93.3%
2023	7	0	1	0	57%	top 46%	97.6%	94.4%
2022	4	2	2	2	75%	top 23%	98.3%	95.3%
2021	1	0	0	0	0%	top 42%	94%	94%
2020	1	0	0	0	0%	top 129%	89%	89%
2019	3	0	0	0	33%	top 41%	92.1%	90.7%
2018	3	0	0	0	33%	top 86%	87.2%	85.7%
2017	1	0	0	0	0%	—	—	—

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jul 17, 2026	Chillin & Grillin in the Glades 🏅 Wise, VA	28 / 35 (666.7088)	31 (163.3944)	10 (173.1200)	30 (162.8000)	21 (167.3944)
Apr 3, 2026	Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL	30 / 36 (668.4572)	33 (166.2628)	27 (167.9772)	22 (169.6800)	29 (164.5372)
Mar 20, 2026	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN	103 / 125 (667.3144)	106 (164.5488)	100 (163.9428)	54 (172.5600)	86 (166.2628)
Mar 20, 2026	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Lebanon, TN	—	67 (158.2288)	—	—	—
Mar 20, 2026	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT RIBS) Lebanon, TN	—	—	22 (173.1316)	—	—
Aug 15, 2025	Madison Ribberfest 🏅 Madison, IN	33 / 45 (669.0172)	34 (166.2400)	12 (171.9772)	33 (166.8228)	33 (163.9772)
Jul 25, 2025	Smoke on the Mountain 🏅 Galax, VA	17 / 37 (682.1944)	28 (166.2628)	3 (175.4172)	1 (176.5716)	32 (163.9428)
Jun 20, 2025	Poosa Q 🏅 Montgomery, AL	28 / 42 (679.8972)	31 (169.6800)	20 (170.8688)	2 (177.7144)	40 (161.6340)
Apr 11, 2025	Smoke on the Falls BBQ Competition 🏅 Gadsden, AL	26 / 31 (665.5772)	21 (171.9772)	29 (156.5144)	12 (175.4056)	26 (161.6800)
Mar 14, 2025	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN	76 / 100 (669.0288)	85 (165.6800)	35 (171.9888)	61 (169.1200)	83 (162.2400)
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	317 / 444 (659.2796)	279 (166.8228)	309 (165.1428)	325 (163.3712)	293 (163.9428)
Oct 4, 2024	Poosa Q 🏅 Montgomery, AL	46 / 59 (667.3028)	51 (164.5256)	13 (173.7028)	30 (169.7144)	53 (159.3600)
Aug 16, 2024	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues 🏅 Madison, IN	20 / 49 (681.0632)	26 (169.6800)	22 (169.7144)	23 (170.8344)	16 (170.8344)
Jul 19, 2024	Chillin & Grillin in the Glades 🏅 Wise, VA	21 / 31 (678.1944)	23 (167.3828)	13 (171.4288)	15 (169.6800)	18 (169.7028)
May 25, 2024	6th Annual KCBS World Invitational - MASTER SERIES INVITATIONAL unrated Lebanon, TN	65 / 81 (681.5884)	74 (168.5256)	25 (175.4172)	48 (171.9772)	74 (165.6684)
May 24, 2024	6th Annual KCBS World Invitational - OPEN unrated Lebanon, TN	114 / 118 (652.4228)	117 (155.9540)	80 (167.4056)	75 (169.6800)	107 (159.3832)
Apr 12, 2024	Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL	16 / 31 (683.3028)	15 (175.4056)	5 (175.4172)	23 (166.2400)	21 (166.2400)
Mar 15, 2024	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN	65 / 93 (671.3260)	33 (173.1200)	4 (178.2972)	67 (166.2400)	88 (153.6688)
Mar 15, 2024	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT RIBS) Lebanon, TN	—	—	28 (169.6800)	—	—
Oct 27, 2023	Railyard BBQ Brawl 2023 🏅 Madison, AL	2 / 14 (702.7884)	11 (167.3828)	5 (177.7028)	2 (180)	3 (177.7028)
Oct 5, 2023	Poosa Q 🏅 Montgomery, AL	51 / 73 (668.4572)	34 (169.6684)	64 (160.5372)	53 (165.6916)	20 (172.5600)
Sep 15, 2023	Reuniting After War BBQ Competition 🏅 Bowling Green, KY	13 / 28 (679.9776)	8 (173.1544)	9 (170.8572)	4 (174.2744)	23 (161.6916)
Aug 18, 2023	Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival 🏅 Kennesaw, GA	12 / 27 (683.9088)	17 (169.6800)	17 (169.6916)	10 (171.9656)	9 (172.5716)
Apr 7, 2023	Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL	15 / 39 (673.0172)	13 (170.8228)	5 (173.1200)	23 (166.2400)	26 (162.8344)
Mar 17, 2023	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN	50 / 80 (671.8740)	44 (170.8228)	16 (171.9772)	46 (167.9884)	65 (161.0856)
Mar 17, 2023	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (One Meat Ribs) Lebanon, TN	—	—	39 (163.9772)	—	—
Oct 28, 2022	Railyard BBQ Brawl 🏅 Madison, AL	1 / 10 (690.2632)	1 (178.8572)	6 (167.9772)	4 (173.1316)	5 (170.2972)
Sep 8, 2022	Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ 🏅 Huntsville, AL	11 / 35 (674.2288)	2 (178.8572)	26 (164.5372)	14 (167.4172)	18 (163.4172)
May 5, 2022	Poosa Q 🏅 Montgomery, AL	35 / 72 (673.5772)	15 (173.1084)	67 (160.5144)	46 (166.8344)	14 (173.1200)
Apr 8, 2022	Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL	1 / 34 (353.7144)	1 (178.2972)	2 (175.4172)	—	—
Apr 9, 2021	Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL	16 / 38 (338.2512)	19 (168.5484)	14 (169.7028)	—	—
Sep 18, 2020	Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL	36 / 28 (320.4688)	39 (156.5028)	22 (163.9660)	—	—
Oct 25, 2019	Jack Daniel's World Championship Shade Tree Contest (BACKYARD) (JUDGES FULL) Lynchburg, TN	25 / 42 (491.8624)	12 (170.2628)	37 (155.9196)	24 (165.6800)	—
May 11, 2019	Dr.George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES) unrated Murfreesboro, TN	15 / 41 (497.5656)	26 (161.6456)	10 (166.2400)	—	—
Apr 19, 2019	High on the Hog Festival 🏅 Winchester, TN	11 / 39 (320.4800)	13 (158.7884)	13 (161.6916)	—	—
Oct 26, 2018	Jack Daniel's World Championship Shade Tree Contest (BACKYARD) (JUDGES FULL) Lynchburg, TN	—	15 (168.5372)	3 (170.2744)	32 (161.6684)	—
Oct 12, 2018	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down Rocky Mount, NC	28 / 39 (627.8628)	27 (157.6572)	28 (154.8228)	19 (161.6684)	23 (153.7144)
Aug 10, 2018	Smokin in McMinnville McMinnville, TN	28 / 28 (605.5772)	28 (152.5256)	28 (142.8228)	28 (152.5144)	21 (157.7144)
Oct 27, 2017	Jack Daniel's World Championship Shade Tree Contest (BACKYARD) Lynchburg, TN	—	40 (154.8572)	26 (163.4172)	38 (155.9428)	—
—	Scottsboro BBQ Cook Off Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Scottsboro, AL	13 / 23 (334.8228)	17 (163.3828)	6 (171.4400)	—	—

An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.

Barking Pig BBQ

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 (3-meat) avg

Storylines (16 found in their record)

Perfect scores on the board

Against the odds

Giant slayer

Happy hunting ground

High-water mark

State champions

Their season

A tough matchup

The drought

A strong matchup

Pork nemesis

Going the wrong way

Looking over their shoulder

An April team

The long haul

A standing appointment

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)