High-water mark
686.2516
career-best overall
95.3% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 686.2516 at Rose Festival's 24th Annual KCBS BBQ Competition — 95.3% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- 2025-06-20
BootsBBQ
At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)
Rating
1466
peak 1466 · rated over 14 contests ⓘ
Contests
14
in the data
First seen
2023-03-31
latest 2026-04-03
Best ToY finish
#151
Backyard 2025
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
3 podiums
Overall top-10s
1
of 14 contests
Avg finish
top 71%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
665.72 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 658.68 (+7.05)
Walk rate
36%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±16.15
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 167.49 · weakest Brisket (158.65)
Road miles
1,973
mi across 14 mapped stops · furthest 235 mi
Schedule strength
75%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1595)
Purse competed for
$181K
listed at 14 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
GCs in 12 state-championship entries
Master avg
658.68 / 720
7 Master contests · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
326.88 / 360
7 Backyard contests · 0 GCs
Master and Backyard overall scores sit on different scales (Master is out of 720, Backyard out of 360), 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 (8 found in this team's record)
Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.
The one to beat
2×
one call ahead of them
WHEN PIGS DIE has finished one call ahead of BootsBBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
A tough matchup
11–0
behind in the head-to-head
HOT DADDY'S BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings
HOT DADDY'S BBQ has come out ahead in 11 of their 11 shared contests.
The weak link
−8.8
points behind their best meat
Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 8.83 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 14% of the time against 14%.
- Brisket avg 158.65
- Chicken avg 167.49
- 1 calls in 7 entries
A strong matchup
6–2
ahead in the head-to-head
Ahead in 75% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of Bucknutz BBQ in 6 of their 8 shared contests.
Chicken nemesis
9 of 10
shared chicken entries lost
WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ ahead 90% of the time
Even in their strongest meat, WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ has out-cooked them in 9 of 10 shared chicken entries.
Looking over their shoulder
2×
one call behind them
NOT DAT BAD has landed one call behind them 2 times.
A standing appointment
4
years running at one contest
They've cooked Iowa State BBQ Championship every year from 2023 to 2026 — the contest they never miss.
- 4 visits in all
- best finish 22nd
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The nearest teams in the power rankings, with a different reason on each card — six teams on one rating are rarely on it for the same reason. Rating decides who makes the list; where teams tie on it, the ones this team has actually cooked against come first, then teams at a similar point in their own career. KCBS doesn’t publish where a team is from, so nothing here is inferred from geography.
138 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#4833 of the rated field
- Contests
- 7
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1466
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to BootsBBQ)
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team BootsBBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#4839 of the rated field
- Contests
- 32
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 3%
- Peak
- 1466
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to BootsBBQ)
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 31 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Head-to-head#4826 of the rated field
- Contests
- 14
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 14%
- Peak
- 1466
No shared contest yet.
Their last contest in the data was back in 2020, 6 years before BootsBBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Head-to-head#4842 of the rated field
- Contests
- 16
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 6%
- Peak
- 1508
No shared contest yet.
Careers of much the same size, 16 contests to 14, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-head#4835 of the rated field
- Contests
- 11
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1466
No shared contest yet.
They were already cooking in 2013, 10 years before BootsBBQ's first contest.
⚔ Head-to-head#4821 of the rated field
- Contests
- 10
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1466
No shared contest yet.
Level with BootsBBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | 11 | 1 | 10 | 9% | ⚔ compare |
| HOT DADDY'S BBQ | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| T-Rex BBQ | 10 | 2 | 8 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| Son of a Boar BBQ | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| HOME FARM BBQ | 9 | 2 | 6 | 22% | ⚔ compare |
| Bucknutz BBQ | 8 | 6 | 2 | 75% | ⚔ compare |
| UGLY BABY BBQ | 8 | 2 | 6 | 25% | ⚔ compare |
| BBQ Pit Bros | 8 | 1 | 7 | 13% | ⚔ compare |
| SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| TEAM CRAWFORD | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Matty Macks | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Chester's Twisted Que | 7 | 3 | 4 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokin Suckers | 7 | 3 | 4 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| Big Racks BBQ | 7 | 2 | 5 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 14 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 177.7028 | 150.8344 | 167.49 | top 57% |
| Pork Ribs | 14 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 174.8572 | 150.8116 | 164.55 | top 60% |
| Pork | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 176.5716 | 149.1084 | 162.83 | top 72% |
| Brisket | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 175.4400 | 144.4572 | 158.65 | top 76% |
“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 state / province
| Where | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| IA | 10 | 0 | top 75% |
| MO | 1 | 0 | top 96% |
| SD | 1 | 0 | top 64% |
| MN | 1 | 0 | top 24% |
| KS | 1 | 0 | top 68% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 2 | 0 | top 79% |
| Medium (20–39) | 5 | 0 | top 83% |
| Large (40+) | 7 | 0 | top 61% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa State BBQ Championship | 4 | 22 | 0 | top 68% | 2026-04-03 |
| Great River Threshers BBQ Contest (BACKYARD ONLY) (Day 2) | 2 | 12 | 0 | top 79% | 2025-07-12 |
The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)
On the trail
3 yrs
2023-03-31 → 2026-04-03
Busiest season
2025
7 contests
Contests a season
3.5
across 4 seasons in the data
Cooks most in
IA
10 of 14 contests · 5 states/provinces in all
Contests visited
10
2 of them cooked more than once
Most-entered meat
Chicken
14 entries · 0 wins · 2 calls
Strongest meat
Chicken
averages 167.49 · weakest Brisket (158.65)
Walk rate
36%
a top-10 call in 5 of 14 contests
Overall top-10 rate
7%
1 of 14 contests
Master average
658.68
out of 720 · 7 contests · 0 GCs
Backyard average
326.88
out of 360 · 7 contests · 0 GCs
Opponents faced
668
346–737 across every shared overall standing
Road miles
1,973
14 mapped stops · furthest 235 mi
Schedule strength
1595
average field rating faced — tougher than 75% of rated contests
Purse competed for
$181,425
listed at 14 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0
from 12 state-championship entries
Power rating
1466
peak 1466 · #4828 of 6,413 rated
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
- 2023
- First tracked contest Iowa State BBQ Championship
- Peak power rating (1494) Iowa State BBQ Championship
- First call Rose Festival 22nd Annual KCBS BBQ Competition
- 2024
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score327.3944 Iowa State BBQ Championship
- 2025
- First overall top-10 Rose Festival's 24th Annual KCBS BBQ Competition
- Career-best overall score686.2516 Rose Festival's 24th Annual KCBS BBQ Competition
- 10th tracked contest Great River Threshers BBQ Contest (BACKYARD ONLY) (Day 1)
- Career-best single call (Chicken)177.7028 1st Annual Boost & BBQ
- 2026
- Most recent contest Iowa State BBQ Championship
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +10.7 | Rose Festival's 24th Annual KCBS BBQ Competition | 2025-06-20 |
| +9.5 | Minnesota in May | 2025-05-09 |
| +3.9 | Iowa State BBQ Championship | 2026-04-03 |
| +1.8 | SD BBQ Shootout @ Huset's Speedway | 2025-08-29 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -10.2 | Rose Festival 22nd Annual KCBS BBQ Competition | 2023-06-16 |
| -9.5 | King of the Corn | 2024-05-17 |
| -7.6 | 23rd Annual Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition | 2024-06-14 |
| -7 | 1st Annual Boost & BBQ | 2025-10-24 |
| -6.6 | Great River Threshers BBQ Contest (BACKYARD ONLY) (Day 1) | 2025-07-11 |
Category scores over time
Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)
Where they finish (overall)
Best vs average (by meat)
How entries end (by meat)
Team of the Year rank by season
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 52% | 93.2% | 93.2% |
| 2025 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43% | top 64% | 95.3% | 92.4% |
| 2024 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25% | top 85% | 92% | 91.1% |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 80% | 87.9% | 85.8% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-03 | Iowa State BBQ Championship 🏅 Altoona, IA | 22 / 42 (335.3600) | 19 (169.6800) | 26 (165.6800) | — | — |
| 2025-10-24 | 1st Annual Boost & BBQ 🏅 Odessa, MO | 24 / 25 (650.0572) | 3 (177.7028) | 23 (163.9544) | 22 (163.9428) | 25 (144.4572) |
| 2025-08-29 | SD BBQ Shootout @ Huset's Speedway 🏅 Brandon, SD | 28 / 44 (673.1204) | 25 (170.2744) | 24 (169.1316) | 23 (170.2972) | 33 (163.4172) |
| 2025-07-12 | Great River Threshers BBQ Contest (BACKYARD ONLY) (Day 2) Miles, IA | 12 / 16 (337.6456) | 14 (167.9656) | 8 (169.6800) | — | — |
| 2025-07-11 | Great River Threshers BBQ Contest (BACKYARD ONLY) (Day 1) Miles, IA | 15 / 18 (326.8344) | 15 (165.7028) | 13 (161.1316) | 11 (162.8228) | — |
| 2025-06-20 | Rose Festival's 24th Annual KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 State Center, IA | 9 / 25 (686.2516) | 21 (163.4056) | 9 (170.8344) | 3 (176.5716) | 6 (175.4400) |
| 2025-05-09 | Minnesota in May 🏅 St. Peter, MN | 14 / 58 (338.2400) | 17 (170.8228) | 18 (167.4172) | — | — |
| 2025-04-04 | Iowa State BBQ Championship 🏅 Altoona, IA | 34 / 49 (321.0284) | 27 (163.9656) | 33 (157.0628) | — | — |
| 2024-10-30 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 301 / 444 (662.1944) | 159 (171.9772) | 372 (160.5372) | 343 (161.7028) | 199 (167.9772) |
| 2024-06-14 | 23rd Annual Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 State Center, IA | 23 / 25 (656.9832) | 12 (169.6800) | 21 (163.3944) | 22 (163.3828) | 22 (160.5260) |
| 2024-05-17 | King of the Corn 🏅 Ottumwa, IA | 34 / 36 (649.6000) | 30 (167.4056) | 2 (174.8572) | 36 (154.8000) | 35 (152.5372) |
| 2024-03-29 | Iowa State BBQ Championship 🏅 Altoona, IA | 36 / 42 (327.3944) | 38 (163.3828) | 32 (164.0116) | — | — |
| 2023-06-16 | Rose Festival 22nd Annual KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 State Center, IA | 26 / 27 (632.5256) | 8 (172.0228) | 16 (165.1660) | 26 (149.1084) | 27 (146.2284) |
| 2023-03-31 | Iowa State BBQ Championship 🏅 Altoona, IA | 30 / 47 (301.6460) | 30 (150.8344) | 30 (150.8116) | — | — |
Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)
Team of the Year standings (rank per category by season — year links to the full board on kcbs.us)
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 ↗ | Backyard | #151 (374 pts) | #155 (349 pts) | #150 (394 pts) | — | — |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #621 (250 pts) | #562 (355 pts) | #705 (260 pts) | #523 (360 pts) | #604 (275 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Backyard | #373 (60 pts) | #377 (60 pts) | #379 (60 pts) | — | — |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #754 (180 pts) | #724 (235 pts) | #563 (390 pts) | #788 (185 pts) | #786 (185 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Backyard | — | #377 (56 pts) | #386 (56 pts) | — | — |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #1616 (52 pts) | #934 (147 pts) | #1292 (97 pts) | #1611 (52 pts) | #1612 (52 pts) |