Cowboy Q

Cowboy Q is a competition barbecue team with 40 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2025. They have won 2 Grand Championships, most recently at the Smokin' on the Square (2019), and finished Reserve Grand Champion twice. They are ranked #734 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#734

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1636

peak 1650 · rated over 38 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 3, 2013

latest Jun 6, 2025 · 12.1 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#188

Master 2021 · every season

Grand champs

2 reserve · wins it all 5% of the time

Category wins

13 podiums

Overall top-10s

40% of 40 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 41%

overall standings

Best overall

708.5372 / 720

Master · Go Hog Wild BBQ

Perfect 180s

3 🔥

Current form

688.24 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 676.47 (+11.76)

Walk rate

70%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Pork · Go Hog Wild BBQ

Consistency

±20.55

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 170.50 · weakest Brisket (167.70)

Road miles

7,440

across 40 mapped stops · furthest 702 mi

Schedule strength

67%

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

Purse competed for

$473K

listed at 31 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

2 🏅

won from 32 state-championship entries

Master avg

676.47 / 720

39 Master contests · 2 GCs

Storylines (16 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

1.1772 points from the title

Came within 1.1772 points of the Grand Championship at Go Hog Wild BBQ (Oct 6, 2023).

Perfect scores on the board

3 perfect 180s

3 perfect 180s in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in pork.

Pork ×3

Against the odds

13-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 87 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival (Sep 27, 2019) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 13-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, RAZORRACKS.

Giant slayer

43 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 43-team field at Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival.

Sep 27, 2019

They almost always walk

70% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 28 of 40 contests

A top-10 category call in 70% of their 40 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

708.5372 career-best overall

98.4% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 708.5372 at Go Hog Wild BBQ — 98.4% of a perfect 720.

Master
Oct 6, 2023

State champions

2 state championships won

They've taken 2 state championships from 32 entries at contests carrying the title.

32 state-championship entries

Show 9 more storylines

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

Kermit's Ex has finished one call ahead of Cowboy Q 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2019 2 Grand Championships

2019 was the year it came together: 7 contests, 2 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 24%.

7 contests
5 overall top-10s
1 category win
average top 24%

A tough matchup

24–7 behind in the head-to-head

RAZORRACKS ahead in 77% of their meetings

RAZORRACKS has come out ahead in 24 of their 31 shared contests.

The drought

27 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Smokin' on the Square on Oct 25, 2019 — 27 contests and 7 years ago.

last GC Oct 25, 2019
7 years ago

A strong matchup

9–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of PORK AVENUE in 9 of their 9 shared contests.

The comeback

3.7 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 3.7 years, then back at Delta Smoke BBQ Contest (Jun 7, 2019).

last seen Oct 2, 2015
back Jun 7, 2019

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

3 RIVERS BBQ has landed one call behind them 3 times.

An April team

Top 32% average finish in April

Something about April: average finish in the top 32% across 3 contests, versus top 41% the rest of the year.

3 April contests
top 41% the rest of the year

The long haul

7,440 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 7,440 miles across 40 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 702 miles to 10th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam.

40 mapped stops
furthest 702 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
2023 ↗	Master	#421 (466 pts)	#373 (611 pts)	#544 (406 pts)	#481 (426 pts)	#566 (321 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#309 (751 pts)	#367 (656 pts)	#303 (841 pts)	#412 (556 pts)	#305 (766 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#188 (986 pts)	#162 (1,116 pts)	#264 (796 pts)	#207 (931 pts)	#212 (921 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#856 (60 pts)	#896 (60 pts)	#913 (60 pts)	#872 (70 pts)	#883 (60 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#296 (1,031 pts)	#310 (986 pts)	#468 (736 pts)	#281 (1,071 pts)	#370 (881 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Cowboy Q, each with one reason worth a look.

BILLY RAY BBQ

#739 of the rated field

1636 power rating

Contests: 58
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 28%
Peak: 1681

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Cowboy Q)

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

rated over 51 contests
last seen Mar 20, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

VICIOUS SMOKE

#740 of the rated field

1636 power rating

Contests: 36
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1636

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 35 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 35 contests
last seen Aug 17, 2018

⚔ Compare careers

Swine 'N' Roses BBQ

#737 of the rated field

1636 power rating

Contests: 46
GCs: 5
Top-10s: 59%
Peak: 1716

Careers of much the same size, 46 contests to 40, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 45 contests
last seen May 1, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Meat Monarchy

#731 of the rated field

1636 power rating

Contests: 48
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 38%
Peak: 1636

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 48 contests, alongside a 38% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 46 contests
last seen Sep 19, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

ELEGANTLY VIOLENT BBQ

#735 of the rated field

1636 power rating

Contests: 52
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 29%
Peak: 1645

Level with Cowboy Q on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 49 contests
last seen Oct 30, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

RICHIE Z's

#732 of the rated field

1636 power rating

Contests: 61
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 28%
Peak: 1638

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 59 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 59 contests
last seen Jul 12, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
RAZORRACKS	31	7	24	23%	⚔ compare
FIRE DANCER BBQ	26	14	12	54%	⚔ compare
Kermit's Ex	20	9	11	45%	⚔ compare
DAD'S GRILLIN CREW	18	8	10	44%	⚔ compare
MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ	16	8	8	50%	⚔ compare
Piggin' Whiskey	16	4	12	25%	⚔ compare
BLIND HOG BBQ	15	8	7	53%	⚔ compare
PIGLITICALLY INCORRECT BBQ	14	3	11	21%	⚔ compare
ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	12	3	9	25%	⚔ compare
Q-BONES BBQ	12	3	9	25%	⚔ compare
Smokin Through The Night	11	8	3	73%	⚔ compare
Kith n' Kin	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
Organizer Portal	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
TRIPLE H BBQ	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
Heavy Smoke BBQ	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	39	19	1	4	179.4400	145.6340	170.50	top 39%
Pork Ribs	39	14	1	3	177.7028	143.8400	168.56	top 44%
Pork	37	14	0	5	180 🔥	148.6056	169.76	top 42%
Brisket	39	11	0	1	177.7028	141.7028	167.70	top 47%

“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	0	top 43%
Medium (20–39)	21	1	top 42%
Large (40+)	16	1	top 40%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
AR	22	2	top 38%
TN	5	0	top 56%
MS	4	0	top 23%
MO	4	0	top 52%
OK	3	0	top 51%
KS	1	0	top 43%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival	3	1	1	top 36%	Sep 27, 2024
Delta Smoke BBQ Contest	3	2	0	top 24%	Jun 10, 2022
Go Hog Wild Arkansas BBQ Championship	3	8	0	top 45%	Oct 4, 2019
Beats, Brews, & BBQ	2	10	0	top 59%	Apr 1, 2022

More numbers

Busiest season 2021 9 contests

Contests a season 3.6 across 11 seasons in the data

Most contests held in AR 22 of 40 contests · 7 states in all

Contests visited 32 4 of them more than once

First title Sep 27, 2019 Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival

Opponents faced 913 finished ahead 906 times, behind 678

Longest layoff 3.7 yrs Oct 2, 2015 → Jun 7, 2019

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

20261 milestone

Jan 9 Most recent contest 10th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam

20241 milestone

Sep 20 Peak power rating (1650) Smoke on the Water

20231 milestone

Oct 6 Career-best overall score708.5372 Go Hog Wild BBQ

20221 milestone

Mar 18 25th tracked contest Smoke on The Shores

20197 milestones

Jun 7 First overall podium Delta Smoke BBQ Contest
Jun 7 First Reserve Championship Delta Smoke BBQ Contest
Jun 7 First perfect 180 (Pork) Delta Smoke BBQ Contest
Sep 6 10th tracked contest Smokin' on the White
Sep 27 First Grand Championship Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival
Sep 27 First state championship Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival
Sep 27 Biggest field won (43 teams) Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival

20144 milestones

Mar 14 First call Don't Be Cruel BBQ Duel Benefiting Link Centre
Mar 14 First overall past 90% of a perfect score674.8228 Don't Be Cruel BBQ Duel Benefiting Link Centre
Apr 4 First category win (Pork Ribs) Kennett Jaycee's Show Me State BBQ Cookoff
Apr 4 First overall top-10 Kennett Jaycee's Show Me State BBQ Cookoff

20131 milestone

May 3 First tracked contest Smokelawn

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+17	Delta Smoke BBQ Contest	Jun 7, 2019
+16.3	Smokin' on the Square	Oct 25, 2019
+15.2	Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival	Sep 27, 2019
+13.2	DeSoto Shrine Club 13th Annual BBQ Cook-Off	Jun 18, 2021
+11.3	Go Hog Wild BBQ	Oct 6, 2023

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-15.5	Mozingo Lake BBQ	Sep 5, 2020
-9.4	Beats, Brews, & BBQ	Jun 12, 2020
-8.3	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship	Mar 15, 2024
-6.1	Smokelawn	May 3, 2013
-5.4	Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival	Sep 27, 2024

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)
2026	1	0	0	0	0%	—	—	—
2025	2	0	0	0	100%	top 60%	95.7%	95.5%
2024	4	0	1	0	100%	top 43%	96.6%	95.3%
2023	3	0	2	0	67%	top 29%	98.4%	95.9%
2022	6	0	3	0	67%	top 32%	96.2%	95.2%
2021	9	0	3	0	56%	top 45%	96.7%	94.3%
2020	2	0	0	0	0%	top 90%	89.7%	86.9%
2019	7	2	5	1	86%	top 24%	97.2%	95%
2015	1	0	0	0	100%	top 68%	87.3%	87.3%
2014	4	0	2	1	100%	top 37%	93.7%	92.6%
2013	1	0	0	0	0%	top 71%	87.3%	87.3%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jan 9, 2026	10th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam 🏅 St. Augustine, FL	—	—	—	—	—
Jun 6, 2025	Hayden West's Delta Smoke BBQ Contest 🏅 Wynne, AR	19 / 30 (689.0400)	4 (178.8572)	18 (170.8228)	19 (173.1200)	24 (166.2400)
Mar 14, 2025	University of Arkansas Animal Science Boots, Brews, and BBQ Contest 🏅 Fayetteville, AR	16 / 28 (686.7428)	8 (175.4172)	23 (167.3828)	10 (174.2628)	14 (169.6800)
Sep 27, 2024	Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival 🏅 Jonesboro, AR	18 / 27 (683.8740)	17 (169.6800)	7 (175.4172)	17 (171.9656)	19 (166.8112)
Sep 20, 2024	Smoke on the Water 🏅 Pine Bluff, AR	12 / 42 (686.1712)	7 (176)	4 (175.4172)	7 (174.2628)	37 (160.4912)
Jun 7, 2024	Hayden West's Delta Smoke BBQ Contest 🏅 Wynne, AR	7 / 33 (695.3484)	11 (174.2628)	8 (173.7144)	11 (171.9656)	6 (175.4056)
Mar 15, 2024	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN	51 / 93 (678.7312)	64 (169.6800)	88 (160.5256)	5 (177.7028)	34 (170.8228)
Oct 27, 2023	Smoke on the Water - Saracen Casino PB 🏅 Pine Bluff, AR	19 / 49 (685.0512)	15 (174.2628)	13 (174.8572)	29 (167.3828)	22 (168.5484)
Oct 6, 2023	Go Hog Wild BBQ 🏅 Sheridan, AR	2 / 26 (708.5372)	2 (178.8572)	6 (176.5600)	2 (180)	8 (173.1200)
Sep 29, 2023	Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival 🏅 Jonesboro, AR	10 / 25 (678.1600)	2 (178.8572)	11 (169.6800)	12 (166.8228)	15 (162.8000)
Oct 21, 2022	Saracen Casino Smoke on the Water 🏅 Pine Bluff, AR	20 / 47 (680.4684)	27 (169.6684)	11 (172.5716)	23 (169.1084)	23 (169.1200)
Sep 23, 2022	Downtown Jonesboro BarBQ Festival 🏅 Jonesboro, AR	6 / 33 (692.5376)	8 (173.7144)	9 (171.4288)	11 (171.9772)	4 (175.4172)
Jun 10, 2022	Delta Smoke BBQ Contest 🏅 Wynne, AR	16 / 33 (678.7772)	17 (169.1200)	16 (171.9656)	26 (165.7144)	12 (171.9772)
Apr 22, 2022	Southaven Springfest 🏅 Southaven, MS	8 / 36 (689.6344)	10 (173.1200)	6 (175.4172)	26 (164.5372)	6 (176.5600)
Apr 1, 2022	Beats, Brews, & BBQ 🏅 Wagoner, OK	10 / 30 (686.1712)	10 (173.1200)	3 (177.7028)	19 (167.3828)	14 (167.9656)
Mar 18, 2022	Smoke on The Shores 🏅 Lebanon, TN	16 / 63 (686.2284)	21 (172)	25 (169.6684)	8 (174.8572)	21 (169.7028)
Oct 8, 2021	32nd Annual Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series) (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) unrated Lynchburg, TN	63 / 70 (660.4224)	56 (164.5256)	61 (165.1084)	60 (163.9656)	52 (166.8228)
Oct 1, 2021	Go Hog Wild BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Sheridan, AR	16 / 30 (674.2516)	4 (176.5600)	18 (167.4172)	20 (163.4056)	18 (166.8688)
Sep 3, 2021	Smithfield Classic in Nashville 🏅 Nashville, TN	29 / 50 (681.0284)	27 (170.2628)	34 (169.1200)	18 (173.1200)	33 (168.5256)
Aug 20, 2021	Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS	20 / 46 (670.1256)	22 (168.5256)	16 (167.9656)	25 (167.3944)	21 (166.2400)
Jul 16, 2021	County Seat Cookoff Jay, OK	5 / 15 (685.6344)	7 (173.7144)	12 (165.6916)	2 (175.4056)	6 (170.8228)
Jun 18, 2021	DeSoto Shrine Club 13th Annual BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Nesbit, MS	4 / 48 (696.4912)	8 (176)	26 (167.3828)	7 (175.4056)	4 (177.7028)
Jun 11, 2021	Delta Smoke BBQ Contest 🏅 Wynne, AR	8 / 38 (695.9544)	4 (176.5600)	4 (177.1544)	11 (175.4172)	20 (166.8228)
Jun 4, 2021	Covington TN's World's Oldest BBQ Cooking Contest 🏅 Covington, TN	17 / 34 (673.6228)	8 (174.2972)	23 (163.9656)	24 (165.0972)	13 (170.2628)
May 1, 2021	39th Annual Kennett Jaycees Show Me State BBQ Cook Off 🏅 Kennett, MO	14 / 32 (675.9084)	14 (168)	17 (167.4056)	17 (169.6800)	12 (170.8228)
Sep 5, 2020	Mozingo Lake BBQ 🏅 Maryville, MO	32 / 34 (606.2968)	18 (165.1200)	32 (150.8684)	32 (148.6056)	33 (141.7028)
Jun 12, 2020	Beats, Brews, & BBQ 🏅 Wagoner, OK	47 / 55 (645.6000)	54 (155.9656)	47 (155.9544)	—	40 (162.2400)
Oct 25, 2019	Smokin' on the Square 🏅 El Dorado, AR	1 / 20 (694.8228)	1 (179.4400)	11 (166.8228)	4 (170.8572)	2 (177.7028)
Oct 4, 2019	Go Hog Wild Arkansas BBQ Championship 🏅 Sheridan, AR	9 / 26 (666.7540)	7 (170.8572)	17 (155.9312)	3 (172)	9 (167.9656)
Sep 27, 2019	Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival 🏅 Jonesboro, AR	1 / 43 (699.9544)	6 (173.1316)	3 (173.7144)	3 (180)	4 (173.1084)
Sep 6, 2019	Smokin' on the White 🏅 Batesville, AR	8 / 15 (671.9084)	3 (172)	9 (167.3828)	4 (170.2628)	14 (162.2628)
Aug 16, 2019	Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest 🏅 Cape Girardeau, MO	13 / 45 (675.9084)	20 (166.8572)	23 (164.5372)	7 (173.1084)	11 (171.4056)
Jun 14, 2019	Desoto Shrine Club BBQ Cook off 🏅 Hernado, MS	20 / 49 (678.1484)	20 (173.1084)	17 (171.9772)	—	24 (166.8228)
Jun 7, 2019	Delta Smoke BBQ Contest 🏅 Wynne, AR	2 / 51 (699.9544)	9 (174.8572)	20 (169.6800)	3 (180)	5 (175.4172)
Oct 2, 2015	Go Hog Wild Arkansas BBQ Championship Sheridan, AR	17 / 25 (628.8568)	23 (145.6340)	23 (143.8400)	5 (172)	8 (167.3828)
Oct 3, 2014	Go Hog Wild Arkansas BBQ Championship Sheridan, AR	8 / 25 (674.8340)	9 (167.9656)	5 (170.8800)	11 (167.4056)	11 (168.5828)
May 2, 2014	Smokelawn Hot Springs, AR	21 / 39 (651.3600)	17 (167.4056)	4 (173.1544)	30 (154.2400)	26 (156.5600)
Apr 4, 2014	Kennett Jaycee's Show Me State BBQ Cookoff Kennett, MO	9 / 22 (665.7028)	17 (162.8344)	1 (175.4628)	18 (161.7028)	12 (165.7028)
Mar 14, 2014	Don't Be Cruel BBQ Duel Benefiting Link Centre Tupelo, MS	19 / 95 (674.8228)	46 (164.5600)	7 (174.2972)	15 (171.4056)	39 (164.5600)
May 3, 2013	Smokelawn Hot Springs, AR	29 / 41 (628.5710)	34 (154.8568)	12 (165.1428)	25 (159.4286)	37 (149.1428)

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

Cowboy Q

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

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)

The heartbreaker

Perfect scores on the board

Against the odds

Giant slayer

They almost always walk

High-water mark

State champions

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The drought

A strong matchup

The comeback

Looking over their shoulder

An April 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)