HOWLING HOG BARBECUE

At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)

Power ranking

#1647

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1555

peak 1555 · rated over 11 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-06-01

latest 2017-09-09

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 11 contests

Avg finish

top 32%

overall standings

Best overall

686.8228 / 720

Master · The Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ

Perfect 180s

Current form

656.41

last 5 Master vs avg 656.11 (+0.29)

Walk rate

100%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

174.8572

Chicken · Monadnock Up in Smoke BBQ, Beer Fest

Consistency

±13.77

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 168.15 · weakest Pork Ribs (158.43)

Road miles

860

mi across 11 mapped stops · furthest 112 mi

Schedule strength

23%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1531)

Master avg

656.11 / 720

11 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (9 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.

They almost always walk

100% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 11 of 11 contests

A top-10 category call in 100% of their 11 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

686.8228 career-best overall

95.4% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 686.8228 at The Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ — 95.4% of a perfect 720.

Master
2013-07-26

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

QUE AND A HALF MEN has finished one call ahead of HOWLING HOG BARBECUE 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2013 their best year

2013 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 16%.

4 contests
3 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 16%

A tough matchup

8–3 behind in the head-to-head

SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA ahead in 73% of their meetings

SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA has come out ahead in 8 of their 11 shared contests.

The weak link

−9.7 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 9.72 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 27% of the time against 73%.

Pork Ribs avg 158.43
Chicken avg 168.15
3 calls in 11 entries

A strong matchup

8–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 89% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of CIDER BOYS BBQ in 8 of their 9 shared contests.

The comeback

1.9 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 1.9 years, then back at Green Mountain BBQ Championship (2017-09-09).

last seen 2015-10-09
back 2017-09-09

The metronome

±1.91% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.91% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 91.1% of a perfect score
11 contests

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.

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

Hog's Plan BBQ

#1651 of the rated field

1554 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 8%
Peak: 1554

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 12 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 12 contests
last seen 2023-06-23

⚔ Head-to-head

GRILLA WARFARE BBQ

#1639 of the rated field

1555 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 67%
Peak: 1555

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 15 contests to 11, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 14 contests
last seen 2022-10-21
on a 6-contest top-10 run

⚔ Head-to-head

DAND BBQ

#1642 of the rated field

1555 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 29%
Peak: 1559

No shared contest yet.

14 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 29% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 14 contests
last seen 2015-05-22

⚔ Head-to-head

STUCK PIGS BBQ

#1640 of the rated field

1555 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 38%
Peak: 1555

No shared contest yet.

Level with HOWLING HOG BARBECUE on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 8 contests
last seen 2018-08-24

⚔ Head-to-head

FAT WALLY'S FIREHOUSE BBQ

#1648 of the rated field

1555 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 44%
Peak: 1567

No shared contest yet.

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 16 contests to 11.

rated over 16 contests
last seen 2022-06-03

⚔ Head-to-head

Regi-Q BBQ

#1644 of the rated field

1555 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 20%
Peak: 1555

No shared contest yet.

They turned up 10 years after HOWLING HOG BARBECUE did, first appearing in 2023.

rated over 7 contests
last seen 2025-11-05

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA	11	3	8	27%	⚔ compare
CIDER BOYS BBQ	9	8	1	89%	⚔ compare
THE BASIC BBQ TEAM	9	4	5	44%	⚔ compare
INSANE SWINE BBQ	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
QUE AND A HALF MEN	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
Rogue Hog BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
A MAZIE Q	7	4	3	57%	⚔ compare
HUMPHREY'S BBQ	7	4	3	57%	⚔ compare
BOAR-N-Q	6	6	0	100%	⚔ compare
Smokin Aces	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare
MEAT @ SLIMS	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
CAN U SMELL MY PITS BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
SQUEELS ON WHEELS	5	5	0	100%	⚔ compare
Smokin' Bulldogs	5	5	0	100%	⚔ compare
Udder Chaos	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	11	8	2	174.8572	154.8228	168.15	top 32%
Pork Ribs	11	3	0	169.1888	146.8570	158.43	top 60%
Pork	11	3	0	170.2856	155.3944	163.89	top 44%
Brisket	11	5	0	174.2856	144.5028	161.95	top 39%

“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	Avg finish
VT	4	top 45%
NH	3	top 26%
MA	2	top 17%
ME	2	top 30%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	8	0	top 35%
Large (40+)	3	0	top 26%

The story so far (16 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 4.3 yrs 2013-06-01 → 2017-09-09

Busiest season 2013 4 contests

Contests a season 2.8 across 4 seasons in the data

Cooks most in VT 4 of 11 contests · 4 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 11 0 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 11 entries · 0 wins · 8 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 168.15 · weakest Pork Ribs (158.43)

Walk rate 100% a top-10 call in 11 of 11 contests

Overall top-10 rate 45% 5 of 11 contests

Best top-10 run 4 straight contests

Master average 656.11 out of 720 · 11 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 170 235–114 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 860 11 mapped stops · furthest 112 mi

Schedule strength 1531 average field rating faced — tougher than 23% of rated contests

Longest layoff 1.9 yrs 2015-10-09 → 2017-09-09

Power rating 1555 peak 1555 · #1647 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Jun 1 First tracked contest Monadnock Up In Smoke BBQ Fest
Jun 1 First call Monadnock Up In Smoke BBQ Fest
Jun 1 First overall past 90% of a perfect score649.1424 Monadnock Up In Smoke BBQ Fest
Jun 21 First overall top-10 Smokin @ the Ballpark BBQ Festival
Jun 21 First overall podium Smokin @ the Ballpark BBQ Festival
Jul 26 Career-best overall score686.8228 The Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ
2014
May 31 Career-best single call (Chicken)174.8572 Monadnock Up in Smoke BBQ, Beer Fest
2015
Oct 9 10th tracked contest Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival
2017
Sep 9 Peak power rating (1555) Green Mountain BBQ Championship
Sep 9 Most recent contest Green Mountain BBQ Championship

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14	Smokin @ the Ballpark BBQ Festival	2013-06-21
+11.9	Riverside Blues & BBQ Festival	2013-10-11
+11.6	The Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ	2013-07-26
+6.9	Monadnock Up In Smoke BBQ Fest	2013-06-01
+6.2	Monadnock Up in Smoke BBQ Fest	2015-05-29

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-6.4	Green Mountain BBQ Championship	2015-06-27
-4.4	Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ	2014-07-25

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)

Season by season

Season	Contests	Top-10s	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2017	1	0	100%	top 38%	92.9%	92.9%
2015	3	1	100%	top 40%	91.7%	91.2%
2014	3	1	100%	top 44%	92%	89.6%
2013	4	3	100%	top 16%	95.4%	92.6%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2017-09-09	Green Mountain BBQ Championship Randolph, VT	12 / 32 (668.6288)	13 (167.4400)	5 (169.1888)	15 (166.8572)	15 (165.1428)
2015-10-09	Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival Greenfield, MA	5 / 25 (659.9084)	9 (169.6800)	13 (163.9884)	12 (164.5828)	19 (144.5028)
2015-06-27	Green Mountain BBQ Championship Waterbury, VT	16 / 23 (650.1712)	10 (170.8456)	7 (168.0000)	16 (160.0000)	19 (151.3256)
2015-05-29	Monadnock Up in Smoke BBQ Fest Swanzey, NH	15 / 49 (660.5716)	10 (170.3088)	35 (157.1200)	21 (165.1428)	10 (168.0000)
2014-08-08	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Scarborough, ME	14 / 28 (641.6572)	15 (161.1316)	18 (155.4056)	13 (161.1428)	7 (163.9772)
2014-07-25	Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ Windsor, VT	22 / 34 (632.4568)	29 (154.8228)	27 (151.3828)	8 (164.5712)	18 (161.6800)
2014-05-31	Monadnock Up in Smoke BBQ, Beer Fest Swanzey, NH	8 / 48 (662.2284)	2 (174.8572)	36 (152.5372)	19 (163.4400)	14 (160.5944)
2013-10-11	Riverside Blues & BBQ Festival Greenfield, MA	3 / 21 (655.9428)	5 (165.1200)	7 (163.4400)	11 (163.4172)	6 (163.9656)
2013-07-26	The Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ Windsor, VT	3 / 31 (686.8228)	6 (169.1428)	26 (155.3828)	24 (155.3944)	4 (168.5372)
2013-06-21	Smokin @ the Ballpark BBQ Festival Old Orchard Beach, ME	3 / 28 (675.4280)	3 (173.7142)	19 (159.4284)	5 (167.9998)	4 (174.2856)
2013-06-01	Monadnock Up In Smoke BBQ Fest Swanzey, NH	13 / 43 (649.1424)	4 (172.5714)	36 (146.8570)	7 (170.2856)	17 (159.4284)

HOWLING HOG BARBECUE

At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Best runs

Contests

First seen

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Top-10 streak

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Master avg

Storylines (9 found in this team's record)

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

The metronome

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

By meat

By state / province

By contest size

The story so far (16 numbers that describe this team)

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

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

📉 Toughest weekends

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)

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)