First Class BBQ KS
Rating
1571
peak 1578
Contests
30
in the data
First seen
2019-08-23
latest 2025-11-05
Best ToY finish
#244
Master 2022
Grand champs
0
1 reserve
Category wins
3
9 podiums
Overall top-10s
7
of 30 contests
Avg finish
top 47%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
1 🔥
Current form
679.33 ▲
last 5 vs career avg 657.70 (+21.63)
Walk rate
47%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
2
best run (overall)
Consistency
±95.06
std dev of overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 169.76 · weakest Brisket (168.31)
Road miles
10012
mi across 30 mapped stops · furthest 1127 mi
Storylines
⚔️ A tough matchup
Rio Valley Meat BBQ has come out ahead in 12 of their 13 shared contests.
⚔️ A strong matchup
They've finished ahead of JCs GOOD OL BOYS in 7 of their 8 shared contests.
💔 The heartbreaker
Came within 4.0460 points of the Grand Championship at McLouth BBQ Blowout 32nd Annual (2023-06-02).
📅 A June team
Something about June: average finish in the top 36% across 5 contests, versus top 47% the rest of the year.
Teams like this (closest power rating, KS first)
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 27 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 178.8572 | 157.1084 | 169.76 | top 46% |
| Pork Ribs | 28 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 180.0000 🔥 | 158.8116 | 168.63 | top 49% |
| Pork | 27 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 179.4400 | 160.5372 | 169.18 | top 47% |
| Brisket | 28 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 178.8572 | 157.0744 | 168.31 | top 46% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| KS | 9 | 0 | top 53% |
| TX | 6 | 0 | top 36% |
| IL | 3 | 0 | top 45% |
| TN | 2 | 0 | top 49% |
| IN | 2 | 0 | top 56% |
| MO | 2 | 0 | top 42% |
| MS | 2 | 0 | top 44% |
| AZ | 1 | 0 | top 31% |
| OK | 1 | 0 | top 69% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 2 | 0 | top 18% |
| Medium (20–39) | 11 | 0 | top 48% |
| Large (40+) | 15 | 0 | top 50% |
The story so far
- Busiest season: 2022 (9 contests)
- Cooks mostly in KS (10 of 30 contests)
- Most-entered category: Pork Ribs (28 entries)
- All-time average overall score: 657.70
- 1 perfect 180 on the books 🔥
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
Category scores over time
Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)
Where they finish (overall)
Best vs average (by meat)
Team of the Year rank by season
Season by season
| Season | Contests | GCs | Category wins | Best overall | Avg overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 690.8116 | 679.33 |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 681.0512 | 679.90 |
| 2023 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 695.4284 | 680.77 |
| 2022 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 690.8344 | 680.08 |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 660.4228 | 660.42 |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 686.8340 | 545.95 |
| 2019 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 676.4456 | 666.27 |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-05 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest Kansas City, KS | 109 / 158 (678.7544) | 29 (176.5600) | 143 (164.5372) | 130 (166.2400) | 63 (171.4172) |
| 2025-11-05 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest Kansas City, KS | 243 / 401 (671.8860) | 282 (166.2516) | 254 (166.8344) | 66 (175.4172) | 285 (163.3828) |
| 2025-10-10 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series) (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) Lynchburg, TN | 30 / 90 (690.8116) | 66 (168.5600) | 37 (173.1316) | 41 (172.5600) | 10 (176.5600) |
| 2025-10-03 | Hub City BBQ Fest (formerly TN River BBQ Fest) Jackson, TN | 16 / 25 (676.4572) | 12 (171.9656) | 18 (168.5488) | 21 (160.5372) | 8 (175.4056) |
| 2025-01-17 | 10th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge Bullhead City, AZ | 15 / 48 (678.7544) | 1 (178.8572) | 33 (165.1088) | 20 (169.6684) | 29 (165.1200) |
| 2024-10-30 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest Kansas City, KS | 117 / 169 (678.7428) | 65 (173.7028) | 132 (167.9772) | 113 (169.6800) | 131 (167.3828) |
| 2024-10-30 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest Kansas City, KS | 169 / 444 (681.0512) | 148 (172.5600) | 98 (173.7144) | 222 (168.5484) | 257 (166.2284) |
| 2023-06-10 | Hoosier BBQ Classic #2 Franklin, IN | 22 / 28 (673.0172) | 15 (171.4172) | 6 (172.5716) | 21 (166.2400) | 26 (162.7884) |
| 2023-06-09 | Hoosier BBQ Classic #1 Franklin, IN | 13 / 38 (680.5140) | 14 (173.1428) | 26 (165.7028) | 13 (171.9772) | 13 (169.6912) |
| 2023-06-02 | McLouth BBQ Blowout 32nd Annual McLouth, KS | 2 / 36 (695.4284) | 4 (173.7372) | 9 (170.8456) | 3 (177.7028) | 2 (173.1428) |
| 2023-04-28 | WashMo BBQ & Bluesfest (JUDGING FULL) Washington, MO | 20 / 37 (674.1140) | 10 (173.1200) | 31 (159.3600) | 6 (175.4056) | 22 (166.2284) |
| 2022-10-07 | BooBQ BarBQ'N for Boobies Tomball, TX | 3 / 17 (690.8000) | 9 (165.0856) | 3 (173.7144) | 1 (179.4400) | 3 (172.5600) |
| 2022-10-01 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - SIDES Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022-09-29 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - INVITATIONAL CONTEST Kansas City, KS | 195 / 249 (670.1368) | 224 (163.9196) | 170 (167.9772) | 156 (169.1200) | 128 (169.1200) |
| 2022-09-29 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST Kansas City, KS | 156 / 505 (678.8232) | 320 (164.5716) | 184 (169.7028) | 112 (172.5716) | 94 (171.9772) |
| 2022-07-22 | EffingHAM-JAM Effingham, IL | 7 / 25 (679.3144) | 19 (165.0856) | 1 (180.0000) | 7 (170.2744) | 18 (163.9544) |
| 2022-07-15 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown Eureka, IL | 18 / 25 (663.3256) | 23 (157.1084) | 23 (158.8116) | 4 (173.1428) | 4 (174.2628) |
| 2022-07-15 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (One Meat Ribs) Eureka, IL | — | — | 11 (170.2628) | — | — |
| 2022-07-08 | Harvest on Fire at the Winery Marshall, IL | 10 / 28 (687.3484) | 4 (176.5600) | 5 (173.7028) | 24 (163.9656) | 10 (173.1200) |
| 2022-06-24 | Lake Murvaul BBQ Cook-Off Carthage, TX | 3 / 16 (690.8344) | 6 (173.1428) | 8 (169.1200) | 7 (169.7144) | 2 (178.8572) |
| 2021-06-04 | Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-off Cedar Park, TX | 21 / 48 (660.4228) | 25 (164.5372) | 20 (166.8344) | 16 (169.7028) | 25 (159.3484) |
| 2020-11-21 | McGregor Lions Club Barrels & BBQ (Day 2) Waco, TX | 17 / 25 (677.6344) | 2 (177.1428) | 9 (172.5600) | 24 (162.2516) | 18 (165.6800) |
| 2020-08-07 | 15th Annual HANOR Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ Enid, OK | 37 / 54 (652.4572) | 34 (165.7028) | 19 (168.5600) | 39 (161.1200) | 43 (157.0744) |
| 2020-04-06 | Socially Distanced Smoking - Brisket presented by The BBQ League washington, MO | 33 / 109 (166.8572) | — | — | — | 33 (166.8572) |
| 2020-02-14 | Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown Huntsville, TX | 7 / 42 (686.8340) | 8 (173.1428) | 16 (168.5712) | 11 (170.8572) | 7 (174.2628) |
| 2019-09-12 | 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- INVITATIONAL CONTEST Kansas City, KS | 88 / 135 (676.4456) | 119 (164.5256) | 32 (173.1316) | 42 (173.1200) | 117 (165.6684) |
| 2019-09-12 | 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST Kansas City, KS | 264 / 468 (654.7200) | 323 (161.0972) | 253 (165.1200) | 302 (162.2628) | 197 (166.2400) |
| 2019-08-30 | Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival Bedford, TX | 30 / 58 (670.7544) | 12 (174.2972) | 19 (169.7028) | 36 (165.0972) | 39 (161.6572) |
| 2019-08-24 | Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 2) Brandon, MS | 10 / 28 (669.0172) | 11 (169.1200) | 20 (161.6800) | 13 (166.2400) | 7 (171.9772) |
| 2019-08-23 | Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 1) Brandon, MS | 15 / 29 (660.4344) | 14 (168.5600) | 15 (163.9772) | 12 (165.0972) | 18 (162.8000) |
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 ↗ | Master | #971 (110 pts) | #634 (285 pts) | #1293 (60 pts) | #1111 (85 pts) | #1190 (60 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #878 (120 pts) | #977 (120 pts) | #1021 (120 pts) | #938 (120 pts) | #922 (120 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #244 (921 pts) | #323 (746 pts) | #205 (1100 pts) | #246 (946 pts) | #229 (991 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #1152 (80 pts) | #1286 (60 pts) | #1218 (85 pts) | #1091 (105 pts) | #1245 (60 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #2078 (92 pts) | #1785 (137 pts) | #2342 (62 pts) | #1716 (157 pts) | #2189 (87 pts) |