Perfect scores on the board
2 perfect 180s in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in pork ribs.
- Pork Ribs ×2
Bushwood BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 58 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2026. They have won 3 Grand Championships, most recently at the Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off (2025), and finished Reserve Grand Champion twice. They are ranked #1013 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
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.
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ↗ | Master | #311 (641 pts) | #444 (486 pts) | #331 (731 pts) | #279 (766 pts) | #269 (776 pts) |
| 2025 ↗ | Backyard | #45 (980 pts) | #44 (1,003 pts) | #44 (975 pts) | — | — |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #447 (430 pts) | #398 (580 pts) | #289 (876 pts) | #422 (510 pts) | #497 (395 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Backyard | #24 (1,104 pts) | #51 (886 pts) | #4 (1,328 pts) | — | — |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #723 (200 pts) | #806 (180 pts) | #407 (593 pts) | #788 (185 pts) | #682 (250 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Backyard | — | #37 (1,059 pts) | #74 (824 pts) | — | — |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #1255 (60 pts) | #1319 (60 pts) | #750 (260 pts) | #1287 (60 pts) | #1296 (60 pts) |
The teams rated closest to Bushwood BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.
27 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Bushwood BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-headThey've been 1648 at their best, 44 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Compare careersTheir last contest in the data was back in 2020, 6 years before Bushwood BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careersCareers of much the same size, 55 contests to 58, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers54 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 30% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Compare careersBoth teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.
⚔ Compare careers| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAN MEAT BBQ | 25 | 9 | 16 | 36% | ⚔ compare |
| MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ | 22 | 11 | 10 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| PARTS 'R' SMOKIN | 22 | 8 | 14 | 36% | ⚔ compare |
| JANKY LEG BBQ | 22 | 4 | 18 | 18% | ⚔ compare |
| Smoke This Drink That BBQ | 21 | 6 | 15 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| Big Reds Backyard BBQ | 20 | 12 | 8 | 60% | ⚔ compare |
| WOOD HOOK BBQ | 19 | 5 | 14 | 26% | ⚔ compare |
| Too Sauced BBQ | 19 | 4 | 15 | 21% | ⚔ compare |
| T-Dawg BBQ | 17 | 6 | 11 | 35% | ⚔ compare |
| MUNNY'S STOVE | 17 | 5 | 12 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokey Bey's Barbecue | 17 | 5 | 11 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| SLAPS BBQ | 17 | 3 | 12 | 18% | ⚔ compare |
| Swine-O-licious BBQ | 16 | 4 | 12 | 25% | ⚔ compare |
| Smoke 'n Magic | 15 | 7 | 8 | 47% | ⚔ compare |
| Kermit's Ex | 15 | 5 | 10 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 50 | 27 | 2 | 7 | 178.8572 | 149.6456 | 168.45 | top 46% |
| Pork Ribs | 54 | 31 | 5 | 10 | 180 🔥 | 155.4284 | 170.15 | top 41% |
| Pork | 22 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 176.0228 | 158.2400 | 168.17 | top 50% |
| Brisket | 20 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 176.5828 | 133.7140 | 165.84 | top 54% |
“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.
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 11 | 1 | top 49% |
| Medium (20–39) | 21 | 1 | top 35% |
| Large (40+) | 17 | 1 | top 53% |
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off | 4 | 1 | 1 | top 53% | Jul 11, 2025 |
| American Royal World Series of Barbecue Backyard Contest | 3 | 3 | 0 | top 31% | Mar 21, 2025 |
| Smokin on the Osage (Day 2) | 3 | 7 | 0 | top 32% | Jul 20, 2024 |
| American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | 2 | 184 | 0 | top 50% | Sep 30, 2026 |
| American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | 2 | 281 | 0 | top 71% | Nov 5, 2025 |
| Big Creek BBQ Bash (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2 | 7 | 0 | top 45% | Oct 3, 2025 |
| Smokin on the Route | 2 | 4 | 0 | top 57% | Sep 26, 2025 |
| Smokin on the Osage BBQ Contest and Car Show (Day 2) | 2 | 8 | 0 | top 29% | Jul 19, 2025 |
| 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational (Sunday, May 25, 2025) | 2 | 27 | 0 | top 60% | May 25, 2025 |
| Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 2) (MASTERS and BACKYARD) | 2 | 3 | 0 | top 13% | Oct 26, 2024 |
| Smokin in the Electric City (Day 2) | 2 | 3 | 0 | top 15% | Jul 15, 2023 |
| BBQ and Fly In on the River | 2 | 40 | 0 | top 72% | Aug 14, 2015 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +16.9 | East Central Kansas State BBQ Championship (BACKYARD) - Paola Roots Festival | Aug 25, 2023 |
| +16.2 | Smokin in the Electric City (Day 2) | Jul 15, 2023 |
| +16.1 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 1) (MASTERS and BACKYARD) | Oct 25, 2024 |
| +15.9 | Smokin in the Electric City (Day 1) | Jul 14, 2023 |
| +14.6 | Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off | Jul 11, 2025 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -15.9 | Smokin on the Route | Sep 26, 2025 |
| -14.4 | West Knoxville RotaryBBQ Cookoff | May 3, 2013 |
| -13.7 | Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off (Backyard 2) | Jul 11, 2025 |
| -10 | Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off (BACKYARD 2) | Jul 7, 2023 |
| -9 | Stover Rock Island Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) | Oct 10, 2025 |
| Season | Contests | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 63% | top 47% | 96.1% | 94.7% |
| 2025 | 21 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 57% | top 48% | 97.6% | 94% |
| 2024 | 17 | 1 | 11 | 5 | 82% | top 35% | 99.4% | 94.5% |
| 2023 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 89% | top 40% | 96.8% | 94.4% |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 66% | 89% | 89% |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 78% | 87.4% | 87.4% |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 96% | 83.9% | 83.9% |
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 30, 2026 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sep 30, 2026 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest Kansas City, KS | 184 / 360 (679.3600) | 220 (168.5372) | 131 (172.5600) | 102 (173.7372) | 259 (164.5256) |
| Aug 28, 2026 | East Central State BBQ Cookoff - Paola Roots Festival 🏅 Paola, KS | 8 / 31 (691.9312) | 12 (173.1084) | 17 (170.8344) | 11 (171.4056) | 3 (176.5828) |
| Jul 24, 2026 | Masters at the Midway: Johnson County Fair BBQ Championship 🏅 Gardner, KS | 21 / 29 (670.1488) | 27 (160.5260) | 10 (170.8344) | 10 (172.5484) | 18 (166.2400) |
| Jun 5, 2026 | McLouth BBQ Blowout 35th Annual 🏅 McLouth, KS | 9 / 30 (687.4056) | 22 (166.8228) | 15 (170.2744) | 6 (176.0228) | 5 (174.2856) |
| Apr 10, 2026 | Smoke in the Spring (OPEN FORMAT) 🏅 Osage City, KS | 50 / 101 (685.6456) | 51 (172) | 57 (170.8572) | 27 (174.2628) | 65 (168.5256) |
| Apr 3, 2026 | Smokin in the Valley 🏅 Linn Valley, KS | 17 / 31 (674.2060) | 24 (163.9660) | 13 (168.5372) | 7 (175.4172) | 17 (166.2856) |
| Mar 20, 2026 | 8th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS | 29 / 68 (681.6800) | 30 (169.7028) | 7 (174.8800) | 43 (167.4172) | 29 (169.6800) |
| Nov 5, 2025 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Nov 5, 2025 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 281 / 401 (662.7884) | 163 (171.9656) | 354 (158.8116) | 294 (164.6056) | 209 (167.4056) |
| Oct 10, 2025 | Stover Rock Island Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Stover, MO | 10 / 13 (342.7884) | 8 (173.1200) | 10 (169.6684) | 7 (167.4056) | — |
| Oct 3, 2025 | Big Creek BBQ Bash (BACKYARD ONLY) Pleasant Hill, MO | 12 / 23 (338.8000) | 4 (177.7144) | 19 (161.0856) | — | — |
| Sep 26, 2025 | Smokin on the Route 🏅 Miami, OK | 20 / 20 (679.3716) | 19 (167.9772) | 18 (170.8344) | 13 (171.9656) | 18 (168.5944) |
| Aug 22, 2025 | East Central State BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Paola, KS | 11 / 27 (683.3144) | 3 (178.8572) | 11 (170.8228) | 12 (167.3828) | 14 (166.2516) |
| Jul 25, 2025 | Dodge City Days Smokin' Saddles Double Header (Day 1) 🏅 Dodge City, KS | 2 / 18 (341.6572) | 3 (171.9772) | 2 (169.6800) | — | 1 (173.7144) |
| Jul 19, 2025 | Smokin on the Osage BBQ Contest and Car Show (Day 2) 🏅 Osceola, MO | 9 / 28 (323.2912) | 10 (159.3484) | 8 (163.9428) | — | — |
| Jul 18, 2025 | Smokin on the Osage BBQ Contest and Car Show (Day 1) 🏅 Osceola, MO | 8 / 32 (334.7772) | 6 (169.6916) | 10 (165.0856) | — | — |
| Jul 18, 2025 | Smokin on the Osage BBQ Contest and Car Show (ONE MEAT RIBS) Osceola, MO | — | — | 8 (168.5488) | — | — |
| Jul 11, 2025 | Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Cameron, MO | 1 / 36 (347.4060) | 2 (176.5716) | 3 (170.8344) | — | — |
| Jul 11, 2025 | Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off (Backyard 2) Cameron, MO | 9 / 10 (329.0400) | 6 (167.3944) | 9 (161.6456) | — | — |
| Jul 11, 2025 | Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off (ONE MEAT RIBS) Cameron, MO | — | — | 3 (175.4288) | — | — |
| Jun 6, 2025 | McLouth BBQ Blowout 34th Annual 🏅 McLouth, KS | 12 / 28 (682.3312) | 16 (170.2856) | 9 (174.8572) | 6 (173.7256) | 18 (163.4628) |
| May 25, 2025 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational (Sunday, May 25, 2025) unrated Lebanon, TN | 27 / 70 (341.6572) | 29 (170.8344) | 28 (170.8228) | — | — |
| May 24, 2025 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational (Saturday, May 24, 2025) unrated Lebanon, TN | 86 / 106 (674.1372) | 57 (171.9772) | 80 (168.5372) | 95 (165.0972) | 74 (168.5256) |
| May 23, 2025 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational Anything Molasses (Friday, May 23, 2025) unrated Lebanon, TN | — | — | — | — | — |
| May 23, 2025 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational Chicken (Friday, May 23, 2025) unrated Lebanon, TN | — | 25 (170.8344) | — | — | — |
| May 23, 2025 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational Ribs (Friday, May 23, 2025) unrated Lebanon, TN | — | — | 41 (167.3828) | — | — |
| Apr 4, 2025 | Iowa State BBQ Championship 🏅 Altoona, IA | 23 / 49 (333.0628) | 28 (163.3828) | 16 (169.6800) | — | — |
| Mar 21, 2025 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue Backyard Contest Kansas City, MO | 3 / 33 (351.4172) | 4 (176) | 6 (175.4172) | — | — |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 321 / 444 (658.1596) | 308 (165.0856) | 274 (167.3828) | 360 (160.5484) | 264 (165.1428) |
| Oct 26, 2024 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 2) (MASTERS and BACKYARD) 🏅 Oak Grove, MO | 11 / 56 (338.2172) | 13 (166.2400) | 6 (171.9772) | — | — |
| Oct 25, 2024 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 1) (MASTERS and BACKYARD) 🏅 Oak Grove, MO | 3 / 53 (345.6800) | 4 (174.2628) | 7 (171.4172) | — | — |
| Oct 11, 2024 | Rock Island BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) Stover, MO | 4 / 10 (344.5488) | 6 (166.8344) | 1 (177.7144) | 2 (173.1316) | — |
| Oct 4, 2024 | Big Creek BBQ Bash (BACKYARD ONLY) Pleasant Hill, MO | 7 / 19 (343.4288) | 9 (166.8572) | 4 (176.5716) | — | — |
| Sep 13, 2024 | Buds Blues and BBQ 🏅 Columbia, MO | 6 / 16 (341.1084) | 7 (162.2512) | 1 (178.8572) | — | — |
| Aug 23, 2024 | East Central Kansas State BBQ Championship 🏅 Paola, KS | 21 / 42 (678.2056) | 28 (164.5372) | 19 (171.9656) | 24 (169.1544) | 11 (172.5484) |
| Jul 26, 2024 | Smokin on the Route 🏅 Miami, OK | 4 / 27 (341.0856) | 3 (169.6684) | 4 (171.4172) | — | — |
| Jul 20, 2024 | Smokin on the Osage (Day 2) 🏅 Osceola, MO | 7 / 33 (343.9544) | 9 (168.5372) | 5 (175.4172) | — | — |
| Jul 19, 2024 | Smokin on the Osage (Day 1) 🏅 Osceola, MO | 9 / 37 (329.6344) | 6 (167.9772) | 11 (161.6572) | — | — |
| Jul 19, 2024 | Smokin on the Osage (ONE MEAT RIBS) Osceola, MO | — | — | 1 (175.4288) | — | — |
| Jul 12, 2024 | 2024 Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off - Backyard A Cameron, MO | 2 / 10 (347.9888) | 7 (170.2744) | 1 (177.7144) | — | — |
| Jul 12, 2024 | 2024 Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off - Backyard B Cameron, MO | 5 / 7 (327.3832) | 6 (160.5488) | 6 (166.8344) | — | — |
| Jul 12, 2024 | 2024 Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off (ONE MEAT RIBS) 🏅 Cameron, MO | — | — | 10 (171.9772) | — | — |
| May 25, 2024 | 6th Annual KCBS World Invitational - BACKYARD SERIES INVITATIONAL unrated Lebanon, TN | 1 / 47 (357.7144) | 5 (177.7144) | 1 (180) | — | — |
| May 24, 2024 | 6th Annual KCBS World Invitational - OPEN unrated Lebanon, TN | 98 / 118 (668.9828) | 116 (158.2056) | 42 (172.5600) | 55 (171.9772) | 86 (166.2400) |
| Mar 22, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue Backyard Contest Kansas City, MO | 10 / 31 (342.2516) | 8 (173.1316) | 15 (169.1200) | — | — |
| Sep 27, 2023 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 241 / 487 (673.0972) | 274 (167.3944) | 2 (180) | 352 (162.2628) | 313 (163.4400) |
| Sep 8, 2023 | Car-B-Que (BACKYARD ONLY) Belton, MO | 6 / 11 (339.3944) | 4 (170.2628) | 7 (169.1316) | — | — |
| Aug 25, 2023 | East Central Kansas State BBQ Championship (BACKYARD) - Paola Roots Festival Paola, KS | 1 / 9 (346.8228) | 1 (174.8572) | 3 (171.9656) | — | — |
| Jul 22, 2023 | Smokin on the Osage (Day 2) 🏅 Osceola, MO | 14 / 28 (507.3372) | 10 (173.1200) | 6 (171.9772) | 15 (162.2400) | — |
| Jul 15, 2023 | Smokin in the Electric City (Day 2) 🏅 Butler, MO | 3 / 21 (341.6572) | 1 (174.2744) | 5 (167.3828) | — | — |
| Jul 14, 2023 | Smokin in the Electric City (Day 1) 🏅 Butler, MO | 4 / 27 (348.5256) | 3 (174.2628) | 5 (174.2628) | — | — |
| Jul 7, 2023 | Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off 🏅 Cameron, MO | 8 / 30 (342.8228) | 7 (172) | 10 (170.8228) | — | — |
| Jul 7, 2023 | Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off (BACKYARD 2) Cameron, MO | 11 / 12 (333.6456) | 9 (166.2400) | 11 (167.4056) | — | — |
| Mar 24, 2023 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue Backyard Contest Kansas City, MO | 19 / 37 (331.3828) | 16 (166.8228) | 23 (164.5600) | — | — |
| Aug 14, 2015 | BBQ and Fly In on the River Excelsior Springs, MO | 44 / 67 (640.9940) | 60 (154.8000) | 45 (161.1428) | 47 (158.2400) | 25 (166.8112) |
| Aug 15, 2014 | BBQ and Fly In on the River Excelsior Springs, MO | 40 / 51 (629.0516) | 47 (149.6456) | 21 (163.9772) | 39 (160.5944) | 37 (154.8344) |
| May 3, 2013 | West Knoxville RotaryBBQ Cookoff Knoxville, TN | 44 / 46 (603.9994) | 37 (154.2854) | 32 (155.4284) | 23 (160.5716) | 46 (133.7140) |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.