HESSHOGS MO
Rating
1746
peak 1747 · rated over 52 contests
Best runs
7
straight top-10s
Contests
62
in the data
First seen
2021-11-12
latest 2025-10-10
Grand champs
6
3 reserve
Category wins
12
32 podiums
Overall top-10s
38
of 62 contests
Avg finish
top 24%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
5 🔥
Current form
344.42 ▼
last 5 Backyard vs avg 365.97 (-21.55)
Walk rate
84%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
7
best run (overall)
Consistency
±60.31
std dev of Backyard overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork
avg 173.34 · weakest Brisket (167.42)
Road miles
14318
mi across 62 mapped stops · furthest 937 mi
Schedule strength
75%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1571)
Purse competed for
$354K
listed at 46 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
3 🏅
GCs in 30 state-championship entries
Backyard avg
365.97 / 360
51 Backyard contests · 6 GCs
Storylines
🎯 The one to beat
WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ has finished one call ahead of HESSHOGS 3 times — their closest competition in the data.
👀 Looking over their shoulder
Can Country Outlaw BBQ has landed one call behind them 4 times.
🏕️ Happy hunting ground
Kickin' It Route 66 Barbecue Challenge (Day 2) is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 2 visits.
💔 The heartbreaker
Came within 0.0116 points of the Grand Championship at Kickin' It Route 66 Barbecue Challenge (Day 1) (2025-03-28).
🗡️ Giant slayer
Took the Grand Championship over a 45-team field at BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard).
😤 Pork nemesis
Even in their strongest meat, Breaking Slabs BBQ has out-cooked them in 3 of 5 shared pork entries.
📅 A November team
Something about November: average finish in the top 14% across 4 contests, versus top 24% the rest of the year.
🃏 Against the odds
Their Grand Championship at Barbecue With A View (BACKYARD ONLY) (2021-11-12) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 24-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, LEE LA Q.
🐣 Announced themselves early
Finished 1 of 30 at their very first tracked contest, Barbecue With A View (BACKYARD ONLY) (2021-11-12).
Teams like this (closest power rating, MO first)
Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swine-O-licious BBQ | 20 | 5 | 15 | 25% | ⚔ compare |
| WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ | 17 | 2 | 15 | 12% | ⚔ compare |
| Can Country Outlaw BBQ | 15 | 12 | 3 | 80% | ⚔ compare |
| Shmack Q | 15 | 7 | 8 | 47% | ⚔ compare |
| JANKY LEG BBQ | 15 | 6 | 7 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| Rudes BBQ | 15 | 5 | 10 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| Bourbon & Blues BBQ | 13 | 8 | 5 | 62% | ⚔ compare |
| Big Reds Backyard BBQ | 12 | 11 | 1 | 92% | ⚔ compare |
| Dogpatch Q | 12 | 7 | 5 | 58% | ⚔ compare |
| ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | 12 | 5 | 5 | 42% | ⚔ compare |
| Fluffy Butt BBQ | 12 | 2 | 10 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| Breaking Slabs BBQ | 11 | 7 | 4 | 64% | ⚔ compare |
| CHUNKY BBQ | 11 | 6 | 5 | 55% | ⚔ compare |
| SmoQued On Main St | 10 | 10 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| Stone Cold Grillers | 10 | 8 | 2 | 80% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 53 | 39 | 4 | 16 | 180.0000 🔥 | 160.5028 | 171.92 | top 26% |
| Pork Ribs | 57 | 43 | 6 | 12 | 180.0000 🔥 | 153.6800 | 170.56 | top 29% |
| Pork | 11 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 180.0000 🔥 | 168.5256 | 173.34 | top 16% |
| Brisket | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 167.4172 | 167.4172 | 167.42 | top 14% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| MO | 17 | 2 | top 23% |
| IL | 11 | 0 | top 29% |
| IA | 4 | 0 | top 28% |
| NC | 4 | 1 | top 23% |
| OK | 3 | 1 | top 15% |
| AL | 3 | 0 | top 28% |
| VA | 2 | 1 | top 6% |
| KS | 2 | 0 | top 47% |
| MS | 2 | 1 | top 21% |
| GA | 1 | 0 | top 14% |
| MI | 1 | 0 | top 13% |
| FL | 1 | 0 | top 9% |
| TN | 1 | 0 | top 6% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 7 | 1 | top 34% |
| Medium (20–39) | 32 | 4 | top 24% |
| Large (40+) | 13 | 1 | top 17% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off (Backyard 2) | 4 | 2 | 0 | top 18% | 2025-07-11 |
| Iowa State BBQ Championship | 3 | 4 | 0 | top 22% | 2025-04-04 |
| Kickin' It Route 66 Barbecue Challenge (Day 2) | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 6% | 2025-03-29 |
| Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 23% | 2024-05-04 |
| BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 6% | 2024-03-23 |
| Barbecue With A View (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 21% | 2022-10-21 |
| Big Creek BBQ Bash (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2 | 2 | 0 | top 25% | 2025-10-03 |
| Smoke N for the Kids | 2 | 6 | 0 | top 30% | 2025-08-16 |
| Code 3 Spices - Smokin' on Main | 2 | 6 | 0 | top 20% | 2025-07-26 |
| Smoke on the Midway (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2 | 12 | 0 | top 50% | 2024-08-17 |
| Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1 | 2 | 8 | 0 | top 24% | 2024-05-03 |
| Smokin on the Osage (Day 2) | 2 | 8 | 0 | top 29% | 2023-07-22 |
| American Royal World Series of Barbecue Backyard Contest | 2 | 9 | 0 | top 46% | 2023-03-24 |
The story so far
- Busiest season: 2022 (16 contests)
- Cooks mostly in MO (22 of 62 contests)
- Most-entered category: Pork Ribs (57 entries)
- First Grand Championship in the data: Barbecue With A View (BACKYARD ONLY) (2021-11-12)
- Wins it all in 10% of contests
- Average Backyard overall score: 365.97 / 360
- 5 perfect 180s on the books 🔥
Milestones
- 🚩 2021-11-12 — First tracked contest · Barbecue With A View (BACKYARD ONLY)
- 📣 2021-11-12 — First call · Barbecue With A View (BACKYARD ONLY)
- 🏆 2021-11-12 — First Grand Championship · Barbecue With A View (BACKYARD ONLY)
- 🔥 2021-11-12 — First perfect 180 (Chicken) · Barbecue With A View (BACKYARD ONLY)
- ⭐ 2022-10-08 — Career-best overall score (533.1428) · Que' For a Cause (BACKYARD) Day 2
- 🎖️ 2023-05-27 — 25th tracked contest · Westmont Red White & BBQ (BACKYARD ONLY)
- 🎖️ 2025-03-29 — 50th tracked contest · Kickin' It Route 66 Barbecue Challenge (Day 2)
- 📈 2025-07-26 — Peak power rating (1747) · Code 3 Spices - Smokin' on Main
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +17.1 | Barbecue With A View (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2021-11-12 |
| +13.7 | 2022 Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off (Day 1) | 2022-07-15 |
| +13.4 | Que' For a Cause (BACKYARD) Day 2 | 2022-10-08 |
| +12.4 | Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 2 | 2024-05-04 |
| +12.2 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship | 2023-03-17 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -6.6 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue Backyard Contest | 2023-03-24 |
| -6.4 | Smoke on the Midway (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2023-08-19 |
| -5.7 | Up in Smoke on the Square (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2025-08-22 |
| -5.4 | Smoke on the Midway (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2024-08-17 |
| -4.4 | Smoke N for the Kids | 2025-08-16 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 93% | top 23% | 98.9% | 96% |
| 2024 | 15 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 93% | top 19% | 97.5% | 95.2% |
| 2023 | 15 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 73% | top 27% | 143.8% | 110.3% |
| 2022 | 16 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 75% | top 27% | 148.1% | 105.6% |
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 100% | top 3% | 98.7% | 98.7% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-10-10 | Stover Rock Island Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Stover, MO | 4 / 13 (349.6800) | 3 (176.5600) | 5 (173.1200) | — | — |
| 2025-10-03 | Big Creek BBQ Bash (BACKYARD ONLY) Pleasant Hill, MO | 2 / 23 (356.0000) | 2 (180.0000) | 5 (176.0000) | — | — |
| 2025-09-05 | Buds Blues and BBQ 🏅 Columbia, MO | 3 / 9 (343.4056) | 3 (175.4056) | 5 (168.0000) | — | — |
| 2025-09-05 | Buds Blues and BBQ (ONE MEAT RIBS) 🏅 Columbia, MO | — | — | 6 (168.5256) | — | — |
| 2025-08-22 | Up in Smoke on the Square (BACKYARD ONLY) Lincoln, IL | 15 / 31 (341.6800) | 19 (166.8228) | 4 (174.8572) | — | — |
| 2025-08-16 | Smoke N for the Kids 🏅 Troy, IL | 12 / 32 (331.3256) | 16 (160.5028) | 6 (170.8228) | — | — |
| 2025-07-26 | Code 3 Spices - Smokin' on Main 🏅 Collinsville, IL | 7 / 32 (341.6800) | 3 (175.4172) | 16 (166.2628) | — | — |
| 2025-07-11 | Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off (Backyard 2) Cameron, MO | 3 / 10 (344.5256) | 7 (167.3828) | 1 (177.1428) | — | — |
| 2025-07-11 | Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Cameron, MO | 2 / 36 (346.8572) | 6 (171.4172) | 1 (175.4400) | — | — |
| 2025-07-11 | Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off (ONE MEAT RIBS) Cameron, MO | — | — | 1 (180.0000) | — | — |
| 2025-06-20 | Rhythm & BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Morris, IL | 6 / 36 (349.6916) | 2 (178.8572) | 16 (170.8344) | — | — |
| 2025-04-04 | Iowa State BBQ Championship 🏅 Altoona, IA | 16 / 49 (339.9544) | 19 (170.2628) | 15 (169.6916) | — | — |
| 2025-03-29 | Kickin' It Route 66 Barbecue Challenge (Day 2) 🏅 St. Robert, MO | 1 / 25 (354.2744) | 1 (180.0000) | 1 (174.2744) | — | — |
| 2025-03-29 | Kickin' It Route 66 Barbecue Challenge (ONE MEAT RIBS) St. Robert, MO | — | — | 2 (176.5600) | — | — |
| 2025-03-28 | Kickin' It Route 66 Barbecue Challenge (Day 1) 🏅 St. Robert, MO | 2 / 27 (346.2400) | 4 (169.6684) | 2 (176.5716) | — | — |
| 2024-11-15 | Atlanta BBQ Store Classic 🏅 Cuming, GA | 8 / 58 (342.8116) | 12 (171.9772) | 7 (170.8344) | 10 (170.8456) | — |
| 2024-10-04 | Big Creek BBQ Bash (BACKYARD ONLY) Pleasant Hill, MO | 8 / 19 (342.7884) | 5 (174.2744) | 9 (168.5140) | — | — |
| 2024-09-14 | Trekking for CDH 🏅 Pierron, IL | 11 / 35 (337.0628) | 10 (167.3828) | 14 (169.6800) | — | — |
| 2024-08-17 | Smoke N for the Kids 🏅 Troy, IL | 6 / 27 (335.3600) | 2 (173.1200) | 15 (162.2400) | — | — |
| 2024-08-17 | Smoke on the Midway (BACKYARD ONLY) Fairbury, IL | 12 / 26 (337.0740) | 18 (166.2284) | 8 (170.8456) | — | — |
| 2024-07-27 | Code 3 Spices - Smokin' on Main 🏅 Collinsville, IL | 6 / 34 (338.2284) | 14 (168.5256) | 6 (169.7028) | — | — |
| 2024-07-20 | Dowagiac BBQ Competition and Summer Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Dowagiac, MI | 3 / 23 (348.5372) | 6 (174.2628) | 4 (174.2744) | — | — |
| 2024-06-14 | Morris Rhythm & BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Morris, IL | 4 / 40 (345.1316) | 2 (175.4172) | 10 (169.7144) | — | — |
| 2024-05-04 | Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 2 🏅 Kannapolis, NC | 1 / 35 (348.5372) | 2 (175.4172) | 2 (173.1200) | — | — |
| 2024-05-03 | Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1 🏅 Kannapolis, NC | 11 / 45 (337.6684) | 5 (174.8456) | 15 (162.8228) | — | — |
| 2024-03-23 | BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA | 4 / 42 (349.1316) | 9 (171.4172) | 1 (177.7144) | 4 (172.0000) | — |
| 2024-03-22 | BBQ Gives Back (One Meat Chicken) 🏅 Urbanna, VA | — | 17 (166.2400) | — | — | — |
| 2024-03-22 | BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA | 1 / 45 (350.8344) | 1 (176.5716) | 4 (174.2628) | 1 (177.7028) | — |
| 2024-03-22 | BBQ Gives Back (One Meat Ribs) 🏅 Urbanna, VA | — | — | 5 (172.6060) | — | — |
| 2024-01-04 | 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show 🏅 Elkton, FL | 4 / 43 (343.9428) | 4 (174.2628) | 8 (169.6800) | 2 (180.0000) | 6 (167.4172) |
| 2023-10-13 | Rock Island BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) Stover, MO | 1 / 16 (510.3312) | 2 (169.7600) | 4 (168.5828) | 1 (171.9884) | — |
| 2023-08-19 | Smoke on the Midway (BACKYARD ONLY) Fairbury, IL | 17 / 32 (321.6456) | 10 (167.9656) | 23 (153.6800) | — | — |
| 2023-08-12 | 5th Annual KCBS World Invitational - BACKYARD SERIES INVITATIONAL Mayetta, KS | 13 / 29 (348.5372) | 21 (169.6800) | 4 (178.8572) | — | — |
| 2023-08-11 | 5th Annual KCBS World Invitational - OPEN Mayetta, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023-08-04 | Que' For a Cause Tahlequah, OK | 7 / 36 (348.5716) | 11 (173.7144) | 5 (174.8572) | — | — |
| 2023-07-22 | Smokin on the Osage (Day 2) 🏅 Osceola, MO | 9 / 28 (517.6688) | 8 (173.1200) | 10 (170.8344) | 3 (173.7144) | — |
| 2023-07-21 | Smokin on the Osage (Day 1) 🏅 Osceola, MO | 8 / 31 (509.0284) | 9 (170.8228) | 11 (169.6800) | 5 (168.5256) | — |
| 2023-05-27 | Westmont Red White & BBQ (BACKYARD ONLY) Westmont, IL | 3 / 34 (513.1200) | 10 (169.1200) | 3 (173.7372) | 4 (170.2628) | — |
| 2023-05-06 | Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 2 🏅 Kannapolis, NC | 10 / 23 (326.7428) | 11 (161.6456) | 9 (165.0972) | — | — |
| 2023-05-05 | Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1 🏅 Kannapolis, NC | 8 / 35 (349.6800) | 3 (177.7028) | 9 (171.9772) | — | — |
| 2023-03-31 | Iowa State BBQ Championship 🏅 Altoona, IA | 4 / 47 (342.8572) | 6 (172.0000) | 5 (170.8572) | — | — |
| 2023-03-24 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue Backyard Contest Kansas City, MO | 21 / 37 (330.7424) | 24 (163.9196) | 19 (166.8228) | — | — |
| 2023-03-24 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue Steak Cook-Off Kansas City, MO | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023-03-17 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 5 / 80 (346.2516) | 7 (174.2744) | 7 (171.9772) | — | — |
| 2023-03-17 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (One Meat Ribs) Lebanon, TN | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022-11-12 | 4th Annual KCBS World Invitational - BACKYARD SERIES INVITATIONAL Gadsden, AL | 13 / 49 (344.5256) | 19 (173.1084) | 11 (171.4172) | — | — |
| 2022-11-11 | 4th Annual KCBS World Invitational - OPEN Gadsden, AL | 11 / 91 (167.3944) | — | — | — | — |
| 2022-10-29 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship Day 2 🏅 Oak Grove, MO | 5 / 32 (339.3712) | 5 (170.2512) | 6 (169.1200) | — | — |
| 2022-10-28 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship 🏅 Oak Grove, MO | 11 / 40 (335.3828) | 10 (167.4056) | 9 (167.9772) | — | — |
| 2022-10-21 | Barbecue With A View (BACKYARD ONLY) Vicksburg, MS | 11 / 28 (339.3600) | 6 (173.1084) | 16 (166.2516) | — | — |
| 2022-10-08 | Que' For a Cause (BACKYARD) Day 2 Tahlequah, OK | 1 / 32 (533.1428) | 4 (177.7028) | 1 (177.7372) | 6 (177.7028) | — |
| 2022-10-07 | Que' For a Cause (BACKYARD) Day 1 Tahlequah, OK | 7 / 32 (514.7996) | 12 (168.5140) | 9 (170.8456) | 7 (175.4400) | — |
| 2022-09-09 | Bar-B-QC (Backyard) Davenport, IA | 6 / 13 (513.0396) | 4 (171.4056) | 4 (173.1084) | 8 (168.5256) | — |
| 2022-07-16 | 2022 Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off (Day 2) 🏅 Cameron, MO | 6 / 25 (324.4456) | 4 (165.0856) | 6 (159.3600) | — | — |
| 2022-07-16 | 2022 Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off - One Meat Ribs Cameron, MO | — | — | 21 (165.6916) | — | — |
| 2022-07-15 | 2022 Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off (Day 1) 🏅 Cameron, MO | 3 / 27 (337.6572) | 3 (171.9772) | 3 (165.6800) | — | — |
| 2022-05-05 | Poosa Q 🏅 Montgomery, AL | 32 / 72 (330.2400) | 21 (167.9772) | 35 (162.2628) | — | — |
| 2022-04-29 | Rod Trowbridge Memorial Cook Flyin (Backyard) Derby, KS | 3 / 6 (351.9656) | 2 (177.7028) | 4 (174.2628) | — | — |
| 2022-04-29 | Rod Trowbridge Memorial Cook Flyin - One Meat Ribs Derby, KS | — | — | 3 (173.1200) | — | — |
| 2022-04-01 | Iowa State BBQ Championship (Backyard) Altoona, IA | 7 / 27 (339.9772) | 1 (176.5600) | 17 (163.4172) | — | — |
| 2022-03-25 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue Backyard Contest Kansas City, MO | 9 / 25 (337.6684) | 8 (172.5484) | 10 (165.1200) | — | — |
| 2021-11-12 | Barbecue With A View (BACKYARD ONLY) Vicksburg, MS | 1 / 30 (355.4172) | 1 (180.0000) | 6 (175.4172) | — | — |