Vallee AC Cold Smoke

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

Power ranking

#1252

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1582

peak 1582 · rated over 27 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s

Contests

in the data

First seen

2017-09-15

latest 2025-10-24

Best ToY finish

#375

Master 2020

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

14 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 30 contests

Avg finish

top 45%

overall standings

Best overall

694.2172 / 720

Master · Hometown BBQ Bash

Perfect 180s

2 🔥

Current form

678.99 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 674.67 (+4.32)

Walk rate

80%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

180.0000 🔥

Brisket · DeSoto Shrine Club 13th Annual BBQ Cook-Off

Consistency

±10.55

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Brisket

avg 170.64 · weakest Pork Ribs (166.06)

Road miles

6,165

mi across 30 mapped stops · furthest 321 mi

Schedule strength

66%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1583)

Purse competed for

$229K

listed at 14 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 18 state-championship entries

Master avg

674.67 / 720

29 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (13 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.

Perfect scores on the board

2 perfect 180s

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

Brisket ×2

A multi-meat day

1 contests with 2+ category wins

They've won two or more meats on the same day 1 time — the best of them 2 category wins at Hometown BBQ Bash (2019-08-02).

Pork 1st
Brisket 1st

They almost always walk

80% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 24 of 30 contests

A top-10 category call in 80% of their 30 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

694.2172 career-best overall

96.4% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 694.2172 at Hometown BBQ Bash — 96.4% of a perfect 720.

Master
2019-08-02

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

PIGLITICALLY INCORRECT BBQ has finished one call ahead of Vallee AC Cold Smoke 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2021 their best year

2021 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 35%.

4 contests
1 overall top-10s
1 category wins
average top 35%

The weak link

−4.6 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.58 points below their brisket, and turns into a call 34% of the time against 52%.

Pork Ribs avg 166.06
Brisket avg 170.64
10 calls in 29 entries

A strong matchup

6–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of MISSISSIPPI MEAT MAFIA in 6 of their 6 shared contests.

The comeback

3.5 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 3.5 years, then back at *Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 1) (JUDGES LIST FULL) (2017-09-15).

last seen 2014-03-21
back 2017-09-15

Brisket nemesis

7 of 11 shared brisket entries lost

RAZORRACKS ahead 64% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, RAZORRACKS has out-cooked them in 7 of 11 shared brisket entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

Smokin N The Bandits has landed one call behind them 2 times.

The long haul

6,165 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 6,165 miles across 30 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 321 miles to Smoke on The Shores BBQ Championship.

30 mapped stops
furthest 321 mi

The metronome

±1.47% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.47% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 93.7% of a perfect score
30 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.

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

SWEET DIXIE BBQ

#1248 of the rated field

1582 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 42%
Peak: 1585

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 26 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 26 contests
last seen 2023-10-06

⚔ Head-to-head

BALONEY JOE'S BBQ

#1251 of the rated field

1582 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 29
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 14%
Peak: 1586

No shared contest yet.

Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 7 years before Vallee AC Cold Smoke's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 29 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

What’cha Got BBQ

#1253 of the rated field

1582 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 36%
Peak: 1596

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 25 contests to 30, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 25 contests
last seen 2025-06-14

⚔ Head-to-head

BM Grils & Smokers

#1249 of the rated field

1582 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 60%
Peak: 1582

No shared contest yet.

25 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 60% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 24 contests
last seen 2026-06-05

⚔ Head-to-head

Homestead Smoke Shack

#1254 of the rated field

1582 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 31
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 61%
Peak: 1599

No shared contest yet.

Level with Vallee AC Cold Smoke on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 31 contests
last seen 2026-06-19

⚔ Head-to-head

Dirt Bag Barbeque

#1262 of the rated field

1581 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 31%
Peak: 1589

No shared contest yet.

They turned up 5 years after Vallee AC Cold Smoke did, first appearing in 2022.

rated over 23 contests
last seen 2026-06-13

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
PIGLITICALLY INCORRECT BBQ	14	3	11	21%	⚔ compare
RAZORRACKS	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
CAJUN BLAZE	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
FIRE DANCER BBQ	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
Organizer Portal	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
SOUTHSIDE BBQ	8	6	2	75%	⚔ compare
MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ	8	5	3	63%	⚔ compare
Smokin N The Bandits	8	5	3	63%	⚔ compare
Rankin County BBQ Company	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
JordyQ	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
Hickory Hangover	7	4	3	57%	⚔ compare
THE BLUE BLOODS	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
Kermit's Ex	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
HIGH ON THE HAWG	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	29	11	0	1	176.5600	160.5372	169.13	top 49%
Pork Ribs	29	10	0	1	176.5600	151.9200	166.06	top 54%
Pork	29	12	2	5	177.7144	155.9312	168.84	top 43%
Brisket	29	15	3	7	180.0000 🔥	156.5256	170.64	top 34%

“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
MS	12	top 46%
TN	7	top 42%
AL	5	top 42%
LA	2	top 50%
AR	2	top 36%
FL	1	top 78%

By contest size

Field	Contests	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	5	top 50%
Medium (20–39)	16	top 45%
Large (40+)	8	top 42%

Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 2)	4	8	top 54%	2019-08-24
VPD Back the Blue BBQ Competition	2	15	top 50%	2025-10-24
Hog Wild BBQ Cook off, Kids Que and Family Festival	2	6	top 33%	2021-05-01
BBQ & Blues on the Levee	2	7	top 36%	2019-10-11
*Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY2) (JUDGES LIST FULL)	2	6	top 43%	2017-09-16

The story so far (19 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 8.1 yrs 2017-09-15 → 2025-10-24

Busiest season 2019 6 contests

Contests a season 3 across 10 seasons in the data

Cooks most in MS 12 of 30 contests · 6 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 22 5 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 29 entries · 0 wins · 11 calls

Strongest meat Brisket averages 170.64 · weakest Pork Ribs (166.06)

Walk rate 80% a top-10 call in 24 of 30 contests

Overall top-10 rate 30% 9 of 30 contests

Best top-10 run 3 straight contests

Master average 674.67 out of 720 · 29 contests · 0 GCs

Perfect 180s 2 every judge at the table handing back a nine

Opponents faced 765 705–534 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 6,165 30 mapped stops · furthest 321 mi

Schedule strength 1583 average field rating faced — tougher than 66% of rated contests

Purse competed for $229,470 listed at 14 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 18 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 3.5 yrs 2014-03-21 → 2017-09-15

Power rating 1582 peak 1582 · #1252 of 6,413 rated

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

2014
Mar 21 First tracked contest Hammond BBQ
2017
Sep 15 First call *Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 1) (JUDGES LIST FULL)
Sep 15 First overall top-10 *Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 1) (JUDGES LIST FULL)
Sep 15 First overall past 90% of a perfect score677.0172 *Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 1) (JUDGES LIST FULL)
2018
Oct 26 10th tracked contest Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitation Barbecue (JUDGES FULL)
2019
Aug 2 First category win (Pork) Hometown BBQ Bash
Aug 2 First overall podium Hometown BBQ Bash
Aug 2 First multi-meat day Hometown BBQ Bash
Aug 2 First perfect 180 (Brisket) Hometown BBQ Bash
Aug 2 Career-best overall score694.2172 Hometown BBQ Bash
2022
Oct 14 25th tracked contest Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series)(JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY)
2023
Oct 5 Peak power rating (1582) Poosa Q
2025
Oct 24 Most recent contest VPD Back the Blue BBQ Competition

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+13.7	Hometown BBQ Bash	2019-08-02
+11.1	*Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 1) (JUDGES LIST FULL)	2017-09-15
+10.1	Hog Wild BBQ Cook off, Kids Que and Family Festival	2021-05-01
+9.7	Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 2)	2019-08-24
+7.4	BBQ & Blues on the Levee	2019-10-11

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-7.7	Bonifay All American Smoker Competition	2020-10-02
-5.3	Hog Wild BBQ Cook off, Kids Que and Family Festival	2019-05-24
-5.2	Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 1)	2019-08-23
-4.8	*Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 2)	2018-08-25
-3.8	Southaven Springfest	2024-04-26

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)

Team of the Year rank by season

Season by season

Season	Contests	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2025	2	0	0	100%	top 47%	95%	94.7%
2024	2	0	1	50%	top 60%	94.2%	93.8%
2023	1	0	1	100%	top 36%	94.5%	94.5%
2022	2	1	0	100%	top 30%	95.5%	95.2%
2021	4	1	1	100%	top 35%	94.5%	94.2%
2020	3	0	0	67%	top 60%	95.7%	93.5%
2019	6	3	2	83%	top 39%	96.4%	93.6%
2018	6	1	0	67%	top 51%	93.6%	92.7%
2017	3	3	0	100%	top 44%	94%	93.5%
2014	1	0	0	0%	—	—	—

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2025-10-24	VPD Back the Blue BBQ Competition 🏅 Vidalia, LA	15 / 33 (683.9432)	7 (175.4288)	22 (165.6916)	8 (174.2628)	13 (168.5600)
2025-10-03	Hub City BBQ Fest (formerly TN River BBQ Fest) 🏅 Jackson, TN	12 / 25 (679.8968)	13 (171.4056)	5 (176.5600)	22 (155.9312)	7 (176.0000)
2024-10-25	VPD Back the Blue BBQ Competition 🏅 Vidalia, LA	17 / 31 (678.2056)	9 (173.7372)	23 (165.0856)	24 (162.2400)	1 (177.1428)
2024-04-26	Southaven Springfest 🏅 Southaven, MS	29 / 44 (672.4344)	28 (168.5372)	29 (166.8344)	25 (170.8228)	26 (166.2400)
2023-10-05	Poosa Q 🏅 Montgomery, AL	26 / 73 (680.4916)	65 (162.2400)	33 (169.7144)	1 (177.7144)	32 (170.8228)
2022-10-14	Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series)(JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) unrated Lynchburg, TN	14 / 83 (687.9196)	3 (176.5600)	28 (173.1200)	67 (163.9540)	12 (174.2856)
2022-09-23	TN River BBQ Battle 🏅 Saltillo, TN	7 / 16 (683.3372)	13 (165.0972)	8 (168.5600)	11 (170.8228)	3 (178.8572)
2021-06-18	DeSoto Shrine Club 13th Annual BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Nesbit, MS	21 / 48 (680.4224)	33 (165.6684)	29 (166.2284)	19 (168.5256)	1 (180.0000)
2021-05-01	Hog Wild BBQ Cook off, Kids Que and Family Festival 🏅 Brookhaven, MS	6 / 38 (680.5484)	4 (175.4400)	16 (165.7028)	16 (166.2856)	5 (173.1200)
2021-04-09	Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL	16 / 38 (672.4568)	6 (174.2628)	3 (174.8572)	33 (159.4056)	26 (163.9312)
2021-03-19	Smoke on The Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN	23 / 57 (679.9084)	8 (175.4056)	46 (161.1200)	32 (166.8228)	9 (176.5600)
2020-10-02	Bonifay All American Smoker Competition 🏅 Bonifay, FL	14 / 18 (675.8628)	14 (167.3712)	18 (159.9544)	3 (174.2628)	2 (174.2744)
2020-09-18	Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL	20 / 28 (655.2340)	8 (170.8228)	28 (151.9200)	20 (159.3712)	5 (173.1200)
2020-06-19	Desoto Shrine Club 12th Annual BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Hernando, MS	14 / 47 (689.1540)	11 (175.4056)	28 (170.2512)	13 (174.3316)	21 (169.1656)
2019-10-25	31st Annual Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational Barbecue(JUDGES FULL)(COMPETITORS SERIES) unrated Lynchburg, TN	29 / 97 (684.5484)	13 (174.8572)	61 (168.0000)	47 (169.1084)	22 (172.5828)
2019-10-11	BBQ & Blues on the Levee 🏅 Helena, AR	7 / 20 (683.8740)	11 (170.8228)	10 (167.3828)	6 (173.1200)	8 (172.5484)
2019-08-24	Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 2) 🏅 Brandon, MS	8 / 28 (673.0404)	19 (163.3828)	11 (166.2632)	4 (171.4172)	6 (171.9772)
2019-08-23	Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 1) 🏅 Brandon, MS	21 / 29 (652.3996)	12 (168.5600)	24 (158.7884)	5 (168.5256)	22 (156.5256)
2019-08-02	Hometown BBQ Bash 🏅 Hoover, AL	3 / 15 (694.2172)	5 (170.8228)	9 (167.3944)	1 (176.0000)	1 (180.0000)
2019-05-24	Hog Wild BBQ Cook off, Kids Que and Family Festival 🏅 Brookhaven, MS	13 / 26 (654.1828)	15 (160.5372)	14 (161.0972)	5 (173.1428)	20 (159.4056)
2018-10-26	Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitation Barbecue (JUDGES FULL) Lynchburg, TN	76 / 102 (655.3600)	82 (160.5600)	96 (155.3600)	28 (170.3200)	42 (169.1200)
2018-10-05	*BBQ & Blues on the Levee(JUDGES FULL) Helena, AR	9 / 25 (673.5656)	8 (170.8344)	12 (167.3828)	14 (164.5256)	5 (170.8228)
2018-09-14	*Riverfest BBQ and Music Festival Decatur, AL	13 / 32 (671.2916)	26 (165.0972)	6 (173.7144)	3 (174.2744)	29 (158.2056)
2018-08-25	*Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 2) Brandon, MS	20 / 28 (660.9828)	21 (166.8344)	13 (166.8344)	22 (159.3484)	11 (167.9656)
2018-08-24	*Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 1) Brandon, MS	12 / 28 (669.5772)	24 (162.7884)	15 (165.6800)	11 (167.4060)	2 (173.7028)
2018-08-10	Smokin in McMinnville McMinnville, TN	12 / 28 (673.0288)	20 (165.0972)	10 (167.4060)	13 (169.1200)	8 (171.4056)
2017-10-20	*Downtown BBQ Showdown Hattiesburg, MS	9 / 19 (669.0052)	11 (167.3712)	9 (159.9772)	8 (169.6684)	2 (171.9884)
2017-09-16	*Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY2) (JUDGES LIST FULL) Ridgeland, MS	10 / 17 (673.6344)	6 (172.5600)	8 (167.4172)	9 (167.9772)	11 (165.6800)
2017-09-15	*Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 1) (JUDGES LIST FULL) Ridgeland, MS	6 / 22 (677.0172)	10 (167.3828)	6 (167.3944)	2 (177.7028)	11 (164.5372)
2014-03-21	Hammond BBQ Hammond, LA	—	—	—	—	—

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)

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
2021 ↗	Master	#427 (430 pts)	#343 (600 pts)	#452 (460 pts)	#564 (315 pts)	#304 (675 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#375 (291 pts)	#333 (376 pts)	#556 (191 pts)	#296 (416 pts)	#233 (501 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#473 (698 pts)	#591 (583 pts)	#638 (533 pts)	#319 (983 pts)	#469 (718 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#604 (566 pts)	#826 (411 pts)	#586 (631 pts)	#581 (641 pts)	#492 (756 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#878 (408 pts)	#971 (393 pts)	#914 (428 pts)	#786 (513 pts)	#815 (473 pts)