Cherry Anchor BBQ

Cherry Anchor BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 33 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2022 and 2026. They have won 4 Grand Championships, most recently at the Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship (2025), and finished Reserve Grand Champion 4 times. They are ranked #370 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#370

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1708

peak 1712 · rated over 29 contests2 invitational or side-series contests not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Jul 8, 2022

latest Aug 8, 2026 · 4.1 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#114

Master 2025 · every season

Grand champs

4 reserve · wins it all 12% of the time

Category wins

27 podiums

Overall top-10s

61% of 33 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 26%

overall standings

Best overall

713.7028 / 720

Master · Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off

Perfect 180s

11 🔥

Current form

668.31 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 684.69 (-16.38)

Walk rate

88%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Pork · Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off (Day 1)

Consistency

±32.84

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 173.22 · weakest Brisket (171.60)

Road miles

10,613

across 33 mapped stops · furthest 1,431 mi

Schedule strength

65%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1582)

Purse competed for

$442K

listed at 33 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

4 🏅

won from 29 state-championship entries

Master avg

684.69 / 720

31 Master contests · 4 GCs

Storylines (20 found in their record)

Each card leads with the number behind the story, straight from their results.

The heartbreaker

0.6060 points from the title

Came within 0.6060 points of the Grand Championship at 3rd Annual Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off (Day 1) (Aug 8, 2025).

Among the elite

#370 of 6,476 rated teams

In the top 6% of every rated team in the data

A power rating of 1708 puts them #370 of 6,476 rated teams — the top 6% of the field.

rating 1708
peak 1712
29 rated contests

The 180 club

11 perfect 180s

11 perfect 180s in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, across 3 different meats.

Pork ×6
Brisket ×3
Chicken ×2

Against the odds

11-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 89 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at 9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge (Jan 12, 2024) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 11-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, BIG POPPA SMOKERS.

On the rise

+26 rating points in a year

Their power rating has climbed 26 points across 8 contests since Aug 8, 2025 — from 1681 up to 1708.

8 contests since Aug 8, 2025
now 1708

Giant slayer

58 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 58-team field at 9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge.

Jan 12, 2024

Signature meat

25% pork entries won

7 wins from 28 entries

When pork is on the table, watch out — they've won it in 25% of their entries (7 of 28).

best 180.0000
average 173.11
14 calls

Show 13 more storylines

Happy hunting ground

1× Grand Championship here

Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 3 visits.

3 visits
best finish 1st
average top 7%

Multi-meat days

4 contests with 2+ category wins

They've won two or more meats on the same day 4 times — the best of them 2 category wins at Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship (Apr 25, 2025).

Pork Ribs 1st
Pork 1st

They almost always walk

88% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 29 of 33 contests

A top-10 category call in 88% of their 33 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

713.7028 career-best overall

99.1% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 713.7028 at Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off — 99.1% of a perfect 720.

Master
May 24, 2024

State champions

4 state championships won

They've taken 4 state championships from 29 entries at contests carrying the title.

29 state-championship entries

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

Smokin' Bliss BBQ has finished one call ahead of Cherry Anchor BBQ 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2024 2 Grand Championships

2024 was the year it came together: 9 contests, 2 Grand Championships and 5 category wins, at an average finish in the top 19%.

9 contests
5 overall top-10s
5 category wins
average top 19%

A tough matchup

7–2 behind in the head-to-head

GETTIN' BASTED ahead in 78% of their meetings

GETTIN' BASTED has come out ahead in 7 of their 9 shared contests.

A strong matchup

18–4 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 82% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Big Cat BBQ in 18 of their 22 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

14 of 22 shared chicken entries lost

Meat Candy Q ahead 64% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Meat Candy Q has out-cooked them in 14 of 22 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

RBQ has landed one call behind them 3 times.

An April team

Top 10% average finish in April

Something about April: average finish in the top 10% across 4 contests, versus top 26% the rest of the year.

4 April contests
top 26% the rest of the year

The long haul

10,613 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 10,613 miles across 33 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,431 miles to American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides.

33 mapped stops
furthest 1,431 mi

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Year	Series	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2026 ↗	Master	#179 (1,014 pts)	#260 (804 pts)	#225 (929 pts)	#180 (979 pts)	#258 (761 pts)
2025 ↗	Master	#114 (1,524 pts)	#188 (1,194 pts)	#171 (1,264 pts)	#77 (1,684 pts)	#136 (1,329 pts)
2024 ↗	Master	#120 (1,363 pts)	#135 (1,293 pts)	#188 (1,138 pts)	#176 (1,118 pts)	#156 (1,193 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#182 (1,092 pts)	#164 (1,137 pts)	#265 (902 pts)	#210 (977 pts)	#179 (1,077 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#772 (202 pts)	#856 (187 pts)	#668 (322 pts)	#983 (142 pts)	#800 (202 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Cherry Anchor BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ

#366 of the rated field

1708 power rating

Contests: 61
GCs: 4
Top-10s: 38%
Peak: 1708

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to Cherry Anchor BBQ)

2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Cherry Anchor BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 49 contests
last seen Aug 28, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

PIRATES OF BAR-B-QUE BAY

#373 of the rated field

1707 power rating

Contests: 65
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 22%
Peak: 1715

2–2 in 4 shared contests (50% to Cherry Anchor BBQ)

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 65 contests to 33.

rated over 54 contests
last seen Aug 21, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

WE WILL ROCK QUE

#368 of the rated field

1708 power rating

Contests: 125
GCs: 4
Top-10s: 28%
Peak: 1737

2–2 in 4 shared contests (50% to Cherry Anchor BBQ)

Their rating is built on 4 Grand Championships in 125 contests, alongside a 28% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 113 contests
last seen Sep 25, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

PUDDLEDUCK BBQ

#369 of the rated field

1708 power rating

Contests: 38
GCs: 7
Top-10s: 66%
Peak: 1708

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 35 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 35 contests
last seen Sep 18, 2026
on a 6-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

THE SMOKEHOUSE BANDITS!!!

#372 of the rated field

1707 power rating

Contests: 35
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 49%
Peak: 1710

Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 8 years before Cherry Anchor BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 35 contests

⚔ Compare careers

Priorville BBQ

#367 of the rated field

1708 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 76%
Peak: 1708

They were already cooking in 2013, 9 years before Cherry Anchor BBQ's first contest.

rated over 24 contests
last seen Sep 21, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Big Cat BBQ	22	18	4	82%	⚔ compare
Smokin' Bliss BBQ	22	13	9	59%	⚔ compare
Meat Candy Q	22	10	12	45%	⚔ compare
SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ	21	14	7	67%	⚔ compare
BAR-B-CUDA BBQ	20	17	3	85%	⚔ compare
BONE RUBBIN BBQ	20	15	5	75%	⚔ compare
Bad Bears BBQ	19	15	4	79%	⚔ compare
BULL MARKET BBQ	19	11	8	58%	⚔ compare
Cynical BBQ	19	9	10	47%	⚔ compare
Pops BBQ 22	17	16	1	94%	⚔ compare
Big Boys BBQ	17	14	3	82%	⚔ compare
Old Town Franklin BBQ	15	11	4	73%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ	15	9	6	60%	⚔ compare
7 SINS BBQ	14	10	4	71%	⚔ compare
RBQ	13	12	1	92%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	31	17	3	7	180 🔥	161.0972	173.22	top 33%
Pork Ribs	31	18	2	5	178.8572	157.6456	172.04	top 34%
Pork	28	14	7	9	180 🔥	148.4684	173.11	top 31%
Brisket	30	16	4	6	180 🔥	156.4912	171.60	top 32%

“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 field size and state

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	3	0	top 23%
Medium (20–39)	17	3	top 30%
Large (40+)	11	1	top 20%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
CA	22	3	top 25%
KS	4	0	top 29%
NV	2	0	top 14%
AZ	2	1	top 5%
OR	1	0	top 97%

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off (Day 2)	4	1	1	top 19%	Aug 8, 2026
Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship	3	1	1	top 7%	Apr 24, 2026
The Golden State Battle VII (Day 2)	2	1	1	top 28%	Jan 25, 2025
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	2	41	0	top 32%	Nov 5, 2025
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest	2	26	0	top 27%	Nov 5, 2025
3rd Annual Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off (Day 2)	2	2	0	top 21%	Aug 9, 2025

More numbers

Busiest season 2025 9 contests · 2 GCs

Contests a season 6.6 across 5 seasons in the data

Most contests held in CA 22 of 33 contests · 5 states in all

Contests visited 22 6 of them more than once

First title Jan 12, 2024 9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge

Opponents faced 837 finished ahead 1,493 times, behind 548

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

20262 milestones

Apr 24 Peak power rating (1712) Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship
Aug 8 Most recent contest Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off (Day 2)

20253 milestones

Apr 25 10th category win Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship
Aug 9 25th tracked contest 3rd Annual Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off (Day 2)
Nov 5 10th perfect 180 American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest

20246 milestones

Jan 12 First Grand Championship 9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge
Jan 12 First state championship 9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge
Jan 12 Biggest field won (58 teams) 9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge
Apr 26 First multi-meat day Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship
May 24 5th perfect 180 Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off
May 24 Career-best overall score713.7028 Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off

20236 milestones

Jan 13 First category win (Chicken) Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge
Jan 13 First overall top-10 Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge
Sep 29 First overall podium Field, Fire Fork!
Sep 29 First Reserve Championship Field, Fire Fork!
Nov 17 First perfect 180 (Chicken) Golden State Battle of Indio
Nov 17 10th tracked contest Golden State Battle of Indio

20223 milestones

Jul 8 First tracked contest Clayton BBQ Cook-off
Jul 8 First call Clayton BBQ Cook-off
Sep 23 First overall past 90% of a perfect score674.7424 The Great Kearney BBQ Smoke-Out

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16.8	9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge	Jan 12, 2024
+16.7	Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge	Jan 13, 2023
+14.8	Field, Fire Fork!	Sep 29, 2023
+14.6	The Golden State Battle VII (Day 1)	Jan 24, 2025
+12.1	Golden State Battle of Indio	Nov 17, 2023

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-21.6	BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay	May 23, 2026
-9.1	Dinuba's Annual BBQ & Brew Fest	Aug 4, 2023
-4.8	Clayton BBQ Cook-off	Jul 8, 2022
-2.8	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	Oct 30, 2024
-1.3	The Golden State Battle VII (Day 2)	Jan 25, 2025

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — tap a meat to add it)

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)
2026	5	0	4	2	100%	top 28%	98.4%	92.8%
2025	9	2	5	7	78%	top 20%	97.9%	96.6%
2024	9	2	5	5	89%	top 19%	99.1%	96.3%
2023	8	0	6	2	88%	top 31%	96.7%	94.9%
2022	2	0	0	0	100%	top 51%	93.7%	90.9%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Aug 8, 2026	Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off (Day 2) 🏅 Felton, CA	3 / 17 (708.5604)	9 (174.2744)	5 (178.8572)	6 (176.5716)	2 (178.8572)
Aug 7, 2026	Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off (Day 1) 🏅 Felton, CA	3 / 25 (701.1200)	9 (171.4172)	12 (170.8456)	1 (180)	5 (178.8572)
May 23, 2026	BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay 🏅 North Bend, OR	32 / 33 (525.6912)	1 (179.4400)	2 (177.7372)	20 (168.5140)	—
Apr 24, 2026	Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship 🏅 Lodi, CA	2 / 29 (699.9312)	7 (176)	4 (174.2628)	5 (175.4056)	5 (174.2628)
Jan 30, 2026	The Golden State Battle VIII 🏅 Riverside, CA	2 / 41 (706.2400)	17 (174.2628)	5 (176.5716)	—	7 (175.4056)
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	41 / 401 (695.9428)	126 (173.1200)	309 (163.9656)	15 (178.8572)	7 (180)
Nov 5, 2025	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest unrated Kansas City, KS	61 / 158 (689.6228)	101 (170.8228)	128 (167.3944)	24 (176)	27 (175.4056)
Aug 9, 2025	3rd Annual Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off (Day 2) 🏅 Felton, CA	7 / 21 (683.4060)	8 (171.4172)	2 (175.4172)	1 (180)	17 (156.5716)
Aug 8, 2025	3rd Annual Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off (Day 1) 🏅 Felton, CA	2 / 25 (697.6456)	13 (170.2628)	7 (173.1200)	1 (180)	5 (174.2628)
May 23, 2025	Best Dam BBQ 🏅 Boulder City, NV	4 / 29 (698.8000)	2 (176.5600)	20 (166.8228)	8 (175.4172)	1 (180)
Apr 25, 2025	Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship 🏅 Lodi, CA	1 / 31 (699.4056)	12 (174.2628)	1 (178.2972)	1 (178.8800)	13 (167.9656)
Jan 25, 2025	The Golden State Battle VII (Day 2) 🏅 Hollister, CA	14 / 27 (691.3372)	6 (176.5600)	24 (168.5372)	—	14 (170.8344)
Jan 24, 2025	The Golden State Battle VII (Day 1) 🏅 Hollister, CA	1 / 31 (705.1428)	8 (173.1428)	6 (175.4400)	1 (180)	1 (176.5600)
Dec 6, 2024	BBQ Jackpot 🏅 Las Vegas, NV	11 / 74 (690.7772)	11 (176.5600)	8 (174.2628)	16 (174.8572)	58 (165.0972)
Oct 30, 2024	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
Oct 30, 2024	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	237 / 444 (674.1716)	204 (170.2628)	8 (178.8572)	336 (162.8000)	322 (162.2516)
Oct 30, 2024	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest unrated Kansas City, KS	26 / 169 (694.7772)	147 (166.2400)	32 (175.4172)	46 (174.2628)	9 (178.8572)
Jun 14, 2024	CBCA Clayton BBQ and Brews Festival (MASTERS) 🏅 Clayton, CA	4 / 25 (690.2172)	3 (176.5716)	14 (166.8344)	5 (175.4056)	7 (171.4056)
May 24, 2024	Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off 🏅 Felton, CA	1 / 21 (713.7028)	2 (177.1428)	1 (178.8572)	1 (180)	2 (177.7028)
Apr 26, 2024	Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship 🏅 Lodi, CA	4 / 34 (697.6800)	1 (180)	21 (168.0116)	21 (169.6684)	1 (180)
Mar 1, 2024	The Golden State Battle VI 🏅 Hollister, CA	10 / 33 (686.1712)	17 (171.9656)	4 (176.5600)	13 (170.2744)	22 (167.3712)
Jan 12, 2024	9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge 🏅 Bullhead City, AZ	1 / 58 (699.9428)	32 (170.8228)	6 (176.5600)	1 (180)	12 (172.5600)
Nov 17, 2023	Golden State Battle of Indio 🏅 Indio, CA	9 / 40 (695.9316)	2 (180)	20 (171.9888)	—	16 (171.9772)
Sep 29, 2023	Field, Fire Fork! 🏅 Los Banos, CA	2 / 19 (694.8116)	10 (167.9772)	5 (171.9772)	2 (178.8572)	1 (176)
Aug 4, 2023	Dinuba's Annual BBQ & Brew Fest 🏅 Dinuba, CA	25 / 29 (654.6852)	15 (170.8112)	28 (157.6456)	26 (161.1428)	17 (165.0856)
Jun 2, 2023	Horse Town Brew n Que Festival 🏅 Norco, CA	11 / 43 (689.7144)	17 (172)	27 (166.8572)	3 (179.4400)	13 (171.4172)
May 26, 2023	Roaring Camp BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Felton, CA	8 / 19 (674.2056)	4 (173.7028)	2 (174.8572)	9 (169.1544)	17 (156.4912)
Apr 28, 2023	Lodi BeerFest & BBQ Championship 🏅 Lodi, CA	5 / 27 (686.7996)	5 (174.8456)	5 (173.1428)	13 (168.5600)	7 (170.2512)
Mar 3, 2023	The Golden State Battle V 🏅 Hollister, CA	9 / 28 (681.6344)	7 (174.2744)	13 (167.4056)	16 (167.3944)	5 (172.5600)
Jan 13, 2023	Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge 🏅 Bullhead City, AZ	4 / 45 (687.9084)	1 (177.7028)	20 (166.2744)	16 (170.8228)	6 (173.1084)
Sep 23, 2022	The Great Kearney BBQ Smoke-Out 🏅 Fresno, CA	12 / 43 (674.7424)	17 (166.2512)	6 (173.1200)	19 (166.2628)	15 (169.1084)
Jul 8, 2022	Clayton BBQ Cook-off 🏅 Clayton, CA	20 / 27 (634.6284)	18 (161.0972)	8 (167.4172)	26 (148.4684)	17 (157.6456)

An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.

Cherry Anchor BBQ

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (20 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

Among the elite

The 180 club

Against the odds

On the rise

Giant slayer

Signature meat

Happy hunting ground

Multi-meat days

They almost always walk

High-water mark

State champions

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

An April team

The long haul

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

By meat

By field size and state

By contest size

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

More numbers

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

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

📉 Toughest weekends

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — tap a meat to add it)

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)