The heartbreaker
2.2168
points from the title
Came within 2.2168 points of the Grand Championship at Didsbury Lions BBQ (Sep 3, 2021).
MEAT SWEATS BBQ AB
MEAT SWEATS BBQ AB is a competition barbecue team with 21 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2017 and 2025. They have won 2 Grand Championships, most recently at the Barbeque on the Bow Festival (2023), and finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #1039 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1601
peak 1601 · rated over 19 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted
Contests
21
in the data
First seen
May 13, 2017
latest Aug 30, 2025 · 8.3 years on the trail
Grand champs
2
1 reserve · wins it all 10% of the time
Category wins
5
13 podiums
Overall top-10s
8
38% of 21 contests
Best top-10 run
4
straight overall top-10s
Avg finish
top 32%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
670.40 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 658.46 (+11.94)
Walk rate
76%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±23.84
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork
avg 166.16 · weakest Brisket (161.41)
Road miles
4,345
across 21 mapped stops · furthest 1,274 mi
Schedule strength
22%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1530)
Purse competed for
$5,000
listed at 1 contest — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 1 state-championship entry
Master avg
658.46 / 720
20 Master contests · 2 GCs
Backyard avg
330.26 / 360
1 Backyard contest · 0 GCs
These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360), 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 ↗ | Backyard | #222 (184 pts) | #283 (139 pts) | #195 (259 pts) | — | — |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #971 (110 pts) | #850 (165 pts) | #1020 (120 pts) | #1190 (60 pts) | #1107 (80 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #472 (406 pts) | #439 (501 pts) | #455 (526 pts) | #375 (581 pts) | #583 (321 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #476 (404 pts) | #530 (374 pts) | #553 (399 pts) | #593 (309 pts) | #580 (304 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #443 (490 pts) | #439 (520 pts) | #656 (330 pts) | #450 (495 pts) | #519 (420 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #302 (645 pts) | #343 (600 pts) | #337 (605 pts) | #395 (485 pts) | #421 (470 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #734 (455 pts) | #745 (465 pts) | #916 (360 pts) | #816 (420 pts) | #945 (335 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #1155 (259 pts) | #1423 (199 pts) | #1355 (224 pts) | #918 (414 pts) | #906 (414 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to MEAT SWEATS BBQ AB, each with one reason worth a look.
#1,040 of the rated field
- Contests
- 50
- GCs
- 2
- Top-10s
- 26%
- Peak
- 1649
1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to MEAT SWEATS BBQ AB)
2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team MEAT SWEATS BBQ AB has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#1,042 of the rated field
- Contests
- 20
- GCs
- 2
- Top-10s
- 60%
- Peak
- 1606
Careers of much the same size, 20 contests to 21, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers#1,041 of the rated field
- Contests
- 38
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 18%
- Peak
- 1606
Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 6 years before MEAT SWEATS BBQ AB's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#1,037 of the rated field
- Contests
- 42
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 31%
- Peak
- 1622
Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 42 contests, alongside a 31% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Compare careers#1,043 of the rated field
- Contests
- 50
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 28%
- Peak
- 1624
Level with MEAT SWEATS BBQ AB on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Compare careers#1,038 of the rated field
- Contests
- 183
- GCs
- 10
- Top-10s
- 57%
- Peak
- 1887
They've been 1887 at their best, 286 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMELLAQUE | 16 | 2 | 14 | 13% | ⚔ compare |
| Kreiser Barbecue | 15 | 11 | 4 | 73% | ⚔ compare |
| MOTLEY QUE | 14 | 12 | 2 | 86% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKAPALOOZA | 13 | 11 | 2 | 85% | ⚔ compare |
| YOU NEED A BBQ | 13 | 7 | 6 | 54% | ⚔ compare |
| FROZEN TOQUE BBQ | 13 | 7 | 6 | 54% | ⚔ compare |
| ARROWHEAD NORTH BBQ | 13 | 0 | 13 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Rack Addicts BBQ Team | 12 | 12 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| Fire BBQ | 12 | 11 | 1 | 92% | ⚔ compare |
| Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | 12 | 10 | 2 | 83% | ⚔ compare |
| Homestead Smoke Shack | 12 | 8 | 4 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| ROCKY MOUNTAIN SMOKERS | 12 | 6 | 6 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| HOME COOKIN' BBQ | 11 | 7 | 4 | 64% | ⚔ compare |
| BBQ TEAM NAIT | 11 | 6 | 5 | 55% | ⚔ compare |
| PRAIRIE SMOKE & SPICE BBQ | 11 | 2 | 9 | 18% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 21 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 179.4400 | 144.5716 | 165.45 | top 39% |
| Pork Ribs | 21 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 178.8572 | 145.1088 | 165.41 | top 36% |
| Pork | 20 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 177.1428 | 151.4400 | 166.16 | top 35% |
| Brisket | 20 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 175.4400 | 145.1088 | 161.41 | top 45% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 14 | 1 | top 29% |
| Large (40+) | 6 | 1 | top 40% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbeque on the Bow Festival | 3 | 1 | 1 | top 20% | Aug 30, 2025 |
| Porkapalooza BBQ Festival | 2 | 5 | 0 | top 30% | May 28, 2022 |
| BBQ on the Bow | 2 | 15 | 0 | top 50% | Sep 1, 2018 |
| Porkapalooza BBQ Festival | 2 | 13 | 0 | top 31% | Jun 16, 2018 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2022
5 contests
Contests a season
3
across 7 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
AB
14 of 21 contests · 2 states and provinces in all
Contests visited
15
4 of them more than once
First title
Sep 4, 2021
BBQ on the Bow
Opponents faced
733
finished ahead 818 times, behind 560
Longest layoff
3 yrs
Sep 1, 2018 → Aug 14, 2021
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20252 milestones
- Peak power rating (1601) Barbeque on the Bow Festival
- Most recent contest Barbeque on the Bow Festival
20233 milestones
- Biggest field won (40 teams) Barbeque on the Bow Festival
- Career-best overall score702.2972 Barbeque on the Bow Festival
- Career-best single call (Chicken)179.4400 Barbeque on the Bow Festival
20221 milestone
- 10th tracked contest Porkapalooza BBQ Festival
20212 milestones
- First Reserve Championship Didsbury Lions BBQ
- First Grand Championship BBQ on the Bow
20184 milestones
- First category win (Chicken) Battle River BBQ Showdown
- First overall top-10 Battle River BBQ Showdown
- First overall podium Battle River BBQ Showdown
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score653.1544 Battle River BBQ Showdown
20172 milestones
- First tracked contest Smokin Q at Lynnwood Ranch
- First call Porkapalooza BBQ Festival
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +14.5 | Battle River BBQ Showdown | Aug 18, 2018 |
| +14.3 | BBQ on the Bow | Sep 4, 2021 |
| +13.8 | Didsbury Lions BBQ | Sep 3, 2021 |
| +12.9 | Barbeque on the Bow Festival | Sep 2, 2023 |
| +11.4 | Porkapalooza BBQ Festival | May 28, 2022 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -3.9 | BBQ on the Bow | Sep 2, 2017 |
| -3.6 | Prairie Dog on the Bow | Aug 31, 2024 |
| -1.8 | Smokin Q at Lynnwood Ranch | May 13, 2017 |
| -0.5 | Barbeque on the Bow Festival | Aug 31, 2024 |
| -0.1 | Small Town Smoke Down | Jun 8, 2024 |
Scores over time (% of a perfect score — 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 100% | top 11% | 91.7% | 91.7% |
| 2024 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100% | top 41% | 94.5% | 93.5% |
| 2023 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 100% | top 22% | 97.5% | 95.7% |
| 2022 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 40% | top 35% | 94% | 93.6% |
| 2021 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 100% | top 20% | 94.1% | 91% |
| 2018 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 67% | top 24% | 90.7% | 89% |
| 2017 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67% | top 53% | 87.8% | 86% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30, 2025 | Barbeque on the Bow Festival Calgary, AB | 4 / 38 (330.2628) | 7 (173.1200) | 1 (166.8800) | 29 (164.5372) | 21 (163.3944) |
| Aug 31, 2024 | Barbeque on the Bow Festival Calgary, AB | 16 / 35 (672.4452) | 19 (169.6684) | 26 (162.2512) | 9 (170.8228) | 14 (169.7028) |
| Aug 31, 2024 | Prairie Dog on the Bow Calgary, AB | 14 / 24 (669.0744) | 2 (175.4172) | 12 (168.5600) | 10 (169.7028) | 21 (155.3944) |
| Jun 8, 2024 | Small Town Smoke Down Bassano, AB | 7 / 27 (167.3712) | 24 (154.7884) | 5 (170.2628) | 8 (172.5600) | 22 (160.5256) |
| May 25, 2024 | Embers and Ice Pitmaster Championship Calmar, AB | 13 / 39 (680.4684) | 16 (169.7028) | 6 (174.2744) | 7 (175.4056) | 23 (161.0856) |
| Sep 16, 2023 | Embers and Ice Pitmaster Championship (formerly Porkapalooza BBQ Festival) Sherwood Park, Edmonton, AB | 12 / 29 (675.3140) | 18 (166.2284) | 9 (172.5600) | 4 (175.4056) | 22 (161.1200) |
| Sep 2, 2023 | Barbeque on the Bow Festival Calgary, AB | 1 / 40 (702.2972) | 1 (179.4400) | 2 (178.8572) | 16 (168.5600) | 3 (175.4400) |
| Oct 1, 2022 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - SIDES Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sep 29, 2022 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 211 / 505 (673.0628) | 213 (168.5828) | 252 (167.3828) | 368 (161.6800) | 40 (175.4172) |
| Sep 29, 2022 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - INVITATIONAL CONTEST unrated Kansas City, KS | 174 / 249 (674.2628) | 197 (166.8344) | 118 (170.8688) | 103 (171.4284) | 193 (165.1312) |
| Sep 3, 2022 | Barbeque on the Bow Calgary, AB | 5 / 36 (676.5484) | 14 (167.4400) | 17 (164.5600) | 2 (177.1428) | 10 (167.4056) |
| May 28, 2022 | Porkapalooza BBQ Festival Sherwood Park, AB | 5 / 39 (671.3828) | 1 (174.3200) | 15 (165.6800) | 14 (164.5484) | 7 (166.8344) |
| Sep 4, 2021 | BBQ on the Bow Didsbury, AB | 1 / 29 (677.7712) | 11 (164.5828) | 4 (172.0228) | 2 (170.9028) | 4 (170.2628) |
| Sep 3, 2021 | Didsbury Lions BBQ Didsbury, AB | 2 / 26 (655.9544) | 1 (170.2972) | 3 (170.8572) | 14 (154.8000) | 4 (160) |
| Aug 14, 2021 | Porkapalooza BBQ Festival Sherwood Park, AB | 12 / 25 (631.3944) | 4 (163.3712) | 5 (164.0344) | 10 (158.8800) | 22 (145.1088) |
| Sep 1, 2018 | BBQ on the Bow Calgary | 15 / 43 (632.5940) | 24 (159.9656) | 11 (160.6056) | 5 (166.3200) | 29 (145.7028) |
| Aug 18, 2018 | Battle River BBQ Showdown Camrose, AB | 3 / 25 (653.1544) | 1 (171.4400) | 7 (161.1544) | 9 (161.1544) | 4 (159.4056) |
| Jun 16, 2018 | Porkapalooza BBQ Festival Edmonton | 13 / 51 (635.9540) | 12 (164) | 22 (158.3084) | 17 (158.2628) | 22 (155.3828) |
| Sep 2, 2017 | BBQ on the Bow Calgary | 27 / 42 (608.4688) | 37 (144.5716) | 34 (145.1088) | 3 (169.6800) | 26 (149.1084) |
| Jun 10, 2017 | Porkapalooza BBQ Festival Edmonton | 14 / 39 (631.9652) | 21 (157.0740) | 17 (156.5828) | 25 (151.4400) | 2 (166.8684) |
| May 13, 2017 | Smokin Q at Lynnwood Ranch Okotoks, AB | 20 / 34 (617.0516) | 28 (150.2400) | 24 (152) | 13 (159.9656) | 18 (154.8460) |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.