High-water mark
671.9200
career-best overall
93.3% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 671.9200 at Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival — 93.3% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- 2021-08-20
HICKORY FLAT BBQ CO.
At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)
Rating
1423
peak 1423 · rated over 16 contests ⓘ
Contests
23
in the data
First seen
2014-08-22
latest 2025-08-15
Best ToY finish
#864
Master 2024
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
0 podiums
Overall top-10s
0
of 23 contests
Avg finish
top 73%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
649.90 ▼
last 5 Master vs avg 653.95 (-4.05)
Walk rate
26%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±10.24
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 165.07 · weakest Brisket (160.92)
Road miles
1,203
mi across 23 mapped stops · furthest 137 mi
Schedule strength
46%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1559)
Purse competed for
$112K
listed at 9 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
GCs in 10 state-championship entries
Master avg
653.95 / 720
16 Master contests · 0 GCs
Storylines (9 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.
A tough matchup
9–0
behind in the head-to-head
COOL HAND QUE ahead in 100% of their meetings
COOL HAND QUE has come out ahead in 9 of their 9 shared contests.
The weak link
−4.1
points behind their best meat
Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.14 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 6% of the time against 6%.
- Brisket avg 160.92
- Chicken avg 165.07
- 1 calls in 16 entries
A strong matchup
5–0
ahead in the head-to-head
Ahead in 100% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of SMOKE SLINGERS - GA in 5 of their 5 shared contests.
The comeback
1.9 yrs
off the trail, then back
Off the trail for 1.9 years, then back at SC Festival of Discovery (2021-07-09).
- last seen 2019-08-23
- back 2021-07-09
Chicken nemesis
9 of 9
shared chicken entries lost
SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS ahead 100% of the time
Even in their strongest meat, SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS has out-cooked them in 9 of 9 shared chicken entries.
Looking over their shoulder
2×
one call behind them
BALDY'S BUTTS has landed one call behind them 2 times.
The metronome
±1.42%
swing around their own average
Their overall lands within ±1.42% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.
- averages 90.8% of a perfect score
- 23 contests
A standing appointment
4
years running at one contest
They've cooked Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival every year from 2021 to 2024 — the contest they never miss.
- 4 visits in all
- best finish 15th
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.
32 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#6127 of the rated field
- Contests
- 12
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1502
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to HICKORY FLAT BBQ CO.)
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team HICKORY FLAT BBQ CO. has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#6129 of the rated field
- Contests
- 69
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 7%
- Peak
- 1510
1–3 in 4 shared contests (25% to HICKORY FLAT BBQ CO.)
They've been 1510 at their best, 87 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-head#6130 of the rated field
- Contests
- 20
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 10%
- Peak
- 1423
No shared contest yet.
Careers of much the same size, 20 contests to 23, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-head#6121 of the rated field
- Contests
- 9
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1424
No shared contest yet.
Their last contest in the data was back in 2021, 4 years before HICKORY FLAT BBQ CO.'s most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Head-to-head#6126 of the rated field
- Contests
- 9
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1423
No shared contest yet.
Level with HICKORY FLAT BBQ CO. on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-head#6125 of the rated field
- Contests
- 9
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1423
No shared contest yet.
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 9 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willingham's | 10 | 2 | 8 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | 10 | 1 | 9 | 10% | ⚔ compare |
| CHOO CHOO TRAIN BBQ | 9 | 4 | 5 | 44% | ⚔ compare |
| Stewbabys BBQ | 9 | 2 | 7 | 22% | ⚔ compare |
| Quenut BBQ | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| COOL HAND QUE | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| ATLANTA BBQ STORE | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Angry Jack BBQ | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| CHOOCHOO BBQ | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| YES, DEAR BBQ | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| ROLLIN KOLBZ | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Bald Hawg BBQ | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 175.4056 | 154.2284 | 165.07 | top 69% |
| Pork Ribs | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 175.4172 | 151.9316 | 163.68 | top 68% |
| Pork | 16 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 174.8456 | 153.0744 | 164.28 | top 64% |
| Brisket | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 168.5600 | 143.9316 | 160.92 | top 67% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| GA | 14 | 0 | top 73% |
| SC | 2 | 0 | top 71% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 10 | 0 | top 73% |
| Large (40+) | 6 | 0 | top 73% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival | 4 | 15 | 0 | top 80% | 2024-08-16 |
| Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival | 4 | 15 | 0 | top 64% | 2019-08-23 |
The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)
On the trail
11 yrs
2014-08-22 → 2025-08-15
Busiest season
2015
4 contests
Contests a season
1.9
across 12 seasons in the data
Cooks most in
GA
20 of 23 contests · 2 states/provinces in all
Contests visited
10
2 of them cooked more than once
Most-entered meat
Chicken
16 entries · 0 wins · 1 calls
Strongest meat
Chicken
averages 165.07 · weakest Brisket (160.92)
Walk rate
26%
a top-10 call in 6 of 23 contests
Overall top-10 rate
0%
0 of 23 contests
Master average
653.95
out of 720 · 16 contests · 0 GCs
Opponents faced
413
182–620 across every shared overall standing
Road miles
1,203
23 mapped stops · furthest 137 mi
Schedule strength
1559
average field rating faced — tougher than 46% of rated contests
Purse competed for
$112,450
listed at 9 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0
from 10 state-championship entries
Longest layoff
1.9 yrs
2019-08-23 → 2021-07-09
Power rating
1423
peak 1423 · #6124 of 6,413 rated
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
- 2013
- First tracked contest SC Festival of Discovery
- 2014
- First call Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival (GBC Qualifier)
- Peak power rating (1495) Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival (GBC Qualifier)
- 2015
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score654.1140 Euharlee Covered Bridge 'Que (GBC Qualifier)
- 2017
- 10th tracked contest The Georgia Smithfield Guinea Pig
- 2021
- Career-best overall score671.9200 Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival
- 2023
- Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)175.4172 Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival
- 2025
- Most recent contest Pigs & Peaches
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +0.6 | The Georgia Smithfield Guinea Pig | 2017-07-14 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -10.2 | Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival | 2023-08-18 |
| -9.9 | Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival | 2022-08-19 |
| -8.9 | Sip & Swine BBQ Festival | 2024-03-01 |
| -7.5 | Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival | 2024-08-16 |
| -5.9 | Rock'n Ribville (GBC QUALIFIER) | 2017-09-15 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 78% | 91.7% | 91.7% |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 87% | 91% | 89.9% |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 93% | 88.6% | 88.6% |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 79% | 91.2% | 90.4% |
| 2021 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 65% | 93.3% | 91.3% |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 57% | 92.8% | 92.4% |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 71% | 90.4% | 90.4% |
| 2017 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 70% | 92.8% | 91.4% |
| 2016 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | — | — | — |
| 2015 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 74% | 90.8% | 90.8% |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 69% | 89.4% | 89.4% |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | — | — | — |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-08-15 | Pigs & Peaches 🏅 Kennesaw, GA | 21 / 27 (660.4116) | 20 (167.3828) | 22 (160.5144) | 20 (165.6800) | 17 (166.8344) |
| 2024-08-16 | Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival 🏅 Kennesaw, GA | 22 / 26 (655.2800) | 19 (165.6800) | 19 (163.3828) | 9 (174.8456) | 23 (151.3716) |
| 2024-03-01 | Sip & Swine BBQ Festival 🏅 Lawrenceville, GA | 53 / 59 (639.2800) | 56 (154.2284) | 46 (164.0116) | 55 (153.0744) | 35 (167.9656) |
| 2023-08-18 | Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival 🏅 Kennesaw, GA | 25 / 27 (638.1144) | 21 (165.6800) | 11 (175.4172) | 26 (153.0856) | 27 (143.9316) |
| 2022-08-19 | Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival 🏅 Kennesaw, GA | 26 / 30 (656.4228) | 22 (169.1200) | 21 (166.2400) | 29 (161.0972) | 26 (159.9656) |
| 2022-07-07 | South Carolina Festival of Discovery 🏅 Greenwood, SC | 65 / 92 (644.9260) | 79 (155.9084) | 68 (158.2288) | 45 (167.9888) | 56 (162.8000) |
| 2021-08-20 | Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival 🏅 Kennesaw, GA | 15 / 26 (671.9200) | 12 (169.7028) | 13 (167.9888) | 9 (170.8228) | 20 (163.4056) |
| 2021-07-09 | SC Festival of Discovery 🏅 Greenwood, SC | 58 / 81 (643.2684) | 61 (160.5256) | 53 (162.8000) | 54 (162.2400) | 57 (157.7028) |
| 2019-08-23 | Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival 🏅 Kennesaw, GA | 15 / 32 (667.8284) | 27 (163.9428) | 22 (165.0972) | 5 (170.2628) | 11 (168.5256) |
| 2019-07-19 | Piggin in the Park 🏅 Jasper, GA | 17 / 25 (663.3028) | 17 (166.8228) | 16 (165.1200) | 20 (162.8000) | 7 (168.5600) |
| 2018-08-24 | Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival Kennesaw, GA | 24 / 34 (650.6512) | 27 (162.2400) | 20 (166.2400) | 10 (171.4056) | 33 (150.7656) |
| 2017-09-15 | Rock'n Ribville (GBC QUALIFIER) Lawrenceville, GA | 31 / 39 (647.8168) | 35 (157.0856) | 32 (159.9544) | 31 (163.9540) | 18 (166.8228) |
| 2017-08-25 | Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival(GBC QUALIFIER) Kennesaw, GA | 26 / 37 (658.1368) | 24 (167.3940) | 20 (167.9772) | 31 (161.0856) | 27 (161.6800) |
| 2017-07-14 | The Georgia Smithfield Guinea Pig Cummings, GA | 25 / 41 (667.8972) | 24 (167.9656) | 25 (165.1316) | 14 (169.6800) | 23 (165.1200) |
| 2016-11-18 | Que'n in Cumming (Day 1) Cumming, GA | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016-08-26 | Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival (GBC Qualifier) Kennesaw, GA | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015-11-20 | The National BBQ Cup Cumming, GA | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015-10-03 | Smoke-N-Thunder BBQ Classic Day 2 (GBC Qualifier) Rome, GA | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015-06-05 | Euharlee Covered Bridge 'Que (GBC Qualifier) Euharlee, GA | 31 / 42 (654.1140) | 15 (171.9884) | 41 (151.9316) | 32 (162.8112) | 17 (167.3828) |
| 2015-04-24 | BBQ Boogie & Blues (GBC Qualifier) Calhoun, GA | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014-08-22 | Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival (GBC Qualifier) Kennesaw, GA | 31 / 45 (643.8284) | 7 (175.4056) | 33 (158.8228) | 36 (157.6800) | 38 (151.9200) |
| 2014-04-25 | BBQ Boogie & Blues (SBBQA) Calhoun, GA | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2013-07-11 | SC Festival of Discovery Greenwood, SC | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #1102 (72 pts) | #1159 (77 pts) | #1270 (67 pts) | #1133 (77 pts) | #1067 (92 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #864 (126 pts) | #917 (141 pts) | #943 (141 pts) | #772 (196 pts) | #917 (121 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #1616 (52 pts) | #1274 (72 pts) | #1109 (122 pts) | #1611 (52 pts) | #1612 (52 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #1065 (115 pts) | #1017 (130 pts) | #1060 (135 pts) | #1114 (115 pts) | #1103 (115 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #1392 (180 pts) | #1458 (190 pts) | #1414 (205 pts) | #1296 (235 pts) | #1325 (225 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #2158 (60 pts) | #1935 (110 pts) | #2209 (60 pts) | #2225 (60 pts) | #1988 (100 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #2518 (70 pts) | #1558 (175 pts) | #2560 (70 pts) | #2573 (70 pts) | #2542 (70 pts) |