iQue

iQue is a competition barbecue team with 38 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2025. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 30 at The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival (2017), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion twice. They are ranked #651 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “I-QUE”.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#651

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1649

peak 1661 · rated over 34 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Jul 20, 2013

latest Aug 2, 2025 · 12 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#393

Master 2016 · every season

Grand champs

2 reserve

Category wins

19 podiums

Overall top-10s

37% of 38 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 36%

overall standings

Best overall

701.1200 / 720

Master · Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES

Perfect 180s

Current form

681.41 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 666.23 (+15.19)

Walk rate

74%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

178.3200

Brisket · American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest

Consistency

±16.68

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 167.82 · weakest Pork Ribs (165.60)

Road miles

12,737

across 38 mapped stops · furthest 1,179 mi

Schedule strength

56%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1571)

Purse competed for

$202K

listed at 13 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 11 state-championship entries

Master avg

666.23 / 720

34 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (14 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

2.3428 points from the title

Came within 2.3428 points of the Grand Championship at The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival (Jul 29, 2017).

Happy hunting ground

Top 11% average finish here

The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival is their spot: an average finish in the top 11% across 4 visits.

4 visits
best finish 2nd
average top 11%

They almost always walk

74% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 28 of 38 contests

A top-10 category call in 74% of their 38 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

701.1200 career-best overall

97.4% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 701.1200 at Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES — 97.4% of a perfect 720.

Master
Apr 15, 2023

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA has finished one call ahead of iQue 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2017 their best year

2017 was the year it came together: 5 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 22%.

5 contests
2 overall top-10s
1 category win
average top 22%

A strong matchup

10–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 83% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of FOUR SMOKING GUYS in 10 of their 12 shared contests.

Show 7 more storylines

The comeback

2.2 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2.2 years, then back at Praise the Lard Murphysboro BBQ Cook-Off (Sep 24, 2021).

last seen Jul 27, 2019
back Sep 24, 2021

Chicken nemesis

22 of 31 shared chicken entries lost

SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA ahead 71% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA has out-cooked them in 22 of 31 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

Dirt Bag Barbeque has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A June team

Top 26% average finish in June

Something about June: average finish in the top 26% across 8 contests, versus top 36% the rest of the year.

8 June contests
top 36% the rest of the year

The long haul

12,737 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 12,737 miles across 38 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,179 miles to American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST.

38 mapped stops
furthest 1,179 mi

The metronome

±2.26% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.26% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 92.6% of a perfect score
38 contests

A standing appointment

5 years running at one contest

They've cooked Sun BBQ Fest every year from 2014 to 2018 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 3rd

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
2018 ↗	Master	#1765 (100 pts)	#1495 (145 pts)	#1931 (75 pts)	#2030 (60 pts)	#1990 (60 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#479 (785 pts)	#577 (700 pts)	#878 (445 pts)	#499 (795 pts)	#497 (790 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#393 (990 pts)	#446 (890 pts)	#515 (805 pts)	#543 (755 pts)	#447 (900 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#816 (420 pts)	#803 (455 pts)	#1246 (245 pts)	#1108 (300 pts)	#788 (465 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to iQue, each with one reason worth a look.

BONE RUBBIN BBQ

#654 of the rated field

1648 power rating

Contests: 58
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 47%
Peak: 1650

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 57 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 57 contests
last seen Aug 8, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

HELL ON SQUEALS

#653 of the rated field

1649 power rating

Contests: 60
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 53%
Peak: 1673

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 60 contests to 38.

rated over 58 contests
last seen May 15, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

PIGHEADED BBQ

#652 of the rated field

1649 power rating

Contests: 59
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 41%
Peak: 1723

Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 6 years before iQue's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 59 contests

⚔ Compare careers

SWAMP BOYS

#650 of the rated field

1649 power rating

Contests: 66
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 44%
Peak: 1751

Their rating is built on 3 Grand Championships in 66 contests, alongside a 44% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 60 contests
last seen Nov 22, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

Rusty's BBQ

#659 of the rated field

1648 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 39
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 56%
Peak: 1655

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to iQue)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team iQue has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 32 contests
last seen Aug 22, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

DIG'N N PIG'N

#655 of the rated field

1648 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 66
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 35%
Peak: 1648

3–1 in 4 shared contests (75% to iQue)

3 straight overall top-10s says this rating is a moving target.

rated over 64 contests
last seen May 16, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA	31	5	26	16%	⚔ compare
PADDY MCQ'S	23	10	13	43%	⚔ compare
INSANE SWINE BBQ	21	6	15	29%	⚔ compare
THE BASIC BBQ TEAM	18	9	9	50%	⚔ compare
Rogue Hog BBQ	17	10	7	59%	⚔ compare
BLAZIN' BUTTZ BBQ	17	6	11	35%	⚔ compare
ELJEFE SMOKE	16	9	7	56%	⚔ compare
FIRE AT THE END OF THE DAY	16	9	7	56%	⚔ compare
Q HAVEN BBQ	15	9	6	60%	⚔ compare
A MAZIE Q	14	9	5	64%	⚔ compare
MEAT @ SLIMS	14	8	6	57%	⚔ compare
Handsome Devil	13	10	3	77%	⚔ compare
FIRE DOWN BELOW	13	7	6	54%	⚔ compare
Up-2 BBQ	13	6	7	46%	⚔ compare
FOUR SMOKING GUYS	12	10	2	83%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	35	9	2	6	178.2972	155.9656	167.82	top 41%
Pork Ribs	35	12	1	3	178.2972	150.2400	165.60	top 44%
Pork	35	13	2	2	177.1428	153.0972	166.29	top 43%
Brisket	35	15	2	8	178.3200	153.6800	166.70	top 35%

“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	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 26%
Medium (20–39)	20	top 39%
Large (40+)	14	top 32%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
CT	10	top 22%
VT	8	top 28%
NY	4	top 57%
MA	3	top 46%
RI	3	top 31%
KS	2	top 40%
IL	2	top 42%
NH	1	top 31%
ME	1	top 65%
TN	1	top 90%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Sun BBQ Fest	5	3	top 22%	Jun 2, 2018
The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival	4	2	top 11%	Jul 27, 2019
Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2)	2	3	top 33%	Apr 13, 2024
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	2	84	top 40%	Sep 27, 2023
Ridgefield Gone Country BBQ Festival	2	5	top 13%	May 6, 2017

More numbers

Busiest season 2016 8 contests

Contests a season 3.2 across 12 seasons in the data

Most contests held in CT 10 of 38 contests · 11 states in all

Contests visited 25 5 of them more than once

Opponents faced 1,151 finished ahead 1,447 times, behind 823

Longest layoff 2.2 yrs Jul 27, 2019 → Sep 24, 2021

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

20251 milestone

Aug 2 Most recent contest Grand American Barbecue New York State Championship (Open)

20233 milestones

Apr 15 Career-best overall score701.1200 Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES
Sep 27 Career-best single call (Brisket)178.3200 American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest
Sep 27 Peak power rating (1661) American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest

20211 milestone

Sep 24 25th tracked contest Praise the Lard Murphysboro BBQ Cook-Off

20162 milestones

Jun 11 10th tracked contest Sun BBQ Fest
Jul 23 First Reserve Championship The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival

20152 milestones

Jun 13 First category win (Brisket) Sun BBQ Fest
Jun 13 First overall podium Sun BBQ Fest

20134 milestones

Jul 20 First tracked contest Wakefield Rotary Campus CookOff & State BBQ Championships
Jul 20 First call Wakefield Rotary Campus CookOff & State BBQ Championships
Jul 20 First overall top-10 Wakefield Rotary Campus CookOff & State BBQ Championships
Jul 20 First overall past 90% of a perfect score657.1888 Wakefield Rotary Campus CookOff & State BBQ Championships

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16.8	Sun BBQ Fest	Jun 13, 2015
+15.4	The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival	Jul 23, 2016
+14.8	Ridgefield Gone Country BBQ Festival	Apr 30, 2016
+13.7	Sun BBQ Fest	Jun 11, 2016
+13.3	The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival	Jul 29, 2017

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10.7	Blues Hog BBQ & Music Fest	Apr 1, 2016
-7.6	Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2)	Apr 13, 2024
-7.4	Praise the Lard Murphysboro BBQ Cook-Off	Sep 24, 2021
-7	Massachusetts in May (Day 1)	May 16, 2025
-6.2	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST	Sep 29, 2022

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	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2025	3	0	1	67%	top 72%	94.7%	93.5%
2024	2	1	0	50%	top 38%	96.7%	95.2%
2023	6	2	2	83%	top 23%	97.4%	95%
2022	2	0	0	0%	top 63%	91.5%	91.5%
2021	1	0	0	100%	top 69%	91.2%	91.2%
2019	1	1	0	100%	top 21%	93.6%	93.6%
2018	3	1	1	100%	top 34%	93.9%	92.7%
2017	5	2	1	100%	top 22%	93.7%	91.4%
2016	8	5	1	75%	top 32%	95.5%	92.1%
2015	3	1	1	67%	top 36%	94.6%	92.3%
2014	2	0	0	50%	top 47%	89.9%	89.9%
2013	2	1	0	50%	top 32%	91.3%	90.8%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Aug 2, 2025	Grand American Barbecue New York State Championship (Open) 🏅 Port Jervis, NY	30 / 47 (681.6232)	25 (172.5600)	22 (171.9772)	23 (171.9772)	37 (165.1088)
Aug 1, 2025	Grand American Barbecue World Championship (Invitational) (COMPETITOR SERIES) unrated Port Jervis, NY	32 / 34 (672.4920)	33 (156.5144)	7 (176.0116)	28 (167.9772)	20 (171.9888)
May 16, 2025	Massachusetts in May (Day 1) 🏅 Wrentham, MA	16 / 27 (666.2748)	20 (161.1544)	22 (161.1432)	12 (166.8228)	1 (177.1544)
Jul 12, 2024	Connecticut Barbecue Challenge 🏅 Somers, CT	5 / 30 (695.9544)	13 (173.1200)	8 (171.9888)	4 (176.5600)	2 (174.2856)
Apr 13, 2024	Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2) 🏅 Bristol, CT	22 / 37 (675.2684)	23 (168.5256)	21 (168.5372)	23 (167.3828)	11 (170.8228)
Sep 27, 2023	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
Sep 27, 2023	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	84 / 487 (687.9428)	78 (175.4056)	222 (169.6916)	315 (164.5256)	10 (178.3200)
Sep 8, 2023	Green Mountain BBQ Championship - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES 🏅 Braintree, VT	11 / 26 (673.0512)	16 (166.2512)	18 (162.2400)	8 (170.2972)	5 (174.2628)
Jun 24, 2023	Frog Alley BREW-B-QUE Cookoff Schenectady, NY	5 / 19 (687.3256)	10 (170.8112)	1 (176.5600)	13 (164.5372)	2 (175.4172)
May 6, 2023	HOGS 4 HEROES 🏅 Jamestown, RI	12 / 50 (669.6916)	13 (170.2972)	16 (167.4744)	10 (171.4056)	26 (160.5144)
Apr 15, 2023	Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES 🏅 Bristol, CT	3 / 43 (701.1200)	2 (178.2972)	2 (178.2972)	1 (177.1428)	16 (167.3828)
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	319 / 505 (658.7428)	119 (172.5484)	429 (157.6916)	194 (169.1200)	373 (159.3828)
Sep 24, 2021	Praise the Lard Murphysboro BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Murphysboro, IL	27 / 39 (656.4344)	22 (166.2628)	32 (159.4060)	8 (171.9772)	30 (158.7884)
Jul 27, 2019	The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival 🏅 Windsor, VT	7 / 33 (674.1712)	19 (166.8344)	19 (163.3712)	26 (158.8116)	8 (165.6800)
Oct 12, 2018	Bay State BBQ Championship- CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1) Monson, MA	17 / 26 (664.4572)	22 (160.5372)	7 (169.1316)	9 (169.1200)	16 (165.6684)
Jul 28, 2018	The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival Windsor, VT	3 / 34 (675.8744)	1 (175.4056)	6 (169.1316)	18 (162.8000)	3 (168.5372)
Jun 2, 2018	Sun BBQ Fest Uncasville, CT	17 / 59 (662.1484)	9 (170.8228)	22 (166.8228)	30 (162.8228)	26 (161.6800)
Jul 29, 2017	The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival Windsor, VT	2 / 30 (674.7312)	2 (173.1200)	7 (167.9656)	1 (172.5600)	11 (161.0856)
Jun 10, 2017	Granite State BBQ Championship Hancock, NH	11 / 35 (653.6228)	8 (169.7372)	34 (153.0856)	5 (169.6800)	17 (161.1200)
Jun 3, 2017	Sun BBQ Fest Uncasville, CT	12 / 73 (674.7772)	16 (169.7144)	35 (164.5256)	36 (163.9544)	3 (176.5828)
May 6, 2017	Ridgefield Gone Country BBQ Festival Ridgefield, CT	5 / 38 (649.0284)	13 (160.5600)	18 (157.0856)	10 (165.6800)	3 (165.7028)
Apr 7, 2017	NYC BBQ Cookoff Staten Island, NY	19 / 43 (636.4912)	24 (155.9656)	23 (156.5372)	10 (163.9884)	18 (160)
Oct 7, 2016	Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival Greenfield, MA	4 / 33 (672.4684)	3 (175.4056)	15 (163.3828)	11 (162.8228)	2 (170.8572)
Sep 23, 2016	Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff Murphysboro, IL	9 / 64 (687.4060)	18 (171.9772)	13 (171.9888)	27 (169.1200)	5 (174.3200)
Jul 23, 2016	The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival Windsor, VT	2 / 26 (685.6344)	1 (177.7028)	5 (170.8344)	4 (172.5600)	11 (164.5372)
Jul 16, 2016	Smokin at the Ballpark BBQ Fest Old Orchard Beach, ME	17 / 26 (646.8112)	14 (161.7256)	8 (166.2628)	14 (163.4056)	21 (155.4172)
Jun 25, 2016	Green Mountain BBQ Championship Waterbury, VT	15 / 40 (659.9316)	22 (165.1200)	16 (163.9888)	14 (166.2284)	15 (164.5944)
Jun 11, 2016	Sun BBQ Fest Uncasville, CT	9 / 69 (670.2168)	22 (166.8228)	5 (172)	46 (158.8112)	8 (172.5828)
Apr 30, 2016	Ridgefield Gone Country BBQ Festival Ridgefield, CT	5 / 39 (656.5260)	12 (165.1200)	20 (159.3944)	9 (166.3088)	5 (165.7028)
Apr 1, 2016	Blues Hog BBQ & Music Fest Jackson, TN	55 / 61 (625.5884)	52 (159.4056)	56 (150.2400)	50 (162.2628)	53 (153.6800)
Jul 25, 2015	Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ Windsor, VT	19 / 35 (653.6344)	14 (168.5372)	13 (166.2628)	23 (160.5372)	24 (158.2972)
Jul 17, 2015	Wakefield Rotary Campus Cook Off Kingston, RI	18 / 37 (658.2512)	21 (162.2512)	28 (160.5600)	7 (168)	14 (167.4400)
Jun 13, 2015	Sun BBQ Fest Uncasville, CT	3 / 52 (681.2000)	2 (176.6172)	24 (164.0116)	24 (163.3712)	1 (177.2000)
Aug 14, 2014	Classic City BBQ Fest & Tailgate Show (GBC Qualifier) Athens, GA	—	—	—	—	—
Jun 20, 2014	Sun BBQ Fest Uncasville, CT	15 / 32 (647.3604)	27 (160.5716)	5 (169.1316)	26 (153.0972)	8 (164.5600)
Jul 26, 2013	The Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ Windsor, VT	14 / 31 (650.2172)	12 (166.8344)	22 (158.2400)	15 (162.2972)	12 (162.8456)
Jul 20, 2013	Wakefield Rotary Campus CookOff & State BBQ Championships Kingston, RI	9 / 46 (657.1888)	26 (161.1428)	3 (170.8916)	21 (162.2744)	18 (162.8800)

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

iQue

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 (14 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

Happy hunting ground

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A strong matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

A June team

The long haul

The metronome

A standing appointment

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)