BUGHOUSE SMOKERS

BUGHOUSE SMOKERS is a competition barbecue team with 46 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2017 and 2025. Their best overall finish is 3rd of 32 at the EUregio Barbeque Festival (2018). They are ranked #1187 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#1,187

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1588

peak 1645 · rated over 45 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Jan 14, 2017

latest Jun 28, 2025 · 8.5 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#155

Master 2019 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

17 podiums

Overall top-10s

43% of 46 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 41%

overall standings

Best overall

680.5256 / 720

Master · Eastern BBQ Contest

Perfect 180s

Current form

624.58 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 651.40 (-26.83)

Walk rate

96%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

178.8800

Pork · Beer,Fries & BBQ VI

Consistency

±31.84

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 166.13 · weakest Pork Ribs (159.80)

Road miles

14,208

across 46 mapped stops · furthest 4,867 mi

Schedule strength

37%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1549)

Purse competed for

$10K

listed at 1 contest — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 1 state-championship entry

Master avg

651.40 / 720

46 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (11 found in their record)

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

They almost always walk

96% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 44 of 46 contests

A top-10 category call in 96% of their 46 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

680.5256 career-best overall

94.5% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 680.5256 at Eastern BBQ Contest — 94.5% of a perfect 720.

Master
Mar 31, 2018

The one to beat

4× one call ahead of them

Backcorner BBQ has finished one call ahead of BUGHOUSE SMOKERS 4 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2018 their best year

2018 was the year it came together: 13 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 29%.

13 contests
7 overall top-10s
1 category win
average top 29%

A tough matchup

31–6 behind in the head-to-head

IQ - NETHERLANDS ahead in 84% of their meetings

IQ - NETHERLANDS has come out ahead in 31 of their 37 shared contests.

The weak link

−6.3 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 6.33 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 38% of the time against 35%.

Pork Ribs avg 159.80
Chicken avg 166.13
17 calls in 45 entries

A strong matchup

21–7 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 75% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of BBQ Team Laurentius in 21 of their 28 shared contests.

Show 4 more storylines

Built for the big stage

Top 31% average finish in large fields

Field size changes the story: they average a top 31% finish in large fields against top 57% in small ones.

Large (40+): top 31% (12)
Small (<20 teams): top 57% (4)

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

Backcorner BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A May team

Top 27% average finish in May

Something about May: average finish in the top 27% across 7 contests, versus top 41% the rest of the year.

7 May contests
top 41% the rest of the year

The long haul

14,208 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 14,208 miles across 46 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 4,867 miles to BBQ, Bikes and Blues.

46 mapped stops
furthest 4,867 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
2025 ↗	Master	#1048 (88 pts)	#1137 (83 pts)	#1243 (78 pts)	#1049 (103 pts)	#993 (113 pts)
2024 ↗	Master	#984 (108 pts)	#1051 (113 pts)	#1221 (83 pts)	#1032 (108 pts)	#814 (173 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#1017 (118 pts)	#1188 (93 pts)	#1213 (113 pts)	#927 (138 pts)	#964 (128 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#694 (249 pts)	#511 (434 pts)	#754 (259 pts)	#532 (404 pts)	#680 (274 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#700 (206 pts)	#772 (196 pts)	#887 (161 pts)	#569 (311 pts)	#709 (226 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#443 (242 pts)	#378 (312 pts)	#470 (247 pts)	#517 (207 pts)	#538 (197 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#155 (1,532 pts)	#148 (1,493 pts)	#132 (1,567 pts)	#151 (1,474 pts)	#72 (1,852 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#158 (1,585 pts)	#143 (1,580 pts)	#132 (1,571 pts)	#176 (1,426 pts)	#202 (1,405 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#445 (851 pts)	#526 (756 pts)	#391 (976 pts)	#395 (976 pts)	#331 (1,126 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

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

BELGIAN BBQ TEAM FIVE Q

#1,189 of the rated field

1588 power rating

Contests: 56
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 64%
Peak: 1679

3–12 in 15 shared contests (20% to BUGHOUSE SMOKERS)

These two have cooked 15 of the same contests — BELGIAN BBQ TEAM FIVE Q ahead 12–3 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 56 contests
last seen May 23, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

LETZQ

#1,194 of the rated field

1588 power rating

Contests: 35
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 49%
Peak: 1592

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to BUGHOUSE SMOKERS)

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

rated over 32 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

HEFTY LEFTY BBQ

#1,191 of the rated field

1588 power rating

Contests: 57
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1603

Careers of much the same size, 57 contests to 46, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 52 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

NEVER EASY BBQ

#1,180 of the rated field

1588 power rating

Contests: 56
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 14%
Peak: 1610

56 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 14% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 54 contests
last seen Oct 16, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

RECYCLED SMOKE

#1,192 of the rated field

1588 power rating

Contests: 36
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1636

They've been 1636 at their best, 49 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 36 contests
last seen Apr 7, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

HAMBONES BY THE FIRE

#1,186 of the rated field

1588 power rating

Contests: 70
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 30%
Peak: 1664

Level with BUGHOUSE SMOKERS on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 69 contests
last seen Sep 5, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
IQ - NETHERLANDS	37	6	31	16%	⚔ compare
BBQ+	31	5	26	16%	⚔ compare
Backcorner BBQ	30	7	23	23%	⚔ compare
SOUTHERN DUTCH BBQ	30	6	24	20%	⚔ compare
BBQ Team Laurentius	28	21	7	75%	⚔ compare
PARKSTAD SMOKERS	28	8	20	29%	⚔ compare
PUREBBQ	26	16	10	62%	⚔ compare
WETTELS ON FIRE	24	19	5	79%	⚔ compare
White Squirrel BBQ	24	8	16	33%	⚔ compare
Osdorp Grillers (NL)	23	18	5	78%	⚔ compare
ROKENDE REGAHS	22	11	11	50%	⚔ compare
DE VLIEGENDE HOLLANDER BBQ-TEAM	22	9	13	41%	⚔ compare
RIVERLAND SMOKERS	21	13	8	62%	⚔ compare
UNCLE TONY'S COCKNEY Q	21	10	11	48%	⚔ compare
BUNCH OF SWINES	21	1	20	5%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	46	16	1	6	176.5600	152.5144	166.13	top 44%
Pork Ribs	45	17	1	6	174.2744	20	159.80	top 45%
Pork	45	22	0	2	178.8800	152.5600	165.31	top 44%
Brisket	46	27	1	3	176.5600	139.3944	163.69	top 37%

“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)	4	top 57%
Medium (20–39)	30	top 43%
Large (40+)	12	top 31%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
BZ	3	0	top 40%
MO	1	0	top 51%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Farm Meat "De Vaartse Hoeve" BBQ Contest	3	6	top 49%	Sep 10, 2022
KCBS International BBQ Contest Vuur en Vlees	3	6	top 32%	Jun 29, 2019
W.E.S.T. Winter Extreme South Tyrol BBQ Contest	3	9	top 40%	Jan 19, 2019
Riverland Smokers BBQ Contest 2025 (Day 2)	2	13	top 73%	Jun 28, 2025
Tony Stone BBQ Competition	2	5	top 31%	Jun 3, 2022
Beer,Fries & BBQ V (Day 2)	2	15	top 36%	May 12, 2018
Eastern BBQ Contest	2	3	top 24%	Mar 31, 2018

More numbers

Busiest season 2019 14 contests

Contests a season 5.1 across 9 seasons in the data

Most contests held in BZ 3 of 46 contests · 2 states in all

Contests visited 36 7 of them more than once

Opponents faced 398 finished ahead 936 times, behind 569

Longest layoff 1.2 yrs Mar 25, 2023 → Jun 22, 2024

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

20251 milestone

Jun 28 Most recent contest Riverland Smokers BBQ Contest 2025 (Day 2)

20193 milestones

Mar 30 25th tracked contest Spring Break BBQ Contest
May 11 Career-best single call (Pork)178.8800 Beer,Fries & BBQ VI
Nov 30 Peak power rating (1645) Beer,Fries & BBQ-The Winter Edition

20184 milestones

Jan 13 10th tracked contest W.E.S.T. Winter extreme South Tyrol BBQ Contest
Mar 31 First overall podium Eastern BBQ Contest
Mar 31 Career-best overall score680.5256 Eastern BBQ Contest
Jun 23 First category win (Pork Ribs) KCBS International BBQ Contest Vuur en Vlees

20174 milestones

Jan 14 First tracked contest W.E.S.T.Winter Extreme South Tyrol BBQ Contest
Jan 14 First call W.E.S.T.Winter Extreme South Tyrol BBQ Contest
Jan 14 First overall past 90% of a perfect score663.3600 W.E.S.T.Winter Extreme South Tyrol BBQ Contest
Jun 10 First overall top-10 KCBS International BBQ Contest Vuur en Vlees

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.7	Eastern BBQ Contest	Mar 31, 2018
+13.2	EUregio Barbeque Festival	Aug 18, 2018
+11.9	Meat, Smoke & Beer Festival- BBQ on Ice	Feb 17, 2018
+10.5	Tony Stone BBQ Competition	Jun 8, 2019
+9.3	Beer,Fries & BBQ VI	May 11, 2019

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-18.8	Farm Meat "De Vaartse Hoeve" BBQ Contest	Sep 10, 2022
-15.6	Tony Stone Low & Slow BBQ Competition	Jun 3, 2017
-13.3	Riverland Smokers BBQ Contest 2025 (Day 2)	Jun 28, 2025
-8.2	Farm Meat "De Vaartse Hoeve" BBQ	Sep 12, 2020
-6.2	KCBS International BBQ contest Vuur en Vlees	Oct 23, 2021

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	1	0	0	0%	top 89%	87.8%	87.8%
2024	1	0	0	100%	top 57%	92.2%	92.2%
2023	1	1	0	100%	top 56%	91.3%	91.3%
2022	3	0	0	100%	top 66%	89.7%	83.7%
2021	3	1	0	100%	top 47%	92.1%	91.3%
2020	1	0	0	100%	top 65%	88.7%	88.7%
2019	14	10	2	100%	top 30%	93.9%	92.3%
2018	13	7	1	92%	top 29%	94.5%	91.8%
2017	9	1	0	100%	top 54%	92.1%	87.8%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jun 28, 2025	Riverland Smokers BBQ Contest 2025 (Day 2) Dodewaard	16 / 18 (632.3200)	17 (159.3828)	18 (149.6460)	13 (165.0856)	11 (158.2056)
Jun 22, 2024	Riverland Smokers BBQ Contest Dodewaard	13 / 23 (663.8972)	12 (168.5600)	18 (160.5144)	13 (164)	5 (170.8228)
Mar 25, 2023	Spring Break BBQ Contest 4 Lommel	10 / 18 (657.1200)	15 (162.2856)	11 (160.5716)	8 (170.8228)	9 (163.4400)
Sep 10, 2022	Farm Meat "De Vaartse Hoeve" BBQ Contest Dongen	28 / 28 (523.3600)	2 (175.4400)	28 (20)	10 (170.2744)	13 (157.6456)
Jun 3, 2022	Tony Stone BBQ Competition Hoofddorp	20 / 38 (646.1832)	30 (161.0856)	21 (157.7144)	10 (168.5372)	16 (158.8460)
Mar 26, 2022	Spring Break BBQ Contest III Lommel	14 / 31 (638.2512)	12 (168.5828)	11 (159.4400)	9 (164.5256)	27 (145.7028)
Oct 23, 2021	KCBS International BBQ contest Vuur en Vlees Liesselseweg, Deurne	18 / 30 (654.7772)	16 (165.1428)	27 (154.2744)	7 (172.5600)	17 (162.8000)
Sep 25, 2021	De Vliegende Hollander BBQ Terneuzen	11 / 21 (654.2172)	15 (163.3828)	13 (160.0228)	7 (167.3944)	9 (163.4172)
Sep 11, 2021	Farm Meat "De Vaartse Hoeve" Barbeque Contest Dongen	8 / 29 (663.2916)	6 (168.0116)	4 (171.9772)	7 (168.5256)	20 (154.7772)
Sep 12, 2020	Farm Meat "De Vaartse Hoeve" BBQ Dongen	20 / 31 (638.7428)	8 (168.0228)	11 (166.2860)	23 (159.3828)	31 (145.0512)
Nov 30, 2019	Beer,Fries & BBQ-The Winter Edition Helshoven	7 / 31 (660.0116)	7 (168)	12 (160.0116)	9 (167.9656)	9 (164.0344)
Sep 7, 2019	Farm Meat De Vaartse Hoeve BBQ Contest Dongen	12 / 38 (659.8972)	11 (165.7028)	33 (153.6688)	9 (170.8228)	7 (169.7028)
Aug 31, 2019	3rd International Suydersee BBQ Contest Zeewolde Flevoland	14 / 31 (649.6572)	5 (171.9884)	27 (147.3944)	17 (158.2744)	2 (172)
Aug 17, 2019	EUregio Barbecue Festival Erlenstr Waldfeucht-Haaren	6 / 28 (658.7772)	18 (159.9428)	2 (168.5600)	—	5 (167.4516)
Jun 29, 2019	KCBS International BBQ Contest Vuur en Vlees Deurne	8 / 22 (660.4912)	7 (167.9656)	5 (166.8572)	7 (170.2628)	17 (155.4056)
Jun 8, 2019	Tony Stone BBQ Competition Hoofddorp	5 / 55 (675.9544)	16 (168)	2 (173.1428)	38 (159.9544)	5 (174.8572)
May 25, 2019	Brew N Q Open Leicestershire	8 / 34 (666.7652)	4 (174.8456)	14 (165.1772)	18 (162.7768)	13 (163.9656)
May 24, 2019	Brew N Q Invitational unrated Leicestershire	4 / 26 (671.3828)	1 (176.5600)	8 (164.5600)	21 (159.9884)	3 (170.2744)
May 11, 2019	Beer,Fries & BBQ VI Kapermolenpark, Hasselt	7 / 49 (671.4284)	12 (170.8112)	24 (158.3544)	2 (178.8800)	17 (163.3828)
Apr 26, 2019	BBQ, Bikes and Blues 🏅 Washington, MO	20 / 39 (671.8968)	22 (165.6912)	6 (172)	30 (158.7884)	5 (175.4172)
Apr 13, 2019	Meat the East Hengelo	9 / 41 (674.1824)	11 (169.6684)	30 (155.9656)	5 (171.9884)	1 (176.5600)
Mar 30, 2019	Spring Break BBQ Contest Lommel	9 / 40 (659.9316)	36 (152.5144)	5 (169.1544)	11 (168)	7 (170.2628)
Feb 16, 2019	Austrian BBQ Festival BARBECUE on ICE Weissensee	7 / 12 (671.4400)	3 (173.7600)	11 (162.2856)	7 (166.2744)	5 (169.1200)
Jan 19, 2019	W.E.S.T. Winter Extreme South Tyrol BBQ Contest Rein in Taufers, BZ	14 / 30 (655.2684)	23 (157.0856)	13 (164.5256)	13 (167.9772)	10 (165.6800)
Sep 8, 2018	Farm Meat De Vaartse Hoeve BBQ Contest Dongen	6 / 40 (666.2856)	24 (163.4400)	14 (165.7256)	11 (169.1200)	7 (168)
Sep 1, 2018	2nd International Suydersee BBQ Contest Zeewolde Flevoland	8 / 44 (666.7428)	12 (168.5372)	5 (171.4056)	7 (168.5372)	21 (158.2628)
Aug 25, 2018	Regahfest 2018 Green The Hague	22 / 35 (642.0684)	30 (157.6456)	10 (164.5372)	28 (155.9428)	11 (163.9428)
Aug 25, 2018	RegahFest 2018 Yellow The Hague	14 / 29 (651.9428)	21 (160.5600)	28 (149.0972)	3 (175.4628)	8 (166.8228)
Aug 18, 2018	EUregio Barbeque Festival Waldfeucht-Haaren/NRW	3 / 32 (677.0284)	3 (174.8572)	5 (169.1200)	13 (165.6684)	6 (167.3828)
Jun 23, 2018	KCBS International BBQ Contest Vuur en Vlees Deurne	6 / 22 (658.1716)	5 (166.2400)	1 (171.4172)	20 (154.8000)	5 (165.7144)
May 19, 2018	Tony Stone Low & Slow BBQ Competition Hoofddorp	15 / 60 (655.8744)	27 (163.9772)	32 (159.3828)	17 (166.2400)	9 (166.2744)
May 12, 2018	Beer,Fries & BBQ V (Day 2) Hasselt	16 / 51 (656.6288)	15 (168.6172)	34 (156.0116)	12 (169.1428)	20 (162.8572)
May 11, 2018	Beer Fries & BBQ V (Day1) Hasselt	15 / 37 (650.6972)	16 (166.8228)	7 (167.4172)	28 (155.3716)	18 (161.0856)
Apr 14, 2018	Meat The East Hengelo	11 / 34 (654.8340)	2 (173.1084)	17 (160.6056)	32 (152.5600)	6 (168.5600)
Mar 31, 2018	Eastern BBQ Contest Ninove	3 / 33 (680.5256)	4 (170.8572)	5 (168.5600)	5 (171.9884)	6 (169.1200)
Feb 17, 2018	Meat, Smoke & Beer Festival- BBQ on Ice Weissensee	4 / 17 (673.7144)	7 (169.1772)	2 (171.4516)	7 (170.2856)	10 (162.8000)
Jan 13, 2018	W.E.S.T. Winter extreme South Tyrol BBQ Contest Rein in Taufers, BZ	9 / 30 (662.2172)	2 (176)	4 (169.7372)	6 (166.8344)	24 (149.6456)
Oct 7, 2017	5th Annual BBQ Society Cook-Off Hoofddorp	17 / 47 (661.6344)	11 (170.8228)	38 (154.2516)	6 (170.3200)	11 (166.2400)
Sep 9, 2017	Farm Meat Dongen	25 / 38 (636.4456)	35 (154.2284)	21 (161.0972)	32 (153.1200)	5 (168)
Sep 2, 2017	1st International Suydersee BBQ Contest Zeewolde Flevoland	18 / 32 (639.8744)	24 (159.9772)	22 (158.8572)	22 (156.5144)	10 (164.5256)
Jul 1, 2017	BBQ An Der Burg Geestland	17 / 25 (637.6688)	9 (165.7028)	3 (167.4400)	8 (165.1316)	23 (139.3944)
Jun 10, 2017	KCBS International BBQ Contest Vuur en Vlees Deurne	8 / 24 (652.4456)	22 (155.3828)	11 (165.1200)	9 (167.4172)	11 (164.5256)
Jun 3, 2017	Tony Stone Low & Slow BBQ Competition Hoofddorp Netherlands	56 / 56 (502.3316)	13 (170.9144)	—	37 (161.1200)	10 (170.2972)
May 13, 2017	Beer,Fries & BBQ IV Hasselt	20 / 50 (646.8232)	33 (160.6060)	19 (160.5372)	6 (169.6800)	30 (156)
Apr 15, 2017	Eastern BBQ Contest Ninove, Belgium	16 / 41 (647.9544)	23 (163.4400)	17 (162.8344)	29 (157.6800)	10 (164)
Jan 14, 2017	W.E.S.T.Winter Extreme South Tyrol BBQ Contest Rein in Taufers, BZ	13 / 30 (663.3600)	26 (158.8228)	3 (174.2744)	17 (162.8344)	6 (167.4284)

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

BUGHOUSE SMOKERS

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 (11 found in their record)

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Built for the big stage

Looking over their shoulder

A May 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)