The heartbreaker
1.1080
points from the title
Came within 1.1080 points of the Grand Championship at Sand Creek Summer Daze Saucy & Glazed BBQ Competition (Jul 9, 2021).
BARREL BOYS BBQ
BARREL BOYS BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 45 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2025. They have won 2 Grand Championships, most recently at the Derby BBQ Festival (JUDGES FULL) (2017), and finished Reserve Grand Champion twice. They are ranked #856 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “Barrel Boy's BBQ”.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1621
peak 1653 · rated over 38 contests6 invitational or side-series contests not counted
Contests
45
in the data
First seen
Sep 6, 2013
latest Jun 13, 2025 · 11.8 years on the trail
Grand champs
2
2 reserve · wins it all 4% of the time
Category wins
6
20 podiums
Overall top-10s
15
33% of 45 contests
Best top-10 run
4
straight overall top-10s
Avg finish
top 43%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
1 🔥
Current form
679.11 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 672.25 (+6.86)
Walk rate
60%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±18.02
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Brisket
avg 169.15 · weakest Pork Ribs (167.03)
Road miles
4,053
across 45 mapped stops · furthest 383 mi
Schedule strength
64%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1581)
Purse competed for
$108K
listed at 10 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 15 state-championship entries
Master avg
672.25 / 720
43 Master contests · 2 GCs
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #593 (281 pts) | #583 (326 pts) | #756 (256 pts) | #727 (216 pts) | #429 (466 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #650 (276 pts) | #731 (246 pts) | #713 (286 pts) | #541 (386 pts) | #720 (246 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #426 (432 pts) | #555 (327 pts) | #499 (402 pts) | #584 (297 pts) | #388 (522 pts) |
| 2020 ↗ | Master | #655 (120 pts) | #601 (165 pts) | #701 (120 pts) | #706 (120 pts) | #608 (160 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #617 (548 pts) | #772 (443 pts) | #697 (513 pts) | #693 (528 pts) | #382 (918 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #470 (799 pts) | #727 (554 pts) | #767 (524 pts) | #767 (524 pts) | #413 (939 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #462 (861 pts) | #740 (541 pts) | #429 (941 pts) | #768 (511 pts) | #551 (731 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #828 (409 pts) | #944 (364 pts) | #849 (424 pts) | #927 (389 pts) | #699 (529 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #958 (332 pts) | #1072 (312 pts) | #1114 (292 pts) | #994 (352 pts) | #982 (337 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to BARREL BOYS BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.
#857 of the rated field
- Contests
- 32
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 44%
- Peak
- 1627
3–0 in 3 shared contests (100% to BARREL BOYS BBQ)
These two have cooked 3 of the same contests — BARREL BOYS BBQ ahead 3–0 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.
⚔ Head-to-head#859 of the rated field
- Contests
- 33
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 45%
- Peak
- 1632
Their last contest in the data was back in 2020, 5 years before BARREL BOYS BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#855 of the rated field
- Contests
- 33
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 30%
- Peak
- 1648
Careers of much the same size, 33 contests to 45, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers#861 of the rated field
- Contests
- 31
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 45%
- Peak
- 1630
Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 31 contests, alongside a 45% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Compare careers#858 of the rated field
- Contests
- 28
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 46%
- Peak
- 1631
Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.
⚔ Compare careers#860 of the rated field
- Contests
- 20
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 75%
- Peak
- 1621
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 20 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 913 BBQ | 22 | 7 | 15 | 32% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN ELVISES | 21 | 16 | 5 | 76% | ⚔ compare |
| IMAT BBQ | 20 | 13 | 7 | 65% | ⚔ compare |
| Three Hog Night Smokers | 19 | 9 | 10 | 47% | ⚔ compare |
| Lucky D's BBQ | 18 | 10 | 8 | 56% | ⚔ compare |
| BUFFALO'S BBQ | 18 | 2 | 16 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| CLARK CREW BBQ | 18 | 0 | 18 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| BUTCHER BBQ | 17 | 8 | 9 | 47% | ⚔ compare |
| HIGH i QUE | 17 | 4 | 13 | 24% | ⚔ compare |
| WICHITA SWINEMEN | 16 | 12 | 4 | 75% | ⚔ compare |
| 4 LEGS UP BBQ | 16 | 2 | 14 | 13% | ⚔ compare |
| Outhouse BBQ | 15 | 15 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| SLAPS BBQ | 15 | 1 | 14 | 7% | ⚔ compare |
| Lazy Butt BBQ | 14 | 9 | 5 | 64% | ⚔ compare |
| R BUTTS R SMOKIN | 14 | 4 | 10 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 43 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 177.1428 | 151.4400 | 167.45 | top 51% |
| Pork Ribs | 44 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 179.4400 | 137.1432 | 167.03 | top 48% |
| Pork | 42 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 177.7144 | 150.8228 | 168.80 | top 41% |
| Brisket | 43 | 21 | 3 | 9 | 180 🔥 | 144.5716 | 169.15 | 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 | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 4 | 0 | top 52% |
| Medium (20–39) | 17 | 2 | top 40% |
| Large (40+) | 22 | 0 | top 45% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harper County Bullseye BBQ | 5 | 6 | 0 | top 37% | Oct 15, 2021 |
| Smoke in the Spring | 5 | 6 | 0 | top 33% | Apr 9, 2021 |
| Smoke on the Plains Derby BBQ & Music Fest | 3 | 7 | 0 | top 29% | Jun 9, 2023 |
| Derby BBQ Festival | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 13% | Jun 8, 2018 |
| Derby BBQ Festival (JUDGES FULL) | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 25% | Sep 8, 2017 |
| Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest | 2 | 10 | 0 | top 52% | Jul 10, 2020 |
| 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) | 2 | 100 | 0 | top 53% | Sep 15, 2018 |
| 38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) | 2 | 73 | 0 | top 42% | Sep 1, 2017 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2021
7 contests
Contests a season
3.8
across 12 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
KS
39 of 45 contests · 4 states in all
Contests visited
28
8 of them more than once
Most-entered meat
Pork Ribs
44 entries · 1 win · 12 calls
First title
Sep 9, 2016
Derby BBQ Festival
Opponents faced
1,743
finished ahead 2,477 times, behind 1,729
Longest layoff
1.7 yrs
Oct 7, 2023 → Jun 13, 2025
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20251 milestone
- Most recent contest Smoke on the Plains BBQ & Music Fest
20192 milestones
- First Reserve Championship Midian Shrine Cowskin Cookoff
- Peak power rating (1653) Midian Shrine Cowskin Cookoff
20182 milestones
- First category win (Brisket) Derby BBQ Festival
- 25th tracked contest 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)
20171 milestone
- First perfect 180 (Brisket) 38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (INVITATIONAL)
20166 milestones
- First overall top-10 Smoke in the Spring
- 10th tracked contest Smoke in the Spring
- First overall podium Derby BBQ Festival
- First Grand Championship Derby BBQ Festival
- Biggest field won (38 teams) Derby BBQ Festival
- Career-best overall score697.1200 Derby BBQ Festival
20142 milestones
- First call Wheatstock Grill-Off: Peace, Love & BBQ
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score665.0972 Wheatstock Grill-Off: Peace, Love & BBQ
20131 milestone
- First tracked contest National Bar-B-Que Derby
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +17.1 | Derby BBQ Festival | Sep 9, 2016 |
| +16.5 | Smoke in the Spring | Apr 8, 2016 |
| +13.1 | Derby BBQ Festival (JUDGES FULL) | Sep 8, 2017 |
| +12.7 | Smoke in the Spring (WFC Quilfyer) | Apr 7, 2017 |
| +12.5 | Harper County Bullseye BBQ | Oct 14, 2016 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -15.8 | Harper County Bullseye BBQ - Day 2 | Oct 7, 2023 |
| -14.5 | King Turkey Day Smokin' Gobbler Cook-Off | Sep 12, 2014 |
| -14.2 | Smoke on the Plains BBQ & Music Fest | Jun 13, 2025 |
| -12.2 | Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest | Jul 10, 2020 |
| -10.4 | National Bar-B-Que Derby | Sep 6, 2013 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100% | top 75% | 92.4% | 92.4% |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 100% | top 61% | 95.5% | 95% |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 50% | top 38% | 95.6% | 95.6% |
| 2021 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 43% | top 54% | 95.8% | 94.2% |
| 2020 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 72% | 94.6% | 91.8% |
| 2019 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 75% | top 34% | 94.9% | 93.7% |
| 2018 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 67% | top 44% | 94.3% | 93.7% |
| 2017 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 67% | top 23% | 95.9% | 95% |
| 2016 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 80% | top 16% | 96.8% | 94.8% |
| 2015 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 75% | top 48% | 94.1% | 91.8% |
| 2014 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 48% | 93.2% | 90.4% |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 86% | 86.1% | 86.1% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 13, 2025 | Smoke on the Plains BBQ & Music Fest 🏅 Derby, KS | 27 / 36 (665.5544) | 1 (176.5944) | 36 (144.9944) | 5 (176.5600) | 24 (167.4056) |
| Oct 7, 2023 | Harper County Bullseye BBQ - Day 2 🏅 Harper, KS | 9 / 9 (680.5032) | 9 (165.1200) | 7 (169.1316) | 9 (167.3944) | 1 (178.8572) |
| Jun 9, 2023 | Smoke on the Plains Derby BBQ & Music Fest 🏅 Derby, KS | 7 / 32 (687.3256) | 4 (174.2744) | 13 (169.1084) | 17 (169.6800) | 4 (174.2628) |
| Apr 29, 2022 | Rod Trowbridge Memorial Cook Flyin 🏅 Derby, KS | 6 / 16 (688.5260) | 9 (170.2744) | 5 (174.2744) | 1 (177.7144) | 9 (166.2628) |
| Apr 29, 2022 | Rod Trowbridge Memorial Cook Flyin - One Meat Ribs Derby, KS | — | — | 14 (163.4060) | — | — |
| Nov 13, 2021 | 3rd Annual KCBS World Invitational - Master Invitational unrated Shawnee, OK | 81 / 92 (673.6460) | 90 (162.8000) | 80 (166.8344) | 31 (173.7488) | 51 (170.2628) |
| Nov 11, 2021 | 3rd Annual KCBS World Invitational - Open unrated Shawnee, OK | 83 / 111 (666.7200) | 69 (167.3944) | 60 (167.9772) | 62 (169.7028) | 94 (161.6456) |
| Nov 11, 2021 | 3rd Annual KCBS World Invitational - Ancillary unrated Shawnee, OK | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oct 15, 2021 | Harper County Bullseye BBQ 🏅 Harper, KS | 9 / 16 (682.7540) | 10 (169.1200) | 14 (166.8228) | 8 (171.4056) | 4 (175.4056) |
| Jul 9, 2021 | Sand Creek Summer Daze Saucy & Glazed BBQ Competition 🏅 Newton, KS | 2 / 21 (689.6804) | 7 (170.8228) | 2 (174.2744) | 14 (166.8688) | 1 (177.7144) |
| Jun 11, 2021 | Smoke on the Plains Derby BBQ & Music Fest 🏅 Derby, KS | 9 / 28 (689.6460) | 20 (167.9772) | 16 (169.6800) | 3 (177.7144) | 6 (174.2744) |
| Apr 9, 2021 | Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS | 65 / 105 (668.4344) | 82 (163.9544) | 27 (173.1200) | 72 (163.9772) | 62 (167.3828) |
| Nov 13, 2020 | Second Annual KCBS World Invitational Barbeque Competition 🏅 unrated Mayetta, KS | 93 / 94 (655.8856) | 83 (163.9656) | 91 (158.8228) | — | 12 (176) |
| Oct 30, 2020 | Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS | 29 / 93 (681.1084) | 16 (175.4056) | 68 (163.4056) | 44 (168.5944) | 17 (173.7028) |
| Jul 10, 2020 | Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest 🏅 Mayetta, KS | 53 / 61 (646.6744) | 52 (159.3828) | 26 (170.8344) | 58 (153.6572) | 44 (162.8000) |
| Oct 18, 2019 | Harper County Bullseye BBQ 🏅 Harper, KS | 12 / 25 (677.6804) | 16 (166.8688) | 22 (157.6572) | 2 (174.8572) | 2 (178.2972) |
| Sep 6, 2019 | Midian Shrine Cowskin Cookoff 🏅 Wichita, KS | 2 / 16 (683.3028) | 3 (174.2628) | 1 (173.1200) | 2 (174.2744) | 9 (161.6456) |
| Jun 7, 2019 | Smoke on the Plains Derby BBQ & Music Fest 🏅 Derby, KS | 13 / 39 (667.9548) | 13 (167.4288) | 19 (164.0116) | 12 (169.6916) | 14 (166.8228) |
| Apr 12, 2019 | Smoke In the Springs 🏅 Osage City, KS | 44 / 104 (670.7772) | 96 (153.0628) | 10 (174.8572) | 43 (167.9772) | 14 (174.8800) |
| Oct 19, 2018 | Harper County Bullseye BBQ Harper, KS | 14 / 33 (677.5996) | 21 (165.6684) | 15 (166.8228) | 14 (168.5484) | 2 (176.5600) |
| Sep 15, 2018 | 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS | 208 / 467 (665.0744) | 21 (177.1428) | 196 (167.4516) | 90 (171.4172) | 411 (149.0628) |
| Sep 14, 2018 | 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (INVITATIONAL) unrated Kansas City, KS | 100 / 164 (678.7772) | 48 (173.7144) | 91 (168.5372) | 35 (174.2856) | 147 (162.2400) |
| Jun 8, 2018 | Derby BBQ Festival Derby, KS | 9 / 40 (677.6572) | 19 (168.5256) | 19 (166.2744) | 21 (163.9772) | 1 (178.8800) |
| Mar 3, 2018 | Kansas BBQ Shootout Day 2 Cheney, KS | 15 / 42 (678.8688) | 22 (168.5828) | 35 (161.7144) | 12 (173.7144) | 8 (174.8572) |
| Mar 2, 2018 | Kansas BBQ Shoot Out Day 1 Cheney, KS | 28 / 47 (668.4800) | 46 (155.9428) | 10 (170.2744) | 19 (171.4400) | 17 (170.8228) |
| Oct 20, 2017 | Harper County Bullseye BBQ Harper, KS | 11 / 47 (683.9544) | 31 (166.8228) | 13 (171.4516) | 22 (167.3828) | 4 (178.2972) |
| Sep 8, 2017 | Derby BBQ Festival (JUDGES FULL) Derby, KS | 1 / 29 (690.2744) | 5 (174.8800) | 7 (170.8344) | 7 (171.4400) | 3 (173.1200) |
| Sep 1, 2017 | 38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS | 73 / 407 (682.2400) | 91 (172.5600) | 56 (173.1428) | 44 (174.8572) | 245 (161.6800) |
| Aug 31, 2017 | 38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (INVITATIONAL) unrated Kansas City, KS | 84 / 129 (677.7140) | 121 (161.7256) | 85 (168) | 95 (167.9884) | 3 (180) |
| Jul 14, 2017 | Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest Mayetta, KS | 10 / 58 (683.3940) | 19 (170.2628) | 24 (170.2856) | 15 (170.8800) | 9 (171.9656) |
| Apr 7, 2017 | Smoke in the Spring (WFC Quilfyer) Osage City, KS | 10 / 100 (686.2056) | 16 (173.1084) | 25 (171.4172) | 26 (171.4172) | 25 (170.2628) |
| Oct 29, 2016 | 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS | 195 / 557 (663.9544) | 412 (157.6916) | 150 (169.1544) | 206 (167.4056) | 116 (169.7028) |
| Oct 14, 2016 | Harper County Bullseye BBQ Harper, KS | 6 / 38 (690.2740) | 10 (172.5828) | 2 (179.4400) | 26 (165.6684) | 7 (172.5828) |
| Sep 9, 2016 | Derby BBQ Festival Derby, KS | 1 / 38 (697.1200) | 12 (170.8572) | 3 (176.5600) | 7 (172.5600) | 4 (177.1428) |
| Jun 17, 2016 | Eureka BBQ Bash Eureka, KS | 6 / 26 (675.4172) | 7 (171.4400) | 10 (167.4516) | 11 (164.5256) | 3 (172) |
| Apr 8, 2016 | Smoke in the Spring Osage City, KS | 6 / 109 (685.6800) | 24 (170.2628) | 2 (176.5944) | 16 (171.4172) | 23 (167.4056) |
| Sep 11, 2015 | Derby BBQ Festival Derby, KS | 12 / 26 (649.6116) | 20 (158.2628) | 9 (163.9888) | 20 (158.8000) | 8 (168.5600) |
| May 22, 2015 | Table Rock and Ribs (GC receives Golden Ticket to the World Food Championship) Kimberling City, MO | 14 / 26 (670.7656) | 16 (168.5372) | 12 (169.6800) | 6 (170.8456) | 17 (161.7028) |
| May 8, 2015 | Wheatstock Grill Off Abilene, KS | 11 / 32 (677.6228) | 15 (168.5600) | 14 (168.5372) | 19 (164.5256) | 3 (176) |
| Apr 10, 2015 | Smoke in the Spring Osage City, KS | 55 / 97 (646.1256) | 20 (170.2628) | 79 (155.3600) | 57 (162.2516) | 54 (158.2512) |
| Oct 2, 2014 | 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO | 166 / 552 (666.2744) | 285 (164.6060) | 222 (166.2628) | 179 (167.9656) | 154 (167.4400) |
| Sep 12, 2014 | King Turkey Day Smokin' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN | 36 / 36 (601.1892) | 36 (151.4400) | 36 (137.1432) | 15 (168.0344) | 35 (144.5716) |
| Aug 1, 2014 | Wheels 'N' Squeels BBQ Challenge Olathe, KS | 12 / 70 (671.3372) | 15 (169.1200) | 21 (168.5256) | 40 (162.8344) | 7 (170.8572) |
| May 16, 2014 | Wheatstock Grill-Off: Peace, Love & BBQ Abilene, KS | 12 / 27 (665.0972) | 13 (167.4400) | 11 (165.6916) | 4 (170.8228) | 19 (161.1428) |
| Sep 6, 2013 | National Bar-B-Que Derby Derby, KS | 30 / 35 (619.9084) | 22 (161.7372) | 26 (156.5372) | 32 (150.8228) | 31 (150.8112) |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.