Hill Billy BBQ

Hill Billy BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 29 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2025. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 47 at the Grill Games (2014), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #1548 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “HILL-BILLY BBQ” and “Hillbilly BBQ”.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#1,548

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1561

peak 1600 · rated over 29 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Jun 14, 2013

latest May 16, 2025 · 11.9 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#379

Master 2016 · every season

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

10 podiums

Overall top-10s

38% of 29 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 45%

overall standings

Best overall

681.6456 / 720

Master · Grill Games

Perfect 180s

Current form

638.11 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 647.23 (-9.12)

Walk rate

62%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

178.2972

Chicken · Grill Games

Consistency

±24.14

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 162.81 · weakest Brisket (160.00)

Road miles

10,564

across 29 mapped stops · furthest 1,783 mi

Schedule strength

39%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1551)

Purse competed for

$29K

listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 2 state-championship entries

Master avg

647.23 / 720

29 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

62% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 18 of 29 contests

A top-10 category call in 62% of their 29 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

681.6456 career-best overall

94.7% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 681.6456 at Grill Games — 94.7% of a perfect 720.

Master
Aug 22, 2014

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

A FINE SWINE has finished one call ahead of Hill Billy BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

17–2 behind in the head-to-head

TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI ahead in 89% of their meetings

TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI has come out ahead in 17 of their 19 shared contests.

A strong matchup

13–4 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 76% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of FOX RIVER BBQ in 13 of their 17 shared contests.

The comeback

6 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 6 years, then back at Bloomin' BBQ Music & Food Festival (May 16, 2025).

last seen May 25, 2019
back May 16, 2025

Chicken nemesis

13 of 19 shared chicken entries lost

TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI ahead 68% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI has out-cooked them in 13 of 19 shared chicken entries.

Show 4 more storylines

Built for the big stage

Top 38% average finish in large fields

Field size changes the story: they average a top 38% finish in large fields against top 55% in small ones.

Large (40+): top 38% (9)
Small (<20 teams): top 55% (4)

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE has landed one call behind them 2 times.

An August team

Top 34% average finish in August

Something about August: average finish in the top 34% across 4 contests, versus top 45% the rest of the year.

4 August contests
top 45% the rest of the year

The long haul

10,564 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 10,564 miles across 29 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,783 miles to BBQ Blues & Brews on the Bay (JUDGES FULL).

29 mapped stops
furthest 1,783 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
2016 ↗	Master	#379 (1,017 pts)	#439 (902 pts)	#235 (1,357 pts)	#215 (1,392 pts)	#534 (757 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#516 (733 pts)	#396 (948 pts)	#561 (688 pts)	#683 (558 pts)	#461 (813 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#745 (466 pts)	#1158 (281 pts)	#950 (376 pts)	#899 (406 pts)	#895 (381 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Hill Billy BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

MILLER'S BARNYARD BARBEQUE

#1,546 of the rated field

1561 power rating

Contests: 31
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 16%
Peak: 1563

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 31 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 31 contests
last seen Jul 5, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

Smoke Busters

#1,556 of the rated field

1561 power rating

Contests: 28
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 32%
Peak: 1584

Careers of much the same size, 28 contests to 29, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 26 contests
last seen May 29, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Blue Ribbon BBQ NC

#1,544 of the rated field

1561 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 31%
Peak: 1591

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 26 contests, alongside a 31% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 25 contests
last seen May 17, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

SMOKIN SUZY

#1,543 of the rated field

1562 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1562

Their last contest in the data was back in 2017, 8 years before Hill Billy BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 25 contests

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EVIL MONKEY BBQ

#1,554 of the rated field

1561 power rating

Contests: 34
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 21%
Peak: 1591

Level with Hill Billy BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 34 contests
last seen May 7, 2021

⚔ Compare careers

SLOWER LOWER BBQ

#1,549 of the rated field

1561 power rating

Contests: 37
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 19%
Peak: 1607

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.

rated over 37 contests
last seen Oct 18, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI	19	2	17	11%	⚔ compare
FOX RIVER BBQ	17	13	4	76%	⚔ compare
5 FINGER BBQ	17	7	10	41%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKIN' C'S BBQ	17	5	12	29%	⚔ compare
BIG "E" BBQ	15	5	10	33%	⚔ compare
Freeman Brothers BBQ	14	9	5	64%	⚔ compare
CRASH TEST SMOKERS	14	6	8	43%	⚔ compare
T-MAC SMOKIN	14	5	9	36%	⚔ compare
LEGENDS OF SMOKE - TEAM RED ARROW	13	10	3	77%	⚔ compare
CHEFS GONE GRILLIN	13	9	4	69%	⚔ compare
FAT ANDY'S BBQ	13	8	5	62%	⚔ compare
TOPPGATOR BBQ	12	12	0	100%	⚔ compare
Risky Brisket	12	6	6	50%	⚔ compare
QUAU	12	5	7	42%	⚔ compare
43RD PARALLEL BBQ	11	9	2	82%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	29	8	0	2	178.2972	144.5144	162.81	top 54%
Pork Ribs	29	11	1	2	176	145.1312	162.60	top 41%
Pork	29	12	0	5	175.4628	141.7028	161.82	top 48%
Brisket	29	10	0	1	172	138.2628	160.00	top 51%

“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 55%
Medium (20–39)	16	top 47%
Large (40+)	9	top 38%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
WI	23	top 35%
WY	3	top 81%
OR	2	top 81%
TN	1	top 97%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay	2	25	top 81%	May 25, 2019
Grillin' in Grafton	2	11	top 38%	Jul 1, 2016
BBQ 4 ASTOP	2	5	top 22%	May 20, 2016
Puckaway Pigfest	2	9	top 36%	Sep 11, 2015
Grill Games	2	2	top 22%	Aug 28, 2015
Best of the West BBQ Fest	2	16	top 72%	Aug 28, 2015
Pig in the Park	2	5	top 37%	Jun 20, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2016 9 contests

Contests a season 4.1 across 7 seasons in the data

Most contests held in WI 23 of 29 contests · 4 states in all

Contests visited 22 7 of them more than once

Opponents faced 384 finished ahead 573 times, behind 422

Longest layoff 6 yrs May 25, 2019 → May 16, 2025

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

20251 milestone

May 16 Most recent contest Bloomin' BBQ Music & Food Festival

20163 milestones

Jul 29 First category win (Pork Ribs) Birdies Barnyard BBQ
Jul 29 25th tracked contest Birdies Barnyard BBQ
Aug 26 Peak power rating (1600) 5th Annual Deaths Door Barbeque

20152 milestones

May 16 10th tracked contest Madison Magazine BBQ Festival
Aug 28 Career-best single call (Chicken)178.2972 Grill Games

20146 milestones

Jun 13 First call Hog and Steer Barbecue Competition & Festival
Jun 13 First overall top-10 Hog and Steer Barbecue Competition & Festival
Jun 13 First overall podium Hog and Steer Barbecue Competition & Festival
Jun 13 First overall past 90% of a perfect score659.9772 Hog and Steer Barbecue Competition & Festival
Aug 22 First Reserve Championship Grill Games
Aug 22 Career-best overall score681.6456 Grill Games

20131 milestone

Jun 14 First tracked contest Pig in the Park

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.3	Grill Games	Aug 22, 2014
+14.6	Hog and Steer Barbecue Competition & Festival	Jun 13, 2014
+12.2	Pig in the Park	Jun 20, 2014
+12.1	Madison Magazine BBQ Festival	May 16, 2015
+11.8	Birdies Barnyard BBQ	Jul 29, 2016

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-15.3	BBQ Blues & Brews on the Bay (JUDGES FULL)	May 26, 2018
-15.3	Best of the West BBQ Fest	Sep 6, 2013
-13.5	Bloomin' BBQ Music & Food Festival	May 16, 2025
-9.6	BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay	May 25, 2019
-9.5	Best of the West BBQ Fest	Sep 5, 2014

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 97%	83.5%	83.5%
2019	1	0	0	100%	top 74%	88%	88%
2018	1	0	0	0%	top 89%	85.9%	85.9%
2016	9	3	1	67%	top 38%	93.6%	91.7%
2015	8	5	0	75%	top 37%	93%	90.8%
2014	7	3	0	71%	top 36%	94.7%	89.8%
2013	2	0	0	0%	top 78%	86.2%	84.6%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
May 16, 2025	Bloomin' BBQ Music & Food Festival 🏅 Sevierville, TN	32 / 33 (600.9824)	32 (147.3484)	31 (150.2512)	31 (155.4400)	31 (147.9428)
May 25, 2019	BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay 🏅 North Bend, OR	25 / 34 (633.7372)	32 (153.7372)	9 (167.4628)	25 (155.4400)	20 (157.0972)
May 26, 2018	BBQ Blues & Brews on the Bay (JUDGES FULL) North Bend, OR	31 / 35 (618.7660)	32 (154.8572)	20 (161.1316)	27 (154.2628)	34 (148.5144)
Aug 26, 2016	5th Annual Deaths Door Barbeque Washington Island, WI	13 / 42 (663.3828)	34 (158.2284)	7 (170.8228)	2 (174.3316)	24 (160)
Jul 29, 2016	Birdies Barnyard BBQ Kohler, WI	3 / 17 (673.6684)	5 (169.7028)	1 (176)	3 (166.8456)	7 (161.1200)
Jul 9, 2016	Gold Ribbin' BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay-2nd Heat Green Bay, WI	33 / 55 (651.8740)	50 (158.2284)	16 (168.5372)	36 (163.3828)	34 (161.7256)
Jul 8, 2016	Gold Ribbin' BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay-1st Heat Green Bay, WI	30 / 66 (662.8000)	36 (165.6800)	17 (166.2972)	8 (172.0228)	48 (158.8000)
Jul 1, 2016	Grillin' in Grafton Grafton, WI	12 / 29 (653.0056)	5 (169.6916)	2 (167.4172)	15 (161.1084)	24 (154.7884)
Jun 17, 2016	Hog and Steer Barbecue Competition and Festival Oconomowoc, WI	10 / 18 (652.4456)	13 (162.2400)	16 (154.2400)	2 (170.2628)	10 (165.7028)
May 20, 2016	BBQ 4 ASTOP Fond du Lac, WI	5 / 28 (670.8112)	17 (163.9884)	5 (167.3828)	3 (175.4628)	11 (163.9772)
Apr 30, 2016	Masters in May- The Classic Appleton, WI	20 / 58 (661.5996)	40 (161.6340)	12 (170.8228)	24 (163.4400)	24 (165.7028)
Apr 29, 2016	Masters in May Appleton, WI	25 / 59 (652.4572)	13 (168.5600)	22 (165.6800)	34 (159.9544)	38 (158.2628)
Sep 11, 2015	Puckaway Pigfest Montello, WI	9 / 33 (647.3372)	19 (156.5144)	10 (162.2744)	8 (163.4400)	9 (165.1084)
Aug 28, 2015	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	19 / 49 (650.1824)	2 (178.2972)	35 (152.5600)	32 (158.7884)	22 (160.5368)
Aug 28, 2015	Best of the West BBQ Fest Sheridan, WY	16 / 25 (623.9776)	13 (165.0972)	11 (163.9888)	19 (149.1428)	23 (145.7488)
Jul 31, 2015	Badger Brews & Que Manitowoc, WI	9 / 30 (662.1712)	4 (171.4056)	7 (166.2628)	25 (155.3828)	5 (169.1200)
Jul 10, 2015	Gold Ribbin' BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay Green Bay, WI	33 / 80 (653.0056)	32 (163.9312)	41 (160.5716)	37 (162.2628)	22 (166.2400)
Jun 12, 2015	3rd Annual Hog & Steer Barbecue Competition and Festival Oconomowoc, WI	8 / 17 (669.5540)	4 (174.2628)	13 (158.2172)	6 (166.8112)	5 (170.2628)
May 29, 2015	BBQ 4 ASTOP Fond du Lac, WI	6 / 23 (660.5256)	8 (170.2628)	5 (165.6800)	20 (154.8800)	5 (169.7028)
May 16, 2015	Madison Magazine BBQ Festival Madison, WI	6 / 29 (665.6688)	2 (173.1428)	12 (164.5372)	10 (165.6916)	13 (162.2972)
Sep 5, 2014	Puckaway Pigfest Montello, WI	18 / 40 (652.5376)	15 (166.8688)	17 (161.6916)	22 (161.0972)	18 (162.8800)
Sep 5, 2014	Best of the West BBQ Fest Sheridan, WY	20 / 25 (575.9080)	19 (144.5144)	20 (145.1312)	20 (141.7028)	21 (144.5596)
Aug 22, 2014	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	2 / 47 (681.6456)	20 (166.8456)	7 (169.6800)	5 (173.1200)	7 (172)
Jul 11, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Madison, WI	17 / 29 (643.2912)	22 (159.4056)	17 (160.5372)	10 (165.6684)	15 (157.6800)
Jun 27, 2014	Grillin' in Grafton Grafton, WI	11 / 32 (650.7312)	24 (155.3484)	4 (168.5600)	18 (158.8228)	4 (168)
Jun 20, 2014	Pig in the Park Whitewater, WI	5 / 26 (659.9544)	7 (167.9772)	12 (159.3944)	2 (169.1428)	8 (163.4400)
Jun 13, 2014	Hog and Steer Barbecue Competition & Festival Oconomowoc, WI	3 / 22 (659.9772)	15 (161.1200)	8 (160.5372)	4 (167.4172)	2 (170.9028)
Sep 6, 2013	Best of the West BBQ Fest Sheridan, WY	15 / 15 (597.0856)	15 (150.8572)	12 (153.7028)	14 (154.2628)	14 (138.2628)
Jun 14, 2013	Pig in the Park Whitewater, WI	16 / 29 (620.5716)	13 (161.7144)	12 (156.0002)	21 (153.1426)	18 (149.7144)

Hill Billy BBQ

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

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

Built for the big stage

Looking over their shoulder

An August 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)