WARDEN'S Q

WARDEN'S Q is a competition barbecue team with 15 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2025. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 35 at the BBQ-Fest Cooking Contest (2015), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #961 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#961

of 6,477 rated · rankings

Rating

1609

peak 1617 · rated over 15 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 5, 2013

latest May 9, 2025 · 12.1 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#887

Master 2019 · every season

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

8 podiums

Overall top-10s

60% of 15 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 27%

overall standings

Best overall

690.8000 / 720

Master · BBQ-Fest Cooking Contest

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

678.51 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 676.30 (+2.21)

Walk rate

87%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Brisket · Jonesboro Downtown BBQ Festival

Consistency

±10.78

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Brisket

avg 171.38 · weakest Chicken (166.49)

Road miles

1,364

across 15 mapped stops · furthest 369 mi

Schedule strength

39%

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

Purse competed for

$23K

listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 3 state-championship entries

Master avg

676.30 / 720

15 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (10 found in their record)

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

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180

1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in brisket.

Brisket ×1

They almost always walk

87% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 13 of 15 contests

A top-10 category call in 87% of their 15 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

690.8000 career-best overall

95.9% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 690.8000 at BBQ-Fest Cooking Contest — 95.9% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jul 24, 2015

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

FIRE DANCER BBQ has finished one call ahead of WARDEN'S Q 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

The weak link

−4.9 points behind their best meat

Chicken is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.89 points below their brisket, and turns into a call 27% of the time against 60%.

Chicken avg 166.49
Brisket avg 171.38
4 calls in 15 entries

A strong matchup

8–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of THE PORKCHOP MAFIA in 8 of their 8 shared contests.

The comeback

5.6 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 5.6 years, then back at 43rd Annual Kennett Jaycees BBQ Cook Off (May 9, 2025).

last seen Sep 27, 2019
back May 9, 2025

Show 3 more storylines

Brisket nemesis

7 of 11 shared brisket entries lost

FIRE DANCER BBQ ahead 64% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, FIRE DANCER BBQ has out-cooked them in 7 of 11 shared brisket entries.

A July team

Top 10% average finish in July

Something about July: average finish in the top 10% across 3 contests, versus top 27% the rest of the year.

3 July contests
top 27% the rest of the year

The metronome

±1.50% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.50% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 93.9% of a perfect score
15 contests

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	#1102 (72 pts)	#1504 (52 pts)	#908 (157 pts)	#838 (157 pts)	#803 (167 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#887 (315 pts)	#891 (335 pts)	#858 (365 pts)	#1091 (245 pts)	#1165 (220 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1124 (235 pts)	#1242 (210 pts)	#1110 (260 pts)	#1997 (65 pts)	#1035 (285 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1739 (119 pts)	#2474 (69 pts)	#1512 (164 pts)	#2408 (74 pts)	#1599 (144 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to WARDEN'S Q, each with one reason worth a look.

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

FRIULI VIOLENT GRILLERS

#956 of the rated field

1609 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 69%
Peak: 1609

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 15 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 15 contests
last seen Sep 14, 2019
on a 4-contest top-10 run

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HOG ISLAND PITMASTERS

#955 of the rated field

1609 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 67%
Peak: 1609

Their last contest in the data was back in 2014, 11 years before WARDEN'S Q's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 15 contests

⚔ Compare careers

Duck Dog Bar-B-Que

#958 of the rated field

1609 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 53%
Peak: 1612

Careers of much the same size, 17 contests to 15, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 17 contests
last seen Jul 29, 2016

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BULLHORN BBQ

#963 of the rated field

1609 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 8%
Peak: 1611

26 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 8% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 20 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

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BIG BLOCK BBQ

#960 of the rated field

1609 power rating

Contests: 33
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 30%
Peak: 1640

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

rated over 32 contests
last seen Sep 3, 2016

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STARS AND STRIPES BBQ

#964 of the rated field

1609 power rating

Contests: 38
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 45%
Peak: 1620

Level with WARDEN'S Q on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 37 contests
last seen Jun 17, 2016

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
FIRE DANCER BBQ	11	2	9	18%	⚔ compare
RAZORRACKS	10	5	5	50%	⚔ compare
QUE-N-BREW	9	7	2	78%	⚔ compare
THE PORKCHOP MAFIA	8	8	0	100%	⚔ compare
PORK AVENUE	8	8	0	100%	⚔ compare
Smokin Through The Night	8	7	1	88%	⚔ compare
Redneck Grillers	7	5	2	71%	⚔ compare
K & K KOOKERS	6	6	0	100%	⚔ compare
SWINE CRUE	6	5	1	83%	⚔ compare
Q-BONES BBQ	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	15	4	0	1	176.5600	150.2172	166.49	top 45%
Pork Ribs	15	10	1	3	178.8572	157.6916	170.39	top 28%
Pork	15	7	0	1	176.5600	159.3484	168.04	top 38%
Brisket	15	9	2	3	180 🔥	162.2744	171.38	top 23%

“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
Medium (20–39)	7	0	top 36%
Large (40+)	8	0	top 19%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
MO	9	top 36%
AR	3	top 17%
TN	3	top 10%

More numbers

Busiest season 2016 4 contests

Contests a season 1.9 across 8 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MO 9 of 15 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 15 a different one every time

Opponents faced 349 finished ahead 435 times, behind 126

Longest layoff 5.6 yrs Sep 27, 2019 → May 9, 2025

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

20251 milestone

May 9 Most recent contest 43rd Annual Kennett Jaycees BBQ Cook Off

20191 milestone

Sep 27 Peak power rating (1617) Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival

20181 milestone

Sep 28 First perfect 180 (Brisket) Jonesboro Downtown BBQ Festival

20171 milestone

May 5 10th tracked contest 36th Annual Kennett Jaycee's

20153 milestones

Jul 24 First overall podium BBQ-Fest Cooking Contest
Jul 24 First Reserve Championship BBQ-Fest Cooking Contest
Jul 24 Career-best overall score690.8000 BBQ-Fest Cooking Contest

20142 milestones

Jul 25 First overall top-10 BBQ Fest Cooking Contest
Aug 22 First category win (Brisket) 22nd Annual Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest

20133 milestones

Apr 5 First tracked contest Kennett Jaycee's Show Me State BBQ Cookoff
Apr 5 First call Kennett Jaycee's Show Me State BBQ Cookoff
Apr 5 First overall past 90% of a perfect score671.4278 Kennett Jaycee's Show Me State BBQ Cookoff

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15	BBQ Fest Cooking Contest	Jul 25, 2014
+14.8	BBQ-Fest Cooking Contest	Jul 24, 2015
+13.5	22nd Annual Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest	Aug 22, 2014
+11.8	BBQ Fest Cooking Contest	Jul 22, 2016
+11.5	Jonesboro Downtown BBQ Festival	Sep 28, 2018

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-8.1	43rd Annual Kennett Jaycees BBQ Cook Off	May 9, 2025
-1.4	38th Annual Kennett Jaycee's Show Me State BBQ Cookoff	May 3, 2019

Scores over time (% of a perfect score — 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	100%	top 78%	93.5%	93.5%
2019	2	1	1	100%	top 33%	95.5%	94%
2018	2	2	1	100%	top 19%	95.7%	94.9%
2017	1	1	0	100%	top 18%	94.2%	94.2%
2016	4	2	0	50%	top 25%	95.7%	93.1%
2015	2	1	0	100%	top 26%	95.9%	94.6%
2014	2	2	1	100%	top 9%	95.4%	94.4%
2013	1	0	0	100%	top 34%	93.3%	93.3%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
May 9, 2025	43rd Annual Kennett Jaycees BBQ Cook Off 🏅 Kennett, MO	21 / 27 (673.0400)	26 (150.2172)	7 (171.9772)	7 (176.5600)	6 (174.2856)
Sep 27, 2019	Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival 🏅 Jonesboro, AR	4 / 43 (687.3256)	2 (176.5600)	1 (178.8572)	13 (169.1084)	17 (162.8000)
May 3, 2019	38th Annual Kennett Jaycee's Show Me State BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Kennett, MO	14 / 25 (666.1368)	20 (164.5256)	19 (164.5372)	10 (170.2512)	11 (166.8228)
Sep 28, 2018	Jonesboro Downtown BBQ Festival Jonesboro, AR	3 / 45 (689.0512)	4 (174.2628)	2 (175.4400)	24 (159.3484)	1 (180)
May 4, 2018	37th Annual Kennett Jaycee's Kennett, MO	8 / 25 (676.9824)	14 (168.5256)	10 (167.9656)	7 (170.8228)	7 (169.6684)
May 5, 2017	36th Annual Kennett Jaycee's Kennett, MO	6 / 34 (678.2400)	4 (170.8456)	14 (165.1200)	4 (174.2744)	13 (168)
Sep 30, 2016	Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival Jonesboro, AR	16 / 44 (663.3256)	13 (166.8228)	18 (166.2628)	25 (161.1200)	13 (169.1200)
Aug 19, 2016	Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest Cape Girardeau, MO	16 / 51 (651.3144)	16 (164.5256)	34 (157.6916)	14 (166.8228)	17 (162.2744)
Jul 22, 2016	BBQ Fest Cooking Contest Dyersburg, TN	7 / 47 (689.0972)	11 (171.9772)	4 (174.2856)	22 (166.8228)	4 (176.0116)
May 27, 2016	35th Annual Kennett Jaycee's Show Me State BBQ Cook off Kennett, MO	5 / 28 (677.0396)	19 (160.5484)	4 (171.4056)	10 (169.6800)	2 (175.4056)
Jul 24, 2015	BBQ-Fest Cooking Contest Dyersburg, TN	2 / 35 (690.8000)	17 (166.8228)	6 (172.5716)	3 (174.8456)	4 (176.5600)
May 22, 2015	34th Annual Kennett Jaycee Show-Me State BBQ CookOff Kennett, MO	15 / 32 (671.3144)	6 (173.1316)	16 (167.9772)	25 (161.0856)	12 (169.1200)
Aug 22, 2014	22nd Annual Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest Cape Girardeau, MO	5 / 52 (672.5144)	32 (159.9888)	2 (174.2856)	25 (162.8000)	1 (175.4400)
Jul 25, 2014	BBQ Fest Cooking Contest Dyersburg, TN	4 / 44 (686.8344)	25 (167.9772)	5 (175.4400)	8 (170.2628)	6 (173.1544)
Apr 5, 2013	Kennett Jaycee's Show Me State BBQ Cookoff Kennett, MO	15 / 44 (671.4278)	32 (160.5712)	8 (171.9998)	24 (166.8570)	10 (171.9998)

WARDEN'S Q

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 (10 found in their record)

Perfect scores on the board

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Brisket nemesis

A July team

The metronome

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)

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 — 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)