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HAMTOWN SMOKERS

HAMTOWN SMOKERS is a competition barbecue team with 44 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2017 and 2025. They have won 3 Grand Championships, most recently at the Currituck Heritage Bulls & BBQ Festival (2019), and finished Reserve Grand Champion 3 times. They are ranked #180 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “Ham Town Smokers”.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#180
of 6,477 rated · rankings

Rating

1765
peak 1774 · rated over 43 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted

Contests

44
in the data

First seen

May 19, 2017
latest Mar 14, 2025 · 7.8 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#44
Master 2019 · every season

Grand champs

3
3 reserve · wins it all 7% of the time

Category wins

12
35 podiums

Overall top-10s

27
61% of 44 contests

Best top-10 run

5
straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 26%
overall standings

Best overall

703.9544 / 720
Master · Brasstown Valley Resort BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL)

Perfect 180s

4 🔥

Current form

685.48 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 675.95 (+9.53)

Walk rate

86%
contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥
Pork · Currituck Heritage Bulls & BBQ Festival

Consistency

±13.86
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken
avg 169.85 · weakest Pork (167.12)

Road miles

10,278
across 44 mapped stops · furthest 958 mi

Schedule strength

83%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1610)

Purse competed for

$279K
listed at 18 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

3 🏅
won from 22 state-championship entries

Master avg

675.95 / 720
44 Master contests · 3 GCs

Storylines (20 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

0.5372 points from the title

Came within 0.5372 points of the Grand Championship at Currituck Heritage Festival (Nov 2, 2018).

Among the elite

#180 of 6,477 rated teams

In the top 3% of every rated team in the data

A power rating of 1765 puts them #180 of 6,477 rated teams — the top 3% of the field.

  • rating 1765
  • peak 1774
  • 43 rated contests

Perfect scores on the board

4 perfect 180s

4 perfect 180s in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, across 3 different meats.

  • Brisket ×2
  • Chicken ×1
  • Pork ×1

Happy hunting ground

Top 8% average finish here

Currituck Heritage Festival is their spot: an average finish in the top 8% across 2 visits.

  • 2 visits
  • best finish 2nd
  • average top 8%

They almost always walk

86% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 38 of 44 contests

A top-10 category call in 86% of their 44 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

Show 13 more storylines

State champions

3 state championships won

They've taken 3 state championships from 22 entries at contests carrying the title.

  • 22 state-championship entries

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

3N1 Q has finished one call ahead of HAMTOWN SMOKERS 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2019 3 Grand Championships

2019 was the year it came together: 21 contests, 3 Grand Championships and 9 category wins, at an average finish in the top 21%.

  • 21 contests
  • 13 overall top-10s
  • 9 category wins
  • average top 21%

A tough matchup

22–8 behind in the head-to-head

WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ ahead in 73% of their meetings

WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ has come out ahead in 22 of their 30 shared contests.

A strong matchup

20–4 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 83% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of BIG DOG BBQ VA in 20 of their 24 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

21 of 30 shared chicken entries lost

WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ ahead 70% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ has out-cooked them in 21 of 30 shared chicken entries.

They cook the hard rooms

1610 average field rating faced

A tougher draw than 83% of rated fields

The fields they enter average a 1610 power rating — a tougher draw than 83% of every rated contest in the data.

  • 43 rated contests

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE has landed one call behind them 3 times.

A June team

Top 13% average finish in June

Something about June: average finish in the top 13% across 4 contests, versus top 26% the rest of the year.

  • 4 June contests
  • top 26% the rest of the year

The metronome

±1.92% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.92% 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
  • 44 contests

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

YearSeriesOverallChickenRibsPorkBrisket
2025 ↗ Master #995 (103 pts) #1062 (103 pts) #1156 (103 pts) #1081 (93 pts) #967 (118 pts)
2020 ↗ Master #397 (275 pts) #622 (155 pts) #510 (225 pts) #458 (250 pts) #503 (225 pts)
2019 ↗ Master #44 (2,277 pts) #13 (2,334 pts) #21 (2,228 pts) #79 (1,819 pts) #33 (2,231 pts)
2018 ↗ Master #115 (1,814 pts) #92 (1,804 pts) #93 (1,756 pts) #167 (1,462 pts) #153 (1,563 pts)
2017 ↗ Master #400 (930 pts) #647 (620 pts) #485 (810 pts) #370 (1,020 pts) #387 (990 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

Angry Jack BBQ
#181 of the rated field
1764 power rating
Contests
99
GCs
6
Top-10s
52%
Peak
1826
2–2 in 4 shared contests (50% to HAMTOWN SMOKERS)

These two have cooked 4 of the same contests — honours even — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

  • rated over 93 contests
  • last seen Nov 17, 2023
⚔ Head-to-head
CHICKEN FRIED BBQ
#179 of the rated field
1765 power rating
Contests
91
GCs
7
Top-10s
52%
Peak
1787

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 91 contests to 44.

  • rated over 72 contests
  • last seen Sep 30, 2026
⚔ Compare careers
Smoked & Furious
#182 of the rated field
1764 power rating
Contests
99
GCs
9
Top-10s
47%
Peak
1768

Their rating is built on 9 Grand Championships in 99 contests, alongside a 47% overall top-10 rate.

  • rated over 83 contests
  • last seen Sep 30, 2026
⚔ Compare careers
270 SMOKERS
#177 of the rated field
1766 ▲ 1 power rating
Contests
131
GCs
3
Top-10s
47%
Peak
1777
5–2 in 7 shared contests (71% to HAMTOWN SMOKERS)

Their last contest in the data was back in 2021, 4 years before HAMTOWN SMOKERS's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

  • rated over 126 contests
⚔ Head-to-head
BUFFALO'S BBQ
#183 of the rated field
1764 ▼ 1 power rating
Contests
205
GCs
9
Top-10s
66%
Peak
1891
1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to HAMTOWN SMOKERS)

They've been 1891 at their best, 127 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

  • rated over 193 contests
  • last seen Sep 18, 2026
⚔ Head-to-head
D’Qued Barbeque
#176 of the rated field
1766 ▲ 1 power rating
Contests
54
GCs
7
Top-10s
85%
Peak
1766

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

  • rated over 49 contests
  • last seen Oct 5, 2023
⚔ Compare careers

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

OpponentMeetingsAheadBehindWin rate
WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ 30 8 22 27% ⚔ compare
BIG DOG BBQ VA 24 20 4 83% ⚔ compare
OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE 23 10 13 43% ⚔ compare
3N1 Q 20 9 11 45% ⚔ compare
APORKALYPSE NOW 20 7 13 35% ⚔ compare
REDNECK SCIENTIFIC 17 7 10 41% ⚔ compare
SMOKECRAFT - MD 16 13 3 81% ⚔ compare
Serial Griller 16 12 4 75% ⚔ compare
PAVONE BROTHERS BBQ 16 11 5 69% ⚔ compare
JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS 15 12 3 80% ⚔ compare
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS 15 8 7 53% ⚔ compare
GRATE SMOKE 14 10 4 71% ⚔ compare
SAUCE THIS BBQ 14 5 9 36% ⚔ compare
OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE 14 5 9 36% ⚔ compare
Smoke-A-Holics 13 9 4 69% ⚔ compare

By meat

CategoryEntriesCallsWinsPodiumsBestWorstAverageAvg finish
Chicken 44 20 3 10 180 🔥 154.7656 169.85 top 36%
Pork Ribs 44 22 2 9 177.7372 157.6800 169.40 top 32%
Pork 44 17 3 7 180 🔥 147.9084 167.12 top 39%
Brisket 44 25 4 9 180 🔥 148.5484 169.58 top 30%

“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

FieldContestsGCsAvg finish
Small (<20 teams)11top 7%
Medium (20–39)292top 28%
Large (40+)140top 21%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

WhereContestsGCsAvg finish
VA180top 29%
NC122top 21%
MD30top 28%
KS20top 15%
DC20top 16%
GA21top 23%
AR10top 54%
TN10top 41%
NJ10top 8%
PA10top 9%
DE10top 51%

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

ContestVisitsBestGCsAvg finishLast visit
Brasstown Valley Resort BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL) 2 1 1 top 23% Feb 1, 2019
Polar Pig BBQ Cook-Off (Duel B) 2 13 0 top 38% Nov 9, 2019
Que & Cruz 2 6 0 top 33% Oct 4, 2019
Smokin on the Dock of the Bay 2 5 0 top 38% Aug 16, 2019
Pigs & Pedals 2 11 0 top 38% Aug 2, 2019
BBQ Jamboree (Day 2) 2 4 0 top 24% May 4, 2019
Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition 2 2 0 top 14% Apr 26, 2019
Currituck Heritage Festival 2 2 0 top 8% Nov 2, 2018
Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off 2 7 0 top 28% May 18, 2018

More numbers

Busiest season 2019 21 contests · 3 GCs
Contests a season 11 across 4 seasons in the data
Most contests held in VA 18 of 44 contests · 11 states in all
Contests visited 35 9 of them more than once
First title Feb 1, 2019 Brasstown Valley Resort BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL)
Opponents faced 1,080 finished ahead 1,642 times, behind 476
Longest layoff 5.3 yrs Nov 9, 2019 → Mar 14, 2025

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

20251 milestone
  1. Most recent contest University of Arkansas Animal Science Boots, Brews, and BBQ Contest
20198 milestones
  1. First Grand Championship Brasstown Valley Resort BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL)
  2. First state championship Brasstown Valley Resort BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL)
  3. First perfect 180 (Brisket) Brasstown Valley Resort BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL)
  4. Career-best overall score703.9544 Brasstown Valley Resort BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL)
  5. 25th tracked contest High on the Hog Festival
  6. First multi-meat day Pigs & Pedals
  7. 10th category win Smoking in the Foothills Barbecue Competition and Festival A
  8. Peak power rating (1774) Polar Pig BBQ Cook-Off (Duel A)
20181 milestone
  1. 10th tracked contest BBQ Jamboree Double Day 1
20177 milestones
  1. First tracked contest Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off
  2. First call Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off
  3. First category win (Pork) Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off
  4. First overall top-10 Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off
  5. First overall past 90% of a perfect score649.5888 Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off
  6. First overall podium Currituck Heritage Festival
  7. First Reserve Championship Currituck Heritage Festival

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

SwingContestDate
+16.9BBQ Jamboree Double Day 1May 11, 2018
+16.8Currituck Heritage FestivalSep 15, 2017
+16.2Smithfield BBQ ClassicAug 4, 2017
+15.6Brasstown Valley Resort BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL)Feb 1, 2019
+13.1Smoke in the GroveJul 27, 2018

📉 Toughest weekends

SwingContestDate
-11.5Smokin on the Dock of the BayAug 16, 2019
-7.6University of Arkansas Animal Science Boots, Brews, and BBQ ContestMar 14, 2025
-6.1Pigs in the PitOct 12, 2018
-3.914th Annual Recovery Fest/8th Annual BBQ State ChampionshipSep 7, 2018
-3.8High on the Hog FestivalApr 19, 2019

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

SeasonContestsGCsTop-10sCategory winsWalk rateAvg finishBest overall (% of perfect)Avg overall (% of perfect)
20251000 0% top 54% 95.4% 95.4%
2019213139 100% top 21% 97.8% 94.9%
201816091 75% top 30% 95.4% 92.9%
20176052 83% top 26% 95% 92.6%

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

DateEventOverallChickenRibsPorkBrisket
Mar 14, 2025 University of Arkansas Animal Science Boots, Brews, and BBQ Contest 🏅 Fayetteville, AR 15 / 28 (686.7656) 15 (172.5716) 15 (171.9656) 17 (171.4056) 12 (170.8228)
Nov 9, 2019 Polar Pig BBQ Cook-Off (Duel B) 🏅 Concord, NC 16 / 33 (679.8512) 24 (168.5372) 27 (165.0856) 1 (175.4172) 12 (170.8112)
Nov 8, 2019 Polar Pig BBQ Cook-Off (Duel A) 🏅 Concord, NC 13 / 47 (678.6968) 6 (174.2628) 30 (163.9428) 22 (168.5256) 13 (171.9656)
Nov 1, 2019 Currituck Heritage Bulls & BBQ Festival 🏅 Powells Point, NC 1 / 25 (701.0856) 7 (170.8228) 3 (176) 2 (180) 3 (174.2628)
Oct 18, 2019 Smoking in the Foothills Barbecue Competition and Festival B 🏅 Lenoir, NC 4 / 22 (681.0168) 14 (165.0856) 5 (173.1084) 2 (172.5600) 6 (170.2628)
Oct 17, 2019 Smoking in the Foothills Barbecue Competition and Festival A 🏅 Lenoir, NC 1 / 15 (698.8344) 2 (175.4172) 7 (166.8572) 1 (176.5600) 1 (180)
Oct 11, 2019 Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down 🏅 Rocky Mount, NC 8 / 32 (674.1484) 13 (167.3828) 5 (173.7144) 18 (162.2284) 6 (170.8228)
Oct 4, 2019 Que & Cruz 🏅 Louisa, VA 6 / 28 (679.2796) 5 (173.1084) 17 (164.5372) 14 (165.0740) 1 (176.5600)
Sep 12, 2019 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS 42 / 468 (686.3428) 282 (163.3828) 28 (175.4172) 154 (168.6628) 3 (178.8800)
Sep 12, 2019 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- INVITATIONAL CONTEST 🏅 unrated Kansas City, KS 28 / 135 (692.4796) 5 (178.8572) 90 (167.9656) 49 (172.5484) 47 (173.1084)
Sep 6, 2019 15th annual Recovery Fest/ 10th annual State BBQ Championship (JUDGES FULL) 🏅 Richmond, VA 6 / 31 (681.0512) 2 (176.5600) 5 (169.7256) 15 (166.2400) 11 (168.5256)
Aug 16, 2019 Smokin on the Dock of the Bay 🏅 Chrisfield, MD 15 / 25 (650.1712) 21 (159.9312) 5 (167.9772) 5 (168.5484) 20 (153.7144)
Aug 2, 2019 Pigs & Pedals 🏅 Asheboro, NC 11 / 40 (675.8740) 1 (179.4400) 1 (177.7028) 39 (147.9084) 11 (170.8228)
Jun 22, 2019 Giant National Capital BBQ Battle 🏅 Washington, DC 4 / 31 (691.9772) 2 (177.7144) 3 (174.8800) 12 (168.5600) 12 (170.8228)
Jun 8, 2019 Beltway BBQ Showdown 🏅 Upper Marlboro, MD 3 / 37 (680.5028) 7 (172.5600) 1 (177.7372) 21 (161.6684) 8 (168.5372)
May 17, 2019 Stills and Grills Fest North Wilkesboro, NC 4 / 21 (677.0856) 11 (166.2628) 3 (174.2972) 12 (162.8228) 3 (173.7028)
May 4, 2019 BBQ Jamboree (Day 2) 🏅 Fredericksburg, VA 12 / 33 (684.5140) 14 (171.9656) 12 (171.4400) 18 (168.5256) 7 (172.5828)
May 3, 2019 BBQ Jamboree (Day 1) 🏅 Fredericksburg, VA 4 / 34 (685.0280) 14 (170.8112) 5 (172) 3 (174.8456) 15 (167.3712)
Apr 26, 2019 Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition 🏅 Lanexa, VA 2 / 32 (694.2056) 1 (180) 4 (176.5600) 17 (164.5372) 7 (173.1084)
Apr 19, 2019 High on the Hog Festival 🏅 Winchester, TN 16 / 39 (682.1600) 7 (175.4172) 30 (161.6572) 20 (168.5256) 5 (176.5600)
Mar 8, 2019 Mid Atlantic BBQ Expo Atlantic City, NJ 5 / 66 (670.8112) 3 (176) 31 (161.7372) 40 (159.9656) 4 (173.1084)
Feb 1, 2019 Brasstown Valley Resort BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL) 🏅 Young Harris, GA 1 / 27 (703.9544) 2 (177.7144) 3 (174.2744) 4 (171.9656) 1 (180)
Nov 2, 2018 Currituck Heritage Festival Currituck, NC 2 / 25 (680.5028) 4 (171.4516) 2 (174.8456) 16 (162.2400) 9 (171.9656)
Oct 12, 2018 Pigs in the Pit Alton, VA 19 / 30 (643.2456) 24 (154.7656) 16 (164.5372) 22 (157.1200) 13 (166.8228)
Oct 5, 2018 Que & Cruz Louisa, VA 11 / 25 (654.1372) 18 (156.5256) 11 (163.9660) 8 (166.2400) 6 (167.4056)
Sep 28, 2018 Smithfield BBQ Classic Richmond, VA 4 / 41 (681.0284) 3 (175.4056) 9 (170.8572) 16 (166.2400) 10 (168.5256)
Sep 7, 2018 14th Annual Recovery Fest/8th Annual BBQ State Championship 🏅 Richmond, VA 18 / 29 (654.7428) 23 (159.4056) 11 (167.4172) 20 (161.6800) 13 (166.2400)
Aug 17, 2018 Smokin on The Dock of the Bay Crisfield, MD 5 / 32 (667.3372) 2 (171.4056) 16 (158.8344) 20 (159.3600) 2 (177.7372)
Aug 3, 2018 Pigs & Pedals Asheboro, NC 23 / 48 (661.0740) 19 (169.1428) 4 (173.7028) 17 (169.6800) 47 (148.5484)
Jul 27, 2018 Smoke in the Grove Spring Grove, PA 5 / 54 (670.7660) 12 (169.1544) 29 (162.8116) 4 (171.9656) 20 (166.8344)
Jun 23, 2018 Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle Washington, DC 8 / 42 (683.9196) 7 (174.3200) 2 (177.7028) 5 (173.1084) 28 (158.7884)
Jun 15, 2018 Bone Suckin Sauce Peak City Pig Fest Apex, NC 5 / 44 (673.6572) 4 (173.1544) 4 (170.2628) 29 (159.9544) 5 (170.2856)
May 18, 2018 Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off Chesapeake, VA 7 / 27 (671.2796) 11 (166.8112) 5 (169.1200) 4 (168.5256) 9 (166.8228)
May 12, 2018 BBQ Jamboree Double Day 2 Fredericksburg, VA 24 / 38 (660.9712) 26 (166.2400) 21 (166.8228) 23 (165.6800) 25 (162.2284)
May 11, 2018 BBQ Jamboree Double Day 1 Fredericksburg, VA 3 / 45 (686.7312) 14 (171.9656) 13 (169.6684) 7 (168.5372) 5 (176.5600)
Apr 27, 2018 Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition Lenexa, VA 10 / 45 (676.4684) 1 (177.7028) 37 (157.6800) 13 (169.1200) 10 (171.9656)
Mar 23, 2018 BBQ Gives Back Urbanna, VA 21 / 75 (663.8972) 38 (165.1200) 11 (170.2628) 28 (164.5372) 33 (163.9772)
Feb 2, 2018 Brasstown Valley Resort BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL) Young Harris, GA 15 / 35 (676.4112) 23 (166.2400) 11 (171.9656) 10 (171.9772) 21 (166.2284)
Oct 20, 2017 Boo-B-Que Rehobeth Beach, DE 35 / 69 (650.1140) 49 (163.3596) 32 (163.9660) 55 (154.2056) 12 (168.5828)
Oct 6, 2017 Devon Grube Memorial BBQ Classic Virginia Beach, VA 6 / 23 (670.7656) 6 (170.8112) 14 (162.3088) 6 (170.2628) 10 (167.3828)
Sep 15, 2017 Currituck Heritage Festival Powells Point, NC 2 / 25 (683.9428) 11 (166.2628) 9 (167.9772) 2 (171.9656) 1 (177.7372)
Sep 8, 2017 13th Annual Recovery Fest/8th Annual BBQ State Championship 🏅 Richmond, VA 9 / 35 (670.7428) 20 (164.5372) 13 (168) 16 (163.9428) 3 (174.2628)
Aug 4, 2017 Smithfield BBQ Classic Smithfield, VA 5 / 28 (674.8228) 13 (169.1200) 7 (170.8800) 7 (168.5600) 8 (166.2628)
May 19, 2017 Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off Chesapeake, VA 10 / 34 (649.5888) 21 (156.5488) 3 (171.4172) 1 (171.4172) 20 (150.2056)

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

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)

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