MasterQue

MasterQue is a competition barbecue team with 24 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2025. They have won 1 Grand Championship, at the Smokin n a Rollin (2014), and finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #1601 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “Master Que”.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#1,601

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1558

peak 1560 · rated over 23 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 12, 2013

latest Mar 7, 2025 · 11.9 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#368

Master 2014 · every season

Grand champs

1 reserve · wins it all 4% of the time

Category wins

7 podiums

Overall top-10s

25% of 24 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 40%

overall standings

Best overall

686.2628 / 720

Master · Smokin n a Rollin

Perfect 180s

Current form

659.46 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 657.37 (+2.09)

Walk rate

63%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

178.2858

Pork · Crossroads BBQ Cook-off

Consistency

±15.78

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 163.25 · weakest Brisket (159.33)

Road miles

1,405

across 24 mapped stops · furthest 687 mi

Schedule strength

34%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1546)

Purse competed for

$99K

listed at 9 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 11 state-championship entries

Master avg

657.37 / 720

13 Master contests · 1 GC

Backyard avg

319.37 / 360

3 Backyard contests · 0 GCs

Backyard (3-meat) avg

459.68 / 540

8 Backyard (3-meat) contests · 0 GCs

These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360, Backyard (3-meat) out of 540), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.

This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.

Storylines (12 found in their record)

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

Against the odds

27-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 73 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Smokin n a Rollin (Jun 6, 2014) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 27-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, DIRT ROAD BBQ.

Happy hunting ground

Top 19% average finish here

Holy Smoke BBQ Contest is their spot: an average finish in the top 19% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 2nd
average top 19%

They almost always walk

63% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 15 of 24 contests

A top-10 category call in 63% of their 24 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

686.2628 career-best overall

95.3% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 686.2628 at Smokin n a Rollin — 95.3% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jun 6, 2014

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

GETTIN' BASTED has finished one call ahead of MasterQue 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

8–3 behind in the head-to-head

DIRT ROAD BBQ ahead in 73% of their meetings

DIRT ROAD BBQ has come out ahead in 8 of their 11 shared contests.

The drought

16 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Smokin n a Rollin on Jun 6, 2014 — 16 contests and 12.3 years ago.

last GC Jun 6, 2014
12.3 years ago

Show 5 more storylines

A strong matchup

10–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 91% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Wiggle Butts BBQ in 10 of their 11 shared contests.

The comeback

4.4 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 4.4 years, then back at Sip & Swine BBQ Festival (Mar 1, 2019).

last seen Oct 2, 2014
back Mar 1, 2019

Pork nemesis

7 of 11 shared pork entries lost

COOL HAND QUE ahead 64% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, COOL HAND QUE has out-cooked them in 7 of 11 shared pork entries.

A March team

Top 31% average finish in March

Something about March: average finish in the top 31% across 7 contests, versus top 40% the rest of the year.

7 March contests
top 40% the rest of the year

A standing appointment

6 years running at one contest

They've cooked Sip & Swine BBQ Festival every year from 2020 to 2025 — the contest they never miss.

6 visits in all
best finish 11th

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
2014 ↗	Master	#368 (1,004 pts)	#358 (1,029 pts)	#329 (1,079 pts)	#343 (1,059 pts)	#474 (789 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#414 (744 pts)	#634 (514 pts)	#571 (584 pts)	#336 (899 pts)	#470 (684 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

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

BUILDING SMOKE

#1,604 of the rated field

1558 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1558

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to MasterQue)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team MasterQue has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 14 contests
last seen Jul 29, 2016

⚔ Head-to-head

A Guy & A Grill

#1,606 of the rated field

1558 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 67%
Peak: 1558

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to MasterQue)

Fewer contests behind them than MasterQue has cooked, 6 to 24, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 6 contests
last seen Mar 6, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

Vegas Grillbillies

#1,596 of the rated field

1558 power rating

Contests: 52
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 23%
Peak: 1593

They've been 1593 at their best, 35 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 52 contests
last seen May 23, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

BETHEL SMOKERS

#1,599 of the rated field

1558 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 50%
Peak: 1558

Their last contest in the data was back in 2015, 10 years before MasterQue's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 10 contests

⚔ Compare careers

BBQmyway

#1,597 of the rated field

1558 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 56%
Peak: 1560

They turned up 8 years after MasterQue did, first appearing in 2021.

rated over 9 contests
last seen Jan 22, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

HOLY SMOKES GA

#1,603 of the rated field

1558 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1558

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

rated over 9 contests
last seen May 25, 2018

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Wiggle Butts BBQ	11	10	1	91%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
COOL HAND QUE	11	4	7	36%	⚔ compare
DIRT ROAD BBQ	11	3	8	27%	⚔ compare
Stewbabys BBQ	10	9	1	90%	⚔ compare
HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ	10	2	7	20%	⚔ compare
Peckerwood Country Club	9	7	2	78%	⚔ compare
ZIPS BBQ	9	6	3	67%	⚔ compare
TENACIOUS Q	9	6	3	67%	⚔ compare
MAYA JANE BBQ CO.	9	5	3	56%	⚔ compare
Wine Me, Dine Me and Swine Me	9	5	4	56%	⚔ compare
Geaux 2 bbq	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
Gardenvalley Smokers	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
Quenut BBQ	8	7	1	88%	⚔ compare
ROLLIN KOLBZ	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	24	5	0	2	177.7028	143.4284	163.07	top 38%
Pork Ribs	23	5	0	2	173.7144	150.2858	162.73	top 38%
Pork	24	8	1	1	178.2858	145.0628	163.25	top 34%
Brisket	16	6	0	2	171.4056	148.5028	159.33	top 48%

“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)	8	1	top 36%
Large (40+)	16	0	top 42%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
MO	13	1	top 42%
GA	11	0	top 38%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Sip & Swine BBQ Festival	6	11	top 34%	Mar 7, 2025
BBQ Boogie & Blues	3	15	top 55%	Apr 29, 2022
Holy Smoke BBQ Contest	2	2	top 19%	Aug 22, 2014
Platte City BBQ Cook-Off	2	3	top 23%	May 16, 2014
The Best Dam BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake	2	27	top 64%	Apr 11, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2014 8 contests · 1 GC

Contests a season 2.7 across 9 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MO 13 of 24 contests · 2 states in all

Contests visited 14 5 of them more than once

First title Jun 6, 2014 Smokin n a Rollin

Opponents faced 1,133 finished ahead 1,049 times, behind 996

Longest layoff 4.4 yrs Oct 2, 2014 → Mar 1, 2019

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

20251 milestone

Mar 7 Most recent contest Sip & Swine BBQ Festival

20241 milestone

Mar 1 Peak power rating (1560) Sip & Swine BBQ Festival

20143 milestones

Jun 6 First Grand Championship Smokin n a Rollin
Jun 6 Career-best overall score686.2628 Smokin n a Rollin
Aug 8 10th tracked contest Smokin' with Woods

20138 milestones

Apr 12 First tracked contest The Best Dam BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake
Apr 12 First call The Best Dam BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake
May 10 First overall top-10 Platte City BBQ Cook-Off
May 10 First overall podium Platte City BBQ Cook-Off
May 10 First overall past 90% of a perfect score673.7140 Platte City BBQ Cook-Off
Jul 5 First category win (Pork) Crossroads BBQ Cook-off
Jul 5 Career-best single call (Pork)178.2858 Crossroads BBQ Cook-off
Aug 23 First Reserve Championship Holy Smoke BBQ Contest

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16.7	Smokin n a Rollin	Jun 6, 2014
+15.4	Holy Smoke BBQ Contest	Aug 23, 2013
+15.3	Platte City BBQ Cook-Off	May 10, 2013
+11.4	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival	Mar 1, 2019
+11.4	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival	Mar 4, 2022

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10	Racing For The BBQ	Jul 26, 2013
-9.6	BBQ Boogie & Blues	Sep 24, 2021
-8.3	The Best Dam BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake	Apr 12, 2013
-5.9	BBQ Boogie & Blues	Apr 26, 2019
-4.7	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival	Mar 5, 2021

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	GCs	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2025	1	0	0	0	0%	top 47%	88.6%	88.6%
2024	1	0	0	0	100%	top 20%	93%	93%
2023	1	0	0	0	0%	top 45%	89.7%	89.7%
2022	2	0	0	0	100%	top 28%	92.4%	89.7%
2021	2	0	0	0	50%	top 57%	84.2%	72.4%
2020	1	0	0	0	100%	top 33%	88.6%	88.6%
2019	3	0	1	0	67%	top 36%	91.7%	87.7%
2014	8	1	3	0	50%	top 40%	95.3%	91.8%
2013	5	0	2	1	80%	top 44%	93.6%	90.5%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Mar 7, 2025	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival 🏅 Lawrenceville, GA	21 / 45 (318.8116)	26 (153.0972)	13 (165.7144)	24 (150.8000)	—
Mar 1, 2024	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival 🏅 Lawrenceville, GA	12 / 59 (334.8116)	7 (169.6916)	17 (165.1200)	31 (156.5028)	—
Mar 3, 2023	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival 🏅 Lawrenceville, GA	29 / 65 (484.4224)	34 (156.5256)	22 (162.7884)	15 (165.1084)	—
Apr 29, 2022	BBQ Boogie & Blues 🏅 Calhoun, GA	15 / 37 (470.1484)	14 (153.6572)	12 (158.8456)	13 (157.6456)	6 (163.9544)
Mar 4, 2022	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival 🏅 Lawrenceville, GA	11 / 73 (498.7884)	14 (168)	20 (162.8000)	7 (167.9884)	—
Sep 24, 2021	BBQ Boogie & Blues 🏅 Calhoun, GA	19 / 27 (327.3484)	3 (172.5600)	—	18 (154.7884)	2 (159.3600)
Mar 5, 2021	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival 🏅 Lawrenceville, GA	35 / 81 (454.6972)	30 (154.8344)	31 (154.8000)	35 (145.0628)	—
Mar 6, 2020	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival 🏅 Lawrenceville, GA	20 / 61 (478.1712)	21 (158.2400)	8 (163.4056)	26 (156.5256)	—
Aug 2, 2019	Hawgin On Lanier 🏅 Gainesville, GA	18 / 45 (468.4916)	19 (148.5372)	12 (160.5716)	13 (159.3828)	—
Apr 26, 2019	BBQ Boogie & Blues 🏅 Calhoun, GA	18 / 33 (304.4912)	19 (149.7028)	16 (154.7884)	14 (155.4172)	6 (156.5488)
Mar 1, 2019	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival 🏅 Lawrenceville, GA	8 / 62 (495.3828)	11 (165.1200)	7 (167.9656)	13 (162.2972)	—
Oct 2, 2014	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO	97 / 165 (666.7884)	45 (172)	102 (165.7144)	95 (166.8456)	128 (162.2284)
Oct 2, 2014	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	317 / 552 (649.6340)	18 (177.7028)	447 (154.8228)	334 (161.6912)	383 (155.4172)
Aug 22, 2014	Holy Smoke BBQ Contest Liberty, MO	9 / 29 (665.0400)	11 (167.9772)	11 (165.1200)	5 (169.7028)	13 (162.2400)
Aug 8, 2014	Smokin' with Woods Odessa, MO	15 / 28 (662.1940)	11 (170.2512)	14 (165.1200)	11 (166.8228)	18 (160)
Jul 24, 2014	ACF - GKCCA BBQ Competition Kansas City, MO	6 / 25 (653.6456)	2 (177.1428)	12 (157.1200)	7 (165.6684)	17 (153.7144)
Jun 6, 2014	Smokin n a Rollin St. Joseph, MO	1 / 22 (686.2628)	4 (170.8800)	3 (173.7144)	4 (170.2628)	4 (171.4056)
May 16, 2014	Platte City BBQ Cook-Off Platte City, MO	20 / 50 (658.1484)	37 (159.3712)	3 (173.1200)	14 (170.8572)	37 (154.8000)
Apr 11, 2014	The Best Dam BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake Smithville, MO	27 / 54 (646.7312)	31 (162.2628)	18 (165.7028)	15 (166.8228)	41 (151.9428)
Aug 23, 2013	Holy Smoke BBQ Contest Liberty, MO	2 / 31 (670.1712)	6 (169.1200)	4 (168.5372)	10 (169.1084)	7 (163.4056)
Jul 26, 2013	Racing For The BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	48 / 58 (633.5312)	20 (168.5140)	51 (155.9888)	41 (160.5256)	55 (148.5028)
Jul 5, 2013	Crossroads BBQ Cook-off Cameron, MO	20 / 40 (654.8574)	31 (160.5714)	36 (150.2858)	1 (178.2858)	13 (165.7144)
May 10, 2013	Platte City BBQ Cook-Off Platte City, MO	3 / 52 (673.7140)	19 (164.5712)	15 (166.8570)	4 (171.4286)	3 (170.8572)
Apr 12, 2013	The Best Dam BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake Smithville, MO	37 / 48 (625.1426)	47 (143.4284)	17 (164)	7 (168.5716)	41 (149.1426)

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

MasterQue

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

Backyard avg

Backyard (3-meat) avg

Storylines (12 found in their record)

Against the odds

Happy hunting ground

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

A tough matchup

The drought

A strong matchup

The comeback

Pork nemesis

A March team

A standing appointment

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 — 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)