Kentucky Kookers

Kentucky Kookers is a competition barbecue team with 42 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2024. Their best overall finish is 3rd of 41 at the Jim Beam BBQ Classic (2013). They are ranked #4799 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#4,799

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1467

peak 1540 · rated over 42 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Mar 29, 2013

latest Sep 13, 2024 · 11.5 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#669

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

6 podiums

Overall top-10s

7% of 42 contests

Avg finish

top 61%

overall standings

Best overall

689.0744 / 720

Master · Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cookoff

Perfect 180s

Current form

654.56 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 656.86 (-2.29)

Walk rate

57%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

179.4400

Chicken · Jim Beam BBQ Classic

Consistency

±16.44

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 167.22 · weakest Brisket (161.05)

Road miles

3,337

across 42 mapped stops · furthest 130 mi

Schedule strength

56%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1571)

Purse competed for

$93K

listed at 10 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 11 state-championship entries

Master avg

656.86 / 720

42 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (13 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

689.0744 career-best overall

95.7% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 689.0744 at Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cookoff — 95.7% of a perfect 720.

Master
Oct 14, 2016

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

FARMER'S RETREAT SMOKIN BARBEQUE has finished one call ahead of Kentucky Kookers 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2014 their best year

2014 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 39%.

4 contests
1 overall top-10
0 category wins
average top 39%

A tough matchup

30–2 behind in the head-to-head

BLUE CHIP BBQ ahead in 94% of their meetings

BLUE CHIP BBQ has come out ahead in 30 of their 32 shared contests.

The weak link

−6.2 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 6.17 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 12% of the time against 21%.

Brisket avg 161.05
Chicken avg 167.22
5 calls in 42 entries

A strong matchup

8–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of White Wolf Smokers in 8 of their 8 shared contests.

The comeback

1.9 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 1.9 years, then back at Smoke on the Ohio (Sep 8, 2023).

last seen Oct 22, 2021
back Sep 8, 2023

Show 6 more storylines

Chicken nemesis

24 of 32 shared chicken entries lost

BLUE CHIP BBQ ahead 75% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, BLUE CHIP BBQ has out-cooked them in 24 of 32 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

PoCo Porkers has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A March team

Top 50% average finish in March

Something about March: average finish in the top 50% across 5 contests, versus top 61% the rest of the year.

5 March contests
top 61% the rest of the year

The long haul

3,337 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 3,337 miles across 42 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 130 miles to Benton KY Kiwanis Barbeque Kook Off.

42 mapped stops
furthest 130 mi

The metronome

±2.28% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.28% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 91.2% of a perfect score
42 contests

A standing appointment

7 years running at one contest

They've cooked Jim Beam BBQ Classic every year from 2013 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.

7 visits in all
best finish 3rd

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
2021 ↗	Master	#735 (188 pts)	#693 (238 pts)	#731 (223 pts)	#712 (213 pts)	#832 (168 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#842 (65 pts)	#896 (60 pts)	#448 (260 pts)	#682 (125 pts)	#883 (60 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#887 (315 pts)	#737 (460 pts)	#950 (315 pts)	#847 (370 pts)	#900 (335 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#669 (461 pts)	#420 (741 pts)	#661 (501 pts)	#724 (461 pts)	#597 (536 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

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

Smokin' Addiction

#4,808 of the rated field

1467 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1519

They've been 1519 at their best, 52 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 26 contests
last seen May 2, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

DD'S BBQ

#4,796 of the rated field

1467 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1516

Their last contest in the data was back in 2021, 3 years before Kentucky Kookers's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 23 contests

⚔ Compare careers

503BACKYARDBBQ

#4,798 of the rated field

1467 power rating

Contests: 22
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 27%
Peak: 1510

Fewer contests behind them than Kentucky Kookers has cooked, 22 to 42, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 21 contests
last seen Aug 19, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

SMOKEN SOULS BARBECUE

#4,775 of the rated field

1468 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1508

18 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 6% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 18 contests
last seen Jun 4, 2021

⚔ Compare careers

BLUE SMOKE BBQ OF INDIANA

#4,787 of the rated field

1467 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1467

They turned up 6 years after Kentucky Kookers did, first appearing in 2019.

rated over 16 contests
last seen Aug 25, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

Grill on Grill Action

#4,782 of the rated field

1467 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1467

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

rated over 15 contests
last seen Jun 26, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
BLUE CHIP BBQ	32	2	30	6%	⚔ compare
HOBBIE BAR-B-Q	26	11	15	42%	⚔ compare
WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS	26	1	25	4%	⚔ compare
Pappy Q	24	7	17	29%	⚔ compare
SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS	24	4	20	17%	⚔ compare
WeQ4U	22	3	19	14%	⚔ compare
Z SMOKE	20	13	7	65%	⚔ compare
ACME BBQ	18	12	6	67%	⚔ compare
SON SEEKERS BBQ	18	4	14	22%	⚔ compare
EAT MOR BUTT BBQ	18	4	14	22%	⚔ compare
OWENSBORO PORK PULLERS	16	9	7	56%	⚔ compare
FARMER'S RETREAT SMOKIN BARBEQUE	16	1	15	6%	⚔ compare
One2BBQ	16	0	16	0%	⚔ compare
Extra Mile BBQ	15	5	10	33%	⚔ compare
GREY STREET BBQ	13	0	13	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	42	9	1	3	179.4400	151.3600	167.22	top 51%
Pork Ribs	42	11	0	1	176.5716	147.3716	164.08	top 56%
Pork	42	6	0	2	175.4516	146.8570	164.50	top 59%
Brisket	42	5	0	0	176.5600	141.6232	161.05	top 63%

“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)	2	top 72%
Medium (20–39)	21	top 62%
Large (40+)	19	top 58%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
KY	25	top 60%
IN	12	top 67%
TN	5	top 51%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off	7	6	top 59%	Oct 15, 2021
Jim Beam BBQ Classic	7	3	top 64%	Oct 4, 2019
Smoke on the Ohio	4	12	top 63%	Sep 13, 2024
Smokin' For Garrett	4	19	top 75%	Oct 22, 2021
Smoke on the Shores	2	23	top 39%	Mar 9, 2018
Smokin For Garrett	2	25	top 78%	Jun 2, 2017
Grillin N Chillin BBQ	2	14	top 46%	Sep 25, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2013 7 contests

Contests a season 3.8 across 11 seasons in the data

Most contests held in KY 25 of 42 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 21 7 of them more than once

Opponents faced 591 finished ahead 669 times, behind 950

Longest layoff 1.9 yrs Oct 22, 2021 → Sep 8, 2023

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

20241 milestone

Sep 13 Most recent contest Smoke on the Ohio

20182 milestones

Oct 5 First category win (Chicken) Jim Beam BBQ Classic
Oct 5 Career-best single call (Chicken)179.4400 Jim Beam BBQ Classic

20171 milestone

Oct 6 25th tracked contest Jim Beam BBQ Classic

20161 milestone

Oct 14 Career-best overall score689.0744 Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cookoff

20151 milestone

Sep 25 Peak power rating (1540) Grillin N Chillin BBQ

20141 milestone

Oct 3 10th tracked contest Jim Beam BBQ Classic

20135 milestones

Mar 29 First tracked contest Benton KY Kiwanis Barbeque Kook Off
Mar 29 First call Benton KY Kiwanis Barbeque Kook Off
Mar 29 First overall past 90% of a perfect score655.9996 Benton KY Kiwanis Barbeque Kook Off
Oct 4 First overall top-10 Jim Beam BBQ Classic
Oct 4 First overall podium Jim Beam BBQ Classic

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16	Jim Beam BBQ Classic	Oct 4, 2013
+12.7	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cookoff	Oct 14, 2016
+12.3	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off	Oct 17, 2014
+10	Smoke on the Shores	Mar 9, 2018
+7.7	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-off	Oct 20, 2017

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.9	Jim Beam BBQ Classic	Oct 2, 2015
-10.6	Smokin For Garrett	Apr 26, 2019
-9	Jim Beam BBQ Classic	Oct 4, 2019
-9	Smokin For Garrett	Apr 27, 2018
-8.9	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	May 13, 2016

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)
2024	1	0	0	100%	top 54%	92.8%	92.8%
2023	1	0	0	0%	top 72%	90.4%	90.4%
2021	3	0	0	33%	top 77%	92.8%	90.4%
2020	1	0	0	100%	top 59%	91.3%	91.3%
2019	6	0	0	0%	top 72%	93.6%	90.3%
2018	4	0	1	75%	top 59%	94%	91.1%
2017	5	0	0	20%	top 72%	93.8%	91.3%
2016	6	1	0	83%	top 65%	95.7%	91.6%
2015	4	0	0	75%	top 61%	93.5%	91.8%
2014	4	1	0	75%	top 39%	94.3%	92.7%
2013	7	1	0	86%	top 46%	95.5%	90.9%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 13, 2024	Smoke on the Ohio 🏅 Mt. Vernon, IN	15 / 28 (668.4228)	15 (167.9772)	15 (166.8228)	17 (163.9428)	9 (169.6800)
Sep 8, 2023	Smoke on the Ohio 🏅 Mt. Vernon, IN	18 / 25 (651.2112)	14 (167.3828)	18 (160.5028)	22 (156.5028)	14 (166.8228)
Oct 22, 2021	Smokin' For Garrett 🏅 Boonville, IN	19 / 27 (658.1028)	17 (165.0972)	13 (166.2400)	15 (166.8228)	20 (159.9428)
Oct 15, 2021	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Munfordville, KY	23 / 27 (667.8744)	14 (173.7028)	23 (163.3944)	20 (166.8344)	25 (163.9428)
Sep 10, 2021	Smoke on the Ohio 🏅 Mt. Vernon, IN	12 / 16 (627.2004)	7 (167.9656)	11 (161.0856)	11 (156.5260)	15 (141.6232)
Oct 23, 2020	Smokin For Garrett Boonville, IN	24 / 41 (657.1432)	29 (160.5716)	2 (176.5716)	12 (170.8572)	38 (149.1428)
Oct 18, 2019	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Munfordville, KY	25 / 31 (649.5432)	27 (157.6800)	27 (158.2288)	16 (168.5372)	23 (165.0972)
Oct 4, 2019	Jim Beam BBQ Classic 🏅 Springfield, KY	39 / 42 (639.8060)	41 (154.7772)	21 (166.8344)	38 (157.1088)	32 (161.0856)
Sep 13, 2019	Smoke On the Ohio 🏅 Mt.Vernon, IN	14 / 28 (646.6856)	12 (164.5256)	17 (160.5716)	16 (165.0856)	16 (156.5028)
Apr 26, 2019	Smokin For Garrett 🏅 Boonville, IN	22 / 26 (636.3776)	12 (169.6800)	26 (147.9316)	20 (160.5256)	19 (158.2404)
Apr 5, 2019	Operation Stand Down KY II Annual Smoke off 🏅 Franklin, KY	21 / 28 (655.8056)	16 (166.8228)	22 (162.8116)	21 (163.9428)	22 (162.2284)
Mar 8, 2019	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Nashville, TN	32 / 67 (674.2060)	11 (174.2972)	26 (169.1200)	54 (161.1088)	28 (169.6800)
Oct 19, 2018	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off Munfordville, KY	20 / 29 (659.8056)	14 (169.6684)	10 (168.5372)	23 (162.2400)	23 (159.3600)
Oct 5, 2018	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	20 / 42 (667.9088)	1 (179.4400)	41 (155.3716)	13 (169.1200)	26 (163.9772)
Apr 27, 2018	Smokin For Garrett Boonville, IN	33 / 38 (618.0232)	37 (155.3716)	36 (147.3716)	34 (152.4800)	21 (162.8000)
Mar 9, 2018	Smoke on the Shores Nashville, TN	27 / 87 (676.5032)	54 (166.2400)	9 (175.4172)	42 (168.5944)	46 (166.2516)
Oct 20, 2017	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-off Munfordville, KY	14 / 36 (675.3368)	25 (165.0856)	8 (171.4400)	6 (171.9656)	13 (166.8456)
Oct 6, 2017	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	39 / 44 (650.7088)	41 (157.6688)	29 (164.5372)	23 (169.6800)	35 (158.8228)
Jun 2, 2017	Smokin For Garrett Boonville, IN	26 / 31 (646.6168)	23 (163.9312)	15 (165.6800)	28 (160.5028)	26 (156.5028)
Apr 7, 2017	First Annual Operation Stand Down KY BBQ Smoke Off (TEAMS FULL) Bowling Green, KY	27 / 40 (660.4800)	16 (169.1428)	35 (158.8000)	30 (163.9772)	19 (168.5600)
Mar 10, 2017	Smoke on the Shores Nashville, TN	50 / 62 (652.9488)	41 (166.2400)	26 (167.3944)	47 (162.2400)	56 (157.0744)
Oct 14, 2016	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cookoff Munfordville, KY	8 / 34 (689.0744)	27 (166.2284)	4 (174.2744)	6 (175.4516)	8 (173.1200)
Sep 30, 2016	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	33 / 43 (656.4116)	24 (169.1200)	29 (166.8344)	18 (168.5256)	41 (151.9316)
Sep 16, 2016	Nebo Fall Festival and BBQ Competition Nebo, KY	17 / 20 (656.4688)	4 (172.5600)	19 (157.6916)	15 (164.5372)	17 (161.6800)
May 20, 2016	Smokin' for Garrett Boonville, IN	25 / 35 (647.3032)	22 (164.5372)	9 (168.5716)	16 (167.9772)	32 (146.2172)
May 13, 2016	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Bowling Green, KY	25 / 29 (632.9488)	27 (151.3600)	27 (153.6916)	26 (155.9200)	6 (171.9772)
Mar 11, 2016	Smoke on the Shores Nashville, TN	23 / 49 (673.1204)	4 (176.5600)	13 (170.2972)	15 (170.8572)	45 (155.4060)
Oct 16, 2015	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off Munfordville, KY	16 / 34 (669.6228)	23 (166.2400)	7 (170.8572)	13 (170.2856)	22 (162.2400)
Oct 2, 2015	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	42 / 45 (632.9028)	22 (169.6684)	37 (160.5372)	40 (158.8000)	44 (143.8972)
Sep 25, 2015	Grillin N Chillin BBQ Owensboro, KY	14 / 38 (667.8976)	15 (170.2744)	17 (163.9660)	3 (175.4400)	25 (158.2172)
Sep 18, 2015	Nebo Fall Festival BBQ Nebo, KY	11 / 16 (673.0512)	9 (171.9656)	12 (168)	11 (167.9656)	11 (165.1200)
Oct 17, 2014	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off Munfordville, KY	6 / 32 (678.7772)	13 (168.5600)	4 (173.1200)	10 (168.5372)	12 (168.5600)
Oct 3, 2014	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	18 / 44 (676.4800)	22 (169.6800)	9 (173.7028)	20 (169.7028)	25 (163.3944)
Sep 26, 2014	Grillin N Chillin BBQ Owensboro, KY	24 / 43 (658.7200)	13 (170.2628)	36 (157.0972)	3 (174.2628)	28 (157.0972)
Apr 3, 2014	2nd Annual Parkinson's Smoke Out Evansville, IN	25 / 64 (654.8004)	28 (164.5372)	32 (162.3088)	41 (161.1200)	15 (166.8344)
Oct 18, 2013	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off Munfordville, KY	29 / 40 (638.1144)	26 (160.5484)	36 (153.0860)	35 (158.2400)	15 (166.2400)
Oct 4, 2013	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	3 / 41 (687.9432)	4 (177.7144)	6 (171.9888)	26 (161.6800)	4 (176.5600)
Sep 27, 2013	Grillin and Chillin BBQ Owensboro, KY	21 / 45 (661.5888)	4 (176)	31 (161.1088)	25 (163.9772)	28 (160.5028)
Jun 21, 2013	Queen City Cook-Off Clarksville, TN	18 / 39 (667.9998)	30 (163.4282)	35 (158.2860)	7 (173.1428)	7 (173.1428)
Jun 14, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Lexington, KY	11 / 27 (635.4286)	3 (170.2858)	12 (160.5714)	26 (146.8570)	13 (157.7144)
Apr 5, 2013	1st Annual Parkinson's Smoke Out Evansville, IN	31 / 50 (632.5710)	11 (165.1428)	9 (168)	40 (152.5714)	43 (146.8568)
Mar 29, 2013	Benton KY Kiwanis Barbeque Kook Off Benton, KY	18 / 40 (655.9996)	3 (175.4284)	19 (162.8572)	18 (164.5714)	32 (153.1426)

Kentucky Kookers

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

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 (13 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

A March team

The long haul

The metronome

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, 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)