The heartbreaker
1.1196
points from the title
Came within 1.1196 points of the Grand Championship at Smoke on the River (Day 2) (Aug 30, 2025).
JDQ BBQ
JDQ BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 27 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2023 and 2026. They have won 4 Grand Championships, most recently at the Meat Inferno (2026), and finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #512 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1674
peak 1674 · rated over 20 contests3 invitational or side-series contests not counted
Contests
27
in the data
First seen
Jul 28, 2023
latest Sep 11, 2026 · 3.1 years on the trail
Grand champs
4
1 reserve · wins it all 15% of the time
Category wins
2
16 podiums
Overall top-10s
12
44% of 27 contests
Best top-10 run
4
straight overall top-10s
Avg finish
top 24%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
2 🔥
Current form
701.44 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 692.96 (+8.48)
Walk rate
85%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±9.19
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 173.82 · weakest Pork (172.28)
Road miles
1,380
across 27 mapped stops · furthest 290 mi
Schedule strength
74%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1595)
Purse competed for
$379K
listed at 25 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
3 🏅
won from 20 state-championship entries
Master avg
692.96 / 720
20 Master contests · 3 GCs
In the record book (on 1 all-time board)
Where this team sits in the all-time KCBS record book. A gold line is a record they hold outright; the rest are boards they are on.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ↗ | Master | #108 (1,313 pts) | #158 (1,113 pts) | #211 (974 pts) | #273 (738 pts) | #225 (848 pts) |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #296 (746 pts) | #307 (736 pts) | #502 (451 pts) | #322 (691 pts) | #355 (646 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #462 (420 pts) | #523 (390 pts) | #545 (420 pts) | #493 (410 pts) | #320 (715 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #391 (504 pts) | #511 (399 pts) | #250 (941 pts) | #362 (589 pts) | #401 (519 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to JDQ BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.
#508 of the rated field
- Contests
- 45
- GCs
- 2
- Top-10s
- 51%
- Peak
- 1731
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to JDQ BBQ)
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team JDQ BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#510 of the rated field
- Contests
- 64
- GCs
- 6
- Top-10s
- 66%
- Peak
- 1759
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to JDQ BBQ)
They've been 1759 at their best, 85 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-head#513 of the rated field
- Contests
- 34
- GCs
- 4
- Top-10s
- 50%
- Peak
- 1693
Their last contest in the data was back in 2023, 3 years before JDQ BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#509 of the rated field
- Contests
- 48
- GCs
- 3
- Top-10s
- 52%
- Peak
- 1710
A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 48 contests to 27.
⚔ Compare careers#514 of the rated field
- Contests
- 51
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 53%
- Peak
- 1702
51 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 53% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Compare careers#511 of the rated field
- Contests
- 92
- GCs
- 4
- Top-10s
- 37%
- Peak
- 1680
They were already cooking in 2018, 5 years before JDQ BBQ's first contest.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PARTS 'R' SMOKIN | 14 | 9 | 5 | 64% | ⚔ compare |
| Squealin N Dealin BBQ | 13 | 10 | 3 | 77% | ⚔ compare |
| Damn Fine Beef & Swine | 13 | 7 | 6 | 54% | ⚔ compare |
| MAN MEAT BBQ | 13 | 6 | 7 | 46% | ⚔ compare |
| Dr. Squealgood BBQ | 13 | 6 | 7 | 46% | ⚔ compare |
| Barking Dog BBQ | 12 | 9 | 3 | 75% | ⚔ compare |
| Bocephus BBQ | 12 | 8 | 4 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| WOOD HOOK BBQ | 11 | 10 | 1 | 91% | ⚔ compare |
| LOVE 2 Q | 11 | 10 | 1 | 91% | ⚔ compare |
| SLAPS BBQ | 11 | 6 | 5 | 55% | ⚔ compare |
| KC Meat Sweats | 10 | 8 | 2 | 80% | ⚔ compare |
| MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ | 10 | 8 | 2 | 80% | ⚔ compare |
| MUNNY'S STOVE | 10 | 7 | 3 | 70% | ⚔ compare |
| Blind Fox BBQ | 10 | 6 | 4 | 60% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokey Bey's Barbecue | 10 | 4 | 6 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 23 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 178.8572 | 160.5144 | 173.82 | top 32% |
| Pork Ribs | 24 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 177.7144 | 159.3828 | 172.79 | top 36% |
| Pork | 23 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 180 🔥 | 163.3828 | 172.28 | top 37% |
| Brisket | 22 | 12 | 0 | 5 | 180 🔥 | 166.2400 | 173.70 | top 25% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 2 | 1 | top 22% |
| Medium (20–39) | 10 | 2 | top 31% |
| Large (40+) | 11 | 1 | top 19% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meat Inferno | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 20% | Sep 11, 2026 |
| Made for KC BBQ Championship 2026 (COMPETITORS SERIES) | 2 | 7 | 0 | top 31% | Aug 21, 2026 |
| The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship | 2 | 3 | 0 | top 2% | Jun 26, 2026 |
| American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | 2 | 13 | 0 | top 4% | Nov 5, 2025 |
| Smoke on the River (Day 2) | 2 | 2 | 0 | top 42% | Aug 30, 2025 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2025
8 contests · 1 GC
Contests a season
6.8
across 4 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
KS
21 of 27 contests · 3 states in all
Contests visited
18
5 of them more than once
Most-entered meat
Pork Ribs
24 entries · 0 wins · 10 calls
First title
Oct 3, 2025
Carnivore Carnival (COMPETITOR SERIES)
Opponents faced
976
finished ahead 1,692 times, behind 297
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20265 milestones
- First state championship 8th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship
- Biggest field won (68 teams) 8th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship
- 25th tracked contest Made for KC BBQ Championship 2026 (COMPETITORS SERIES)
- Peak power rating (1674) Meat Inferno
- Most recent contest Meat Inferno
20256 milestones
- First category win (Pork) 7th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship
- First perfect 180 (Pork) 7th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship
- First overall podium Smoke on the River (Day 2)
- First Reserve Championship Smoke on the River (Day 2)
- Career-best overall score706.2516 Smoke on the River (Day 2)
- First Grand Championship Carnivore Carnival (COMPETITOR SERIES)
20241 milestone
- 10th tracked contest Made for KC BBQ Championship (COMPETITORS SERIES)
20234 milestones
- First tracked contest Tom Brigham Memorial BBQ
- First call Tom Brigham Memorial BBQ
- First overall top-10 Tom Brigham Memorial BBQ
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score687.3372 Tom Brigham Memorial BBQ
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +17.5 | Smoke on the River (Day 2) | Aug 30, 2025 |
| +15.4 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | Oct 30, 2024 |
| +14.8 | 7th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship | Mar 21, 2025 |
| +14.7 | 8th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship | Mar 20, 2026 |
| +14.5 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | Nov 5, 2025 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -12.2 | Trekking for CDH | Sep 13, 2025 |
| -6.2 | Smoke on the River (Day 1) | Aug 29, 2025 |
| -1.4 | Smoke in the Spring | Apr 11, 2025 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 100% | top 11% | 98.1% | 97.1% |
| 2025 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 63% | top 34% | 98.1% | 95.8% |
| 2024 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 86% | top 21% | 97.1% | 96% |
| 2023 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 100% | top 34% | 95.7% | 95.5% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 11, 2026 | Meat Inferno 🏅 Edgerton, KS | 1 / 33 (698.2172) | 4 (177.7028) | 18 (170.8344) | 2 (177.7144) | 12 (171.9656) |
| Sep 11, 2026 | Meat Inferno (ONE MEAT RIBS) Edgerton, KS | — | — | 5 (174.2744) | — | — |
| Aug 21, 2026 | Made for KC BBQ Championship 2026 (COMPETITORS SERIES) unrated Weston, MO | 19 / 43 (685.6688) | 5 (177.1544) | 14 (174.2972) | 41 (163.3828) | 16 (170.8344) |
| Jul 24, 2026 | Masters at the Midway: Johnson County Fair BBQ Championship 🏅 Gardner, KS | 1 / 29 (702.8344) | 2 (178.8572) | 2 (176.5600) | 6 (174.2744) | 4 (173.1428) |
| Jun 26, 2026 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 3 / 157 (706.2400) | 5 (177.7144) | 10 (177.7028) | 22 (174.2628) | 10 (176.5600) |
| Apr 3, 2026 | Smokin in the Valley 🏅 Linn Valley, KS | 3 / 31 (695.9660) | 3 (178.8572) | 3 (175.4516) | 20 (166.2400) | 2 (175.4172) |
| Mar 20, 2026 | 8th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS | 1 / 68 (703.9656) | 3 (178.2972) | 17 (173.7028) | 8 (176.5600) | 11 (175.4056) |
| Nov 5, 2025 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Nov 5, 2025 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 13 / 401 (701.1200) | 114 (173.7028) | 18 (177.7028) | 62 (175.4172) | 62 (174.2972) |
| Oct 3, 2025 | Carnivore Carnival (COMPETITOR SERIES) unrated Platte City, MO | 1 / 14 (689.0400) | 2 (175.4172) | — | 1 (178.8572) | — |
| Sep 13, 2025 | Trekking for CDH 🏅 Pierron, IL | 23 / 27 (673.5768) | 6 (175.4172) | 25 (159.3828) | 25 (165.6684) | 13 (173.1084) |
| Aug 30, 2025 | Smoke on the River (Day 2) 🏅 Burlington, KS | 2 / 24 (706.2516) | 11 (175.4172) | 13 (173.1316) | 6 (177.7028) | 2 (180) |
| Aug 29, 2025 | Smoke on the River (Day 1) 🏅 Burlington, KS | 19 / 25 (675.8744) | 6 (174.2744) | 20 (169.1200) | 21 (165.0972) | 18 (167.3828) |
| Apr 11, 2025 | Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS | 44 / 92 (682.7312) | 38 (173.1200) | 56 (169.1084) | 26 (174.2628) | 60 (166.2400) |
| Mar 21, 2025 | 7th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS | 6 / 70 (699.3716) | 7 (176.5716) | 32 (170.8344) | 1 (180) | 21 (171.9656) |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 20 / 444 (698.8684) | 10 (178.8572) | 263 (167.9656) | 96 (173.1656) | 10 (178.8800) |
| Sep 13, 2024 | Made for KC BBQ Championship (COMPETITORS SERIES) unrated Weston, MO | 7 / 38 (683.3144) | 29 (168.5256) | 17 (170.8228) | 24 (168.5372) | 3 (175.4288) |
| Aug 23, 2024 | East Central Kansas State BBQ Championship 🏅 Paola, KS | 17 / 42 (686.7312) | 10 (174.2628) | 20 (170.8228) | 29 (165.0856) | 9 (176.5600) |
| Jul 19, 2024 | Smokin on the Osage (Day 1) 🏅 Osceola, MO | 14 / 37 (693.0744) | 31 (167.9772) | 6 (176.5600) | 21 (171.9656) | 6 (176.5716) |
| Jun 21, 2024 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 5 / 172 (692.0116) | 20 (175.4172) | 5 (174.8572) | 82 (164.5600) | 2 (177.1772) |
| Mar 15, 2024 | 6th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS | 13 / 58 (692.4684) | 46 (163.9312) | 17 (173.1200) | 4 (177.7144) | 2 (177.7028) |
| Oct 6, 2023 | Meat Inferno (JUDGING FULL) 🏅 Edgerton, KS | 7 / 19 (685.6460) | 13 (171.9772) | 3 (174.2744) | 11 (170.2744) | 10 (169.1200) |
| Oct 6, 2023 | Meat Inferno (ONE MEAT RIBS) (JUDGING FULL) Edgerton, KS | — | — | 5 (171.9772) | — | — |
| Sep 9, 2023 | 7th Annual Smoke on the Trails 🏅 Gardner, KS | 12 / 38 (689.0516) | 21 (170.8344) | 11 (173.1200) | 5 (175.4172) | 16 (169.6800) |
| Aug 18, 2023 | BBQ & Fly-In on the River 🏅 Excelsior Springs, MO | 20 / 57 (687.8972) | 46 (160.5144) | 3 (177.7144) | 14 (174.2628) | 6 (175.4056) |
| Jul 28, 2023 | Tom Brigham Memorial BBQ 🏅 Iola, KS | 8 / 25 (687.3372) | 7 (173.1200) | 4 (173.7144) | 5 (171.9656) | 11 (168.5372) |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.