OUR BARK IS BETTER THAN YOUR BITE

OUR BARK IS BETTER THAN YOUR BITE is a competition barbecue team with 39 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2015 and 2024. Their best overall finish is 5th of 25 at the Pit at the Park (2018). They are ranked #4907 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#4,907

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1465

peak 1535 · rated over 39 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Jun 27, 2015

latest Jun 14, 2024 · 9 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#462

Master 2022 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

4 podiums

Overall top-10s

8% of 39 contests

Avg finish

top 62%

overall standings

Best overall

678.1828 / 720

Master · Almost Heaven BBQ Bash

Perfect 180s

Current form

662.98 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 649.63 (+13.35)

Walk rate

49%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.1544

Pork Ribs · Almost Heaven BBQ Bash

Consistency

±16.08

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 164.68 · weakest Brisket (160.61)

Road miles

6,870

across 39 mapped stops · furthest 255 mi

Schedule strength

71%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1589)

Purse competed for

$186K

listed at 21 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 21 state-championship entries

Master avg

649.63 / 720

39 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (12 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

678.1828 career-best overall

94.2% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 678.1828 at Almost Heaven BBQ Bash — 94.2% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jun 18, 2021

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

TNT Explosive BBQ has finished one call ahead of OUR BARK IS BETTER THAN YOUR BITE 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2018 their best year

2018 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 42%.

4 contests
1 overall top-10
0 category wins
average top 42%

A tough matchup

27–2 behind in the head-to-head

Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit ahead in 93% of their meetings

Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit has come out ahead in 27 of their 29 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.1 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.07 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 18% of the time against 21%.

Brisket avg 160.61
Chicken avg 164.68
7 calls in 39 entries

A strong matchup

9–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 82% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of SOUTH BOWIE SMOKE in 9 of their 11 shared contests.

The comeback

1.6 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 1.6 years, then back at New Jersey KnoQ-out: Day 1-CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Apr 23, 2021).

last seen Sep 27, 2019
back Apr 23, 2021

Show 5 more storylines

Chicken nemesis

22 of 23 shared chicken entries lost

OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE ahead 96% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE has out-cooked them in 22 of 23 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

Garage Beers BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

An October team

Top 47% average finish in October

Something about October: average finish in the top 47% across 5 contests, versus top 62% the rest of the year.

5 October contests
top 62% the rest of the year

The long haul

6,870 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 6,870 miles across 39 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 255 miles to Almost Heaven BBQ Bash.

39 mapped stops
furthest 255 mi

The metronome

±2.23% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.23% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 90.2% of a perfect score
39 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
2024 ↗	Master	#743 (185 pts)	#709 (240 pts)	#804 (205 pts)	#710 (230 pts)	#782 (190 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#519 (356 pts)	#642 (286 pts)	#490 (486 pts)	#581 (321 pts)	#528 (361 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#462 (461 pts)	#482 (461 pts)	#508 (481 pts)	#389 (616 pts)	#478 (476 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#634 (243 pts)	#664 (248 pts)	#555 (353 pts)	#438 (433 pts)	#717 (223 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1814 (80 pts)	#2049 (60 pts)	#2026 (60 pts)	#1336 (175 pts)	#1516 (125 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#786 (415 pts)	#827 (410 pts)	#661 (555 pts)	#918 (350 pts)	#921 (350 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#850 (431 pts)	#553 (726 pts)	#827 (481 pts)	#906 (421 pts)	#649 (611 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to OUR BARK IS BETTER THAN YOUR BITE, each with one reason worth a look.

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

BB Barbecue and Pits

#4,912 of the rated field

1464 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1464

2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to OUR BARK IS BETTER THAN YOUR BITE)

2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team OUR BARK IS BETTER THAN YOUR BITE has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 11 contests
last seen Mar 27, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

V Licious BBQ

#4,891 of the rated field

1465 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1465

2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to OUR BARK IS BETTER THAN YOUR BITE)

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 10 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 10 contests
last seen Oct 6, 2023

⚔ Head-to-head

OCM (OINK CLUCK MOO) BBQ

#4,920 of the rated field

1464 power rating

Contests: 5
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1464

2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to OUR BARK IS BETTER THAN YOUR BITE)

Their last contest in the data was back in 2017, 7 years before OUR BARK IS BETTER THAN YOUR BITE's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 5 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

SMOKE OF THE SHOALS

#4,905 of the rated field

1465 power rating

Contests: 38
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1540

Careers of much the same size, 38 contests to 39, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 38 contests
last seen Dec 1, 2017

⚔ Compare careers

Q-INATOR!

#4,894 of the rated field

1465 power rating

Contests: 46
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1537

46 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 11% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 46 contests
last seen May 29, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

HawgWash BBQ.

#4,901 of the rated field

1465 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1465

Level with OUR BARK IS BETTER THAN YOUR BITE on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 24 contests
last seen Oct 14, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit	29	2	27	7%	⚔ compare
OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE	23	0	23	0%	⚔ compare
WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ	21	0	21	0%	⚔ compare
3 EYZ BBQ	19	0	19	0%	⚔ compare
LO' -N- SLO' BBQ	17	2	15	12%	⚔ compare
Top Gun Barbecue	17	0	17	0%	⚔ compare
CHUNKY BBQ	16	1	15	6%	⚔ compare
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS	16	0	16	0%	⚔ compare
PHILLY BLIND PIG BBQ	15	4	11	27%	⚔ compare
PULLIN' MY MONEY MUSCLE	15	3	12	20%	⚔ compare
DRILLING & GRILLING	15	1	14	7%	⚔ compare
PAVONE BROTHERS BBQ	14	4	10	29%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA	14	0	14	0%	⚔ compare
WAR PIGS	13	9	4	69%	⚔ compare
BIG DOG BBQ VA	13	5	8	38%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	39	8	1	174.8456	146.7772	164.68	top 56%
Pork Ribs	39	8	3	177.1544	145.7144	162.19	top 57%
Pork	39	8	0	175.4172	147.9884	162.14	top 58%
Brisket	39	7	0	172.5828	146.3200	160.61	top 59%

“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)	1	top 53%
Medium (20–39)	13	top 58%
Large (40+)	25	top 65%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
PA	12	top 51%
VA	8	top 82%
WV	7	top 58%
NJ	5	top 61%
MD	3	top 76%
DE	2	top 53%
RI	1	top 58%
NY	1	top 60%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard)	4	33	top 86%	Mar 23, 2024
Smoke in the Park	4	21	top 62%	Sep 27, 2019
Almost Heaven BBQ Bash	3	12	top 44%	Jun 18, 2021
Almost Heaven BBQ Bash	2	20	top 74%	Jun 14, 2024
Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship	2	7	top 36%	Oct 6, 2023
Almost Heaven BBQ Bash	2	13	top 62%	Jun 17, 2022
New Jersey KnoQ-out: Day 2-CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES	2	24	top 67%	Apr 23, 2022
New Jersey KnoQ-out: Day 1-CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES	2	29	top 70%	Apr 22, 2022
BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard)	2	45	top 90%	Mar 26, 2022
Pit at the Park	2	5	top 51%	Aug 3, 2018
Que for the Troops	2	13	top 41%	Jun 1, 2018
Interstate BBQ Festival	2	40	top 73%	Apr 20, 2018

More numbers

Busiest season 2022 6 contests

Contests a season 4.3 across 9 seasons in the data

Most contests held in PA 12 of 39 contests · 8 states in all

Contests visited 22 12 of them more than once

Opponents faced 612 finished ahead 631 times, behind 1,273

Longest layoff 1.6 yrs Sep 27, 2019 → Apr 23, 2021

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

20241 milestone

Jun 14 Most recent contest Almost Heaven BBQ Bash

20213 milestones

Apr 24 25th tracked contest New Jersey KnoQ-out: Day 2-CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES
Jun 18 Career-best overall score678.1828 Almost Heaven BBQ Bash
Jun 18 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)177.1544 Almost Heaven BBQ Bash

20191 milestone

Apr 27 Peak power rating (1535) New Jersey KnoQ-out CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES

20171 milestone

Jun 2 10th tracked contest Que for the Troops

20154 milestones

Jun 27 First tracked contest Ribs & Rides BBQ Festival at Dorney Park
Jun 27 First call Ribs & Rides BBQ Festival at Dorney Park
Jun 27 First overall top-10 Ribs & Rides BBQ Festival at Dorney Park
Jun 27 First overall past 90% of a perfect score653.1312 Ribs & Rides BBQ Festival at Dorney Park

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.5	Pit at the Park	Aug 3, 2018
+12.4	Que for the Troops	Jun 1, 2018
+11.8	Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship	Oct 6, 2023
+8.5	New Jersey KnoQ-out CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES	Apr 27, 2019
+8.3	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash	Jun 16, 2017

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10.6	BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard)	Mar 25, 2022
-10	Smoke in the Park	Sep 25, 2015
-9.9	BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard)	Mar 26, 2022
-9.3	BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard)	Mar 24, 2023
-9.1	BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard)	Mar 25, 2023

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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2024	3	0	0%	top 80%	92.8%	91.8%
2023	4	1	25%	top 69%	92.8%	91.6%
2022	6	0	50%	top 71%	92.4%	91.5%
2021	3	0	67%	top 61%	94.2%	91.6%
2019	5	0	80%	top 54%	92%	90.4%
2018	4	1	50%	top 42%	92.1%	90.8%
2017	6	0	50%	top 59%	92.6%	89.8%
2016	5	0	40%	top 63%	89.4%	87.5%
2015	3	1	67%	top 63%	90.7%	86.9%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jun 14, 2024	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash 🏅 Buckhannon, WV	23 / 30 (658.7428)	19 (165.6800)	19 (166.2400)	14 (169.1084)	24 (157.7144)
Mar 23, 2024	BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA	33 / 42 (668.4916)	18 (172.5600)	33 (165.1316)	37 (161.6800)	23 (169.1200)
Mar 22, 2024	BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA	38 / 45 (655.8628)	40 (162.8344)	29 (166.2628)	37 (162.8000)	33 (163.9656)
Oct 6, 2023	Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship 🏅 Harrisburg, PA	7 / 28 (667.8968)	17 (163.3828)	2 (175.4172)	15 (162.2284)	7 (166.8684)
Jun 16, 2023	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash 🏅 Buckhannon, WV	20 / 28 (663.8972)	21 (166.8572)	13 (168)	20 (161.6572)	19 (167.3828)
Mar 25, 2023	BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA	42 / 46 (655.8856)	46 (156.5600)	29 (167.9772)	21 (171.9656)	41 (159.3828)
Mar 24, 2023	BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA	47 / 53 (651.2568)	48 (159.9772)	40 (165.6800)	31 (168.5140)	46 (157.0856)
Oct 7, 2022	Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship 🏅 Harrisburg, PA	12 / 26 (659.8168)	15 (165.1200)	8 (168.5256)	19 (161.6572)	11 (164.5140)
Jun 17, 2022	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash 🏅 Roanoke, WV	13 / 20 (665.0740)	10 (170.2512)	15 (161.6800)	8 (171.4056)	11 (161.7372)
Apr 23, 2022	New Jersey KnoQ-out: Day 2-CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES 🏅 Blairstown, NJ	30 / 41 (657.0628)	26 (167.9656)	37 (158.2516)	15 (170.2744)	29 (160.5712)
Apr 22, 2022	New Jersey KnoQ-out: Day 1-CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES 🏅 Blairstown, NJ	29 / 48 (658.2172)	32 (163.4172)	37 (159.9772)	7 (174.2628)	30 (160.5600)
Mar 26, 2022	BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA	45 / 50 (654.8000)	39 (166.2512)	35 (168.5600)	35 (167.4516)	48 (152.5372)
Mar 25, 2022	BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA	48 / 53 (657.5660)	40 (166.2744)	48 (158.2172)	37 (166.8344)	37 (166.2400)
Jun 18, 2021	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash 🏅 Roanoke, WV	12 / 28 (678.1828)	10 (169.6800)	3 (177.1544)	5 (175.4172)	21 (155.9312)
Apr 24, 2021	New Jersey KnoQ-out: Day 2-CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES 🏅 Blairstown, NJ	24 / 40 (659.3140)	34 (162.8000)	24 (165.1200)	13 (168.5256)	19 (162.8684)
Apr 23, 2021	New Jersey KnoQ-out: Day 1-CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES 🏅 Blairstown, NJ	32 / 40 (641.6572)	32 (161.6456)	32 (158.2744)	10 (168.5944)	35 (153.1428)
Sep 27, 2019	Smoke in the Park 🏅 Lemoyne, PA	21 / 40 (649.6456)	30 (159.9772)	34 (152.5256)	6 (169.7028)	12 (167.4400)
Jun 7, 2019	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash 🏅 Roanoke, WV	18 / 31 (645.0284)	10 (167.4172)	22 (151.9428)	8 (167.4056)	21 (158.2628)
Apr 27, 2019	New Jersey KnoQ-out CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES 🏅 Blairstown, NJ	13 / 43 (662.1828)	26 (161.1200)	15 (163.9772)	16 (166.2400)	5 (170.8456)
Mar 23, 2019	BBQ Gives Back-IV (DAY 2) 🏅 Urbanna, VA	31 / 52 (654.7424)	17 (172.5600)	50 (150.2168)	37 (159.3828)	8 (172.5828)
Mar 22, 2019	BBQ Gives Back-III (Day 1) 🏅 Urbanna, VA	44 / 63 (644.4112)	15 (170.8572)	37 (160.5256)	57 (153.0628)	40 (159.9656)
Aug 3, 2018	Pit at the Park Macungie, PA	5 / 25 (663.4628)	5 (168.0456)	4 (168.5600)	9 (164.5372)	10 (162.3200)
Jun 15, 2018	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash Weston, WV	29 / 59 (654.7428)	24 (166.8228)	25 (162.8572)	18 (167.9772)	43 (157.0856)
Jun 1, 2018	Que for the Troops Levittown, PA	13 / 61 (657.6340)	15 (169.6912)	3 (170.8800)	53 (151.3372)	16 (165.7256)
Apr 20, 2018	Interstate BBQ Festival Hagerstown, MD	52 / 67 (639.3600)	26 (166.2972)	45 (159.3600)	52 (157.7028)	50 (156)
Oct 21, 2017	Ocean Sate BBQ Championship West Kingston, RI	14 / 24 (644.6288)	6 (168.0228)	8 (166.8688)	20 (153.1772)	15 (156.5600)
Sep 22, 2017	Smoke in the Park Lemoyne, PA	21 / 44 (654.2056)	2 (174.8456)	40 (150.8456)	25 (158.8116)	9 (169.7028)
Aug 4, 2017	Pit at the Park Macungie, PA	26 / 32 (638.8228)	21 (162.8800)	24 (156.5484)	15 (162.8572)	24 (156.5372)
Jun 16, 2017	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash Weston, WV	23 / 57 (666.7652)	25 (167.4056)	18 (169.1084)	45 (158.2284)	5 (172.0228)
Jun 2, 2017	Que for the Troops Levittown, PA	38 / 63 (632.4456)	29 (163.4056)	43 (157.6916)	54 (149.6800)	26 (161.6684)
Apr 14, 2017	Interstate BBQ Festival Hagerstown, MD	40 / 58 (644.4916)	16 (170.2972)	50 (151.9772)	35 (162.2400)	40 (159.9772)
Oct 21, 2016	Boo-B-Que Rehobeth Beach, DE	40 / 67 (627.3712)	43 (160.0228)	27 (161.1428)	36 (157.0856)	53 (149.1200)
Sep 23, 2016	Smoke in the Park Lemoyne, PA	21 / 38 (643.3480)	24 (162.2628)	19 (163.3940)	30 (154.8228)	18 (162.8684)
Sep 3, 2016	Finger Lakes Fire & Smoke Geneva, NY	21 / 35 (629.0856)	5 (172.0344)	27 (151.9772)	25 (152.5256)	25 (152.5484)
Jun 3, 2016	Que for the Troops Levittown, PA	39 / 67 (631.4056)	27 (164.5256)	5 (168.0344)	52 (152)	55 (146.8456)
Apr 15, 2016	Interstate BBQ Festival Hagerstown, MD	33 / 41 (619.9428)	39 (152.5256)	19 (162.2972)	39 (147.9884)	25 (157.1316)
Oct 30, 2015	Boo B Que By the Sea Rehobeth Beach, DE	27 / 59 (636.4112)	54 (147.9428)	24 (161.0856)	10 (165.7028)	22 (161.6800)
Sep 25, 2015	Smoke in the Park Lemoyne, PA	31 / 34 (588.5144)	32 (146.7772)	30 (145.7144)	28 (149.7028)	28 (146.3200)
Jun 27, 2015	Ribs & Rides BBQ Festival at Dorney Park Allentown, PA	9 / 17 (653.1312)	8 (165.7028)	5 (167.4284)	14 (158.8572)	10 (161.1428)

OUR BARK IS BETTER THAN YOUR BITE

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 (12 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

An October team

The long haul

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)

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)