BEND OF THE RIVER BBQ

BEND OF THE RIVER BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 34 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2014 and 2024. Their best overall finish is 4th of 33 at the Smokin in Steele (Master & Backyard Contest) (2022). They are ranked #2159 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#2,159

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1533

peak 1580 · rated over 33 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 30, 2014

latest May 31, 2024 · 10 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#435

Master 2018 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

9 podiums

Overall top-10s

24% of 34 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 51%

overall standings

Best overall

686.8116 / 720

Master · Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship

Perfect 180s

Current form

659.70 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 660.26 (-0.56)

Walk rate

65%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

176.5828

Brisket · Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship

Consistency

±14.17

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 168.00 · weakest Pork Ribs (162.88)

Road miles

4,255

across 34 mapped stops · furthest 252 mi

Schedule strength

61%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1578)

Purse competed for

$109K

listed at 12 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 13 state-championship entries

Master avg

660.26 / 720

33 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (14 found in their record)

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

They almost always walk

65% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 22 of 34 contests

A top-10 category call in 65% of their 34 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

686.8116 career-best overall

95.4% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 686.8116 at Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship — 95.4% of a perfect 720.

Master
Mar 2, 2018

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

CITY SLICKERS BBQ has finished one call ahead of BEND OF THE RIVER BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2016 their best year

2016 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 30%.

3 contests
2 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 30%

A tough matchup

24–1 behind in the head-to-head

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN ahead in 96% of their meetings

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN has come out ahead in 24 of their 25 shared contests.

The weak link

−5.1 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.11 points below their pork, and turns into a call 18% of the time against 41%.

Pork Ribs avg 162.88
Pork avg 168.00
6 calls in 34 entries

A strong matchup

13–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 93% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of The Q Crew in 13 of their 14 shared contests.

Show 7 more storylines

The comeback

1.7 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 1.7 years, then back at Smokin in Steele (Master & Backyard Contest) (Jun 3, 2022).

last seen Oct 2, 2020
back Jun 3, 2022

Pork nemesis

19 of 26 shared pork entries lost

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN ahead 73% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SHIGGIN & GRINNIN has out-cooked them in 19 of 26 shared pork entries.

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY has landed one call behind them 3 times.

A June team

Top 36% average finish in June

Something about June: average finish in the top 36% across 6 contests, versus top 51% the rest of the year.

6 June contests
top 51% the rest of the year

The long haul

4,255 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 4,255 miles across 34 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 252 miles to Ottumwa Smoketoberfest.

34 mapped stops
furthest 252 mi

The metronome

±1.97% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.97% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 91.7% of a perfect score
34 contests

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Smokin in Steele every year from 2016 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.

7 visits in all
best finish 4th

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	#1493 (57 pts)	#1529 (57 pts)	#847 (182 pts)	#1114 (87 pts)	#1498 (57 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#1255 (60 pts)	#1319 (60 pts)	#1432 (60 pts)	#1287 (60 pts)	#1180 (90 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#760 (208 pts)	#1298 (73 pts)	#1042 (143 pts)	#755 (233 pts)	#830 (183 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#655 (120 pts)	#696 (120 pts)	#701 (120 pts)	#600 (165 pts)	#681 (120 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#726 (423 pts)	#824 (393 pts)	#782 (413 pts)	#559 (618 pts)	#674 (498 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#435 (816 pts)	#515 (711 pts)	#563 (666 pts)	#224 (1,271 pts)	#499 (741 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#790 (478 pts)	#762 (518 pts)	#966 (393 pts)	#792 (508 pts)	#467 (863 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#946 (350 pts)	#1457 (195 pts)	#1346 (230 pts)	#1186 (285 pts)	#761 (505 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1505 (155 pts)	#1778 (120 pts)	#1192 (260 pts)	#1790 (120 pts)	#1219 (240 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1502 (167 pts)	#1546 (177 pts)	#1836 (132 pts)	#967 (367 pts)	#1510 (182 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to BEND OF THE RIVER BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

MYASSIS SMOKIN

#2,160 of the rated field

1533 power rating

Contests: 50
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 24%
Peak: 1592

7–2 in 9 shared contests (78% to BEND OF THE RIVER BBQ)

These two have cooked 9 of the same contests — BEND OF THE RIVER BBQ ahead 7–2 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 50 contests
last seen Aug 31, 2018

⚔ Head-to-head

UGLY BABY BBQ

#2,147 of the rated field

1533 power rating

Contests: 65
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 22%
Peak: 1584

3–2 in 5 shared contests (60% to BEND OF THE RIVER BBQ)

They've been 1584 at their best, 51 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 61 contests
last seen Jun 12, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

CBF Que

#2,157 of the rated field

1533 power rating

Contests: 36
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 22%
Peak: 1538

Careers of much the same size, 36 contests to 34, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 35 contests
last seen Jul 9, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

HOLY SMOKERS MI

#2,149 of the rated field

1533 power rating

Contests: 40
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1557

Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 6 years before BEND OF THE RIVER BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 40 contests

⚔ Compare careers

RFS Barbecue Team

#2,152 of the rated field

1533 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 19%
Peak: 1537

27 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 19% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 26 contests
last seen Jun 25, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

LENOX & SON BBQ COMPANY

#2,158 of the rated field

1533 power rating

Contests: 45
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 38%
Peak: 1587

They turned up 5 years after BEND OF THE RIVER BBQ did, first appearing in 2019.

rated over 45 contests
last seen Jun 5, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	25	1	24	4%	⚔ compare
Hogline	24	3	21	13%	⚔ compare
LUCKY'S Q	23	3	20	13%	⚔ compare
LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY	22	7	15	32%	⚔ compare
CROIX VALLEY SAUCES	19	10	9	53%	⚔ compare
CITY SLICKERS BBQ	19	4	15	21%	⚔ compare
HOT DADDY'S BBQ	17	4	13	24%	⚔ compare
SPITFIRE	16	1	15	6%	⚔ compare
ACES HIGH BBQ	15	6	9	40%	⚔ compare
TRUE SMOKE BBQ	15	5	10	33%	⚔ compare
SMOKE IN THE EYE	15	4	11	27%	⚔ compare
The Q Crew	14	13	1	93%	⚔ compare
GRUMPY OLD MEN BBQ	14	10	4	71%	⚔ compare
RUB MY RACK	14	4	10	29%	⚔ compare
Totally Sauced	14	1	13	7%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	34	5	0	0	174.8800	154.7884	164.47	top 59%
Pork Ribs	34	6	0	0	174.8688	148.5028	162.88	top 55%
Pork	34	14	1	4	174.8572	153.1200	168.00	top 38%
Brisket	33	8	1	5	176.5828	147.9428	164.74	top 46%

“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)	10	0	top 57%
Large (40+)	23	0	top 48%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
MN	23	top 47%
IA	6	top 58%
WI	3	top 59%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Smokin in Steele	7	4	top 40%	May 31, 2024
SMSU Smokefest	2	17	top 63%	Aug 16, 2019
Up in Smoke BBQ Bash	2	10	top 43%	Sep 28, 2018
Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship	2	5	top 49%	Mar 2, 2018
Smokefest	2	9	top 39%	Aug 21, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2019 8 contests

Contests a season 3.4 across 10 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MN 24 of 34 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 23 5 of them more than once

Opponents faced 562 finished ahead 769 times, behind 821

Longest layoff 1.7 yrs Oct 2, 2020 → Jun 3, 2022

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

20241 milestone

May 31 Most recent contest Smokin in Steele

20192 milestones

May 3 Peak power rating (1580) Masters In May Day 1
May 31 25th tracked contest Smokin In Steele

20181 milestone

Mar 2 Career-best overall score686.8116 Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship

20172 milestones

Mar 3 10th tracked contest Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship
Jun 2 First category win (Brisket) Smokin In Steele

20161 milestone

Mar 4 Career-best single call (Brisket)176.5828 Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship

20151 milestone

Aug 21 First overall top-10 Smokefest

20143 milestones

May 30 First tracked contest Smokin in Steele
May 30 First call Smokin in Steele
May 30 First overall past 90% of a perfect score660.5028 Smokin in Steele

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.3	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship	Mar 2, 2018
+12.4	Smokin In Steele	Jun 2, 2017
+12.4	Smokin in Steele (Master & Backyard Contest)	Jun 3, 2022
+12.3	Smokin in Steele	Jun 3, 2016
+12.1	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship	Mar 4, 2016

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.6	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship	Mar 3, 2017
-11.5	Minnesota in May	May 12, 2023
-11.1	Smokin in Steele	May 31, 2024
-8.4	KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off	Sep 18, 2020
-8.3	SMSU Smokefest	Aug 16, 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

Season	Contests	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2024	1	0	0	100%	top 88%	91.1%	91.1%
2023	1	0	0	0%	top 78%	91.8%	91.8%
2022	1	1	0	100%	top 12%	95.2%	95.2%
2020	2	0	0	0%	top 81%	90.3%	90%
2019	8	0	0	50%	top 61%	93.1%	91.4%
2018	7	3	1	86%	top 38%	95.4%	92.5%
2017	5	1	1	60%	top 53%	94.8%	90.9%
2016	3	2	0	100%	top 30%	93.2%	91.9%
2015	4	1	0	50%	top 36%	93.6%	92.6%
2014	2	0	0	100%	top 56%	91.7%	90.9%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
May 31, 2024	Smokin in Steele 🏅 Owatonna, MN	28 / 32 (655.8280)	32 (157.0396)	5 (173.1428)	19 (167.9772)	28 (157.6684)
May 12, 2023	Minnesota in May 🏅 St. Peter, MN	46 / 59 (661.0400)	41 (167.3712)	44 (163.4172)	51 (161.1088)	19 (169.1428)
Jun 3, 2022	Smokin in Steele (Master & Backyard Contest) 🏅 Owatonna, MN	4 / 33 (685.1088)	22 (166.8572)	9 (170.8344)	3 (174.8572)	5 (172.5600)
Oct 2, 2020	Ottumwa Smoketoberfest 🏅 Ottumwa, IA	50 / 66 (650.3320)	41 (165.7144)	36 (163.4288)	28 (168.5716)	62 (152.6172)
Sep 18, 2020	KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off 🏅 Worthington, MN	30 / 35 (646.2056)	31 (160.5600)	30 (156.5484)	16 (169.1200)	26 (159.9772)
Aug 30, 2019	Smokin in the Bogs 🏅 Warrens, WI	24 / 38 (654.2056)	30 (157.1200)	20 (165.1428)	19 (166.2400)	19 (165.7028)
Aug 23, 2019	Big Island BBQ 🏅 Alberta Lea, MN	18 / 50 (670.1600)	34 (164.5256)	24 (165.1316)	10 (173.1084)	15 (167.3944)
Aug 16, 2019	SMSU Smokefest 🏅 Marshall, MN	38 / 46 (645.6456)	39 (162.2628)	30 (164)	31 (162.2972)	37 (157.0856)
Jun 28, 2019	Back To Mayberry 🏅 Rodney, IA	23 / 28 (661.5996)	17 (169.1084)	25 (157.1200)	23 (166.2628)	12 (169.1084)
May 31, 2019	Smokin In Steele 🏅 Owatonna, MN	21 / 43 (655.8516)	30 (163.3828)	19 (163.3944)	4 (174.2744)	30 (154.8000)
May 10, 2019	Minnesota in May 🏅	34 / 57 (659.2456)	33 (166.2400)	35 (162.8000)	30 (166.2628)	33 (163.9428)
May 4, 2019	Masters in May Day 2 🏅 Bancroft, WI	24 / 40 (655.9320)	32 (161.1544)	20 (166.2744)	9 (170.2744)	33 (158.2288)
May 3, 2019	Masters In May Day 1 🏅 Bancroft, WI	23 / 42 (659.8748)	28 (161.6916)	4 (174.8688)	26 (165.0972)	32 (158.2172)
Sep 28, 2018	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	10 / 29 (653.5544)	4 (169.1200)	14 (159.3600)	10 (163.9888)	14 (161.0856)
Sep 1, 2018	Big Muddy Brew N Que Winona, MN	9 / 22 (666.8004)	16 (159.4172)	18 (162.8344)	1 (174.8572)	2 (169.6916)
Aug 24, 2018	11th Annual Big Island BBQ Alberta Lea, MN	14 / 49 (671.8856)	31 (166.2284)	25 (164.5372)	3 (173.7144)	19 (167.4056)
Aug 17, 2018	SMSU Smokefest Marshall, MN	17 / 40 (672.4572)	32 (162.8000)	8 (171.9656)	8 (172.5716)	23 (165.1200)
Jun 1, 2018	Smokin In Steele Owatonna, MN	18 / 45 (667.8972)	25 (166.2284)	24 (164.0116)	3 (174.2744)	23 (163.3828)
May 11, 2018	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	50 / 70 (640.9140)	63 (157.0740)	50 (159.9428)	27 (167.3828)	54 (156.5144)
Mar 2, 2018	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship Onamia, MN	5 / 57 (686.8116)	6 (172)	10 (171.4288)	5 (174.2628)	18 (169.1200)
Jul 28, 2017	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Ankeny, IA	14 / 30 (673.6572)	10 (169.7028)	14 (167.4516)	27 (161.6572)	2 (174.8456)
Jul 21, 2017	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	25 / 49 (655.9088)	14 (168.5716)	45 (148.5028)	14 (170.2744)	15 (168.5600)
Jul 14, 2017	BBQ 'Loo & Blues TOO! Waterloo, IA	20 / 33 (646.6740)	27 (154.7884)	16 (161.0972)	14 (164.5600)	8 (166.2284)
Jun 2, 2017	Smokin In Steele Owatonna, MN	7 / 46 (682.7888)	8 (173.1200)	29 (159.9772)	7 (173.1200)	1 (176.5716)
Mar 3, 2017	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship Onamia, MN	42 / 47 (613.4856)	40 (160.5144)	44 (151.9084)	42 (153.1200)	42 (147.9428)
Jun 3, 2016	Smokin in Steele Owatonna, MN	9 / 53 (670.7312)	22 (166.2628)	15 (166.8228)	27 (163.3828)	5 (174.2628)
May 13, 2016	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	41 / 71 (646.2400)	45 (161.1088)	60 (153.7144)	9 (171.4284)	41 (159.9884)
Mar 4, 2016	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship Isle, MN	9 / 59 (668.4572)	29 (163.9544)	31 (161.6800)	21 (166.2400)	2 (176.5828)
Aug 21, 2015	Smokefest Marshall, MN	9 / 42 (673.6572)	5 (174.8800)	38 (154.2400)	13 (167.9772)	2 (176.5600)
Jun 12, 2015	Bend of the River CookOut Mankato, MN	22 / 42 (662.1940)	32 (162.2628)	16 (167.4056)	30 (161.1200)	11 (171.4056)
May 29, 2015	Smokin' in Steel Owatonna, MN	21 / 60 (664.5144)	41 (161.6572)	8 (169.7372)	29 (164.5372)	15 (168.5828)
Feb 27, 2015	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship (Competitor's Series) Isle, MN	—	17 (165.0972)	28 (158.2628)	13 (166.2972)	—
Aug 15, 2014	Smokefest Marshall, MN	18 / 32 (648.5260)	17 (164.5600)	27 (151.9544)	9 (167.3944)	15 (164.6172)
May 30, 2014	Smokin in Steele Owatonna, MN	38 / 67 (660.5028)	24 (169.7256)	38 (165.0972)	4 (174.2972)	61 (151.3828)

BEND OF THE RIVER BBQ

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

Storylines (14 found in their record)

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Pork nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

A June 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)