The heartbreaker
Came within 1.1200 points of the Grand Championship at Hawgin On Lanier (Jul 31, 2020).
VETERAN PORK PULLERS is a competition barbecue team with 54 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2018 and 2024. They have won 4 Grand Championships, most recently at the Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (2023), and finished Reserve Grand Champion 5 times. They are ranked #531 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360, Backyard (3-meat) out of 540, Backyard (4-meat) out of 720), 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.
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 ↗ | Backyard | #121 (492 pts) | #105 (597 pts) | #153 (367 pts) | — | — |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | — | — | #1317 (60 pts) | — | — |
| 2023 ↗ | Backyard | — | #38 (1,058 pts) | #56 (957 pts) | — | — |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | — | — | #1411 (65 pts) | — | — |
| 2022 ↗ | Backyard | — | #14 (1,222 pts) | #27 (1,035 pts) | — | — |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #1309 (60 pts) | #1341 (60 pts) | #1207 (110 pts) | #1114 (115 pts) | #1333 (60 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Backyard | — | #31 (957 pts) | #1 🏆 (1,320 pts) | — | — |
| 2020 ↗ | Backyard | — | #45 (242 pts) | #22 (542 pts) | — | — |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #1648 (112 pts) | #1438 (152 pts) | #1567 (122 pts) | #1722 (112 pts) | #1689 (112 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #1945 (63 pts) | #1854 (93 pts) | #1881 (88 pts) | #1990 (68 pts) | #2554 (53 pts) |
The teams rated closest to VETERAN PORK PULLERS, each with one reason worth a look.
2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team VETERAN PORK PULLERS has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-headThey've been 1820 at their best, 149 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-headCareers of much the same size, 38 contests to 54, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careersTheir rating is built on 2 Grand Championships in 59 contests, alongside a 41% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Compare careersThey were already cooking in 2012, 6 years before VETERAN PORK PULLERS's first contest.
⚔ Compare careersLevel with VETERAN PORK PULLERS on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-head| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEE LA Q | 29 | 12 | 17 | 41% | ⚔ compare |
| REDBONES BBQ | 28 | 17 | 11 | 61% | ⚔ compare |
| 2 Swine Crew | 28 | 12 | 16 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| Hickory Hangover | 27 | 7 | 20 | 26% | ⚔ compare |
| HELL ON SQUEALS | 24 | 13 | 11 | 54% | ⚔ compare |
| RIBLIFE | 24 | 9 | 15 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| NORALA BBQ TEAM | 21 | 9 | 12 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| Dogpatch Q | 18 | 12 | 6 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | 18 | 7 | 11 | 39% | ⚔ compare |
| Pig Destroyer | 17 | 11 | 6 | 65% | ⚔ compare |
| Organizer Portal | 17 | 7 | 8 | 41% | ⚔ compare |
| PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q | 17 | 6 | 11 | 35% | ⚔ compare |
| Willingham's | 15 | 15 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| CHOOCHOO BBQ | 15 | 11 | 4 | 73% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | 15 | 11 | 4 | 73% | ⚔ compare |
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 50 | 25 | 4 | 12 | 177.7144 | 155.9428 | 169.44 | top 40% |
| Pork Ribs | 51 | 27 | 6 | 14 | 180 🔥 | 149.0516 | 167.67 | top 37% |
| Pork | 28 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 177.7028 | 144.4800 | 166.03 | top 37% |
| Brisket | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 165.0856 | 146.2628 | 157.56 | top 62% |
“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.
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 5 | 0 | top 38% |
| Medium (20–39) | 29 | 3 | top 35% |
| Large (40+) | 15 | 1 | top 34% |
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeland Pig Festival | 3 | 5 | 0 | top 38% | Jan 26, 2024 |
| Smoke in the Park (BACKYARD & KIDS QUE) | 3 | 4 | 0 | top 53% | Aug 11, 2023 |
| Smoke on the Falls | 3 | 7 | 0 | top 41% | Apr 7, 2023 |
| Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 23% | Mar 15, 2024 |
| The High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 33% | May 19, 2023 |
| Railyard BBQ Brawl 2023 | 2 | 4 | 0 | top 49% | Oct 27, 2023 |
| Barbecue With A View (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2 | 20 | 0 | top 74% | Oct 21, 2022 |
| Reelin N Smokin Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2 | 6 | 0 | top 44% | Jun 10, 2022 |
| Sip & Swine BBQ Festival | 2 | 7 | 0 | top 9% | Mar 4, 2022 |
| Great Americana BBQ Festival | 2 | 2 | 0 | top 21% | Aug 27, 2021 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +18.8 | Georgia BBQ Championship Throwdown | Nov 15, 2019 |
| +17.9 | Hawgin On Lanier | Jul 31, 2020 |
| +15.1 | GBC Summer Showdown | Jul 30, 2021 |
| +13.6 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship | Mar 17, 2023 |
| +13 | Georgia BBQ Championship Throwdown | Nov 20, 2020 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -20.3 | Smoke in the Park (BACKYARD & KIDS QUE) | Aug 11, 2023 |
| -12.1 | Barbecue With A View (BACKYARD ONLY) | Nov 12, 2021 |
| -11.8 | Lakeland Pig Festival | Jan 25, 2019 |
| -9.3 | Bama Q Capital City Cook-Off | Feb 22, 2019 |
| -9.1 | Reelin N Smokin Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) | Jun 10, 2022 |
| Season | Contests | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 100% | top 3% | 97.5% | 97.5% |
| 2024 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 33% | top 26% | 95.2% | 91.7% |
| 2023 | 11 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 73% | top 31% | 97% | 91.5% |
| 2022 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 62% | top 40% | 98.1% | 93.4% |
| 2021 | 12 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 83% | top 25% | 96.1% | 93.9% |
| 2020 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 100% | top 25% | 96.4% | 94.1% |
| 2019 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 43% | top 50% | 93.9% | 91% |
| 2018 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25% | top 77% | 90% | 89.4% |
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 15, 2024 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 41 / 93 (317.6228) | 19 (168.5256) | 47 (149.0972) | 16 (167.9656) | — |
| Mar 15, 2024 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT RIBS) Lebanon, TN | — | — | 38 (167.9772) | — | — |
| Jan 26, 2024 | Lakeland Pig Festival 🏅 Lakeland, FL | 5 / 61 (342.7884) | 3 (175.4056) | 22 (167.3828) | 1 (177.7028) | 23 (160.5256) |
| Nov 17, 2023 | Plant City Pig Jam 🏅 Plant City, FL | 2 / 25 (337.0856) | 1 (170.8228) | 5 (166.2628) | 13 (157.6800) | 9 (158.2284) |
| Oct 27, 2023 | Railyard BBQ Brawl 2023 🏅 Madison, AL | 4 / 14 (349.1200) | 5 (175.4056) | 6 (173.7144) | — | — |
| Oct 5, 2023 | Poosa Q 🏅 Montgomery, AL | 31 / 73 (334.2288) | 27 (168.5488) | 35 (165.6800) | — | — |
| Aug 26, 2023 | Smoke on the Water BBQ Fest (BACKYARD ONLY) Lincoln, AL | 5 / 17 (341.6572) | 4 (174.2628) | 8 (167.3944) | — | — |
| Aug 11, 2023 | Smoke in the Park (BACKYARD & KIDS QUE) Glencoe, AL | 35 / 35 (334.7540) | 7 (173.1084) | — | 27 (161.6456) | — |
| May 19, 2023 | The High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Winchester, TN | 21 / 34 (333.6228) | 12 (171.9772) | 23 (161.6456) | — | — |
| Apr 7, 2023 | Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL | 7 / 39 (343.9544) | 2 (177.7144) | 23 (166.2400) | — | — |
| Mar 17, 2023 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 1 / 80 (349.1084) | 2 (177.7028) | 8 (171.4056) | — | — |
| Mar 17, 2023 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (One Meat Ribs) Lebanon, TN | — | — | 24 (169.6800) | — | — |
| Mar 10, 2023 | Foley BBQ & Blues Cook-Off (BACKYARD ONLY) Foley, AL | 3 / 31 (514.2172) | 7 (169.6800) | 1 (174.2744) | 6 (170.2628) | — |
| Jan 27, 2023 | Lakeland Pig Festival 🏅 Lakeland, FL | 7 / 51 (678.1484) | 14 (167.3828) | 5 (174.8572) | 11 (170.8228) | 21 (165.0856) |
| Dec 1, 2022 | Christmas on the River State Bar B Q Championship 🏅 Demopolis, AL | 5 / 13 (337.6800) | 9 (171.4172) | 6 (166.2628) | — | — |
| Nov 12, 2022 | 4th Annual KCBS World Invitational - BACKYARD SERIES INVITATIONAL unrated Gadsden, AL | 25 / 49 (336.5144) | 28 (169.1200) | 21 (167.3944) | — | — |
| Nov 11, 2022 | 4th Annual KCBS World Invitational - OPEN unrated Gadsden, AL | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oct 28, 2022 | Railyard BBQ Brawl 🏅 Madison, AL | 7 / 10 (335.3600) | 17 (162.2400) | 5 (173.1200) | — | — |
| Oct 21, 2022 | Barbecue With A View (BACKYARD ONLY) Vicksburg, MS | 20 / 28 (322.1716) | 22 (162.8000) | 21 (159.3716) | — | — |
| Aug 12, 2022 | Smoke in the Park (BACKYARD ONLY) Glencoe, AL | 16 / 35 (509.0744) | 11 (170.8344) | 27 (161.6800) | 3 (176.5600) | — |
| Aug 5, 2022 | Back to School Bash (BACKYARD ONLY) Madison, AL | 3 / 21 (512.4800) | 6 (171.9772) | 3 (173.1200) | 11 (167.3828) | — |
| Jun 10, 2022 | Reelin N Smokin Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) Huntsville, AL | 16 / 23 (323.8972) | 2 (174.8456) | 21 (149.0516) | — | — |
| May 20, 2022 | The High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) 🏅 Winchester, TN | 1 / 29 (353.1316) | 1 (177.7144) | 3 (175.4172) | — | — |
| Apr 8, 2022 | Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL | 16 / 34 (337.0856) | 19 (167.4056) | 13 (169.6800) | — | — |
| Mar 18, 2022 | Smoke on The Shores 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 28 / 63 (678.1828) | 38 (168.5372) | 15 (171.9772) | 14 (174.2628) | 44 (163.4056) |
| Mar 4, 2022 | Sip & Swine BBQ Festival 🏅 Lawrenceville, GA | 7 / 73 (506.2288) | 10 (170.2744) | 14 (166.8344) | 4 (169.1200) | — |
| Jan 7, 2022 | Southern Sunshine BBQ Fest 🏅 Lake Wales, FL | 3 / 29 (664.5028) | 1 (176) | 1 (169.1200) | 7 (158.8572) | 5 (160.5256) |
| Nov 19, 2021 | GBC Throwdown 🏅 Cumming, GA | 2 / 28 (505.0972) | 1 (171.9772) | 8 (166.2400) | 6 (166.8800) | — |
| Nov 12, 2021 | Barbecue With A View (BACKYARD ONLY) Vicksburg, MS | 23 / 30 (326.7656) | 25 (162.8228) | 23 (163.9428) | — | — |
| Oct 22, 2021 | Smokin' For Garrett 🏅 Boonville, IN | 7 / 27 (497.1084) | 3 (170.8228) | 2 (176) | 18 (150.2856) | — |
| Oct 8, 2021 | Scottsboro BBQ Festival (BACKYARD & KIDS QUE ONLY) Scottsboro, AL | 20 / 31 (325.6572) | 23 (162.8228) | 18 (162.8344) | — | — |
| Sep 24, 2021 | BBQ Boogie & Blues 🏅 Calhoun, GA | 7 / 27 (503.3256) | 2 (175.4400) | 11 (160.5028) | 7 (167.3828) | — |
| Aug 27, 2021 | Great Americana BBQ Festival 🏅 Franklin, TN | 2 / 25 (515.9884) | 13 (166.2628) | 1 (173.7028) | 1 (176.0228) | — |
| Aug 6, 2021 | Smoke in the Park (BACKYARD & KIDS QUE) Glencoe, AL | 4 / 31 (512.5028) | 7 (173.7144) | 2 (173.1200) | 12 (165.6684) | — |
| Jul 30, 2021 | GBC Summer Showdown 🏅 Cumming, GA | 1 / 39 (518.8228) | 6 (169.1200) | 1 (174.2972) | 1 (175.4056) | — |
| Jun 11, 2021 | Reelin N Smokin Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) Huntsville, AL | 6 / 31 (342.8228) | 17 (169.1200) | 4 (173.7028) | — | — |
| May 21, 2021 | Twin States Barbecue Showdown (BACKYARD ONLY) Meridian, MS | 6 / 22 (343.9428) | 5 (173.1200) | 5 (170.8228) | — | — |
| Apr 9, 2021 | Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL | 8 / 38 (342.2512) | 33 (165.1084) | 2 (177.1428) | — | — |
| Mar 5, 2021 | Sip & Swine BBQ Festival 🏅 Lawrenceville, GA | 7 / 81 (511.3600) | 26 (162.2516) | 2 (178.8572) | 8 (170.2512) | — |
| Nov 20, 2020 | Georgia BBQ Championship Throwdown 🏅 Cumming, GA | 6 / 40 (505.6000) | 15 (168.5372) | 5 (169.6800) | 11 (167.3828) | — |
| Sep 18, 2020 | Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL | 16 / 28 (331.9200) | 38 (157.6572) | 2 (174.2628) | — | — |
| Jul 31, 2020 | Hawgin On Lanier 🏅 Cumming, GA | 2 / 55 (520.5600) | 5 (174.2628) | 1 (178.3200) | 10 (167.9772) | — |
| Nov 15, 2019 | Georgia BBQ Championship Throwdown 🏅 Cedartown, GA | 2 / 35 (506.7772) | 3 (170.2628) | 2 (171.4172) | 6 (165.0972) | — |
| Aug 23, 2019 | Great Americana BBQ Festival 🏅 Franklin, TN | 13 / 39 (328.5028) | — | — | — | — |
| Jun 7, 2019 | The Robertson County Fair Assoc. Barbeque Throwdown (COMPETITORS SERIES) unrated Springfield, TN | 4 / 18 (505.6460) | 9 (165.6800) | 5 (169.1316) | 4 (170.8344) | — |
| May 11, 2019 | Dr.George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES) unrated Murfreesboro, TN | 10 / 41 (506.8116) | 7 (170.8344) | 29 (159.4172) | — | — |
| Mar 8, 2019 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Nashville, TN | 56 / 67 (646.1372) | 58 (159.9428) | 51 (161.0972) | 52 (161.6800) | 50 (163.4172) |
| Feb 22, 2019 | Bama Q Capital City Cook-Off 🏅 Montgomery, AL | 25 / 27 (631.1996) | 17 (166.2284) | 23 (160.5028) | 25 (158.2056) | 26 (146.2628) |
| Jan 25, 2019 | Lakeland Pig Festival 🏅 Lakeland, FL | 53 / 58 (624.3432) | 33 (163.9544) | 28 (165.0972) | 55 (144.4800) | 49 (150.8116) |
| Nov 16, 2018 | Suncoast Credit Union Plant City Pig Jam Plant City, FL | 32 / 44 (647.8396) | 11 (173.1428) | 39 (155.3828) | 38 (159.3712) | 28 (159.9428) |
| Oct 19, 2018 | Clarksville BBQ Bash (COMPETITOR'S SERIES) (JUDGES FULL) Clarksville, TN | — | 13 (155.9428) | 14 (150.8344) | — | — |
| Sep 21, 2018 | First Tennessee Bank Bluegrass & BBQ (COMPETITOR'S SERIES) (JUDGES FULL) Columbia, TN | — | 2 (173.7372) | 10 (163.9888) | 8 (167.9656) | — |
| Aug 10, 2018 | Smokin in McMinnville McMinnville, TN | 23 / 28 (639.3716) | 17 (168) | 18 (162.2632) | 22 (161.7028) | 27 (147.4056) |
| — | Dr.George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES) unrated Murfreesboro, TN | 1 / 36 (526.2972) | 15 (167.4400) | 1 (180) | — | — |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.