NEVER EASY BBQ

NEVER EASY BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 59 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2016 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 3rd of 28 at the Shenandoah ShenDig (2026). They are ranked #1141 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#1,141

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1591

peak 1610 · rated over 52 contests2 invitational or side-series contests not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Jun 17, 2016

latest Sep 25, 2026 · 10.3 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#174

Master 2026 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

10 podiums

Overall top-10s

14% of 59 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 55%

overall standings

Best overall

702.2400 / 720

Master · Shenandoah ShenDig

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

687.09 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 669.96 (+17.13)

Walk rate

63%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Chicken · 10th Annual E'burg BBQ Contest

Consistency

±20.10

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 171.75 · weakest Brisket (163.54)

Road miles

11,000

across 59 mapped stops · furthest 481 mi

Schedule strength

82%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1608)

Purse competed for

$625K

listed at 44 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 48 state-championship entries

Master avg

669.96 / 720

53 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (16 found in their record)

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

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180

1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in chicken.

Chicken ×1

On the rise

+37 rating points in a year

Their power rating has climbed 37 points across 12 contests since Oct 3, 2025 — from 1554 up to 1591.

12 contests since Oct 3, 2025
now 1591

Happy hunting ground

Top 17% average finish here

Shenandoah ShenDig is their spot: an average finish in the top 17% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 3rd
average top 17%

They almost always walk

63% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 37 of 59 contests

A top-10 category call in 63% of their 59 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

702.2400 career-best overall

97.5% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 702.2400 at Shenandoah ShenDig — 97.5% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jul 17, 2026

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

Good Grefe! has finished one call ahead of NEVER EASY BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2022 their best year

2022 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
0 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 42%

Show 9 more storylines

A tough matchup

27–3 behind in the head-to-head

HOT DADDY'S BBQ ahead in 90% of their meetings

HOT DADDY'S BBQ has come out ahead in 27 of their 30 shared contests.

The weak link

−8.2 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 8.20 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 17% of the time against 49%.

Brisket avg 163.54
Chicken avg 171.75
9 calls in 53 entries

A strong matchup

9–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 82% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of BUCKSHOT BBQ - TX in 9 of their 11 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

19 of 31 shared chicken entries lost

HOT DADDY'S BBQ ahead 61% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, HOT DADDY'S BBQ has out-cooked them in 19 of 31 shared chicken entries.

They cook the hard rooms

1608 average field rating faced

A tougher draw than 82% of rated fields

The fields they enter average a 1608 power rating — a tougher draw than 82% of every rated contest in the data.

52 rated contests

Built for the big stage

Top 51% average finish in large fields

Field size changes the story: they average a top 51% finish in large fields against top 65% in small ones.

Large (40+): top 51% (26)
Small (<20 teams): top 65% (4)

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

T-Rex BBQ has landed one call behind them 3 times.

The long haul

11,000 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 11,000 miles across 59 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 481 miles to 3rd Annual KCBS World Invitational - Open.

59 mapped stops
furthest 481 mi

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard every year from 2023 to 2026 — the contest they never miss.

4 visits in all
best finish 27th

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	#174 (1,027 pts)	#113 (1,334 pts)	#114 (1,336 pts)	#162 (1,017 pts)	#231 (822 pts)
2025 ↗	Master	#214 (1,027 pts)	#145 (1,356 pts)	#277 (923 pts)	#200 (1,096 pts)	#256 (902 pts)
2024 ↗	Master	#591 (290 pts)	#492 (420 pts)	#503 (470 pts)	#687 (240 pts)	#588 (315 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#908 (130 pts)	#1011 (120 pts)	#678 (295 pts)	#989 (120 pts)	#970 (125 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#577 (337 pts)	#555 (387 pts)	#542 (447 pts)	#665 (287 pts)	#598 (337 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#368 (518 pts)	#178 (1,038 pts)	#436 (483 pts)	#359 (563 pts)	#407 (493 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#307 (370 pts)	#96 (1,000 pts)	#273 (460 pts)	#293 (420 pts)	#321 (380 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#760 (393 pts)	#568 (608 pts)	#687 (493 pts)	#817 (388 pts)	#801 (398 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#2004 (96 pts)	#1359 (216 pts)	#2153 (86 pts)	#2119 (86 pts)	#1767 (126 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to NEVER EASY BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

Kreiser Barbecue

#1,140 of the rated field

1591 power rating

Contests: 60
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 45%
Peak: 1622

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to NEVER EASY BBQ)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team NEVER EASY BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 60 contests
last seen Sep 4, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

Brown Liquor BBQ

#1,139 of the rated field

1591 power rating

Contests: 63
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 21%
Peak: 1654

They've been 1654 at their best, 63 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 63 contests
last seen Mar 22, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

Backwooder BBQ

#1,137 of the rated field

1591 power rating

Contests: 39
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 41%
Peak: 1605

Fewer contests behind them than NEVER EASY BBQ has cooked, 39 to 59, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 39 contests
last seen Sep 27, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

LAKE HOUSE BBQ

#1,138 of the rated field

1591 power rating

Contests: 36
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 44%
Peak: 1629

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 36 contests, alongside a 44% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 32 contests
last seen Aug 22, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

ALL QUED UP

#1,142 of the rated field

1591 power rating

Contests: 29
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 45%
Peak: 1616

Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 7 years before NEVER EASY BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 29 contests

⚔ Compare careers

BBQ RANGERS BELGIUM

#1,135 of the rated field

1591 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1591

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2016.

rated over 22 contests
last seen Sep 17, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
TEAM CRAWFORD	32	15	17	47%	⚔ compare
HOT DADDY'S BBQ	30	3	27	10%	⚔ compare
T-Rex BBQ	29	12	17	41%	⚔ compare
WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ	26	8	18	31%	⚔ compare
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	26	5	21	19%	⚔ compare
MAN MEAT BBQ	25	7	18	28%	⚔ compare
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	25	4	21	16%	⚔ compare
MACHETE BOYS BBQ	22	10	12	45%	⚔ compare
SMOKEHOUSE 72	21	11	10	52%	⚔ compare
Matty Macks	21	9	12	43%	⚔ compare
HOME FARM BBQ	19	10	9	53%	⚔ compare
Heavy Smoke BBQ	19	2	17	11%	⚔ compare
Darty-Q	18	11	7	61%	⚔ compare
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE	18	6	12	33%	⚔ compare
WHEN PIGS DIE	18	4	14	22%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	55	27	2	7	180 🔥	156.5600	171.75	top 37%
Pork Ribs	55	12	1	2	177.7144	138.2744	167.00	top 52%
Pork	53	5	0	1	177.7372	150.8456	167.06	top 58%
Brisket	53	9	0	0	178.2972	143.4400	163.54	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)	4	top 65%
Medium (20–39)	24	top 58%
Large (40+)	26	top 51%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
IA	27	top 60%
MO	11	top 53%
KS	5	top 31%
IL	4	top 63%
MN	3	top 57%
SD	2	top 24%
OK	1	top 67%
WI	1	top 78%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard	4	27	top 63%	Sep 25, 2026
BBQ & Fly-In on the River	3	33	top 53%	Aug 14, 2026
King of the Corn	3	14	top 50%	May 17, 2024
Cruisin' and BBQin'	2	14	top 74%	Jul 31, 2026
Shenandoah ShenDig	2	3	top 17%	Jul 17, 2026
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	2	63	top 18%	Nov 5, 2025
Smokin' in the Creek BBQ Contest	2	15	top 39%	Apr 25, 2025
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST	2	56	top 25%	Sep 29, 2022
Smoketoberfest	2	34	top 81%	Oct 4, 2019

More numbers

Busiest season 2025 13 contests

Contests a season 5.4 across 11 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IA 29 of 59 contests · 8 states in all

Contests visited 41 9 of them more than once

Opponents faced 1,728 finished ahead 2,402 times, behind 2,019

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

20266 milestones

May 1 50th tracked contest SmokeHouse Barbeque Showdown (OPEN FORMAT) (REGISTRATION FULL)
Jul 17 First overall podium Shenandoah ShenDig
Jul 17 Career-best overall score702.2400 Shenandoah ShenDig
Jul 17 Peak power rating (1610) Shenandoah ShenDig
Jul 24 First perfect 180 (Chicken) 10th Annual E'burg BBQ Contest
Sep 25 Most recent contest Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard

20221 milestone

Jun 17 25th tracked contest Rose Festival 21st Annual KCBS BBQ Contest

20201 milestone

Oct 2 First category win (Chicken) Ottumwa Smoketoberfest

20193 milestones

Jun 28 First overall top-10 Back To Mayberry
Jun 28 First overall past 90% of a perfect score677.7376 Back To Mayberry
Oct 4 10th tracked contest Smoketoberfest

20171 milestone

Sep 1 First call Smoke the Town

20161 milestone

Jun 17 First tracked contest State Center Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition (Judges Full)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+13.7	Shenandoah ShenDig	Jul 17, 2026
+13.4	Original SD BBQ Championships	Jun 5, 2026
+13.2	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST	Sep 16, 2021
+12.9	Real Squeal BBQ Smokeoff	Jul 16, 2021
+12.5	Back To Mayberry	Jun 28, 2019

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.5	Smokin' in Steele	May 30, 2025
-10.5	Cruisin' and BBQin'	Jul 31, 2026
-10.5	Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard	Sep 25, 2026
-10.3	State Center Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition (Judges Full)	Jun 17, 2016
-8.3	Smoke the Town	Sep 1, 2017

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)
2026	11	4	1	100%	top 46%	97.5%	95.1%
2025	13	2	0	62%	top 52%	96.4%	94.6%
2024	5	0	0	40%	top 45%	95.6%	94.7%
2023	2	0	0	50%	top 53%	94.1%	93.8%
2022	4	0	0	50%	top 42%	94.3%	93.8%
2021	7	1	1	71%	top 54%	94.8%	92.7%
2020	7	0	1	43%	top 62%	93.8%	91.9%
2019	5	1	0	60%	top 62%	94.1%	90.2%
2018	2	0	0	50%	top 85%	85.7%	85.7%
2017	1	0	0	100%	top 88%	87.6%	87.6%
2016	2	0	0	0%	top 85%	87.5%	87.1%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 25, 2026	Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard 🏅 Murphysboro, IL	60 / 71 (670.1368)	6 (178.8572)	55 (167.9656)	64 (163.9656)	68 (159.3484)
Aug 14, 2026	BBQ & Fly-In on the River 🏅 Excelsior Springs, MO	33 / 83 (687.3256)	42 (171.9656)	10 (177.7144)	38 (171.9656)	58 (165.6800)
Jul 31, 2026	Cruisin' and BBQin' 🏅 Hampton, IA	18 / 26 (680.9940)	7 (176.5600)	13 (173.1200)	22 (165.0856)	19 (166.2284)
Jul 24, 2026	10th Annual E'burg BBQ Contest 🏅 Emmetsburg, IA	10 / 17 (694.7656)	3 (180)	12 (170.8344)	15 (170.8112)	8 (173.1200)
Jul 17, 2026	Shenandoah ShenDig 🏅 Shenandoah, IA	3 / 28 (702.2400)	5 (177.7028)	1 (177.7144)	11 (174.2628)	9 (172.5600)
Jul 17, 2026	Shenandoah ShenDig (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Shenandoah, IA	—	6 (174.8572)	—	—	—
Jun 5, 2026	Original SD BBQ Championships 🏅 Huron, SD	7 / 48 (690.2860)	7 (173.7144)	33 (167.9888)	2 (177.7372)	19 (170.8456)
Jun 5, 2026	Original SD BBQ Championships (ONE MEAT RIBS) Huron, SD	—	—	7 (172.5600)	—	—
May 8, 2026	Minnesota in May 🏅 St. Peter, MN	19 / 77 (685.1428)	23 (174.2856)	57 (165.7028)	9 (175.4172)	33 (169.7372)
May 1, 2026	SmokeHouse Barbeque Showdown (OPEN FORMAT) (REGISTRATION FULL) 🏅 Cambridge, IA	6 / 17 (684.4800)	17 (170.8228)	9 (171.9772)	11 (173.1544)	15 (168.5256)
Apr 17, 2026	Knox Co. 4-H/FFA Ring of Smoke 🏅 Edina, MO	19 / 25 (669.6572)	23 (163.4060)	3 (176.5944)	18 (166.2284)	17 (163.4284)
Nov 5, 2025	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	63 / 401 (693.1544)	54 (176)	226 (168.0116)	177 (170.8456)	18 (178.2972)
Oct 24, 2025	1st Annual Boost & BBQ 🏅 Odessa, MO	10 / 25 (688.4800)	4 (177.7028)	12 (173.1200)	14 (171.9772)	18 (165.6800)
Oct 3, 2025	La Belle MO Show Me BBQ Showdown 🏅 La Belle, MO	15 / 39 (690.7308)	14 (174.2628)	22 (173.1084)	18 (172.5484)	18 (170.8112)
Sep 19, 2025	Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard 🏅 Murphysboro, IL	32 / 56 (689.0628)	32 (172.5600)	30 (171.9656)	28 (172.5600)	26 (171.9772)
Aug 29, 2025	SD BBQ Shootout @ Huset's Speedway 🏅 Brandon, SD	15 / 44 (682.8112)	10 (174.2856)	25 (169.1200)	17 (171.4400)	20 (167.9656)
Aug 22, 2025	Cruisin' and BBQin' 🏅 Hampton, IA	14 / 18 (677.0516)	11 (170.8460)	11 (170.2628)	15 (165.0972)	7 (170.8456)
Aug 15, 2025	BBQ & Fly-In on the River 🏅 Excelsior Springs, MO	35 / 62 (682.7428)	8 (177.7144)	43 (166.8228)	37 (169.6800)	41 (168.5256)
Jul 25, 2025	9th Annual E'burg BBQ Contest 🏅 Emmetsburg, IA	28 / 31 (664.4112)	23 (165.1316)	14 (168.5256)	15 (169.6684)	29 (161.0856)
Jul 18, 2025	Shenandoah ShenDig 🏅 Shenandoah, IA	7 / 30 (694.2172)	3 (177.7144)	19 (168.5256)	7 (175.4172)	9 (172.5600)
Jul 11, 2025	KTD Smokn' Gobbler 🏅 Worthington, MN	15 / 26 (669.5656)	20 (165.0972)	15 (167.3944)	5 (174.8456)	21 (162.2284)
May 30, 2025	Smokin' in Steele 🏅 Owatonna, MN	25 / 28 (655.8288)	7 (174.2744)	27 (161.0972)	19 (168.5256)	27 (151.9316)
May 16, 2025	King of the Corn 🏅 Ottumwa, IA	18 / 33 (679.9200)	13 (174.2628)	19 (170.2972)	16 (169.6800)	27 (165.6800)
Apr 25, 2025	Smokin' in the Creek BBQ Contest 🏅 Sugar Creek, MO	15 / 40 (687.9432)	9 (176)	14 (174.2744)	22 (170.2744)	24 (167.3944)
Oct 30, 2024	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	94 / 444 (688.5028)	154 (172.5484)	123 (173.1200)	26 (177.1544)	261 (165.6800)
Oct 30, 2024	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
Sep 20, 2024	Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard 🏅 Murphysboro, IL	33 / 58 (681.5884)	14 (177.1428)	21 (171.9772)	34 (170.8228)	45 (161.6456)
May 17, 2024	King of the Corn 🏅 Ottumwa, IA	22 / 36 (671.8968)	5 (176.5828)	7 (172.5484)	26 (163.9656)	33 (158.8000)
Apr 26, 2024	Smokin' in the Creek BBQ Contest 🏅 Sugar Creek, MO	18 / 44 (685.0400)	30 (167.3944)	7 (176)	25 (167.3828)	10 (174.2628)
Sep 21, 2023	Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard 🏅 Murphysboro, IL	27 / 50 (673.5768)	30 (167.4056)	11 (173.7028)	36 (166.2284)	32 (166.2400)
May 19, 2023	King of the Corn 🏅 Ottumwa, IA	23 / 45 (677.6804)	36 (166.2860)	7 (174.3088)	27 (169.1200)	24 (167.9656)
Oct 14, 2022	King of the Corn 🏅 Ottumwa, IA	14 / 36 (678.8000)	10 (172.5828)	9 (170.8344)	28 (165.6800)	10 (169.7028)
Oct 1, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - SIDES Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
Sep 29, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	189 / 505 (675.3256)	206 (169.1200)	271 (166.8228)	210 (168.5600)	124 (170.8228)
Jun 17, 2022	Rose Festival 21st Annual KCBS BBQ Contest 🏅 State Center, IA	16 / 32 (672.4684)	10 (170.8688)	5 (171.9656)	15 (167.9656)	20 (161.6684)
Nov 11, 2021	3rd Annual KCBS World Invitational - Open unrated Shawnee, OK	74 / 111 (671.8740)	64 (167.9656)	55 (169.1200)	91 (165.6684)	56 (169.1200)
Sep 24, 2021	Ottumwa 4th Annual Smoketoberfest 🏅 Ottumwa, IA	14 / 35 (678.8000)	3 (176.0228)	19 (167.3944)	15 (170.2856)	23 (165.0972)
Sep 16, 2021	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	56 / 467 (682.2856)	24 (176)	101 (171.4400)	119 (169.1656)	211 (165.6800)
Jul 30, 2021	5th Annual E'burg BBQ Contest 🏅 Emmetsburg, IA	23 / 35 (660.4228)	6 (176)	34 (157.0856)	6 (171.9772)	32 (155.3600)
Jul 16, 2021	Real Squeal BBQ Smokeoff 🏅 Cedar Rapids, IA	7 / 26 (680.5600)	1 (178.8572)	11 (168.5828)	15 (166.2856)	10 (166.8344)
Jun 18, 2021	Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 State Center, IA	25 / 32 (644.4340)	8 (170.8572)	28 (157.0628)	30 (150.8456)	13 (165.6684)
Apr 23, 2021	WashMo BBQ & Bluesfest 🏅 Washington, MO	39 / 45 (651.3716)	10 (172.5828)	18 (169.1200)	40 (160.0116)	45 (149.6572)
Oct 2, 2020	Ottumwa Smoketoberfest 🏅 Ottumwa, IA	36 / 66 (666.2400)	1 (177.7372)	14 (169.7028)	21 (170.2856)	64 (148.5144)
Sep 26, 2020	West Bottoms Cameron BBQ Contest 🏅 Cameron, MO	26 / 36 (672.4800)	11 (173.7144)	29 (164.5484)	23 (168.5372)	23 (165.6800)
Aug 14, 2020	BBQ & Fly in on the River 🏅 Excelsior Springs, MO	35 / 55 (675.3948)	6 (176.5828)	33 (167.3944)	24 (172.0232)	42 (159.3944)
Jul 17, 2020	Real Squeal BBQ Smoke Off 🏅 Marion, IA	23 / 36 (640.5716)	3 (174.8456)	16 (161.7032)	20 (160.5828)	33 (143.4400)
Jun 27, 2020	Back to Mayberry Day 2 🏅 Rodney, IA	41 / 47 (651.3140)	44 (159.9656)	39 (161.1200)	31 (166.2628)	32 (163.9656)
Jun 26, 2020	Back to Mayberry Day 1 🏅 Rodney, IA	36 / 53 (657.0632)	14 (170.8688)	31 (164.5372)	49 (154.2516)	23 (167.4056)
Apr 6, 2020	Socially Distanced Smoking - Brisket presented by The BBQ League unrated washington, MO	30 / 109 (166.8800)	—	—	—	—
Oct 4, 2019	Smoketoberfest 🏅 Ottumwa, IA	38 / 49 (641.5656)	24 (169.7144)	35 (162.8340)	41 (158.8228)	41 (150.1944)
Sep 12, 2019	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	316 / 468 (645.0512)	216 (166.3200)	339 (159.9772)	274 (163.3940)	368 (155.3600)
Aug 9, 2019	16th Annual UP IN SMOKE BBQ Bash 🏅 Mason City, IA	20 / 38 (653.6344)	7 (172.5944)	6 (167.4060)	15 (166.8456)	37 (146.7884)
Jun 28, 2019	Back To Mayberry 🏅 Rodney, IA	10 / 28 (677.7376)	14 (169.7028)	9 (169.1660)	16 (167.4288)	7 (171.4400)
Jun 21, 2019	Bring'n Home the Bacon 🏅 West Salem, WI	29 / 37 (629.5200)	4 (170.8572)	26 (155.9772)	33 (151.3600)	29 (151.3256)
Oct 5, 2018	SMOKEToBERFEST Ottumwa, IA	34 / 40 (617.0512)	26 (158.2856)	35 (154.8228)	36 (154.2856)	34 (149.6572)
Jun 22, 2018	Camp High Hopes Rib Fest (BACKYARD ONLY) Sioux City, IA	—	10 (159.4056)	16 (138.2744)	—	—
Sep 1, 2017	Smoke the Town Leon, IA	14 / 16 (630.6744)	3 (174.2856)	16 (142.7544)	16 (152.5256)	9 (161.1088)
Sep 16, 2016	Tri City BBQ Fest Denison, IA	26 / 34 (624.5032)	29 (156.5600)	28 (151.3716)	23 (156.5600)	19 (160.0116)
Jun 17, 2016	State Center Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition (Judges Full) State Center, IA	29 / 31 (629.6684)	30 (158.2972)	26 (157.6800)	29 (158.8456)	28 (154.8456)

An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.

NEVER EASY 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 (16 found in their record)

Perfect scores on the board

On the rise

Happy hunting ground

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

They cook the hard rooms

Built for the big stage

Looking over their shoulder

The long haul

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)