PIG WHISPERERS

At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)

Power ranking

#438

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1690

peak 1699 · rated over 35 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-02-08

latest 2016-08-05

Best ToY finish

#149

Master 2013

Grand champs

2 reserve

Category wins

24 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 35 contests

Avg finish

top 26%

overall standings

Best overall

701.7144 / 720

Master · Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)

Perfect 180s

2 🔥

Current form

677.35 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 664.31 (+13.04)

Walk rate

91%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

180.0000 🔥

Brisket · Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ Festival

Consistency

±90.03

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 171.90 · weakest Pork Ribs (167.50)

Road miles

6,744

mi across 35 mapped stops · furthest 854 mi

Schedule strength

45%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1559)

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 2 state-championship entries

Master avg

664.31 / 720

35 Master contests · 3 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (19 found in this team's record)

Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.

The heartbreaker

2.2858 points from the title

Came within 2.2858 points of the Grand Championship at Roman Roast on the River (GBC Qualifier) (2013-05-10).

Among the elite

#438 of 6,413 rated teams

In the top 7% of every rated team in the data

A power rating of 1690 puts them #438 of 6,413 rated teams — the top 7% of the field.

rating 1690
peak 1699
35 rated contests

Perfect scores on the board

2 perfect 180s

2 perfect 180s in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, across 2 different meats.

Pork ×1
Brisket ×1

Against the odds

26-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 74 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) (2014-09-05) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 26-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N.

Giant slayer

61 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 61-team field at Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier).

2013-08-02

Happy hunting ground

Top 12% average finish here

Boss Hog State Championship Cook-Off (GBC Qualifier) is their spot: an average finish in the top 12% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 5th
average top 12%

They almost always walk

91% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 32 of 35 contests

A top-10 category call in 91% of their 35 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

701.7144 career-best overall

97.5% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 701.7144 at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) — 97.5% of a perfect 720.

Master
2014-09-05

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

THE PIT CREW GA has finished one call ahead of PIG WHISPERERS 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2014 2 Grand Championships

2014 was the year it came together: 10 contests, 2 Grand Championships and 2 category wins, at an average finish in the top 27%.

10 contests
4 overall top-10s
2 category wins
average top 27%

A tough matchup

12–3 behind in the head-to-head

Killer B's BBQ ahead in 80% of their meetings

Killer B's BBQ has come out ahead in 12 of their 15 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.4 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.39 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 38% of the time against 56%.

Pork Ribs avg 167.50
Chicken avg 171.90
13 calls in 34 entries

The drought

17 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) on 2014-09-05 — 17 contests and 12 years ago.

last GC 2014-09-05
12 years ago

A strong matchup

14–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 93% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of HOOTIE-Q in 14 of their 15 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

10 of 15 shared chicken entries lost

Killer B's BBQ ahead 67% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Killer B's BBQ has out-cooked them in 10 of 15 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

Bubba Q has landed one call behind them 3 times.

Boom or bust

±12.50% swing around their own average

Their overall swings ±12.50% of a perfect score around its own average — when it lands they're dangerous, and when it doesn't the weekend is gone by lunch.

averages 92.3% of a perfect score
best 97.5%

The long haul

6,744 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 6,744 miles across 35 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 854 miles to 8th Annual Big Island BBQ.

35 mapped stops
furthest 854 mi

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier) every year from 2013 to 2016 — the contest they never miss.

4 visits in all
best finish 1st

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The nearest teams in the power rankings, with a different reason on each card — six teams on one rating are rarely on it for the same reason. Rating decides who makes the list; where teams tie on it, the ones this team has actually cooked against come first, then teams at a similar point in their own career. KCBS doesn’t publish where a team is from, so nothing here is inferred from geography.

SIN CIRCLE BBQ

#437 of the rated field

1690 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 105
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 46%
Peak: 1750

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to PIG WHISPERERS)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team PIG WHISPERERS has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 100 contests
last seen 2026-07-10

⚔ Head-to-head

Curly Bird BBQ

#440 of the rated field

1689 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 46
GCs: 7
Top-10s: 65%
Peak: 1707

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 46 contests to 35, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 45 contests
last seen 2026-06-12

⚔ Head-to-head

T-MAC SMOKIN

#439 of the rated field

1690 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 158
GCs: 7
Top-10s: 44%
Peak: 1834

No shared contest yet.

They've been 1834 at their best, 144 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 149 contests
last seen 2026-06-13

⚔ Head-to-head

ROAST BEAST BBQ

#442 of the rated field

1689 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 54
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 39%
Peak: 1713

7–0 in 7 shared contests (100% to PIG WHISPERERS)

54 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 39% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 54 contests
last seen 2023-11-17

⚔ Head-to-head

Pork Butt Paradise

#432 of the rated field

1691 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 37
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 68%
Peak: 1700

No shared contest yet.

Level with PIG WHISPERERS on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 37 contests
last seen 2024-08-17

⚔ Head-to-head

PUDDLEDUCK BBQ

#443 of the rated field

1689 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 36
GCs: 5
Top-10s: 64%
Peak: 1692

No shared contest yet.

They turned up 11 years after PIG WHISPERERS did, first appearing in 2024.

rated over 33 contests
last seen 2026-08-15
on a 4-contest top-10 run

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
OLD PLANTATION BBQ	21	11	10	52%	⚔ compare
QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N	20	8	12	40%	⚔ compare
TENACIOUS Q	17	11	6	65%	⚔ compare
WICKED QUE	17	7	10	41%	⚔ compare
HOOTIE-Q	15	14	1	93%	⚔ compare
WAYLON'S WICKEDLY GOOD Q	15	9	6	60%	⚔ compare
THE PIT CREW GA	15	5	10	33%	⚔ compare
Killer B's BBQ	15	3	12	20%	⚔ compare
CHOO CHOO TRAIN BBQ	14	14	0	100%	⚔ compare
ATLANTA BBQ STORE	14	9	5	64%	⚔ compare
CHATTAHOOCHEE QUE	13	12	1	92%	⚔ compare
TEMPLAR TEMPTATIONS	13	12	1	92%	⚔ compare
SMOKE ON THIS	13	9	4	69%	⚔ compare
MOYERS COMPETITION BAR-B-Q TEAM	13	6	7	46%	⚔ compare
J & B'S BBQ	13	6	7	46%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	34	19	4	8	178.8572	161.6456	171.90	top 30%
Pork Ribs	34	13	0	1	176.0000	153.6572	167.50	top 42%
Pork	34	13	3	8	180.0000 🔥	148.5600	169.07	top 35%
Brisket	35	18	3	7	180.0000 🔥	144.5260	170.37	top 32%

“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 state / province

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
GA	31	2	top 23%
MN	1	0	top 100%
AR	1	0	top 26%
MS	1	1	top 3%
NC	1	0	top 60%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	17	2	top 20%
Large (40+)	18	1	top 32%

Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier)	4	1	1	top 25%	2016-08-05
Boss Hog State Championship Cook-Off (GBC Qualifier)	2	5	0	top 12%	2015-05-08
Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ Festival	2	4	0	top 16%	2015-04-17

The story so far (19 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 3.5 yrs 2013-02-08 → 2016-08-05

Busiest season 2015 11 contests

Contests a season 8.8 across 4 seasons in the data

Cooks most in GA 31 of 35 contests · 5 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 30 3 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Brisket 35 entries · 3 wins · 18 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 171.90 · weakest Pork Ribs (167.50)

Walk rate 91% a top-10 call in 32 of 35 contests

Overall top-10 rate 60% 21 of 35 contests

Wins it all 9% 3 Grand Championships · 2 reserve

First title 2013-08-02 Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier)

Best top-10 run 6 straight contests

Master average 664.31 out of 720 · 35 contests · 3 GCs

Perfect 180s 2 every judge at the table handing back a nine

Opponents faced 628 1,095–393 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 6,744 35 mapped stops · furthest 854 mi

Schedule strength 1559 average field rating faced — tougher than 45% of rated contests

State championships 0 from 2 state-championship entries

Power rating 1690 peak 1699 · #438 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Feb 8 First tracked contest Georgia BBQ Championship Throwdown(GBC Qualifier)
Feb 8 First call Georgia BBQ Championship Throwdown(GBC Qualifier)
Feb 8 First overall past 90% of a perfect score660.5712 Georgia BBQ Championship Throwdown(GBC Qualifier)
Apr 19 First category win (Brisket) Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ Festivals (GBC Qualifier)
Apr 19 First overall top-10 Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ Festivals (GBC Qualifier)
May 10 First overall podium Roman Roast on the River (GBC Qualifier)
May 10 First Reserve Championship Roman Roast on the River (GBC Qualifier)
Aug 2 First Grand Championship Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier)
Aug 2 Biggest field won (61 teams) Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier)
2014
Mar 14 10th tracked contest Flames on the Flint (SBBQA)
Sep 5 Career-best overall score701.7144 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)
2015
Mar 27 First perfect 180 (Pork) Fire Ant Festival BBQ Bash
Jul 31 25th tracked contest Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier)
2016
Apr 15 10th category win Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ & Brews Festival
Apr 15 Peak power rating (1699) Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ & Brews Festival
Aug 5 Most recent contest Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16.5	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	2014-09-05
+15.3	Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier)	2013-08-02
+14.4	Roman Roast on the River (GBC Qualifier)	2013-05-10
+13.1	Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ Festivals (GBC Qualifier)	2013-04-19
+12.7	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2014-05-30

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-21.8	8th Annual Big Island BBQ	2015-08-28
-9.3	BBQ Boogie & Blues (GBC Qualifier)	2016-04-29
-7.6	Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Bluegrass Festival (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier)	2014-05-23
-7.5	Peak City Pig Fest	2014-06-20
-2	Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier)	2016-08-05

Category scores over time

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Team of the Year rank by season

Season by season

Season	Contests	GCs	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2016	5	0	2	1	80%	top 39%	95.6%	94.1%
2015	11	0	8	5	91%	top 26%	96.1%	88.1%
2014	10	2	4	2	90%	top 27%	97.5%	93.8%
2013	9	1	7	2	100%	top 19%	96.6%	94.6%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2016-08-05	Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier) Dillard, GA	25 / 56 (680.4456)	33 (170.2628)	8 (173.1200)	9 (174.2628)	45 (162.8000)
2016-06-03	Euharlee Covered Bridge 'Que (GBC Qualifier) Euharlee, GA	8 / 32 (683.3256)	16 (170.8112)	9 (172.5716)	13 (169.1200)	10 (170.8228)
2016-05-27	Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival (GBC Qualifier) Evans, GA	29 / 66 (670.6856)	50 (161.6456)	8 (174.2744)	43 (161.6456)	13 (173.1200)
2016-04-29	BBQ Boogie & Blues (GBC Qualifier) Calhoun, GA	23 / 35 (663.8400)	16 (169.6800)	30 (161.0856)	19 (167.3944)	23 (165.6800)
2016-04-15	Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ & Brews Festival Cornelia, GA	4 / 30 (688.4684)	5 (174.2628)	16 (169.1200)	1 (177.7028)	16 (167.3828)
2015-12-04	Calhoun KOA's Smokin Up the Campground (GBC Qualifier) Calhoun, GA	2 / 39 (690.2172)	1 (177.7028)	31 (160.5372)	2 (176.5600)	6 (175.4172)
2015-10-03	Smoke-N-Thunder BBQ Classic Day 2 (GBC Qualifier) Rome, GA	6 / 41 (689.6456)	5 (176.0000)	4 (175.4172)	12 (171.9656)	27 (166.2628)
2015-10-02	Smoke-N-Thunder BBQ Classic Day 1 (GBC Qualifier) Rome, GA	5 / 52 (691.9316)	1 (178.8572)	16 (170.8344)	7 (174.2628)	26 (167.9772)
2015-08-28	8th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	55 / 55 (144.5260)	—	—	—	49 (144.5260)
2015-08-14	Classic City BBQ Fest & Tailgate Show (GBC Qualifier) Athens, GA	13 / 40 (674.7200)	9 (173.1200)	37 (155.9200)	12 (170.2628)	5 (175.4172)
2015-07-31	Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier) Dillard, GA	18 / 55 (679.8972)	9 (174.2628)	27 (168.5488)	35 (166.8228)	17 (170.2628)
2015-06-12	Fitzgerald Pig Pickin' Fitzgerald, GA	6 / 20 (681.6000)	1 (177.7028)	13 (169.1316)	15 (162.8000)	6 (171.9656)
2015-05-22	Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que (GBC Qualifier) Evans, GA	6 / 65 (679.8856)	6 (175.4172)	11 (173.1084)	58 (157.6572)	11 (173.7028)
2015-05-08	Boss Hog State Championship Cook-Off (GBC Qualifier) 🏅 Waynesboro, GA	5 / 39 (677.5888)	3 (174.2744)	21 (161.6572)	2 (173.1200)	10 (168.5372)
2015-04-17	Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ Festival Cornelia, GA	5 / 29 (682.7656)	6 (174.2628)	19 (162.8000)	21 (165.7028)	1 (180.0000)
2015-03-27	Fire Ant Festival BBQ Bash Ashburn, GA	6 / 28 (687.3944)	9 (170.2744)	6 (172.5600)	1 (180.0000)	17 (164.5600)
2014-09-26	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship Bentonville, AR	13 / 50 (692.5488)	30 (173.1200)	18 (172.5600)	16 (173.7144)	23 (173.1544)
2014-09-05	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Southaven, MS	1 / 30 (701.7144)	2 (177.7144)	3 (176.0000)	15 (168.5600)	2 (179.4400)
2014-08-30	Hawgin on Lanier (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier) Gainesville, GA	11 / 39 (670.1716)	28 (165.0856)	26 (162.8344)	11 (170.2628)	5 (171.9888)
2014-08-01	Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier) Dillard, GA	11 / 56 (678.7316)	34 (167.3828)	27 (166.2400)	15 (170.8344)	7 (174.2744)
2014-06-20	Peak City Pig Fest Apex, NC	29 / 48 (645.7712)	11 (170.2856)	6 (170.3200)	47 (148.5600)	30 (156.6056)
2014-05-30	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Marietta, GA	1 / 29 (684.4340)	21 (163.9428)	4 (171.9656)	3 (170.8228)	1 (177.7028)
2014-05-23	Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Bluegrass Festival (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier) Evans, GA	44 / 65 (644.3772)	9 (171.4172)	55 (153.6572)	37 (159.9428)	44 (159.3600)
2014-05-09	Boss Hog State Championship Cook-Off (GBC Qualifier) 🏅 Waynesboro, GA	5 / 42 (677.0284)	21 (166.2628)	6 (169.6800)	12 (166.8228)	4 (174.2628)
2014-04-18	Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ Festival (SBBQA) Cornelia, GA	4 / 27 (692.5144)	10 (170.8228)	11 (169.1200)	1 (174.8572)	2 (177.7144)
2014-03-14	Flames on the Flint (SBBQA) Bainbridge, GA	14 / 43 (666.1484)	24 (163.9772)	5 (173.7028)	25 (162.8116)	18 (165.6568)
2013-12-06	Calhoun KOA's (GBC Qualifier) Calhoun, GA	6 / 65 (694.2860)	10 (174.8572)	37 (165.1316)	3 (176.5600)	3 (177.7372)
2013-11-15	The National BBQ Cup (GBC Qualifier) Cumming, GA	33 / 79 (675.2796)	12 (175.4056)	70 (157.0628)	43 (167.9656)	9 (174.8456)
2013-10-11	The Real Squeal: Lyons Barbeque & Music Festival (GBC Qualifier) Lyons, GA	9 / 25 (670.2060)	5 (171.9888)	19 (157.6688)	3 (173.7028)	12 (166.8456)
2013-08-16	Classic City BBQ Fest & Tailgate Show (GBC Qualifier) Athens, GA	6 / 34 (675.3144)	15 (168.5256)	16 (166.2516)	16 (166.2400)	4 (174.2972)
2013-08-02	Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier) Dillard, GA	1 / 61 (695.3600)	1 (177.7144)	15 (171.9772)	16 (171.9656)	14 (173.7028)
2013-05-24	Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que (GBC Qualifier) Evans, GA	7 / 47 (679.4282)	11 (171.4286)	8 (170.2856)	22 (166.2856)	10 (171.4284)
2013-05-10	Roman Roast on the River (GBC Qualifier) Rome, GA	2 / 33 (691.4286)	3 (174.2858)	4 (171.4286)	7 (170.8572)	3 (174.8570)
2013-04-19	Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ Festivals (GBC Qualifier) Cornelia, GA	4 / 36 (688.5712)	2 (176.5714)	27 (160.5712)	5 (172.0000)	1 (179.4286)
2013-02-08	Georgia BBQ Championship Throwdown(GBC Qualifier) Young Harris, GA	11 / 33 (660.5712)	21 (165.1428)	6 (168.0000)	6 (166.2858)	18 (161.1426)

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)

Team of the Year standings (rank per category by season — year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Year	Series	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2016 ↗	Master	#696 (547 pts)	#775 (507 pts)	#665 (612 pts)	#586 (692 pts)	#788 (482 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#159 (1702 pts)	#53 (2032 pts)	#334 (1062 pts)	#171 (1502 pts)	#227 (1377 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#184 (1565 pts)	#383 (990 pts)	#268 (1255 pts)	#248 (1265 pts)	#159 (1635 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#149 (1648 pts)	#128 (1588 pts)	#278 (1068 pts)	#176 (1383 pts)	#139 (1623 pts)