SONS OF BUTCHERS

SONS OF BUTCHERS is a competition barbecue team with 34 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2020. They have won 3 Grand Championships, most recently at the Smokefest (2015). They are ranked #354 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#354

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1711

peak 1721 · rated over 33 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 31, 2013

latest Sep 18, 2020 · 7.3 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#195

Master 2014 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve · wins it all 9% of the time

Category wins

20 podiums

Overall top-10s

71% of 34 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 22%

overall standings

Best overall

698.8000 / 720

Master · 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

675.12 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 677.61 (-2.49)

Walk rate

88%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Pork · Smoke on the Waterfall

Consistency

±11.47

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 171.65 · weakest Pork Ribs (168.00)

Road miles

4,244

across 34 mapped stops · furthest 454 mi

Schedule strength

41%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1554)

Purse competed for

$18K

listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 2 state-championship entries

Master avg

677.61 / 720

34 Master contests · 3 GCs

Storylines (18 found in their record)

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

Among the elite

#354 of 6,476 rated teams

In the top 5% of every rated team in the data

A power rating of 1711 puts them #354 of 6,476 rated teams — the top 5% of the field.

rating 1711
peak 1721
33 rated contests

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 pork.

Pork ×1

Against the odds

25-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 75 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Smokefest (Aug 21, 2015) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 25-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, Pig Skin BBQ.

Giant slayer

42 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 42-team field at Smokefest.

Aug 21, 2015

Happy hunting ground

1× Grand Championship here

Smokefest is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 3 visits.

3 visits
best finish 1st
average top 11%

A multi-meat day

1 contest with 2+ category wins

They've won two or more meats on the same day 1 time — the best of them 2 category wins at Smokefest (Aug 15, 2014).

Chicken 1st
Pork Ribs 1st

They almost always walk

88% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 30 of 34 contests

A top-10 category call in 88% of their 34 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

Show 11 more storylines

High-water mark

698.8000 career-best overall

97.1% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 698.8000 at 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open — 97.1% of a perfect 720.

Master
Oct 2, 2014

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

Hogline has finished one call ahead of SONS OF BUTCHERS 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2015 2 Grand Championships

2015 was the year it came together: 6 contests, 2 Grand Championships and 3 category wins, at an average finish in the top 24%.

6 contests
4 overall top-10s
3 category wins
average top 24%

A tough matchup

12–4 behind in the head-to-head

LUCKY'S Q ahead in 75% of their meetings

LUCKY'S Q has come out ahead in 12 of their 16 shared contests.

The drought

16 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Smokefest on Aug 21, 2015 — 16 contests and 11.1 years ago.

last GC Aug 21, 2015
11.1 years ago

A strong matchup

19–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of MYASSIS SMOKIN in 19 of their 19 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

17 of 26 shared chicken entries lost

Hogline ahead 65% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Hogline has out-cooked them in 17 of 26 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

Hogline has landed one call behind them 3 times.

The long haul

4,244 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 4,244 miles across 34 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 454 miles to Great Northern BBQ.

34 mapped stops
furthest 454 mi

The metronome

±1.59% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.59% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 94.1% of a perfect score
34 contests

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off every year from 2015 to 2018 — the contest they never miss.

6 visits in all
best finish 1st

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
2020 ↗	Master	#856 (60 pts)	#889 (65 pts)	#913 (60 pts)	#636 (145 pts)	#883 (60 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1400 (135 pts)	#1763 (105 pts)	#1790 (100 pts)	#1689 (115 pts)	#1805 (90 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#761 (430 pts)	#793 (430 pts)	#1289 (200 pts)	#718 (505 pts)	#842 (400 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#387 (957 pts)	#396 (952 pts)	#631 (647 pts)	#515 (762 pts)	#366 (1,037 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#517 (765 pts)	#644 (640 pts)	#526 (795 pts)	#783 (500 pts)	#645 (615 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#374 (993 pts)	#264 (1,238 pts)	#486 (798 pts)	#431 (878 pts)	#569 (658 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#195 (1,529 pts)	#228 (1,344 pts)	#263 (1,264 pts)	#348 (1,054 pts)	#271 (1,279 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#381 (799 pts)	#498 (649 pts)	#424 (749 pts)	#777 (429 pts)	#349 (889 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to SONS OF BUTCHERS, each with one reason worth a look.

Mr. Dudes BBQ

#353 of the rated field

1711 power rating

Contests: 38
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 58%
Peak: 1733

Careers of much the same size, 38 contests to 34, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 35 contests
last seen Sep 4, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

BIG UGLY'S BBQ - MD

#351 of the rated field

1711 power rating

Contests: 71
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 45%
Peak: 1731

Their rating is built on 3 Grand Championships in 71 contests, alongside a 45% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 71 contests
last seen Oct 4, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

SPICY SPITFIRE

#352 of the rated field

1711 power rating

Contests: 73
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 47%
Peak: 1713

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 73 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 73 contests
last seen May 3, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

PIGGIN' WHISKEY O.G

#358 of the rated field

1710 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 64
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 44%
Peak: 1748

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to SONS OF BUTCHERS)

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

rated over 59 contests
last seen Sep 29, 2022

⚔ Head-to-head

Four Men and A Pig

#356 of the rated field

1710 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 97
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 40%
Peak: 1733

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to SONS OF BUTCHERS)

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.

rated over 95 contests
last seen Aug 23, 2024

⚔ Head-to-head

Uncle Kenny's Take-Away

#359 of the rated field

1710 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 112
GCs: 7
Top-10s: 48%
Peak: 1788

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to SONS OF BUTCHERS)

Level with SONS OF BUTCHERS on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 106 contests
last seen Mar 20, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SPITFIRE	28	14	14	50%	⚔ compare
CITY SLICKERS BBQ	26	15	11	58%	⚔ compare
Hogline	26	12	14	46%	⚔ compare
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	26	8	18	31%	⚔ compare
MYASSIS SMOKIN	19	19	0	100%	⚔ compare
Eggspert BBQ	19	12	7	63%	⚔ compare
SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS	18	15	3	83%	⚔ compare
Good Ol Boys BBQ	17	17	0	100%	⚔ compare
QUETOPIA	17	12	5	71%	⚔ compare
REBEL FIRE QUE'N COMPANY	16	15	1	94%	⚔ compare
MUSTANG SALLY BBQ	16	10	6	63%	⚔ compare
LUCKY'S Q	16	4	12	25%	⚔ compare
LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY	15	12	3	80%	⚔ compare
TRUE SMOKE BBQ	15	9	6	60%	⚔ compare
CROIX VALLEY SAUCES	14	13	1	93%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	34	20	5	6	177.7372	162.2740	171.65	top 26%
Pork Ribs	34	15	2	6	178.2972	154.7772	168.00	top 35%
Pork	34	14	3	4	180 🔥	149.1426	168.20	top 36%
Brisket	34	20	0	4	177.7372	159.3944	169.75	top 27%

“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
Small (<20 teams)	1	1	top 6%
Medium (20–39)	17	1	top 22%
Large (40+)	16	1	top 23%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
MN	29	3	top 22%
SD	2	0	top 39%
MO	2	0	top 5%
WI	1	0	top 8%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off	6	1	1	top 27%	Sep 18, 2020
SMSU Smokefest	4	5	0	top 31%	Aug 16, 2019
Smokin In Steele	4	6	0	top 14%	Jun 1, 2018
Smokefest	3	1	1	top 11%	Aug 21, 2015
Smoke on the Waterfall	2	1	1	top 13%	Jun 24, 2016
Minnesota in May	2	5	0	top 23%	May 12, 2017
The Madelia Blazin' Barbeque Blast	2	3	0	top 21%	Jul 11, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2014 8 contests

Contests a season 4.3 across 8 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MN 29 of 34 contests · 4 states in all

Contests visited 18 7 of them more than once

First title Sep 13, 2013 KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off

Opponents faced 881 finished ahead 1,646 times, behind 271

Longest layoff 1.1 yrs Aug 16, 2019 → Sep 18, 2020

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

20201 milestone

Sep 18 Most recent contest KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off

20191 milestone

Aug 16 Peak power rating (1721) SMSU Smokefest

20181 milestone

Sep 14 10th category win KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off

20171 milestone

Jun 2 25th tracked contest Smokin In Steele

20152 milestones

Jul 10 First perfect 180 (Pork) Smoke on the Waterfall
Aug 21 Biggest field won (42 teams) Smokefest

20144 milestones

Aug 8 First category win (Pork) Great Northern BBQ
Aug 15 First multi-meat day Smokefest
Aug 15 10th tracked contest Smokefest
Oct 2 Career-best overall score698.8000 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open

20136 milestones

May 31 First tracked contest Original SD BBQ Championships
May 31 First call Original SD BBQ Championships
Jun 28 First overall past 90% of a perfect score659.4284 Bend of the River BBQ Smoke Off
Jul 12 First overall top-10 The Madelia Blazin' Barbeque Blast
Sep 13 First overall podium KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off
Sep 13 First Grand Championship KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16.4	KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off	Sep 13, 2013
+13.8	Smokin in Steele	May 30, 2014
+13.1	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open	Oct 2, 2014
+12.4	The Madelia Blazin' Barbeque Blast	Jul 11, 2014
+12.2	Smoke on the Waterfall	Jul 10, 2015

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10.3	KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off	Sep 18, 2020
-6.4	SMSU Smokefest	Aug 17, 2018
-0.1	Bend of the River BBQ Smoke Off	Jun 28, 2013

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	GCs	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2020	1	0	0	0	100%	top 71%	92.1%	92.1%
2019	1	0	1	0	0%	top 22%	94.8%	94.8%
2018	3	0	2	1	67%	top 30%	95.1%	94%
2017	6	0	4	1	100%	top 21%	94.8%	94.3%
2016	4	0	4	1	100%	top 14%	95.4%	94.5%
2015	6	2	4	3	100%	top 24%	96.5%	93.7%
2014	8	0	6	4	75%	top 11%	97.1%	95.3%
2013	5	1	3	0	100%	top 31%	96.6%	92.5%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 18, 2020	KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off 🏅 Worthington, MN	25 / 35 (663.3372)	24 (167.9656)	25 (163.9772)	9 (172)	28 (159.3944)
Aug 16, 2019	SMSU Smokefest 🏅 Marshall, MN	10 / 46 (682.7768)	16 (171.4056)	17 (170.2972)	14 (171.4056)	19 (169.6684)
Sep 14, 2018	KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN	4 / 25 (684.5256)	8 (170.8228)	19 (162.8572)	1 (177.1428)	4 (173.7028)
Aug 17, 2018	SMSU Smokefest Marshall, MN	22 / 40 (666.2288)	11 (170.8572)	35 (161.6916)	17 (167.9772)	21 (165.7028)
Jun 1, 2018	Smokin In Steele Owatonna, MN	8 / 45 (678.7540)	8 (174.2628)	27 (163.3828)	11 (171.9884)	13 (169.1200)
Sep 15, 2017	KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN	7 / 27 (680.5260)	12 (170.2628)	5 (171.4404)	11 (169.1428)	8 (169.6800)
Aug 18, 2017	SMSU Smokefest Marshall, MN	14 / 41 (672.4456)	21 (167.3828)	17 (166.2628)	8 (173.1200)	18 (165.6800)
Jul 14, 2017	Cookin On Kampeska Watertown, SD	15 / 48 (677.1200)	37 (164.5372)	25 (167.3828)	10 (170.8800)	4 (174.3200)
Jun 23, 2017	Rotary Rockn Ribs LaCrosse, WI	3 / 37 (678.1484)	3 (174.2628)	12 (163.9544)	5 (169.6684)	7 (170.2628)
Jun 2, 2017	Smokin In Steele Owatonna, MN	8 / 46 (682.7772)	6 (174.2744)	12 (168)	23 (166.2284)	3 (174.2744)
May 12, 2017	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	5 / 71 (681.6916)	1 (176)	28 (165.1200)	18 (167.9772)	5 (172.5944)
Sep 16, 2016	KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN	3 / 29 (686.8344)	11 (170.2512)	3 (172.5716)	12 (168.0116)	2 (176)
Aug 19, 2016	SMSU Smokefest Marshall, MN	5 / 37 (679.9084)	5 (176)	1 (176.5600)	25 (159.3944)	11 (167.9540)
Jun 24, 2016	Smoke on the Waterfall Redwoodfalls, MN	5 / 26 (677.1088)	4 (173.1200)	8 (170.2972)	7 (167.9772)	8 (165.7144)
Jun 3, 2016	Smokin in Steele Owatonna, MN	6 / 53 (678.2512)	11 (169.7256)	10 (170.8228)	7 (172)	20 (165.7028)
Sep 18, 2015	KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN	9 / 26 (678.8112)	7 (172.5828)	9 (169.7372)	13 (167.3712)	9 (169.1200)
Aug 21, 2015	Smokefest Marshall, MN	1 / 42 (694.7884)	1 (177.7144)	4 (173.7028)	3 (173.1084)	8 (170.2628)
Jul 31, 2015	Great Northern BBQ Brainerd, MN	5 / 26 (676.4912)	1 (175.4400)	6 (169.6800)	8 (169.1312)	13 (162.2400)
Jul 10, 2015	Smoke on the Waterfall Redwood Falls, MN	1 / 16 (678.2400)	8 (165.7028)	5 (170.2744)	1 (180)	8 (162.2628)
May 29, 2015	Smokin' in Steel Owatonna, MN	25 / 60 (658.7544)	6 (172.5828)	35 (159.9888)	38 (161.0856)	27 (165.0972)
May 15, 2015	Minnesota in May St. Paul, MN	23 / 60 (660.4800)	4 (176)	48 (154.7772)	27 (166.2972)	32 (163.4056)
Oct 2, 2014	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO	15 / 165 (689.6456)	19 (174.8572)	60 (170.2628)	100 (166.8228)	12 (177.7028)
Oct 2, 2014	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	5 / 552 (698.8000)	39 (175.4172)	56 (173.7028)	48 (174.2628)	29 (175.4172)
Sep 12, 2014	King Turkey Day Smokin' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN	3 / 36 (685.1316)	1 (177.7372)	12 (163.4172)	5 (173.1200)	5 (170.8572)
Aug 15, 2014	Smokefest Marshall, MN	3 / 32 (685.0972)	1 (177.1428)	1 (177.7144)	18 (161.6800)	7 (168.5600)
Aug 8, 2014	Great Northern BBQ Brainerd, MN	5 / 25 (686.8800)	4 (172.5828)	14 (163.4516)	1 (178.8572)	7 (171.9884)
Jul 11, 2014	The Madelia Blazin' Barbeque Blast Madelia, MN	3 / 26 (680.5144)	7 (167.4056)	2 (172.0116)	7 (169.1200)	4 (171.9772)
Jun 27, 2014	Bend of the River CookOut Mankato, MN	11 / 50 (677.0856)	24 (166.2744)	27 (164.5256)	16 (168.5484)	3 (177.7372)
May 30, 2014	Smokin in Steele Owatonna, MN	6 / 67 (687.3940)	9 (173.1428)	2 (178.2972)	36 (165.6684)	18 (170.2856)
Sep 13, 2013	KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off Worthington, MN	1 / 39 (695.4516)	5 (175.4172)	3 (175.4400)	14 (169.7372)	4 (174.8572)
Aug 16, 2013	Smokefest Marshall, MN	7 / 31 (662.8224)	19 (162.2740)	8 (167.4056)	25 (156)	2 (177.1428)
Jul 12, 2013	The Madelia Blazin' Barbeque Blast Madelia, MN	7 / 23 (667.9996)	14 (165.7028)	10 (166.2856)	9 (166.8456)	6 (169.1656)
Jun 28, 2013	Bend of the River BBQ Smoke Off Mankato, MN	16 / 30 (659.4284)	12 (168.5712)	14 (163.4288)	26 (157.1426)	9 (170.2858)
May 31, 2013	Original SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	19 / 41 (644.5714)	9 (168.5714)	13 (163.4288)	38 (149.1426)	15 (163.4286)

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

SONS OF BUTCHERS

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 (18 found in their record)

Among the elite

Perfect scores on the board

Against the odds

Giant slayer

Happy hunting ground

A multi-meat day

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The drought

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

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)