SON SEEKERS BBQ

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

Power ranking

#702

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1641

peak 1662 · rated over 43 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-03-29

latest 2018-09-21

Best ToY finish

#287

Master 2016

Grand champs

2 reserve

Category wins

24 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 44 contests

Avg finish

top 38%

overall standings

Best overall

706.2628 / 720

Master · Nebo Fall Festival BBQ

Perfect 180s

Current form

667.77 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 672.37 (-4.60)

Walk rate

84%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

179.4400

Brisket · First Annual Operation Stand Down KY BBQ Smoke Off(TEAMS FULL)

Consistency

±14.83

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 169.31 · weakest Pork (166.64)

Road miles

5,331

mi across 44 mapped stops · furthest 445 mi

Schedule strength

53%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1568)

Master avg

672.37 / 720

44 Master contests · 2 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (16 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

4.6060 points from the title

Came within 4.6060 points of the Grand Championship at Nebo Fall Festival BBQ (2015-09-18).

Against the odds

24-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 76 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (2016-06-17) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 24-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, SWIGGIN PIG.

Giant slayer

36 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 36-team field at Wabash Ribber Fest Barbecue Championship.

2013-04-26

Happy hunting ground

Top 10% average finish here

Wabash Ribberfest BBQ Championship (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL) is their spot: an average finish in the top 10% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 2nd
average top 10%

A multi-meat day

1 contests 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 Wabash Ribberfest BBQ Championship (2016-04-22).

Chicken 1st
Pork Ribs 1st

They almost always walk

84% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 37 of 44 contests

A top-10 category call in 84% of their 44 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

706.2628 career-best overall

98.1% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 706.2628 at Nebo Fall Festival BBQ — 98.1% of a perfect 720.

Master
2015-09-18

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

EAT MOR BUTT BBQ has finished one call ahead of SON SEEKERS BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2013 1 Grand Championship

2013 was the year it came together: 5 contests, 1 Grand Championship and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 15%.

5 contests
4 overall top-10s
1 category wins
average top 15%

A tough matchup

18–5 behind in the head-to-head

WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS ahead in 78% of their meetings

WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS has come out ahead in 18 of their 23 shared contests.

The drought

20 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour on 2016-06-17 — 20 contests and 10.2 years ago.

last GC 2016-06-17
10.2 years ago

Chicken nemesis

15 of 23 shared chicken entries lost

WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS ahead 65% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS has out-cooked them in 15 of 23 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

HOBBIE BAR-B-Q has landed one call behind them 2 times.

An April team

Top 23% average finish in April

Something about April: average finish in the top 23% across 11 contests, versus top 38% the rest of the year.

11 April contests
top 38% the rest of the year

The long haul

5,331 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 5,331 miles across 44 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 445 miles to 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(INVITATIONAL).

44 mapped stops
furthest 445 mi

The metronome

±2.06% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.06% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 93.4% of a perfect score
44 contests

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.

Big Bear BBQ

#705 of the rated field

1640 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 47
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 40%
Peak: 1640

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 47 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 47 contests
last seen 2026-08-28

⚔ Head-to-head

Pig Candy Barbeque Co.

#701 of the rated field

1641 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 36
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1641

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 36 contests to 44, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 35 contests
last seen 2026-07-11

⚔ Head-to-head

WEEKEND SMOKERS

#703 of the rated field

1641 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 70
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 26%
Peak: 1658

No shared contest yet.

Their rating is built on 3 Grand Championships in 70 contests, alongside a 26% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 70 contests
last seen 2026-07-11

⚔ Head-to-head

BLIND HOG BBQ

#704 of the rated field

1640 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 89
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 22%
Peak: 1640

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 83 contests
last seen 2026-08-14

⚔ Head-to-head

OM BBQ

#700 of the rated field

1641 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 21
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 48%
Peak: 1641

No shared contest yet.

Level with SON SEEKERS BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 21 contests
last seen 2026-07-18

⚔ Head-to-head

SOGGY BOTTOM SMOKERS

#707 of the rated field

1640 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 47
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 26%
Peak: 1654

1–2 in 3 shared contests (33% to SON SEEKERS BBQ)

These two have cooked 3 of the same contests — SOGGY BOTTOM SMOKERS ahead 2–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 47 contests
last seen 2022-05-20

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
HOBBIE BAR-B-Q	31	27	4	87%	⚔ compare
SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS	24	9	15	38%	⚔ compare
WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS	23	5	18	22%	⚔ compare
Z SMOKE	22	21	1	95%	⚔ compare
EAT MOR BUTT BBQ	21	6	15	29%	⚔ compare
BLUE CHIP BBQ	19	5	14	26%	⚔ compare
Kentucky Kookers	18	14	4	78%	⚔ compare
ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	18	5	13	28%	⚔ compare
Pappy Q	17	5	12	29%	⚔ compare
RURAL ROUTE BBQ	16	8	8	50%	⚔ compare
OWENSBORO PORK PULLERS	15	14	1	93%	⚔ compare
Extra Mile BBQ	15	6	9	40%	⚔ compare
One2BBQ	15	2	13	13%	⚔ compare
OLE MAN LARRY'S BBQ	14	11	3	79%	⚔ compare
WeQ4U	14	6	8	43%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	44	17	3	6	178.2972	158.8572	169.31	top 41%
Pork Ribs	44	25	3	11	178.2972	139.9316	169.16	top 33%
Pork	44	13	0	3	177.7028	150.7772	166.64	top 48%
Brisket	44	16	1	4	179.4400	151.3484	167.26	top 44%

“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
KY	16	0	top 42%
TN	10	1	top 33%
IN	9	0	top 46%
IL	6	1	top 14%
KS	2	0	top 49%
GA	1	0	top 67%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	3	0	top 46%
Medium (20–39)	24	2	top 42%
Large (40+)	17	0	top 31%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Grilling & Chillin BBQ	2	18	top 47%	2018-09-21
*Smoke On The Ohio(JUDGES FULL)	2	7	top 37%	2018-09-07
Smoke on the Shores	2	18	top 50%	2018-03-09
*Smokin For Garrett	2	17	top 55%	2017-06-02
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2	12	top 53%	2017-05-12
Wabash Ribberfest BBQ Championship (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL)	2	2	top 10%	2017-04-28
37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN)	2	38	top 49%	2016-10-29
High on the Hog Festival	2	16	top 33%	2016-04-15
Grillin N Chillin BBQ	2	8	top 32%	2015-09-25

The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 5.5 yrs 2013-03-29 → 2018-09-21

Busiest season 2016 12 contests · 1 GC

Contests a season 7.3 across 6 seasons in the data

Cooks most in KY 16 of 44 contests · 6 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 35 9 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 44 entries · 3 wins · 17 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 169.31 · weakest Pork (166.64)

Walk rate 84% a top-10 call in 37 of 44 contests

Overall top-10 rate 39% 17 of 44 contests

Wins it all 5% 2 Grand Championships · 2 reserve

First title 2013-04-26 Wabash Ribber Fest Barbecue Championship

Best top-10 run 4 straight contests

Master average 672.37 out of 720 · 44 contests · 2 GCs

Opponents faced 1,080 1,552–737 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 5,331 44 mapped stops · furthest 445 mi

Schedule strength 1568 average field rating faced — tougher than 53% of rated contests

Power rating 1641 peak 1662 · #702 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Mar 29 First tracked contest Benton KY Kiwanis Barbeque Kook Off
Mar 29 First call Benton KY Kiwanis Barbeque Kook Off
Mar 29 First overall past 90% of a perfect score661.7140 Benton KY Kiwanis Barbeque Kook Off
Apr 5 First overall top-10 1st Annual Parkinson's Smoke Out
Apr 26 First overall podium Wabash Ribber Fest Barbecue Championship
Apr 26 First Grand Championship Wabash Ribber Fest Barbecue Championship
Apr 26 Biggest field won (36 teams) Wabash Ribber Fest Barbecue Championship
Jun 21 First category win (Pork Ribs) Queen City Cook-Off
2014
Sep 26 10th tracked contest Grillin N Chillin BBQ
2015
Sep 18 First Reserve Championship Nebo Fall Festival BBQ
Sep 18 Career-best overall score706.2628 Nebo Fall Festival BBQ
2016
Apr 22 First multi-meat day Wabash Ribberfest BBQ Championship
Jul 1 25th tracked contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)
2017
Apr 7 Career-best single call (Brisket)179.4400 First Annual Operation Stand Down KY BBQ Smoke Off(TEAMS FULL)
Apr 28 Peak power rating (1662) Wabash Ribberfest BBQ Championship (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL)
2018
Sep 21 Most recent contest Grilling & Chillin BBQ

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.3	Wabash Ribber Fest Barbecue Championship	2013-04-26
+14.5	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2016-06-17
+13.9	Nebo Fall Festival BBQ	2015-09-18
+12.7	Grillin and Chillin BBQ	2013-09-27
+12.4	1st Annual Parkinson's Smoke Out	2013-04-05

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-19	City of Earlington OctoberFest	2014-10-03
-7.1	Rockin BBQ	2016-05-13
-6.7	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cookoff	2016-10-14
-6.6	*Smokin For Garrett	2018-04-27
-6.2	Smoke on the Shores	2018-03-09

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)
2018	7	0	2	0	86%	top 48%	96.3%	92.7%
2017	7	0	3	2	86%	top 34%	96.8%	93.9%
2016	12	1	3	3	67%	top 45%	97.2%	93.3%
2015	6	0	2	1	100%	top 29%	98.1%	94.8%
2014	7	0	3	0	86%	top 44%	96%	92.3%
2013	5	1	4	1	100%	top 15%	95.5%	93.6%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2018-09-21	Grilling & Chillin BBQ Owensboro, KY	19 / 37 (652.4112)	26 (159.3944)	7 (169.1200)	28 (159.3484)	19 (164.5484)
2018-09-07	*Smoke On The Ohio(JUDGES FULL) Mt.Vernon, IN	7 / 28 (679.3596)	10 (170.2628)	3 (174.8456)	9 (168.5600)	14 (165.6912)
2018-08-24	*Great American BBQ Festival(JUDGES FULL) Franklin, TN	21 / 36 (666.7200)	26 (162.8344)	26 (163.3944)	23 (165.0740)	3 (175.4172)
2018-06-15	*Smoke in the House White House, TN	4 / 16 (693.0512)	7 (171.4056)	6 (169.6800)	3 (174.2628)	2 (177.7028)
2018-04-27	*Smokin For Garrett Boonville, IN	24 / 38 (647.3256)	20 (165.7256)	9 (168.5600)	23 (161.6916)	32 (151.3484)
2018-03-23	Dickson County Smokefest Dickson, TN	15 / 29 (671.8856)	22 (162.8112)	6 (173.7144)	23 (162.2400)	9 (173.1200)
2018-03-09	Smoke on the Shores Nashville, TN	55 / 87 (662.0912)	25 (171.9772)	54 (163.9428)	34 (170.8112)	73 (155.3600)
2017-09-22	Grilling & Chillin BBQ Owensboro, KY	18 / 42 (665.6460)	7 (172.5600)	18 (164.5716)	33 (160.5144)	16 (168.0000)
2017-09-08	*Smoke On The Ohio(JUDGES FULL) Mt.Vernon, IN	14 / 29 (658.7656)	21 (160.5372)	16 (165.7144)	20 (163.9884)	11 (168.5256)
2017-06-02	*Smokin For Garrett Boonville, IN	17 / 31 (663.3372)	14 (169.1316)	8 (168.5372)	14 (168.5600)	24 (157.1084)
2017-05-12	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Bowling Green, KY	19 / 29 (670.7656)	7 (176.5600)	17 (167.9884)	28 (154.2400)	11 (171.9772)
2017-04-28	Wabash Ribberfest BBQ Championship (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL) Mt.Carmel, IL	2 / 29 (692.5716)	1 (176.0000)	2 (175.4516)	5 (170.2628)	7 (170.8572)
2017-04-07	First Annual Operation Stand Down KY BBQ Smoke Off(TEAMS FULL) Bowling Green, KY	4 / 40 (697.0972)	5 (173.7144)	10 (173.1200)	19 (170.8228)	1 (179.4400)
2017-03-10	Smoke on the Shores Nashville, TN	5 / 62 (685.0972)	30 (168.5600)	2 (176.5944)	37 (165.6800)	10 (174.2628)
2016-10-29	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN) Kansas City, KS	38 / 557 (685.6456)	68 (172.5600)	15 (176.5600)	237 (166.2400)	105 (170.2856)
2016-10-28	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(INVITATIONAL) unrated Kansas City, KS	165 / 180 (649.6232)	64 (173.1544)	137 (163.4172)	179 (150.7772)	156 (162.2744)
2016-10-14	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cookoff Munfordville, KY	23 / 34 (671.8628)	29 (164.5372)	2 (175.4172)	30 (162.8000)	19 (169.1084)
2016-09-23	Grillin and Chillin Owensboro, KY	20 / 39 (664.3768)	26 (167.3828)	17 (168.5256)	16 (169.1200)	27 (159.3484)
2016-09-16	Nebo Fall Festival and BBQ Competition Nebo, KY	9 / 20 (674.7544)	14 (162.2628)	1 (175.4172)	16 (162.8000)	6 (174.2744)
2016-07-01	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Marietta, GA	20 / 30 (680.4684)	16 (171.4172)	8 (174.2628)	7 (172.5484)	28 (162.2400)
2016-06-17	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Hendersonville, TN	1 / 29 (699.9544)	17 (172.5716)	8 (174.2744)	4 (177.7028)	7 (175.4056)
2016-05-20	Smokin' for Garrett Boonville, IN	19 / 35 (656.4796)	29 (160.5600)	14 (166.2856)	9 (171.9656)	24 (157.6684)
2016-05-13	Rockin BBQ Warsaw, IN	20 / 28 (653.0968)	24 (158.8572)	10 (170.2512)	13 (166.8916)	23 (157.0968)
2016-04-22	Wabash Ribberfest BBQ Championship Mt. Carmel, IL	4 / 30 (662.2624)	1 (172.6172)	1 (171.4628)	15 (158.1940)	10 (159.9884)
2016-04-15	High on the Hog Festival Winchester, TN	16 / 56 (683.9200)	24 (170.8228)	29 (167.4172)	11 (173.1200)	18 (172.5600)
2016-03-11	Smoke on the Shores Nashville, TN	18 / 49 (677.0744)	9 (173.7144)	32 (165.7144)	34 (164.5256)	9 (173.1200)
2015-09-25	Grillin N Chillin BBQ Owensboro, KY	17 / 38 (666.1144)	8 (173.1200)	18 (163.9544)	30 (160.5028)	14 (168.5372)
2015-09-18	Nebo Fall Festival BBQ Nebo, KY	2 / 16 (706.2628)	1 (178.2972)	2 (177.1428)	3 (176.5600)	8 (174.2628)
2015-06-19	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Bowling Green, KY	12 / 29 (678.7540)	17 (167.9772)	17 (168.0000)	3 (175.4056)	15 (167.3712)
2015-06-05	Bourbon City BBQ Festival Bardstown, KY	5 / 34 (692.5600)	2 (177.7372)	15 (167.4172)	6 (175.4172)	11 (171.9884)
2015-04-24	Wabash Ribber Fest Mt. Carmel, IL	11 / 46 (670.1940)	9 (171.9772)	8 (173.1200)	26 (163.9312)	27 (161.1656)
2015-04-17	High on the Hog Festival Winchester, TN	22 / 59 (681.0628)	49 (165.0972)	2 (178.2972)	24 (169.7028)	31 (167.9656)
2014-10-17	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off Munfordville, KY	22 / 32 (651.9200)	28 (162.2628)	30 (153.1200)	13 (167.4172)	8 (169.1200)
2014-10-03	City of Earlington OctoberFest Earlington, KY	9 / 9 (660.5032)	2 (173.7028)	7 (163.4060)	7 (164.5716)	9 (158.8228)
2014-09-26	Grillin N Chillin BBQ Owensboro, KY	8 / 43 (679.9432)	15 (169.6800)	11 (168.0232)	9 (171.4056)	13 (170.8344)
2014-06-27	Super City Blues & Ques Metropolis, IL	3 / 33 (691.3600)	8 (171.4056)	7 (171.9772)	8 (172.5600)	5 (175.4172)
2014-06-13	Smokin' On The River Jeffersonville, IN	29 / 52 (645.5544)	7 (174.2628)	51 (139.9316)	27 (163.3828)	16 (167.9772)
2014-04-25	Wabash Ribberfest Barbecue Championship Mt. Carmel, IL	13 / 50 (667.3484)	3 (174.2628)	22 (164.0000)	23 (163.4056)	23 (165.6800)
2014-04-03	2nd Annual Parkinson's Smoke Out Evansville, IN	20 / 64 (657.6456)	27 (164.5484)	12 (169.7144)	26 (166.2628)	44 (157.1200)
2013-09-27	Grillin and Chillin BBQ Owensboro, KY	4 / 45 (687.9084)	7 (175.4056)	3 (175.4172)	17 (168.5372)	14 (168.5484)
2013-06-21	Queen City Cook-Off Clarksville, TN	8 / 39 (676.5710)	17 (168.5712)	1 (175.4286)	15 (168.0000)	24 (164.5712)
2013-04-26	Wabash Ribber Fest Barbecue Championship Mt. Carmel, IL	1 / 36 (676.5708)	14 (165.1426)	6 (167.4284)	6 (169.7142)	2 (174.2856)
2013-04-05	1st Annual Parkinson's Smoke Out Evansville, IN	6 / 50 (666.8564)	12 (165.1428)	6 (169.1428)	24 (162.8568)	7 (169.7140)
2013-03-29	Benton KY Kiwanis Barbeque Kook Off Benton, KY	12 / 40 (661.7140)	16 (169.1428)	3 (173.1428)	26 (160.0000)	23 (159.4284)

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
2018 ↗	Master	#479 (748 pts)	#612 (608 pts)	#346 (983 pts)	#550 (678 pts)	#371 (933 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#362 (1033 pts)	#357 (1033 pts)	#333 (1088 pts)	#647 (633 pts)	#384 (993 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#287 (1216 pts)	#371 (1024 pts)	#146 (1621 pts)	#302 (1172 pts)	#384 (1026 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#453 (849 pts)	#381 (979 pts)	#385 (954 pts)	#486 (804 pts)	#624 (604 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#431 (897 pts)	#335 (1067 pts)	#497 (802 pts)	#487 (797 pts)	#442 (862 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#309 (985 pts)	#503 (645 pts)	#258 (1140 pts)	#608 (545 pts)	#450 (710 pts)