The heartbreaker
Came within 1.0624 points of the Grand Championship at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (2017-03-17).
Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.
Came within 1.0624 points of the Grand Championship at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (2017-03-17).
In the top 4% of every rated team in the data
A power rating of 1726 puts them #284 of 6,413 rated teams — the top 4% of the field.
5 perfect 180s in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, across 2 different meats.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 86 times in 100
Their Grand Championship at The Smithfield Guinea Pig (2017-02-17) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 14-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ.
Took the Grand Championship over a 49-team field at The Smithfield Guinea Pig.
West Coast BBQ Classic is their spot: an average finish in the top 16% across 2 visits.
A call in 38 of 49 contests
A top-10 category call in 78% of their 49 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.
97.7% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 703.4516 at High Desert Music Festival and BBQ Showdown — 97.7% of a perfect 720.
HOG HEAVEN BARBECUE COMPANY has finished one call ahead of PORKETEERS 3 times — their closest competition in the data.
2014 was the year it came together: 17 contests, 2 Grand Championships and 5 category wins, at an average finish in the top 22%.
LEFT COAST Q ahead in 71% of their meetings
LEFT COAST Q has come out ahead in 20 of their 28 shared contests.
Pork is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.41 points below their brisket, and turns into a call 29% of the time against 55%.
Ahead in 96% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of COOL GRILLING in 23 of their 24 shared contests.
Runner-up for the whole thing 4 times against 3 Grand Championships — close enough to touch it, over and over.
BUTCHER'S DAUGHTER BBQ has landed one call behind them 3 times.
Something about March: average finish in the top 15% across 5 contests, versus top 28% the rest of the year.
Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 12,299 miles across 49 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,763 miles to Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitation Barbecue (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY).
Their overall lands within ±2.47% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.
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.
These two have cooked 12 of the same contests — honours even — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.
⚔ Head-to-headThey've been 1801 at their best, 76 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-head184 contests to 49: their number has had years to settle where PORKETEERS's is still finding its level.
⚔ Head-to-headTheir rating is built on 5 Grand Championships in 52 contests, alongside a 48% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Head-to-headBoth teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.
⚔ Head-to-headLevel with PORKETEERS on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-head| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burnin and Lootin | 35 | 11 | 24 | 31% | ⚔ compare |
| SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | 34 | 13 | 21 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| THE PIT CREW BBQ OF AZ | 32 | 20 | 12 | 63% | ⚔ compare |
| RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ | 31 | 15 | 16 | 48% | ⚔ compare |
| LADY OF Q | 29 | 14 | 15 | 48% | ⚔ compare |
| ZZYZX BAR.B.Q | 28 | 13 | 15 | 46% | ⚔ compare |
| BIG POPPA SMOKERS | 28 | 9 | 19 | 32% | ⚔ compare |
| LEFT COAST Q | 28 | 8 | 20 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ | 25 | 9 | 16 | 36% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN MO'S BBQ | 25 | 9 | 16 | 36% | ⚔ compare |
| COOL GRILLING | 24 | 23 | 1 | 96% | ⚔ compare |
| VICIOUS SMOKE | 23 | 14 | 9 | 61% | ⚔ compare |
| Rooftop BBQ | 23 | 13 | 10 | 57% | ⚔ compare |
| TWISTED BRISKET BBQ | 22 | 20 | 2 | 91% | ⚔ compare |
| KNOCK UR SOX OFF BBQ | 21 | 9 | 12 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 49 | 14 | 2 | 6 | 180.0000 🔥 | 153.1200 | 168.82 | top 36% |
| Pork Ribs | 49 | 18 | 1 | 6 | 178.2972 | 150.8572 | 166.03 | top 39% |
| Pork | 49 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 177.7028 | 143.4284 | 165.55 | top 44% |
| Brisket | 49 | 27 | 9 | 13 | 180.0000 🔥 | 158.8570 | 170.96 | top 21% |
“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.
| Where | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA | 34 | 2 | top 27% |
| NV | 7 | 1 | top 34% |
| AZ | 4 | 0 | top 44% |
| MO | 2 | 0 | top 17% |
| UT | 1 | 0 | top 9% |
| TN | 1 | 0 | top 14% |
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 18 | 2 | top 31% |
| Large (40+) | 31 | 1 | top 27% |
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild West BBQ Shoot Out | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 26% | 2015-08-28 |
| West Coast BBQ Classic | 2 | 7 | 0 | top 16% | 2015-05-08 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +15.6 | West Coast BBQ Classic | 2013-05-10 |
| +13.4 | High Desert Music Festival and BBQ Showdown | 2014-06-26 |
| +13.4 | 3rd Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship | 2014-03-21 |
| +12.6 | The Smithfield Guinea Pig | 2017-02-17 |
| +12.5 | Wild West BBQ Shoot Out | 2014-08-22 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -7.1 | 4th Annual Golden Acorn Casino BBQ Championship | 2013-08-23 |
| -5.9 | 8th Annual Vista BBQ Classic | 2016-07-29 |
| -5.8 | 5th Annual Lake Havasu Music Brews & BBQ Championship | 2013-01-25 |
| -5 | Ribs, Pigs & Watermelons Day 2 | 2014-08-09 |
| -4.9 | Wild West BBQ Shoot Out | 2015-08-28 |
| Season | Contests | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 46% | 92.8% | 92.8% |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100% | top 45% | 94.5% | 94.5% |
| 2017 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 100% | top 25% | 97.4% | 95.8% |
| 2016 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 41% | 94.9% | 93.6% |
| 2015 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 82% | top 21% | 96.8% | 94.6% |
| 2014 | 17 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 76% | top 22% | 97.7% | 93.8% |
| 2013 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 69% | top 40% | 93.7% | 90.4% |
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-08-16 | Turf & Surf BBQ Championship 🏅 Del Mar, CA | 16 / 35 (668.4688) | 20 (165.1316) | 22 (165.0972) | 18 (166.2628) | 6 (171.9772) |
| 2018-02-23 | The Smithfield Guinea Pig (JUDGES FULL) Coachella, CA | 21 / 47 (680.4916) | 38 (166.2628) | 43 (161.1088) | 12 (173.1200) | 1 (180.0000) |
| 2017-04-21 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Las Vegas, NV | 13 / 30 (686.2172) | 15 (171.4056) | 4 (177.1428) | 17 (170.2744) | 19 (167.3944) |
| 2017-03-17 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Tucson, AZ | 2 / 29 (696.5716) | 17 (168.5600) | 1 (177.1544) | 5 (176.0000) | 4 (174.8572) |
| 2017-02-17 | The Smithfield Guinea Pig Indio, CA | 1 / 49 (701.1544) | 5 (174.2972) | 3 (176.5944) | 3 (177.7028) | 6 (172.5600) |
| 2017-01-27 | Outwest Food Fest BBQ Competiton Quartzsite, AZ | 16 / 34 (675.3484) | 19 (168.5600) | 26 (162.8344) | 6 (172.5484) | 11 (171.4056) |
| 2016-11-11 | Indio California State BBQ Championship & Festival ( Judges Full) Indio, CA | 12 / 38 (683.3256) | 4 (177.7372) | 13 (171.9772) | 27 (162.7884) | 18 (170.8228) |
| 2016-07-29 | 8th Annual Vista BBQ Classic Vista, CA | 21 / 42 (664.4456) | 23 (166.8228) | 19 (166.8228) | 29 (161.1200) | 14 (169.6800) |
| 2015-08-28 | Wild West BBQ Shoot Out Wendover, NV | 24 / 49 (669.6800) | 10 (174.8572) | 45 (152.0000) | 9 (174.2628) | 22 (168.5600) |
| 2015-07-24 | 7th Annual Vista BBQ Classic Vista, CA | 8 / 54 (691.3600) | 9 (175.4056) | 3 (178.2972) | 26 (168.5372) | 16 (169.1200) |
| 2015-06-19 | YCC - Real Men Can Cook BBQ Comp Ogden, UT | 2 / 23 (673.1088) | 11 (163.9772) | 2 (170.8572) | 8 (166.8456) | 3 (171.4288) |
| 2015-06-05 | 4th Annual VC Music Fest & BBQ Valley Center, CA | 3 / 25 (697.0740) | 1 (180.0000) | 11 (167.9656) | 3 (176.5600) | 6 (172.5484) |
| 2015-05-29 | Horse Town Brew n Que Festival Norco, CA | 10 / 75 (689.6688) | 1 (180.0000) | 34 (169.1316) | 41 (165.6800) | 15 (174.8572) |
| 2015-05-08 | West Coast BBQ Classic Long Beach, CA | 12 / 57 (679.9428) | 13 (172.0000) | 21 (168.5600) | 21 (167.9772) | 15 (171.4056) |
| 2015-05-02 | Smokin In Mesquite BBQ Championship Mesquite, NV | 14 / 41 (670.2172) | 37 (161.0856) | 19 (163.9888) | 9 (171.4400) | 3 (173.7028) |
| 2015-04-10 | The Ultimate BBQ Showdown East vs West VI Wildomar, CA | 7 / 42 (686.1828) | 11 (173.1200) | 16 (169.1200) | 10 (171.9772) | 7 (171.9656) |
| 2015-03-27 | Havasu Landing CA (JUDGES LIST IS FULL) Havasu Landing, CA | 2 / 25 (690.8344) | 2 (177.1544) | 9 (168.5600) | 7 (170.2628) | 1 (174.8572) |
| 2015-03-20 | 4th Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship Arcadia, CA | 31 / 100 (677.0628) | 29 (172.5484) | 51 (166.2744) | 50 (166.8228) | 23 (171.4172) |
| 2015-02-20 | The Pig (Guinea Pig) Competitor's Series Rancho Mirage, CA | 10 / 49 (669.6460) | 12 (169.7144) | 23 (165.0972) | 15 (166.8572) | 9 (167.9772) |
| 2014-10-24 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitation Barbecue (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) Lynchburg, TN | 13 / 92 (682.1944) | 42 (168.5372) | 58 (164.5372) | 30 (169.1200) | 1 (180.0000) |
| 2014-10-02 | 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO | 13 / 552 (694.2512) | 49 (174.8456) | 208 (166.8228) | 33 (174.8800) | 11 (177.7028) |
| 2014-10-02 | 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO | 51 / 165 (677.6228) | 27 (174.2744) | 122 (162.2400) | 91 (167.4056) | 34 (173.7028) |
| 2014-09-05 | The Great Vegas Gridiron Grill-Off Las Vegas, NV | 13 / 42 (679.3712) | 13 (172.5600) | 11 (170.2628) | 29 (166.2856) | 11 (170.2628) |
| 2014-08-22 | Wild West BBQ Shoot Out Wendover, NV | 1 / 31 (691.4056) | 3 (174.8800) | 7 (169.1200) | 5 (170.8456) | 1 (176.5600) |
| 2014-08-09 | Ribs, Pigs & Watermelons Day 2 Huntington Beach, CA | 22 / 38 (667.9088) | 20 (169.1200) | 24 (166.2516) | 31 (162.2744) | 15 (170.2628) |
| 2014-08-08 | Ribs, Pigs & Watermelons Day 1 Huntington Beach, CA | 15 / 39 (674.8000) | 9 (174.2972) | 8 (171.4400) | 31 (161.0972) | 17 (167.9656) |
| 2014-07-25 | 6th Annual Vista Q Classic Vista, CA | 6 / 60 (686.9032) | 18 (170.2972) | 9 (172.6288) | 5 (174.2972) | 18 (169.6800) |
| 2014-06-26 | High Desert Music Festival and BBQ Showdown Victorville, CA | 1 / 30 (703.4516) | 2 (177.1428) | 4 (172.5716) | 4 (173.7372) | 1 (180.0000) |
| 2014-06-20 | 3rd Annual Pechanga BBQ Championship Temecula, CA | 18 / 65 (669.0968) | 13 (171.4284) | 47 (157.6800) | 20 (166.8456) | 6 (173.1428) |
| 2014-06-13 | California Honey Harvest Festival & BBQ Championship Fillmore, CA | 11 / 30 (670.2404) | 6 (172.0000) | 22 (153.7032) | 13 (166.8228) | 1 (177.7144) |
| 2014-06-06 | 3rd Annual VC Music Fest & BBQ Valley Center, CA | 12 / 32 (661.1428) | 12 (166.8228) | 6 (169.2000) | 30 (151.9772) | 3 (173.1428) |
| 2014-05-16 | Bakersfield's Biggest, Baddest BBQ Championship Bakersfield, CA | 7 / 56 (669.6568) | 7 (171.9884) | 19 (160.0000) | 29 (159.9656) | 1 (177.7028) |
| 2014-05-09 | West Coast BBQ Classic Long Beach, CA | 7 / 59 (668.5600) | 2 (174.2972) | 28 (160.5716) | 10 (167.4284) | 16 (166.2628) |
| 2014-05-02 | Best of the Best BBQ Championship & Boat Show Lake Elsinore, CA | 4 / 27 (667.3488) | 8 (167.9656) | 2 (171.4288) | 17 (161.1200) | 4 (166.8344) |
| 2014-03-21 | 3rd Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship Arcadia, CA | 4 / 69 (675.4056) | 18 (168.0000) | 3 (173.1772) | 12 (165.1084) | 7 (169.1200) |
| 2014-02-21 | The Guinea Pig (Competitor's Series) Indio, CA | 17 / 48 (646.7316) | 31 (159.9888) | 19 (159.9428) | 28 (158.8000) | 7 (168.0000) |
| 2013-10-31 | Riverside Resort Casino USA Barbecue Championship Laughlin, NV | 36 / 85 (661.0856) | 40 (165.7028) | 59 (158.2400) | 61 (158.2628) | 1 (178.8800) |
| 2013-10-18 | Cowboy Up at the PRCA Rodeo & BBQ Lancaster, CA | 21 / 41 (651.9196) | 24 (161.7028) | 20 (162.8228) | 27 (161.6912) | 9 (165.7028) |
| 2013-10-04 | Dana Point State BBQ Championship Dana Point, CA | 14 / 99 (668.4000) | 58 (161.6572) | 9 (170.8228) | 31 (163.9544) | 6 (171.9656) |
| 2013-09-27 | Avi Resort & Casino Music Brews & BBQ Championship Laughlin, NV | 11 / 31 (665.6344) | 22 (157.6800) | 6 (168.5372) | 15 (166.2628) | 2 (173.1544) |
| 2013-08-23 | 4th Annual Golden Acorn Casino BBQ Championship Campo, CA | 19 / 26 (634.6972) | 25 (153.1200) | 14 (158.2516) | 23 (154.2056) | 4 (169.1200) |
| 2013-08-02 | 5th Annual Vista Smokin' Q Classic Vista, CA | 13 / 46 (660.5028) | 32 (160.5600) | 5 (170.8228) | 6 (169.1428) | 24 (159.9772) |
| 2013-07-26 | The Great American Cookoff Woodlake, CA | 23 / 53 (637.0288) | 34 (156.5372) | 37 (151.9544) | 14 (165.7372) | 19 (162.8000) |
| 2013-06-21 | 2nd Annual Pechanga BBQ Championship Temecula, CA | 22 / 70 (649.7146) | 22 (165.1430) | 14 (166.2858) | 41 (157.1428) | 31 (161.1430) |
| 2013-05-24 | Memorial Day Salute to Service Mesa, AZ | 16 / 29 (650.2854) | 12 (166.8570) | 26 (150.8572) | 13 (166.2856) | 7 (166.2856) |
| 2013-05-10 | West Coast BBQ Classic Long Beach, CA | 2 / 54 (674.2856) | 17 (164.5714) | 5 (170.8572) | 33 (159.4284) | 1 (179.4286) |
| 2013-04-05 | The Ultimate BBQ Showdown East vs. West IV Wildomar, CA | 21 / 48 (635.4286) | 13 (165.1428) | 12 (164.5718) | 42 (146.8570) | 18 (158.8570) |
| 2013-03-15 | 2nd Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship Arcadia, CA | 14 / 57 (642.2852) | 12 (163.9998) | 7 (165.1428) | 40 (154.2856) | 26 (158.8570) |
| 2013-01-25 | 5th Annual Lake Havasu Music Brews & BBQ Championship Lake Havasu City, AZ | 59 / 86 (627.9996) | 39 (162.2856) | 60 (156.0002) | 83 (143.4284) | 23 (166.2854) |
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #1846 (80 pts) | #2012 (60 pts) | #1996 (60 pts) | #1569 (125 pts) | #1035 (285 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #498 (758 pts) | #829 (473 pts) | #509 (778 pts) | #589 (683 pts) | #670 (593 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #1347 (205 pts) | #1183 (280 pts) | #1416 (210 pts) | #1872 (120 pts) | #1406 (210 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #194 (1543 pts) | #159 (1578 pts) | #285 (1193 pts) | #261 (1208 pts) | #191 (1533 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #117 (1925 pts) | #109 (1791 pts) | #141 (1676 pts) | #221 (1333 pts) | #47 (2227 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #236 (1245 pts) | #304 (968 pts) | #160 (1447 pts) | #300 (986 pts) | #107 (1855 pts) |