MUSTANG SALLY BBQ

MUSTANG SALLY BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 37 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2019. They have won 3 Grand Championships, most recently at the KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-Off (2015), and finished Reserve Grand Champion 4 times. They are ranked #407 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

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At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#407

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1696

peak 1699 · rated over 35 contests2 invitational or side-series contests not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 31, 2013

latest Sep 13, 2019 · 6.3 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#192

Master 2014 · every season

Grand champs

4 reserve · wins it all 8% of the time

Category wins

23 podiums

Overall top-10s

57% of 37 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 27%

overall standings

Best overall

700.5944 / 720

Master · KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-Off

Perfect 180s

Current form

678.91 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 674.26 (+4.65)

Walk rate

81%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

179.4400

Chicken · KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off

Consistency

±15.32

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 170.26 · weakest Brisket (165.93)

Road miles

6,095

across 37 mapped stops · furthest 452 mi

Schedule strength

40%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1552)

Purse competed for

$33K

listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 3 state-championship entries

Master avg

674.26 / 720

37 Master contests · 3 GCs

Storylines (19 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

1.1084 points from the title

Came within 1.1084 points of the Grand Championship at Original SD BBQ Championship (May 31, 2019).

Among the elite

#407 of 6,491 rated teams

In the top 6% of every rated team in the data

A power rating of 1696 puts them #407 of 6,491 rated teams — the top 6% of the field.

rating 1696
peak 1699
35 rated contests

Against the odds

22-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 78 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Great Northern BBQ (Aug 8, 2014) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 22-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, PARROTHEAD SMOKERS.

Giant slayer

38 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 38-team field at Cookin' on Kampeska.

Jul 17, 2015

Happy hunting ground

1× Grand Championship here

Cookin' on Kampeska is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 3 visits.

3 visits
best finish 1st
average top 8%

They almost always walk

81% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 30 of 37 contests

A top-10 category call in 81% of their 37 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

700.5944 career-best overall

97.3% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 700.5944 at KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-Off — 97.3% of a perfect 720.

Master
Sep 18, 2015

Show 12 more storylines

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

QUETOPIA has finished one call ahead of MUSTANG SALLY BBQ 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2015 2 Grand Championships

2015 was the year it came together: 8 contests, 2 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 19%.

8 contests
4 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 19%

A tough matchup

20–6 behind in the head-to-head

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN ahead in 77% of their meetings

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN has come out ahead in 20 of their 26 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.3 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.33 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 41% of the time against 49%.

Brisket avg 165.93
Chicken avg 170.26
15 calls in 37 entries

The drought

20 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-Off on Sep 18, 2015 — 20 contests and 11.1 years ago.

last GC Sep 18, 2015
11.1 years ago

A strong matchup

20–5 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 80% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS in 20 of their 25 shared contests.

The comeback

1.5 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 1.5 years, then back at Minnesota in May (May 11, 2018).

last seen Oct 29, 2016
back May 11, 2018

Always the bridesmaid

4 reserve championships

Runner-up for the whole thing 4 times against 3 Grand Championships — close enough to touch it, over and over.

3 Grand Championships
37 contests

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

SPITFIRE has landed one call behind them 3 times.

A July team

Top 17% average finish in July

Something about July: average finish in the top 17% across 6 contests, versus top 27% the rest of the year.

6 July contests
top 27% the rest of the year

The long haul

6,095 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 6,095 miles across 37 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 452 miles to Great Northern BBQ.

37 mapped stops
furthest 452 mi

The metronome

±2.13% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.13% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 93.6% of a perfect score
37 contests

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
2019 ↗	Master	#577 (571 pts)	#838 (381 pts)	#608 (571 pts)	#896 (341 pts)	#841 (376 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#678 (500 pts)	#712 (500 pts)	#902 (370 pts)	#682 (540 pts)	#987 (305 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#241 (1,375 pts)	#278 (1,205 pts)	#266 (1,280 pts)	#195 (1,455 pts)	#367 (1,045 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#236 (1,361 pts)	#366 (1,006 pts)	#445 (851 pts)	#230 (1,291 pts)	#317 (1,096 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#192 (1,538 pts)	#245 (1,293 pts)	#233 (1,348 pts)	#204 (1,403 pts)	#296 (1,178 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#759 (405 pts)	#954 (335 pts)	#910 (345 pts)	#710 (470 pts)	#794 (400 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to MUSTANG SALLY BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

Up-2 BBQ

#410 of the rated field

1696 power rating

Contests: 67
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 49%
Peak: 1707

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 67 contests to 37.

rated over 64 contests
last seen Sep 19, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Uncle Dubby's Backyard BBQ

#408 of the rated field

1696 power rating

Contests: 79
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 53%
Peak: 1714

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 79 contests, alongside a 53% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 73 contests
last seen Oct 16, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

THE BLUE BLOODS

#409 of the rated field

1696 power rating

Contests: 113
GCs: 8
Top-10s: 58%
Peak: 1757

They've been 1757 at their best, 61 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 111 contests
last seen Sep 21, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

IOWA WILD HOGS BBQ

#413 of the rated field

1695 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 63
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 49%
Peak: 1733

2–4 in 6 shared contests (33% to MUSTANG SALLY BBQ)

These two have cooked 6 of the same contests — IOWA WILD HOGS BBQ ahead 4–2 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 62 contests
last seen Aug 5, 2016

⚔ Head-to-head

PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS

#411 of the rated field

1696 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 39
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 51%
Peak: 1696

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

rated over 37 contests
last seen Sep 19, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ

#406 of the rated field

1697 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 64
GCs: 4
Top-10s: 36%
Peak: 1708

They turned up 8 years after MUSTANG SALLY BBQ did, first appearing in 2021.

rated over 50 contests
last seen Oct 9, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SPITFIRE	32	15	17	47%	⚔ compare
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	26	6	20	23%	⚔ compare
SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS	25	20	5	80%	⚔ compare
Eggspert BBQ	24	15	9	63%	⚔ compare
ROLLIN' SMOKE BBQ SD	21	17	4	81%	⚔ compare
CITY SLICKERS BBQ	20	7	13	35%	⚔ compare
Hogline	19	6	13	32%	⚔ compare
QUETOPIA	18	7	11	39%	⚔ compare
SIN CIRCLE BBQ	17	10	7	59%	⚔ compare
Pigtamer BBQ	16	14	2	88%	⚔ compare
TRUE SMOKE BBQ	16	12	4	75%	⚔ compare
SONS OF BUTCHERS	16	6	10	38%	⚔ compare
PARROTHEAD SMOKERS	15	6	9	40%	⚔ compare
MYASSIS SMOKIN	14	14	0	100%	⚔ compare
BIG J'S SMOKEHOUSE	14	13	1	93%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	37	18	1	7	179.4400	159.9888	170.26	top 32%
Pork Ribs	37	18	2	7	177.1544	126.2866	168.26	top 33%
Pork	37	22	2	7	178.8572	158.2516	169.81	top 29%
Brisket	37	15	1	2	178.2972	154.2400	165.93	top 43%

“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
Medium (20–39)	19	3	top 25%
Large (40+)	18	0	top 29%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
MN	22	2	top 27%
SD	11	1	top 23%
KS	2	0	top 46%
MO	2	0	top 30%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
KTD Smokin Gobbler Cook-Off	4	1	1	top 13%	Sep 13, 2019
Cookin' on Kampeska	3	1	1	top 8%	Jul 15, 2016
SMSU Smokefest	3	12	0	top 46%	Aug 16, 2019
Original SD BBQ Championships	3	3	0	top 32%	Jun 3, 2016
Smokefest	3	4	0	top 27%	Aug 21, 2015
Minnesota in May	2	19	0	top 31%	May 11, 2018
37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	2	100	0	top 46%	Oct 29, 2016
Minnesota in May	2	4	0	top 7%	May 13, 2016
The Madelia Blazin' Barbeque Blast	2	4	0	top 26%	Jul 11, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2016 10 contests

Contests a season 6.2 across 6 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MN 22 of 37 contests · 4 states in all

Contests visited 22 9 of them more than once

First title Aug 8, 2014 Great Northern BBQ

Opponents faced 1,172 finished ahead 1,921 times, behind 824

Longest layoff 1.5 yrs Oct 29, 2016 → May 11, 2018

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

20192 milestones

May 31 Peak power rating (1699) Original SD BBQ Championship
Sep 13 Most recent contest KTD Smokin Gobbler Cook-Off

20181 milestone

Sep 14 Career-best single call (Chicken)179.4400 KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off

20161 milestone

Jul 15 25th tracked contest Cookin' on Kampeska

20153 milestones

Jun 12 First Reserve Championship Bend of the River CookOut
Jul 17 Biggest field won (38 teams) Cookin' on Kampeska
Sep 18 Career-best overall score700.5944 KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-Off

20144 milestones

Jun 6 First category win (Pork) SD BBQ Championships
Jun 6 First overall podium SD BBQ Championships
Aug 8 First Grand Championship Great Northern BBQ
Sep 5 10th tracked contest Ribs, Rods & Rock 'n Roll

20134 milestones

May 31 First tracked contest Original SD BBQ Championships
May 31 First call Original SD BBQ Championships
Jul 12 First overall top-10 The Madelia Blazin' Barbeque Blast
Jul 12 First overall past 90% of a perfect score677.0972 The Madelia Blazin' Barbeque Blast

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.4	Great Northern BBQ	Aug 8, 2014
+14.8	SD BBQ Championships	Jun 6, 2014
+14.3	Minnesota in May	May 16, 2014
+12.9	The Madelia Blazin' Barbeque Blast	Jul 12, 2013
+12.8	Bend of the River CookOut	Jun 12, 2015

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.9	Mankato Cookout Day 2 and ( Back Yard)	Jun 11, 2016
-11.6	SMSU Smokefest	Aug 16, 2019
-10.1	Original SD BBQ Championships	May 31, 2013
-2.5	Ribs, Rods & Rock 'n Roll	Sep 5, 2014

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)
2019	3	0	2	1	67%	top 30%	95.6%	93.8%
2018	5	0	1	2	80%	top 26%	96%	93.9%
2016	10	0	5	1	70%	top 33%	95.8%	93.7%
2015	8	2	4	0	75%	top 19%	97.3%	94.3%
2014	8	1	7	2	100%	top 19%	97.2%	93.9%
2013	3	0	2	0	100%	top 43%	94%	90.3%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 13, 2019	KTD Smokin Gobbler Cook-Off 🏅 Worthington, MN	2 / 26 (684.4912)	4 (174.8456)	1 (176.5716)	5 (171.9656)	14 (161.1084)
Aug 16, 2019	SMSU Smokefest 🏅 Marshall, MN	35 / 46 (653.0516)	26 (168.5484)	26 (166.8688)	34 (161.6456)	39 (155.9888)
May 31, 2019	Original SD BBQ Championship 🏅 Huron, SD	2 / 37 (688.5372)	13 (169.7028)	3 (175.4516)	16 (169.6684)	4 (173.7144)
Sep 14, 2018	KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN	2 / 25 (691.4172)	1 (179.4400)	9 (170.8572)	4 (174.2972)	12 (166.8228)
Aug 17, 2018	SMSU Smokefest Marshall, MN	12 / 40 (677.0512)	16 (169.7028)	10 (169.1200)	2 (175.4056)	25 (162.8228)
Jul 20, 2018	Cookin On Kampeska Watertown, SD	12 / 45 (674.7656)	13 (171.9772)	17 (166.8228)	21 (166.2628)	11 (169.7028)
Jun 1, 2018	The Original SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	12 / 33 (665.6112)	3 (174.2856)	1 (174.8572)	26 (159.3828)	24 (157.0856)
May 11, 2018	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	19 / 70 (671.3488)	50 (162.2400)	7 (173.1316)	6 (176)	48 (159.9772)
Oct 29, 2016	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	200 / 557 (663.3600)	209 (166.8572)	26 (174.8800)	211 (167.3828)	408 (154.2400)
Oct 28, 2016	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (INVITATIONAL) unrated Kansas City, KS	100 / 180 (675.4056)	30 (175.4172)	96 (168)	19 (174.3200)	169 (157.6684)
Sep 16, 2016	KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN	9 / 29 (674.2400)	9 (170.8228)	18 (163.4172)	4 (172.5828)	12 (167.4172)
Aug 19, 2016	SMSU Smokefest Marshall, MN	12 / 37 (671.9428)	8 (172)	2 (176.5600)	24 (160.5828)	18 (162.8000)
Jul 15, 2016	Cookin' on Kampeska Watertown, SD	3 / 41 (689.0740)	6 (175.4056)	5 (173.1428)	6 (171.4056)	13 (169.1200)
Jun 24, 2016	Smoke on the Waterfall Redwoodfalls, MN	9 / 26 (669.1088)	7 (171.4172)	10 (167.9772)	20 (159.4516)	6 (170.2628)
Jun 11, 2016	Mankato Cookout Day 2 and ( Back Yard) Mankato, MN	27 / 32 (651.8972)	24 (167.9656)	26 (162.8572)	30 (158.2516)	20 (162.8228)
Jun 10, 2016	Mankato Cookout Day 1 Mankato, MN	13 / 33 (675.9888)	16 (170.8572)	14 (169.7144)	4 (173.1544)	22 (162.2628)
Jun 3, 2016	Original SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	3 / 44 (689.6800)	3 (174.8572)	23 (167.3828)	1 (178.8572)	10 (168.5828)
May 13, 2016	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	4 / 71 (688.5600)	26 (166.8344)	2 (174.2628)	3 (175.4628)	10 (172)
Oct 3, 2015	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO	194 / 606 (664.5484)	157 (169.1200)	407 (159.4172)	278 (164.5828)	90 (171.4284)
Oct 2, 2015	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO	54 / 187 (682.2744)	36 (174.2972)	42 (173.7372)	12 (176)	172 (158.2400)
Sep 18, 2015	KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN	1 / 26 (700.5944)	6 (174.2628)	4 (173.7372)	3 (174.2972)	2 (178.2972)
Aug 21, 2015	Smokefest Marshall, MN	16 / 42 (666.7884)	24 (167.3828)	27 (163.4172)	8 (172)	21 (163.9884)
Jul 17, 2015	Cookin' on Kampeska Watertown, SD	1 / 38 (686.8344)	10 (169.1200)	6 (172)	4 (172)	4 (173.7144)
Jun 12, 2015	Bend of the River CookOut Mankato, MN	2 / 42 (684.5832)	2 (176.5716)	19 (165.7372)	8 (169.1200)	7 (173.1544)
Jun 5, 2015	Original SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	3 / 41 (681.7600)	9 (169.7372)	14 (167.4172)	6 (169.7028)	4 (174.9028)
May 15, 2015	Minnesota in May St. Paul, MN	21 / 60 (664.5372)	14 (169.1200)	19 (166.8572)	5 (173.1428)	50 (155.4172)
Sep 12, 2014	King Turkey Day Smokin' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN	7 / 36 (678.1944)	10 (169.6800)	8 (167.9772)	3 (177.1544)	21 (163.3828)
Sep 5, 2014	Ribs, Rods & Rock 'n Roll Vermillion, SD	14 / 26 (661.0056)	16 (162.2744)	13 (166.2400)	12 (165.1084)	10 (167.3828)
Aug 15, 2014	Smokefest Marshall, MN	4 / 32 (681.1428)	2 (176.0116)	16 (164.5600)	2 (172.0228)	8 (168.5484)
Aug 8, 2014	Great Northern BBQ Brainerd, MN	1 / 25 (700.0232)	2 (174.8572)	2 (177.1544)	9 (170.8572)	1 (177.1544)
Jul 18, 2014	Cookin' on Kampeska Watertown, SD	4 / 31 (678.2288)	25 (159.9888)	3 (175.4056)	6 (172)	4 (170.8344)
Jul 11, 2014	The Madelia Blazin' Barbeque Blast Madelia, MN	9 / 26 (662.8344)	18 (162.2628)	5 (170.8800)	11 (167.4172)	15 (162.2744)
Jun 6, 2014	SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	3 / 42 (677.6572)	8 (170.2744)	19 (161.1428)	1 (178.8572)	8 (167.3828)
May 16, 2014	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	5 / 58 (670.2172)	3 (174.2972)	4 (170.3088)	35 (161.6456)	27 (163.9656)
Aug 16, 2013	Smokefest Marshall, MN	9 / 31 (659.4056)	20 (161.7028)	5 (168.5600)	16 (159.9656)	7 (169.1772)
Jul 12, 2013	The Madelia Blazin' Barbeque Blast Madelia, MN	4 / 23 (677.0972)	6 (172.5944)	15 (162.8344)	4 (171.4056)	5 (170.2628)
May 31, 2013	Original SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	34 / 41 (614.2864)	20 (162.8572)	41 (126.2866)	7 (169.7142)	32 (155.4284)

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

MUSTANG SALLY 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 (19 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

Among the elite

Against the odds

Giant slayer

Happy hunting ground

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

The drought

A strong matchup

The comeback

Always the bridesmaid

Looking over their shoulder

A July team

The long haul

The metronome

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)