CURLY TAILS BBQ

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

Power ranking

#535

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1669

peak 1669 · rated over 24 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-04-05

latest 2015-10-02

Best ToY finish

#74

Master 2013

Grand champs

3 reserve

Category wins

21 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 24 contests

Avg finish

top 23%

overall standings

Best overall

703.4172 / 720

Master · Whole Hawg Happenin' (SBBQA)

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

685.17 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 680.35 (+4.81)

Walk rate

83%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

180.0000 🔥

Pork · Whole Hawg Happenin' (SBBQA)

Consistency

±11.28

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Brisket

avg 172.20 · weakest Pork Ribs (168.55)

Road miles

1,692

mi across 24 mapped stops · furthest 314 mi

Schedule strength

34%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1546)

Master avg

680.35 / 720

24 Master contests · 1 GC

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (17 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

1.7140 points from the title

Came within 1.7140 points of the Grand Championship at Rock'n Ribville (2014-10-10).

Among the elite

#535 of 6,413 rated teams

In the top 8% of every rated team in the data

A power rating of 1669 puts them #535 of 6,413 rated teams — the top 8% of the field.

rating 1669
peak 1669
24 rated contests

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180s

1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in pork.

Pork ×1

Against the odds

34-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 66 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Whole Hawg Happenin' (SBBQA) (2014-09-27) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 34-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, OLD PLANTATION BBQ.

Giant slayer

34 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 34-team field at Whole Hawg Happenin' (SBBQA).

2014-09-27

Happy hunting ground

Top 11% average finish here

The National BBQ Cup (SBBQA) is their spot: an average finish in the top 11% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 3rd
average top 11%

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 Whole Hawg Happenin' (SBBQA) (2014-09-27).

Pork 1st
Brisket 1st

They almost always walk

83% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 20 of 24 contests

A top-10 category call in 83% of their 24 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

703.4172 career-best overall

97.7% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 703.4172 at Whole Hawg Happenin' (SBBQA) — 97.7% of a perfect 720.

Master
2014-09-27

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

PIG WHISPERERS has finished one call ahead of CURLY TAILS BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

14–5 behind in the head-to-head

MOYERS COMPETITION BAR-B-Q TEAM ahead in 74% of their meetings

MOYERS COMPETITION BAR-B-Q TEAM has come out ahead in 14 of their 19 shared contests.

A strong matchup

18–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of CHOO CHOO TRAIN BBQ in 18 of their 18 shared contests.

Brisket nemesis

9 of 14 shared brisket entries lost

Bubba Q ahead 64% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Bubba Q has out-cooked them in 9 of 14 shared brisket entries.

Always the bridesmaid

3 reserve championships

Runner-up for the whole thing 3 times against 1 Grand Championship — close enough to touch it, over and over.

1 Grand Championship
24 contests

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A May team

Top 15% average finish in May

Something about May: average finish in the top 15% across 3 contests, versus top 23% the rest of the year.

3 May contests
top 23% the rest of the year

The metronome

±1.57% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.57% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 94.5% of a perfect score
24 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.

SWINE AND SHINE BBQ

#531 of the rated field

1669 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 108
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 41%
Peak: 1749

5–2 in 7 shared contests (71% to CURLY TAILS BBQ)

These two have cooked 7 of the same contests — CURLY TAILS BBQ ahead 5–2 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 107 contests
last seen 2021-11-19

⚔ Head-to-head

Velvet Smoke

#534 of the rated field

1669 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 28
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 61%
Peak: 1691

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 28 contests to 24, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 27 contests
last seen 2026-05-15

⚔ Head-to-head

BONE TO BARK BBQ

#536 of the rated field

1668 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 38
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 39%
Peak: 1680

No shared contest yet.

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 38 contests, alongside a 39% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 38 contests
last seen 2018-10-26

⚔ Head-to-head

Westside BBQ

#532 of the rated field

1669 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 53
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 77%
Peak: 1675

No shared contest yet.

They turned up 5 years after CURLY TAILS BBQ did, first appearing in 2018.

rated over 52 contests
last seen 2025-10-18
on a 33-contest top-10 run

⚔ Head-to-head

RED SMOKE BAR-B-QUE

#539 of the rated field

1668 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 61
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 57%
Peak: 1737

No shared contest yet.

They've been 1737 at their best, 69 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 57 contests
last seen 2026-08-21

⚔ Head-to-head

Pork Pullers

#538 of the rated field

1668 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 58
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 29%
Peak: 1684

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 57 contests
last seen 2024-10-30

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
MOYERS COMPETITION BAR-B-Q TEAM	19	5	14	26%	⚔ compare
CHOO CHOO TRAIN BBQ	18	18	0	100%	⚔ compare
TENACIOUS Q	18	14	4	78%	⚔ compare
DIGGIN QUE-GA	17	15	2	88%	⚔ compare
GEORGIA BOYS BBQ TEAM	14	10	4	71%	⚔ compare
Bubba Q	14	7	7	50%	⚔ compare
OLD PLANTATION BBQ	14	7	7	50%	⚔ compare
QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N	14	5	9	36%	⚔ compare
TEMPLAR TEMPTATIONS	13	11	2	85%	⚔ compare
UNCULTURED SWINE	13	9	4	69%	⚔ compare
UNCLE BUD'S BBQ	12	12	0	100%	⚔ compare
DEEP SOUTH BBQ	11	9	2	82%	⚔ compare
KUDZU Q	11	8	3	73%	⚔ compare
FOGGY BOTTOM BBQ	11	7	4	64%	⚔ compare
Organizer Portal	10	3	7	30%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	24	6	1	3	177.7144	150.2854	169.14	top 43%
Pork Ribs	24	10	2	5	175.4172	159.4286	168.55	top 37%
Pork	24	16	3	5	180.0000 🔥	156.5710	170.45	top 27%
Brisket	24	15	4	8	179.4400	160.5712	172.20	top 22%

“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	22	1	top 22%
MS	1	0	top 77%
SC	1	0	top 4%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	14	1	top 26%
Large (40+)	10	0	top 20%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Calhoun KOA's	2	19	top 44%	2014-12-05
The National BBQ Cup (SBBQA)	2	3	top 11%	2014-11-21
Smoke-N-Thunder BBQ Classic (SBBQA)	2	4	top 17%	2014-10-18
Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival (GBC Qualifier)	2	3	top 18%	2014-08-22
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2	2	top 18%	2014-05-30

The story so far (18 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 2.5 yrs 2013-04-05 → 2015-10-02

Busiest season 2013 14 contests

Contests a season 8 across 3 seasons in the data

Cooks most in GA 22 of 24 contests · 3 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 19 5 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 24 entries · 1 win · 6 calls

Strongest meat Brisket averages 172.20 · weakest Pork Ribs (168.55)

Walk rate 83% a top-10 call in 20 of 24 contests

Overall top-10 rate 63% 15 of 24 contests

Wins it all 4% 1 Grand Championship · 3 reserve

First title 2014-09-27 Whole Hawg Happenin' (SBBQA)

Best top-10 run 8 straight contests

Master average 680.35 out of 720 · 24 contests · 1 GC

Perfect 180s 1 every judge at the table handing back a nine

Opponents faced 410 784–199 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 1,692 24 mapped stops · furthest 314 mi

Schedule strength 1546 average field rating faced — tougher than 34% of rated contests

Power rating 1669 peak 1669 · #535 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Apr 5 First tracked contest Smokin on the River Chattooga's BBQ Cook-Off (GBC Qualifier)
Apr 5 First call Smokin on the River Chattooga's BBQ Cook-Off (GBC Qualifier)
Apr 5 First overall past 90% of a perfect score664.5714 Smokin on the River Chattooga's BBQ Cook-Off (GBC Qualifier)
Apr 26 First overall top-10 BBQ Boogie & Blues
May 10 First overall podium Roman Roast on the River (GBC Qualifier)
May 17 First category win (Brisket) Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Sep 28 First Reserve Championship Whole Hawg Happenin'
Sep 28 10th tracked contest Whole Hawg Happenin'
2014
Sep 27 First Grand Championship Whole Hawg Happenin' (SBBQA)
Sep 27 First multi-meat day Whole Hawg Happenin' (SBBQA)
Sep 27 First perfect 180 (Pork) Whole Hawg Happenin' (SBBQA)
Sep 27 Biggest field won (34 teams) Whole Hawg Happenin' (SBBQA)
Sep 27 Career-best overall score703.4172 Whole Hawg Happenin' (SBBQA)
Oct 18 10th category win Smoke-N-Thunder BBQ Classic (SBBQA)
2015
Oct 2 Peak power rating (1669) Smoke-N-Thunder BBQ Classic Day 1 (GBC Qualifier)
Oct 2 Most recent contest Smoke-N-Thunder BBQ Classic Day 1 (GBC Qualifier)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.4	SC Festival of Discovery	2013-07-11
+13.7	Roman Roast on the River (GBC Qualifier)	2013-05-10
+13	Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival (GBC Qualifier)	2013-08-23
+12.9	The National BBQ Cup (GBC Qualifier)	2013-11-15
+12.5	Whole Hawg Happenin'	2013-09-28

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-8.3	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	2014-09-05
-4	Covered Bridge 'Que (GBC Qualifier)	2013-06-07
-2	Calhoun KOA's	2014-12-05

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)
2015	1	0	0	0	100%	top 29%	95.1%	95.1%
2014	9	1	4	4	67%	top 28%	97.7%	95.1%
2013	14	0	11	6	93%	top 20%	96.8%	94.1%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2015-10-02	Smoke-N-Thunder BBQ Classic Day 1 (GBC Qualifier) Rome, GA	15 / 52 (685.0512)	27 (170.8344)	17 (170.8228)	20 (168.5484)	8 (174.8456)
2014-12-05	Calhoun KOA's Calhoun, GA	19 / 38 (681.0748)	16 (171.9772)	19 (168.5832)	18 (170.8228)	18 (169.6916)
2014-11-21	The National BBQ Cup (SBBQA) Cumming, GA	15 / 86 (686.7656)	30 (171.9656)	42 (167.4172)	13 (174.2628)	18 (173.1200)
2014-11-14	Smokin' Up The Saddle Club (SBBQA) Chatsworth, GA	14 / 34 (682.7312)	19 (171.9772)	21 (168.5256)	9 (171.9656)	14 (170.2628)
2014-10-18	Smoke-N-Thunder BBQ Classic (SBBQA) Rome, GA	4 / 27 (690.2168)	17 (167.4056)	9 (171.4056)	1 (174.2628)	2 (177.1428)
2014-10-10	Rock'n Ribville Lawrenceville, GA	2 / 20 (686.2172)	1 (176.5600)	6 (166.2744)	5 (170.8112)	4 (172.5716)
2014-09-27	Whole Hawg Happenin' (SBBQA) Marietta, GA	1 / 34 (703.4172)	3 (175.4400)	3 (173.1200)	1 (180.0000)	1 (174.8572)
2014-09-05	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Southaven, MS	23 / 30 (676.4800)	24 (165.0972)	21 (167.4056)	22 (167.3828)	4 (176.5944)
2014-08-22	Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival (GBC Qualifier) Kennesaw, GA	14 / 45 (672.9944)	11 (170.8344)	22 (166.2400)	17 (168.5372)	20 (167.3828)
2014-05-30	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Marietta, GA	2 / 29 (682.1940)	12 (167.9656)	8 (168.5600)	2 (171.9656)	4 (173.7028)
2013-12-06	Calhoun KOA's (GBC Qualifier) Calhoun, GA	25 / 65 (678.1712)	22 (171.9656)	44 (163.9428)	5 (174.2972)	33 (167.9656)
2013-11-15	The National BBQ Cup (GBC Qualifier) Cumming, GA	3 / 79 (697.0972)	3 (177.7144)	44 (166.8228)	7 (173.1200)	1 (179.4400)
2013-10-25	Hillbilly Hog BBQ Throwdown & Fall Leaf Festival (GBC Qualifier) Cleveland, GA	9 / 41 (674.7084)	27 (165.0856)	1 (174.2628)	30 (161.6572)	5 (173.7028)
2013-10-12	Smoke-n-Thunder BBQ Classic Rome, GA	5 / 25 (689.6228)	13 (170.8228)	13 (170.8228)	7 (170.8228)	3 (177.1544)
2013-09-28	Whole Hawg Happenin' Marietta, GA	2 / 30 (687.9084)	19 (169.1200)	2 (175.4172)	3 (174.2628)	11 (169.1084)
2013-09-13	Jug Tavern Festival (GBC Qualifier) Winder, GA	4 / 43 (683.3140)	23 (166.8112)	13 (166.8228)	5 (171.9772)	1 (177.7028)
2013-08-23	Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival (GBC Qualifier) Kennesaw, GA	3 / 54 (686.2172)	15 (169.1200)	1 (175.4172)	9 (169.6800)	5 (172.0000)
2013-08-16	Classic City BBQ Fest & Tailgate Show (GBC Qualifier) Athens, GA	5 / 34 (678.7312)	16 (167.3828)	2 (171.4172)	5 (171.9656)	14 (167.9656)
2013-07-11	SC Festival of Discovery Greenwood, SC	3 / 78 (675.3144)	43 (161.0972)	25 (166.2400)	1 (174.2744)	3 (173.7028)
2013-06-07	Covered Bridge 'Que (GBC Qualifier) Euharlee, GA	24 / 39 (652.5708)	24 (165.1426)	29 (159.4286)	18 (167.4284)	25 (160.5712)
2013-05-17	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Marietta, GA	8 / 28 (654.2850)	26 (150.2854)	9 (165.1428)	9 (164.5712)	1 (174.2856)
2013-05-10	Roman Roast on the River (GBC Qualifier) Rome, GA	3 / 33 (682.2856)	4 (173.1430)	13 (165.1426)	5 (173.1430)	7 (170.8570)
2013-04-26	BBQ Boogie & Blues Calhoun, GA	6 / 25 (676.5708)	7 (171.9998)	13 (164.0000)	4 (168.5712)	2 (171.9998)
2013-04-05	Smokin on the River Chattooga's BBQ Cook-Off (GBC Qualifier) Summerville, GA	15 / 41 (664.5714)	9 (169.7144)	8 (172.0004)	36 (156.5710)	16 (166.2856)

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
2014 ↗	Master	#200 (1507 pts)	#279 (1187 pts)	#323 (1087 pts)	#164 (1542 pts)	#179 (1557 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#74 (2131 pts)	#182 (1356 pts)	#75 (1870 pts)	#57 (1985 pts)	#33 (2275 pts)