The heartbreaker
Came within 0.5144 points of the Grand Championship at Salamanca Rock'in Ribfest (2016-08-12).
Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.
Came within 0.5144 points of the Grand Championship at Salamanca Rock'in Ribfest (2016-08-12).
In the top 4% of every rated team in the data
A power rating of 1728 puts them #276 of 6,413 rated teams — the top 4% of the field.
1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in brisket.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 81 times in 100
Their Grand Championship at Almost Heaven BBQ Bash (2018-06-15) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 19-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ.
Took the Grand Championship over a 59-team field at Almost Heaven BBQ Bash.
Crossborder Blues, Brews & Que is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 2 visits.
A call in 44 of 49 contests
A top-10 category call in 90% of their 49 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.
97.1% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 698.8688 at Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival — 97.1% of a perfect 720.
They've taken 1 state championship from 12 entries at contests carrying the title.
SLIPPERY PETE'S BBQ has finished one call ahead of SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
2016 was the year it came together: 7 contests, 1 Grand Championship and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 12%.
CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ ahead in 75% of their meetings
CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ has come out ahead in 9 of their 12 shared contests.
Ahead in 87% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of HIGH ON THE HOG OHIO in 13 of their 15 shared contests.
SLIPPERY PETE'S BBQ has landed one call behind them 4 times.
Something about June: average finish in the top 13% across 14 contests, versus top 27% the rest of the year.
Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 11,250 miles across 49 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 413 miles to Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional).
Their overall lands within ±2.09% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.
They've cooked *Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival every year from 2014 to 2018 — the contest they never miss.
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.
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-headThis is the highest they've ever been rated, 33 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Head-to-head134 contests to 49: their number has had years to settle where SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ's is still finding its level.
⚔ Head-to-headTheir rating is built on 16 Grand Championships in 184 contests, alongside a 68% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Head-to-headBoth teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.
⚔ Head-to-headLevel with SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-head| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SLIPPERY PETE'S BBQ | 27 | 15 | 12 | 56% | ⚔ compare |
| HIGH ON THE HOG OHIO | 15 | 13 | 2 | 87% | ⚔ compare |
| BO B Q BBQ | 15 | 11 | 4 | 73% | ⚔ compare |
| ELEGANTLY VIOLENT BBQ | 13 | 11 | 2 | 85% | ⚔ compare |
| SUCKA BONE BBQ TEAM | 12 | 11 | 1 | 92% | ⚔ compare |
| 270 SMOKERS | 12 | 9 | 3 | 75% | ⚔ compare |
| HISTORIC BBQ | 12 | 8 | 4 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| TIRE SMOKE BBQ | 12 | 8 | 4 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ | 12 | 3 | 9 | 25% | ⚔ compare |
| CONVICTED PIGS BBQ | 11 | 11 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| BRUTUS AND COMPANY | 11 | 8 | 3 | 73% | ⚔ compare |
| Smitty's Real Pit BBQ | 11 | 8 | 3 | 73% | ⚔ compare |
| iBQ'n | 11 | 4 | 7 | 36% | ⚔ compare |
| GREY STREET BBQ | 11 | 4 | 7 | 36% | ⚔ compare |
| CIRCLE L BBQ | 10 | 10 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 49 | 22 | 0 | 6 | 178.8572 | 157.1200 | 168.18 | top 39% |
| Pork Ribs | 49 | 34 | 5 | 12 | 177.1772 | 150.2628 | 168.81 | top 28% |
| Pork | 49 | 26 | 0 | 6 | 175.4400 | 150.8000 | 167.14 | top 38% |
| Brisket | 49 | 34 | 2 | 8 | 180.0000 🔥 | 154.2856 | 169.08 | top 29% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| OH | 18 | 1 | top 21% |
| MI | 9 | 1 | top 33% |
| NY | 6 | 1 | top 18% |
| VA | 5 | 0 | top 56% |
| WV | 3 | 2 | top 6% |
| PA | 3 | 0 | top 28% |
| TN | 2 | 0 | top 39% |
| MD | 2 | 0 | top 35% |
| KY | 1 | 0 | top 15% |
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 3 | 1 | top 28% |
| Medium (20–39) | 32 | 2 | top 30% |
| Large (40+) | 14 | 2 | top 22% |
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival | 5 | 2 | 0 | top 18% | 2018-10-19 |
| Marietta River City BBQ | 3 | 1 | 1 | top 18% | 2019-04-26 |
| Crossborder Blues, Brews & Que | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 6% | 2015-06-19 |
| Rumble on the River Presented by TheBBQSuperStore.com | 2 | 11 | 0 | top 63% | 2020-09-25 |
| PigMania Hilliard State Championship BBQ & Music Festival | 2 | 4 | 0 | top 22% | 2019-08-30 |
| Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitation Barbecue (JUDGES FULL) | 2 | 27 | 0 | top 39% | 2018-10-26 |
| *The Rumble on the River presented by TheBBQSuperStore.com | 2 | 9 | 0 | top 45% | 2018-09-21 |
| PigMania Lebanon State Championship BBQ & Music Festival | 2 | 3 | 0 | top 16% | 2018-08-31 |
| BBQ in The Valley | 2 | 6 | 0 | top 42% | 2018-05-04 |
| Sam's Club National BBQ Tour | 2 | 8 | 0 | top 29% | 2017-06-09 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +15.3 | Crossborder Blues, Brews & Que | 2014-06-13 |
| +13.4 | Almost Heaven BBQ Bash | 2018-06-15 |
| +12.7 | Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival | 2014-10-17 |
| +12.1 | Marietta River City BBQ | 2016-06-10 |
| +11.9 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour | 2013-06-14 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -16 | Rumble on the River Presented by TheBBQSuperStore.com | 2019-09-20 |
| -10.8 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) | 2017-08-25 |
| -8.6 | BBQ in The Valley | 2018-05-04 |
| -8.1 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) | 2013-09-06 |
| -4.7 | *The Rumble on the River presented by TheBBQSuperStore.com | 2017-09-22 |
| Season | Contests | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 43% | 93.5% | 93.5% |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 39% | 93.6% | 93.6% |
| 2019 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 100% | top 30% | 95.9% | 94.1% |
| 2018 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 90% | top 29% | 95.9% | 93.6% |
| 2017 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 80% | top 33% | 96.6% | 93.7% |
| 2016 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 100% | top 12% | 96.6% | 94.5% |
| 2015 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 83% | top 23% | 97.1% | 93.4% |
| 2014 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 100% | top 22% | 95.6% | 92.6% |
| 2013 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 67% | top 39% | 92.2% | 90.5% |
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-09-24 | Rumble on the River Presented by TheBBQSuperStore.com 🏅 Grand Haven, MI | 12 / 28 (673.0400) | 6 (173.1428) | 7 (170.8228) | 17 (166.8228) | 20 (162.2516) |
| 2020-09-25 | Rumble on the River Presented by TheBBQSuperStore.com 🏅 Grand Haven, MI | 11 / 28 (673.6228) | 6 (172.5600) | 8 (170.2744) | 22 (161.6800) | 9 (169.1084) |
| 2019-09-20 | Rumble on the River Presented by TheBBQSuperStore.com 🏅 Grand Haven, MI | 24 / 28 (659.8400) | 28 (159.9544) | 1 (172.5600) | 23 (159.9428) | 19 (167.3828) |
| 2019-08-30 | PigMania Hilliard State Championship BBQ & Music Festival 🏅 Hilliard, OH | 9 / 28 (682.7540) | 5 (174.8456) | 7 (172.0000) | 11 (170.8228) | 18 (165.0856) |
| 2019-07-05 | Ceramic City Jazz, Blues & BBQ Festival 🏅 East Liverpool, OH | 4 / 11 (670.7772) | 3 (170.2628) | 5 (165.7144) | 7 (165.1200) | 3 (169.6800) |
| 2019-06-14 | Smokin On The Buffalo 🏅 Mannington, WV | 1 / 16 (690.8232) | 2 (177.7144) | 4 (169.6916) | 3 (173.7028) | 3 (169.7144) |
| 2019-06-07 | Almost Heaven BBQ Bash 🏅 Roanoke, WV | 3 / 31 (686.1940) | 3 (174.2628) | 11 (165.6800) | 2 (172.5484) | 4 (173.7028) |
| 2019-04-26 | Marietta River City BBQ 🏅 Marietta, OH | 2 / 26 (674.7884) | 3 (170.8112) | 1 (176.5944) | 13 (162.8572) | 10 (164.5256) |
| 2018-10-26 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitation Barbecue (JUDGES FULL) Lynchburg, TN | 50 / 102 (668.5488) | 65 (165.1544) | 62 (167.4172) | 60 (164.5600) | 25 (171.4172) |
| 2018-10-19 | *Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival Nelsonville, OH | 12 / 28 (671.8396) | 16 (166.2284) | 7 (169.1200) | 7 (170.2628) | 17 (166.2284) |
| 2018-09-21 | *The Rumble on the River presented by TheBBQSuperStore.com Grand Haven, MI | 9 / 28 (671.3372) | 28 (158.2172) | 3 (173.1772) | 6 (169.1200) | 5 (170.8228) |
| 2018-09-14 | *Silver Lake Apple BBQ Festival Mears, MI | 6 / 48 (679.9428) | 13 (168.5600) | 15 (165.1200) | 4 (173.1428) | 4 (173.1200) |
| 2018-08-31 | PigMania Lebanon State Championship BBQ & Music Festival 🏅 Lebanon, OH | 11 / 46 (685.6344) | 34 (165.6800) | 8 (173.7144) | 10 (171.9772) | 8 (174.2628) |
| 2018-06-29 | PigMania Hilliard State Championship BBQ & Music Festival 🏅 Hilliard, OH | 4 / 33 (690.2168) | 13 (170.2628) | 6 (173.7256) | 7 (173.1200) | 7 (173.1084) |
| 2018-06-22 | 10th Annual Auburn Hills Barbecue Cook-Off Auburn Hills, MI | 5 / 30 (669.1200) | 13 (165.1200) | 7 (168.0116) | 8 (164.5484) | 4 (171.4400) |
| 2018-06-15 | Almost Heaven BBQ Bash Weston, WV | 1 / 59 (690.8000) | 12 (170.8228) | 2 (175.4400) | 7 (171.4172) | 4 (173.1200) |
| 2018-05-18 | PigMania Lima State Championship BBQ & Music Festival 🏅 Lima, OH | 13 / 32 (673.0860) | 10 (167.9888) | 20 (165.0972) | 10 (169.7256) | 9 (170.2744) |
| 2018-05-04 | BBQ in The Valley Jamestown, NY | 15 / 25 (642.2400) | 16 (160.5600) | 21 (156.5716) | 7 (166.8228) | 18 (158.2856) |
| 2017-10-27 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitation Barbecue (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) Lynchburg, TN | 27 / 95 (687.9200) | 56 (169.1200) | 7 (176.5600) | 71 (163.3828) | 4 (178.8572) |
| 2017-10-20 | *Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival Nelsonville, OH | 2 / 39 (695.3828) | 16 (169.6684) | 1 (177.1772) | 6 (173.1200) | 4 (175.4172) |
| 2017-09-22 | *The Rumble on the River presented by TheBBQSuperStore.com Grand Haven, MI | 14 / 24 (673.6572) | 16 (168.5600) | 13 (167.9772) | 22 (163.4172) | 4 (173.7028) |
| 2017-09-01 | PigMania Lebanon State Championship BBQ & Music Festival( TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL) 🏅 Lebanon, OH | 3 / 40 (693.7144) | 8 (173.1200) | 4 (176.0116) | 11 (170.2628) | 5 (174.3200) |
| 2017-08-25 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Richmond, VA | 26 / 29 (655.3144) | 25 (166.8228) | 15 (166.8688) | 27 (163.3828) | 28 (158.2400) |
| 2017-06-23 | 9th Annual Auburn Hills Barbecue Cook-off Auburn Hills, MI | 1 / 32 (677.6800) | 5 (171.4172) | 13 (162.8228) | 2 (175.4400) | 5 (168.0000) |
| 2017-06-09 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Harrisburg, PA | 8 / 29 (668.5028) | 6 (169.1428) | 1 (176.0000) | 27 (150.8000) | 2 (172.5600) |
| 2017-05-12 | *BBQ Jamboree-Day 1(JUDGES FULL) Fredericksburg, VA | 24 / 54 (655.8628) | 19 (166.8344) | 47 (154.8228) | 23 (166.2284) | 11 (167.9772) |
| 2017-05-12 | *BBQ Jamboree- Day 2(JUDGES FULL) Fredericksburg, VA | 18 / 43 (663.3488) | 8 (172.5600) | 33 (156.5488) | 4 (172.0000) | 25 (162.2400) |
| 2017-05-05 | BBQ In the Valley Jamestown, NY | 6 / 26 (674.7656) | 16 (161.0972) | 7 (168.5484) | 11 (165.1200) | 1 (180.0000) |
| 2016-10-14 | Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival Nelsonville, OH | 9 / 37 (682.2056) | 27 (166.8228) | 5 (172.5944) | 5 (170.8228) | 10 (171.9656) |
| 2016-10-07 | Pig Mania Marion Marion, OH | 4 / 26 (693.6572) | 2 (178.8572) | 2 (176.0116) | 12 (169.1200) | 10 (169.6684) |
| 2016-09-23 | Ointoberfest BBQ Cookoff Clarence, NY | 4 / 54 (660.5600) | 36 (157.1200) | 7 (168.5600) | 5 (169.1428) | 11 (165.7372) |
| 2016-08-12 | Salamanca Rock'in Ribfest Salamanca, NY | 2 / 28 (685.1656) | 5 (170.2856) | 2 (173.7256) | 9 (166.8572) | 2 (174.2972) |
| 2016-06-24 | 8th Annual Auburn Hills Barbecue Cookoff Auburn Hills, MI | 3 / 30 (666.1484) | 15 (161.6456) | 1 (174.8572) | 18 (160.5372) | 5 (169.1084) |
| 2016-06-10 | Marietta River City BBQ Marietta, OH | 1 / 20 (695.3716) | 5 (174.2744) | 3 (174.8456) | 4 (174.2628) | 6 (171.9888) |
| 2016-05-27 | PigMaina Lima Lima, OH | 5 / 29 (680.4572) | 14 (169.1084) | 10 (167.3944) | 2 (175.4172) | 9 (168.5372) |
| 2015-10-16 | Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival Nelsonville, OH | 3 / 36 (698.8688) | 8 (174.3200) | 5 (175.4172) | 9 (174.2744) | 8 (174.8572) |
| 2015-10-02 | Keystone Classic Barbeque Harrisburg, PA | 15 / 57 (659.9660) | 16 (166.2744) | 14 (165.1888) | 19 (165.1200) | 22 (163.3828) |
| 2015-08-21 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Harrisburg, PA | 9 / 30 (656.5028) | 6 (170.2860) | 25 (150.2628) | 2 (169.6684) | 6 (166.2856) |
| 2015-06-19 | Crossborder Blues, Brews & Que Wilson, NY | 5 / 47 (655.4172) | 16 (163.4172) | 4 (166.2972) | 21 (160.5256) | 7 (165.1772) |
| 2015-06-12 | Marietta River City BBQ Marietta, OH | 7 / 17 (675.3944) | 13 (162.2628) | 8 (164.5944) | 7 (170.8228) | 3 (177.7144) |
| 2015-05-29 | PigMania Lima Lima, OH | 6 / 27 (690.3316) | 7 (173.7372) | 7 (171.4744) | 9 (172.0000) | 7 (173.1200) |
| 2014-10-17 | Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival Nelsonville, OH | 3 / 36 (686.8228) | 14 (167.4400) | 4 (174.8456) | 16 (166.8228) | 3 (177.7144) |
| 2014-08-22 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Laurel, MD | 14 / 29 (645.0396) | 2 (169.1428) | 16 (160.0000) | 15 (157.6800) | 18 (158.2168) |
| 2014-06-27 | Hogging Up BBQ Festival Winchester, VA | 11 / 46 (649.6800) | 27 (158.3200) | 7 (165.1200) | 15 (162.2400) | 7 (164.0000) |
| 2014-06-13 | Crossborder Blues, Brews & Que Wilson, NY | 1 / 47 (688.0804) | 7 (169.1544) | 5 (171.4860) | 5 (171.4400) | 1 (176.0000) |
| 2014-05-16 | Buckeye State BBQ Championship West Chester, OH | 10 / 38 (662.2744) | 15 (163.4172) | 2 (173.7144) | 28 (157.1200) | 9 (168.0228) |
| 2013-09-06 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Chesapeake, VA | 24 / 30 (641.0168) | 8 (170.2972) | 16 (161.6684) | 28 (151.9428) | 21 (157.1084) |
| 2013-06-14 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Lexington, KY | 4 / 27 (664.0000) | 5 (169.1428) | 2 (168.5714) | 2 (172.0002) | 17 (154.2856) |
| 2013-05-03 | Naptown barBAYq Contest & Music Festival Annapolis, MD | 12 / 55 (649.7146) | 18 (165.1428) | 13 (161.1430) | 16 (160.5716) | 13 (162.8572) |
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 ↗ | Master | #651 (123 pts) | #599 (168 pts) | #642 (148 pts) | #879 (68 pts) | #649 (138 pts) |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #246 (1155 pts) | #245 (1140 pts) | #231 (1190 pts) | #367 (910 pts) | #351 (930 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #191 (1451 pts) | #387 (916 pts) | #188 (1396 pts) | #169 (1436 pts) | #188 (1441 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #222 (1410 pts) | #330 (1100 pts) | #218 (1380 pts) | #312 (1135 pts) | #163 (1550 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #211 (1488 pts) | #418 (933 pts) | #187 (1483 pts) | #306 (1163 pts) | #326 (1123 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #377 (984 pts) | #486 (794 pts) | #440 (859 pts) | #453 (854 pts) | #398 (939 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #413 (921 pts) | #530 (731 pts) | #411 (946 pts) | #648 (591 pts) | #398 (946 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #871 (342 pts) | #1067 (287 pts) | #835 (387 pts) | #877 (372 pts) | #1218 (227 pts) |