WILD BLUE

WILD BLUE is a competition barbecue team with 15 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2021. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 25 at the 5th Annual Hay Capital BBQ Cook Off (2013), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #1260 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings and hold 1 all-time KCBS record.

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At a glance (the record in numbers)

KCBS records held

1 🥇

highest chicken score

Power ranking

#1,260

of 6,477 rated · rankings

Rating

1582

peak 1603 · rated over 15 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Mar 15, 2013

latest Jul 16, 2021 · 8.3 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#196

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

6 podiums

Overall top-10s

53% of 15 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 32%

overall standings

Best overall

682.7656 / 720

Master · Rock'n Freedom

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

637.71 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 659.82 (-22.11)

Walk rate

73%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Chicken · Big Blue BBQ Championship

Consistency

±37.89

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 169.33 · weakest Brisket (156.93)

Road miles

3,086

across 15 mapped stops · furthest 712 mi

Schedule strength

28%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1538)

Purse competed for

$4,800

listed at 1 contest — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 1 state-championship entry

Master avg

659.82 / 720

14 Master contests · 0 GCs

Backyard avg

325.81 / 360

1 Backyard contest · 0 GCs

These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.

This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.

Storylines (13 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

2.2512 points from the title

Came within 2.2512 points of the Grand Championship at 5th Annual Hay Capital BBQ Cook Off (Sep 13, 2013).

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180

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

Chicken ×1

Happy hunting ground

Top 16% average finish here

Rock'n Freedom is their spot: an average finish in the top 16% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 5th
average top 16%

They almost always walk

73% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 11 of 15 contests

A top-10 category call in 73% of their 15 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

682.7656 career-best overall

94.8% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 682.7656 at Rock'n Freedom — 94.8% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jun 20, 2014

Their season

2013 their best year

2013 was the year it came together: 9 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 2 category wins, at an average finish in the top 22%.

9 contests
5 overall top-10s
2 category wins
average top 22%

A tough matchup

5–0 behind in the head-to-head

PELLET ENVY ahead in 100% of their meetings

PELLET ENVY has come out ahead in 5 of their 5 shared contests.

Show 6 more storylines

The weak link

−12.4 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 12.41 points below their pork, and turns into a call 43% of the time against 50%.

Brisket avg 156.93
Pork avg 169.33
6 calls in 14 entries

A strong matchup

6–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 86% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of LIL' FIDDLER'S in 6 of their 7 shared contests.

The comeback

6.8 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 6.8 years, then back at Country Roads BBQ Clash Day 1 (Jul 16, 2021).

last seen Sep 19, 2014
back Jul 16, 2021

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

HOG TIDE BAR-B-QUE has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A May team

Top 20% average finish in May

Something about May: average finish in the top 20% across 4 contests, versus top 32% the rest of the year.

4 May contests
top 32% the rest of the year

The long haul

3,086 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 3,086 miles across 15 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 712 miles to Country Roads BBQ Clash Day 1.

15 mapped stops
furthest 712 mi

Holds 1 KCBS record (on 1 all-time board)

Where this team sits in the all-time KCBS record book. A gold line is a record they hold outright; the rest are boards they are on.

🥇 🍖 Highest chicken score 180 one meat, out of 180 · won the category with it · May 31, 2013 · shared with at least 9 others

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
2014 ↗	Master	#577 (651 pts)	#754 (496 pts)	#623 (616 pts)	#519 (741 pts)	#634 (586 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#196 (1,415 pts)	#192 (1,315 pts)	#273 (1,095 pts)	#193 (1,320 pts)	#203 (1,310 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to WILD BLUE, each with one reason worth a look.

50 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.

SLICKS BAR-B-QUE

#1,261 of the rated field

1582 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1593

Their last contest in the data was back in 2017, 4 years before WILD BLUE's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 15 contests

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TWIN OAK SMOKIN CREW

#1,255 of the rated field

1582 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 28%
Peak: 1583

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 18 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 18 contests
last seen Apr 21, 2017

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Kick Ash BBQ

#1,256 of the rated field

1582 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 67%
Peak: 1585

Careers of much the same size, 12 contests to 15, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Oct 2, 2026
on an 8-contest top-10 run

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RAILYARD BBQ

#1,257 of the rated field

1582 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 50%
Peak: 1586

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 14 contests, alongside a 50% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Jun 5, 2026

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FIRE AND SMOKE SHAK

#1,271 of the rated field

1581 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 67%
Peak: 1581

Level with WILD BLUE on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Nov 16, 2018

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THE LOONEY PIT

#1,267 of the rated field

1581 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 50%
Peak: 1583

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

rated over 12 contests
last seen Jul 27, 2018

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
GETTIN' BASTED	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
LIL' FIDDLER'S	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare
CAVEMAN CUISINE	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKING HILLS	6	5	1	83%	⚔ compare
HOG TIDE BAR-B-QUE	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare
DEAD PIGS TELL NO TALES	5	5	0	100%	⚔ compare
UNCLE BUB'S BBQ, LLC	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare
THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN BAD HABIT	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare
SMOKERS WILD	5	2	3	40%	⚔ compare
R BUTTS R SMOKIN	5	2	3	40%	⚔ compare
SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
SMOKE ON WHEELS	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
DIRT ROAD BBQ	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	15	4	2	2	180 🔥	161.7028	167.19	top 41%
Pork Ribs	15	4	0	1	172.5600	158.2172	165.86	top 40%
Pork	14	7	0	2	176.5600	159.4284	169.33	top 29%
Brisket	14	6	0	1	175.4288	20	156.93	top 37%

“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	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 67%
Medium (20–39)	8	top 30%
Large (40+)	6	top 28%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
MO	6	top 22%
KS	6	top 23%
OK	2	top 69%
WV	1	top 67%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Rock'n Freedom	2	5	0	top 16%	Jun 20, 2014
Big Blue BBQ Championship	2	3	0	top 23%	Jun 6, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2013 9 contests

Contests a season 5 across 3 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MO 6 of 15 contests · 4 states in all

Contests visited 13 2 of them more than once

Opponents faced 791 finished ahead 847 times, behind 222

Longest layoff 6.8 yrs Sep 19, 2014 → Jul 16, 2021

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

20211 milestone

Jul 16 Most recent contest Country Roads BBQ Clash Day 1

20143 milestones

Apr 4 10th tracked contest Smokin On Big Creek - Benefiting Operation BBQ Relief
Jun 20 Career-best overall score682.7656 Rock'n Freedom
Jun 20 Peak power rating (1603) Rock'n Freedom

20138 milestones

Mar 15 First tracked contest Smokin' At The Run Miami, OK
Mar 15 First overall past 90% of a perfect score667.9998 Smokin' At The Run Miami, OK
Apr 5 First call Smokin' On Big Creek
Apr 5 First overall top-10 Smokin' On Big Creek
May 17 First category win (Chicken) Taste of Wheatstock
May 31 First overall podium Big Blue BBQ Championship
May 31 First perfect 180 (Chicken) Big Blue BBQ Championship
Sep 13 First Reserve Championship 5th Annual Hay Capital BBQ Cook Off

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.2	Smokin' On Big Creek	Apr 5, 2013
+13	Big Blue BBQ Championship	May 31, 2013
+12.3	5th Annual Hay Capital BBQ Cook Off	Sep 13, 2013
+10.7	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	May 2, 2014
+10.6	Rock'n Freedom	Jun 20, 2013

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-14.3	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	Sep 19, 2014
-7.3	Country Roads BBQ Clash Day 1	Jul 16, 2021
-0.6	Smokin On Big Creek - Benefiting Operation BBQ Relief	Apr 4, 2014
-0.2	9th Annual WildBlue BBQ	Jul 19, 2013

Scores over time (% of a perfect score — 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	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2021	1	0	0	0%	top 67%	90.5%	90.5%
2014	5	3	0	80%	top 43%	94.8%	88.6%
2013	9	5	2	78%	top 22%	94.8%	93.3%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jul 16, 2021	Country Roads BBQ Clash Day 1 🏅 Morgantown, WV	12 / 18 (325.8060)	12 (162.8916)	11 (162.9144)	—	—
Sep 19, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Midwest City, OK	29 / 29 (527.3256)	27 (162.8000)	16 (167.9656)	2 (176.5600)	29 (20)
Jun 20, 2014	Rock'n Freedom Seymour, MO	5 / 33 (682.7656)	11 (172.5716)	5 (172.5600)	22 (162.7884)	5 (174.8456)
Jun 6, 2014	Big Blue BBQ Championship Marysville, KS	9 / 25 (661.0856)	7 (164)	8 (167.4056)	4 (172.5600)	14 (157.1200)
May 2, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Overland Park, KS	4 / 29 (664.4456)	19 (161.7028)	13 (165.6800)	9 (168.5256)	6 (168.5372)
Apr 4, 2014	Smokin On Big Creek - Benefiting Operation BBQ Relief Pleasant Hill, MO	36 / 75 (652.9372)	30 (166.2400)	52 (158.2172)	25 (167.3828)	36 (161.0972)
Oct 3, 2013	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	57 / 535 (667.8744)	240 (162.2516)	191 (162.8228)	9 (176.5600)	111 (166.2400)
Sep 13, 2013	5th Annual Hay Capital BBQ Cook Off Yates Center, KS	2 / 25 (680.5604)	7 (167.4288)	6 (167.9772)	3 (171.4172)	4 (173.7372)
Jul 19, 2013	9th Annual WildBlue BBQ Burlington, KS	19 / 40 (661.0972)	11 (168.5484)	18 (165.7144)	15 (167.4516)	24 (159.3828)
Jun 20, 2013	Rock'n Freedom Seymour, MO	8 / 50 (680.5710)	12 (169.7142)	20 (166.8570)	6 (173.7142)	15 (170.2856)
May 31, 2013	Big Blue BBQ Championship Marysville, KS	3 / 30 (676.5714)	1 (180)	21 (159.4286)	12 (165.7142)	3 (171.4286)
May 17, 2013	Taste of Wheatstock Abilene, KS	5 / 25 (672.5714)	1 (177.1430)	2 (171.4286)	12 (163.9998)	14 (160)
May 3, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour St. Charles, MO	11 / 30 (659.4284)	15 (163.4284)	13 (161.7144)	21 (159.4284)	4 (174.8572)
Apr 5, 2013	Smokin' On Big Creek Pleasant Hill, MO	5 / 74 (682.2854)	26 (166.8570)	22 (166.8568)	7 (173.1428)	4 (175.4288)
Mar 15, 2013	Smokin' At The Run Miami, OK Miami, OK	21 / 55 (667.9998)	38 (162.2854)	15 (170.2858)	12 (171.4288)	33 (163.9998)

WILD BLUE

At a glance (the record in numbers)

KCBS records held

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

Backyard avg

Storylines (13 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

Perfect scores on the board

Happy hunting ground

They almost always walk

High-water mark

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Looking over their shoulder

A May team

The long haul

Holds 1 KCBS record (on 1 all-time board)

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 — 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)