BLUE BUCKET BBQ

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

Power ranking

#770

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1630

peak 1656 · rated over 51 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-04-12

latest 2021-10-15

Best ToY finish

#251

Master 2013

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

13 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 51 contests

Avg finish

top 34%

overall standings

Best overall

693.1084 / 720

Master · 9th Annual WildBlue BBQ

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

670.07 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 661.01 (+9.07)

Walk rate

55%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

180.0000 🔥

Pork Ribs · 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open

Consistency

±45.16

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 168.71 · weakest Brisket (164.89)

Road miles

2,618

mi across 51 mapped stops · furthest 87 mi

Schedule strength

41%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1554)

Purse competed for

$142K

listed at 9 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 14 state-championship entries

Master avg

661.01 / 720

51 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (10 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

1.1888 points from the title

Came within 1.1888 points of the Grand Championship at 9th Annual WildBlue BBQ (2013-07-19).

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 ribs.

Pork Ribs ×1

Happy hunting ground

Top 5% average finish here

Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship is their spot: an average finish in the top 5% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 6th
average top 5%

High-water mark

693.1084 career-best overall

96.3% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 693.1084 at 9th Annual WildBlue BBQ — 96.3% of a perfect 720.

Master
2013-07-19

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

Four Men and A Pig has finished one call ahead of BLUE BUCKET BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

24–3 behind in the head-to-head

HIGH i QUE ahead in 89% of their meetings

HIGH i QUE has come out ahead in 24 of their 27 shared contests.

A strong matchup

21–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 91% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of INDIGO PIG in 21 of their 23 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

22 of 32 shared chicken entries lost

777 BBQ ahead 69% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, 777 BBQ has out-cooked them in 22 of 32 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

THE SMOKING HILLS has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A standing appointment

6 years running at one contest

They've cooked Smoke in the Spring every year from 2013 to 2018 — the contest they never miss.

7 visits in all
best finish 5th

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.

LAZY BACON BBQ

#772 of the rated field

1630 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 39
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 31%
Peak: 1652

1–4 in 5 shared contests (20% to BLUE BUCKET BBQ)

These two have cooked 5 of the same contests — LAZY BACON BBQ ahead 4–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 39 contests
last seen 2025-11-05

⚔ Head-to-head

SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS

#768 of the rated field

1631 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 89
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 21%
Peak: 1697

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to BLUE BUCKET BBQ)

They've been 1697 at their best, 66 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 86 contests
last seen 2026-07-10

⚔ Head-to-head

It's spice that meats you

#769 of the rated field

1631 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 50
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 56%
Peak: 1631

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 50 contests to 51, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 50 contests
last seen 2026-08-29
on a 5-contest top-10 run

⚔ Head-to-head

RIVER ROAD GRILLBILLIES

#771 of the rated field

1630 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 82
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 32%
Peak: 1681

No shared contest yet.

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 82 contests, alongside a 32% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 81 contests
last seen 2023-09-15

⚔ Head-to-head

LG bbq

#767 of the rated field

1631 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 30
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 50%
Peak: 1645

No shared contest yet.

They turned up 6 years after BLUE BUCKET BBQ did, first appearing in 2019.

rated over 29 contests
last seen 2026-04-11

⚔ Head-to-head

Poppin Smoke BBQ

#766 of the rated field

1631 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 22
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 64%
Peak: 1631

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 22 contests
last seen 2026-08-28

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
777 BBQ	32	13	19	41%	⚔ compare
913 BBQ	30	6	24	20%	⚔ compare
BLACK EYE BBQ	28	14	14	50%	⚔ compare
B & C SMOKERS	27	12	15	44%	⚔ compare
HIGH i QUE	27	3	24	11%	⚔ compare
INDIGO PIG	23	21	2	91%	⚔ compare
Four Men and A Pig	22	9	13	41%	⚔ compare
SILVER FOX BBQ	18	18	0	100%	⚔ compare
Lazy Butt BBQ	18	10	8	56%	⚔ compare
Theslabs.com	18	9	9	50%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKING HILLS	18	7	11	39%	⚔ compare
OLD STYLE BBQ	18	6	12	33%	⚔ compare
Boxer Q BBQ	18	6	12	33%	⚔ compare
RIBS N BIBS	16	12	4	75%	⚔ compare
R BUTTS R SMOKIN	16	3	13	19%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	51	19	1	5	177.1772	151.9996	168.71	top 33%
Pork Ribs	51	14	2	3	180.0000 🔥	147.9544	166.46	top 40%
Pork	51	10	1	4	176.0000	154.8228	167.06	top 40%
Brisket	51	10	0	1	173.1200	155.3712	164.89	top 39%

“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
KS	49	0	top 36%
MO	2	0	top 5%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	17	0	top 38%
Large (40+)	34	0	top 33%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Smoke in the Spring	7	5	top 40%	2021-04-09
Sertoma 48 BBQ	4	9	top 34%	2019-04-26
2015 Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest	3	11	top 36%	2015-06-05
Smoke on the Water	2	3	top 35%	2021-10-15
Rossville Tall Corn Festival BBQ Contest	2	9	top 43%	2016-08-05
Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship	2	6	top 5%	2016-06-24
Flint Hills Beef Fest BBQ	2	10	top 44%	2015-08-21
Rossville Tall Corn BBQ Contest	2	3	top 24%	2014-08-01

The story so far (19 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 8.5 yrs 2013-04-12 → 2021-10-15

Busiest season 2015 8 contests

Contests a season 6.4 across 8 seasons in the data

Cooks most in KS 49 of 51 contests · 2 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 35 8 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 51 entries · 1 win · 19 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 168.71 · weakest Brisket (164.89)

Walk rate 55% a top-10 call in 28 of 51 contests

Overall top-10 rate 25% 13 of 51 contests

Best top-10 run 4 straight contests

Master average 661.01 out of 720 · 51 contests · 0 GCs

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

Opponents faced 1,974 3,452–1,262 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 2,618 51 mapped stops · furthest 87 mi

Schedule strength 1554 average field rating faced — tougher than 41% of rated contests

Purse competed for $142,385 listed at 9 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 14 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 1.5 yrs 2019-10-11 → 2021-04-09

Power rating 1630 peak 1656 · #770 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Apr 12 First tracked contest Smoke In The Spring
Apr 12 First overall past 90% of a perfect score660.5714 Smoke In The Spring
Jun 14 First call Sunflower Barbecue
Jul 19 First overall top-10 9th Annual WildBlue BBQ
Jul 19 First overall podium 9th Annual WildBlue BBQ
Jul 19 First Reserve Championship 9th Annual WildBlue BBQ
Jul 19 Career-best overall score693.1084 9th Annual WildBlue BBQ
Aug 2 First category win (Pork) Rossville Tall Corn BBQ Contest
Oct 3 First perfect 180 (Pork Ribs) 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open
2014
Apr 25 10th tracked contest VFW Post 846 6th Annual BBQ Challenge (10 TEAM SPOTS STILL AVAILABLE)
2016
Apr 8 25th tracked contest Smoke in the Spring
Jun 24 Peak power rating (1656) Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship
2021
Sep 16 50th tracked contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST
Oct 15 Most recent contest Smoke on the Water

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16.2	9th Annual WildBlue BBQ	2013-07-19
+14.6	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open	2013-10-03
+12.9	Rossville Tall Corn BBQ Contest	2013-08-02
+12.7	Smoke In The Spring	2014-04-11
+11	Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship	2015-06-26

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.9	VFW Post 846 6th Annual BBQ Challenge (10 TEAM SPOTS STILL AVAILABLE)	2014-04-25
-7.9	Rossville Tall Corn Festival BBQ Contest	2016-08-05
-7	Smoke In the Springs	2019-04-12
-6.9	Smoke in the Spring	2021-04-09
-6.2	Smoke on the Water	2021-10-15

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	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2021	5	0	0	20%	top 47%	93.6%	93.1%
2019	6	1	0	50%	top 45%	94.5%	92.6%
2018	5	0	0	20%	top 40%	93%	92.3%
2017	5	1	1	80%	top 34%	94.4%	92.9%
2016	6	1	0	17%	top 36%	94.8%	92.9%
2015	8	3	0	75%	top 25%	94.8%	93.2%
2014	8	3	0	75%	top 32%	94.8%	91.8%
2013	8	4	3	75%	top 27%	96.3%	92.8%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2021-10-15	Smoke on the Water 🏅 Topeka, KS	15 / 25 (666.1256)	12 (169.6800)	12 (170.2628)	17 (165.6684)	17 (160.5144)
2021-09-16	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	103 / 467 (481.6000)	51 (174.2628)	234 (166.2744)	250 (164.5372)	248 (163.4056)
2021-08-20	Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS	19 / 46 (670.7428)	16 (170.8344)	22 (165.1200)	18 (170.8228)	22 (163.9656)
2021-06-04	Big Blue BBQ Championship 🏅 Marysville, KS	15 / 28 (670.7884)	16 (167.4056)	24 (163.4172)	7 (170.8456)	12 (169.1200)
2021-04-09	Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS	59 / 105 (674.2288)	75 (166.2400)	58 (167.4516)	43 (170.8344)	45 (169.7028)
2019-10-11	Cookin on the Kaw BBQ Contest(JUDGES FULL) 🏅 DeSoto, KS	24 / 51 (672.4568)	28 (167.9772)	29 (167.3828)	15 (169.6912)	21 (167.4056)
2019-09-20	Little Apple Classic Car & BBQ Cook Off 🏅 Manhattan, KS	8 / 24 (680.4572)	5 (173.1316)	9 (169.6800)	9 (170.2628)	8 (167.3828)
2019-06-21	The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS	51 / 183 (655.9772)	32 (168.5716)	94 (159.9772)	94 (161.7256)	52 (165.7028)
2019-05-10	Grasshopper '19 🏅 DeSoto, KS	25 / 53 (674.7428)	14 (174.8572)	4 (177.1544)	43 (161.6456)	41 (161.0856)
2019-04-26	Sertoma 48 BBQ 🏅 Lawrence, KS	19 / 38 (659.2688)	19 (166.2400)	4 (175.4288)	24 (161.0972)	25 (156.5028)
2019-04-12	Smoke In the Springs 🏅 Osage City, KS	68 / 104 (655.8512)	20 (173.1772)	84 (159.3600)	68 (164.5256)	73 (158.7884)
2018-10-06	*Rib's and Bibs Topeka, KS	18 / 37 (667.3600)	27 (162.2628)	23 (163.9772)	11 (171.4400)	18 (169.6800)
2018-09-28	*Smoke On the Trails Gardner, KS	30 / 68 (669.6000)	16 (172.5828)	34 (167.3944)	34 (166.2400)	37 (163.3828)
2018-06-22	The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle Lenexa, KS	15 / 185 (669.6112)	15 (169.1428)	54 (165.1200)	14 (172.5600)	60 (162.7884)
2018-05-04	*Sertoma 48 BBQ Lawrence, KS	17 / 41 (658.2516)	33 (155.3944)	4 (173.7372)	20 (163.9772)	15 (165.1428)
2018-04-06	Smoke in the Spring Osage City, KS	60 / 103 (656.9828)	60 (165.1200)	61 (165.0856)	24 (170.8344)	80 (155.9428)
2017-09-22	*Jammin In JC Blues & BBQ Festival Junction City, KS	12 / 35 (679.9544)	4 (177.1772)	7 (172.5600)	13 (168.5488)	22 (161.6684)
2017-08-18	*Smokin on Oak Bonner Springs, KS	14 / 28 (663.8512)	9 (168.5828)	14 (163.9428)	15 (166.2400)	14 (165.0856)
2017-06-23	Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS	7 / 184 (669.6800)	3 (176.0228)	35 (166.8572)	77 (162.2628)	48 (164.5372)
2017-06-02	McLouth BBQ Blowout 26th Anniversary(JUDGES FULL) McLouth, KS	11 / 32 (665.6344)	1 (177.1772)	25 (158.2632)	21 (158.2284)	6 (171.9656)
2017-04-07	Smoke in the Spring (WFC Quilfyer) Osage City, KS	46 / 100 (663.9200)	60 (165.1200)	38 (168.5600)	54 (165.0856)	41 (165.1544)
2016-08-05	Rossville Tall Corn Festival BBQ Contest Rossville, KS	19 / 29 (658.7884)	17 (167.4056)	19 (160.5600)	15 (168.5256)	17 (162.2972)
2016-07-15	Wolf Creek Wildblue BBQ Burlington, KS	22 / 46 (666.7428)	23 (166.8228)	21 (167.9656)	31 (163.9772)	19 (167.9772)
2016-06-24	Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS	11 / 183 (674.1828)	31 (167.9772)	25 (170.2744)	12 (173.1084)	62 (162.8228)
2016-06-03	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest Mayetta, KS	27 / 55 (659.8512)	19 (168.5256)	21 (165.1200)	47 (161.0856)	20 (165.1200)
2016-05-06	Sertoma 48 BBQ Lawrence, KS	9 / 42 (682.2172)	4 (174.8456)	15 (169.6916)	12 (170.8228)	15 (166.8572)
2016-04-08	Smoke in the Spring Osage City, KS	29 / 109 (670.1712)	26 (170.2512)	33 (166.8572)	34 (168.5256)	40 (164.5372)
2015-10-09	Smoke on the Water Topeka, KS	3 / 33 (675.9200)	11 (166.2744)	9 (164.5600)	5 (171.9656)	3 (173.1200)
2015-10-03	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO	47 / 606 (682.7656)	222 (166.8228)	161 (169.1200)	55 (173.7028)	57 (173.1200)
2015-08-21	Flint Hills Beef Fest BBQ Emporia, KS	17 / 36 (664.4800)	2 (177.1428)	22 (163.9428)	33 (154.8228)	12 (168.5716)
2015-07-31	Rossville Tall Corn Festival BBQ Contest Rossville, KS	9 / 46 (674.7200)	8 (171.9772)	14 (169.1200)	23 (165.0972)	11 (168.5256)
2015-07-17	11th Annual WildBlue BBQ Burlington, KS	21 / 48 (669.6456)	26 (165.1544)	24 (165.7028)	18 (167.9656)	13 (170.8228)
2015-06-26	Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS	6 / 183 (681.6572)	44 (166.2744)	9 (173.1200)	7 (172.5828)	23 (169.6800)
2015-06-05	2015 Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest Mayetta, KS	19 / 64 (661.6228)	6 (173.1544)	46 (157.0972)	2 (176.0000)	41 (155.3712)
2015-04-10	Smoke in the Spring Osage City, KS	42 / 97 (654.6624)	7 (171.9884)	60 (161.0856)	47 (163.3828)	55 (158.2056)
2014-10-10	Smoke on the Water at Lake Shawnee Topeka, KS	4 / 37 (682.8344)	5 (172.5600)	8 (169.7144)	3 (174.2628)	6 (166.2972)
2014-08-22	Flint Hills Beef Fest BBQ Emporia, KS	10 / 25 (655.8744)	21 (155.3828)	3 (170.8344)	12 (164.5372)	9 (165.1200)
2014-08-01	Rossville Tall Corn BBQ Contest Rossville, KS	13 / 37 (652.4112)	27 (160.5484)	13 (162.7884)	12 (168.5372)	15 (160.5372)
2014-07-18	10th Annual WildBlue BBQ Burlington, KS	14 / 41 (663.3600)	6 (170.2628)	30 (157.1544)	15 (169.1200)	9 (166.8228)
2014-06-06	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest Mayetta, KS	11 / 54 (669.5884)	8 (173.1428)	7 (171.9656)	36 (162.2400)	27 (162.2400)
2014-05-09	Sertoma 48 BBQ Lawrence, KS	12 / 54 (665.6000)	5 (173.1200)	18 (166.2972)	35 (159.9428)	21 (166.2400)
2014-04-25	VFW Post 846 6th Annual BBQ Challenge (10 TEAM SPOTS STILL AVAILABLE) Overland Park, KS	54 / 65 (622.6516)	57 (153.0972)	58 (147.9544)	44 (161.0972)	31 (160.5028)
2014-04-11	Smoke In The Spring Osage City, KS	5 / 73 (677.0400)	9 (171.4056)	15 (169.1200)	16 (167.3944)	9 (169.1200)
2013-10-11	Smoke on the Water Topeka, KS	12 / 43 (657.6112)	8 (168.5256)	4 (169.1200)	27 (157.0856)	13 (162.8800)
2013-10-03	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	10 / 535 (682.2172)	91 (169.1200)	1 (180.0000)	115 (167.4172)	119 (165.6800)
2013-08-23	Flinthills Beef Fest BBQ Emporia, KS	6 / 26 (682.2172)	2 (176.5600)	1 (174.2856)	2 (175.4172)	20 (155.9544)
2013-08-02	Rossville Tall Corn BBQ Contest Rossville, KS	3 / 25 (666.2284)	4 (173.1428)	16 (159.3828)	1 (170.8572)	5 (162.8456)
2013-07-19	9th Annual WildBlue BBQ Burlington, KS	2 / 40 (693.1084)	3 (175.4400)	4 (173.7028)	5 (172.5484)	7 (171.4172)
2013-06-14	Sunflower Barbecue Topeka, KS	15 / 34 (657.1420)	29 (151.9996)	18 (163.9998)	6 (171.9998)	4 (169.1428)
2013-06-07	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest Mayetta, KS	41 / 69 (643.4282)	30 (162.8570)	59 (152.5716)	35 (162.8570)	19 (165.1426)
2013-04-12	Smoke In The Spring Osage City, KS	28 / 71 (660.5714)	38 (161.7140)	13 (169.1430)	28 (166.2856)	30 (163.4288)

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
2021 ↗	Master	#442 (413 pts)	#446 (438 pts)	#535 (368 pts)	#409 (463 pts)	#476 (403 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#670 (479 pts)	#590 (584 pts)	#471 (734 pts)	#686 (489 pts)	#720 (464 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#770 (425 pts)	#842 (395 pts)	#776 (460 pts)	#775 (455 pts)	#865 (385 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#656 (585 pts)	#408 (925 pts)	#867 (450 pts)	#907 (420 pts)	#811 (475 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#688 (554 pts)	#689 (584 pts)	#830 (474 pts)	#740 (534 pts)	#766 (499 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#397 (943 pts)	#343 (1063 pts)	#539 (723 pts)	#387 (953 pts)	#440 (858 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#313 (1140 pts)	#315 (1105 pts)	#342 (1060 pts)	#393 (940 pts)	#382 (980 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#251 (1197 pts)	#248 (1137 pts)	#170 (1407 pts)	#228 (1182 pts)	#301 (1012 pts)