BLACK CAT BBQ

BLACK CAT BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 21 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2016. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 46 at the 14th Annual Maryland State BBQ Bash (2015), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #940 of 6,485 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

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At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#940

of 6,485 rated · rankings

Rating

1612

peak 1612 · rated over 21 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 3, 2013

latest Aug 5, 2016 · 3.3 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#290

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

9 podiums

Overall top-10s

52% of 21 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 32%

overall standings

Best overall

691.3832 / 720

Master · 14th Annual Maryland State BBQ Bash

Perfect 180s

Current form

669.53 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 653.01 (+16.52)

Walk rate

95%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

176.5716

Pork Ribs · Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle

Consistency

±17.39

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 165.73 · weakest Pork (159.78)

Road miles

4,042

across 21 mapped stops · furthest 457 mi

Schedule strength

25%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1535)

Master avg

653.01 / 720

21 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (10 found in their record)

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

Happy hunting ground

Top 11% average finish here

Naptown barBAYq Contest & Music Festival is their spot: an average finish in the top 11% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 6th
average top 11%

They almost always walk

95% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 20 of 21 contests

A top-10 category call in 95% of their 21 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

691.3832 career-best overall

96.0% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 691.3832 at 14th Annual Maryland State BBQ Bash — 96.0% of a perfect 720.

Master
Aug 14, 2015

A tough matchup

14–2 behind in the head-to-head

3 EYZ BBQ ahead in 88% of their meetings

3 EYZ BBQ has come out ahead in 14 of their 16 shared contests.

The weak link

−5.9 points behind their best meat

Pork is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.95 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 29% of the time against 52%.

Pork avg 159.78
Chicken avg 165.73
6 calls in 21 entries

A strong matchup

9–3 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 75% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of BIG BLOCK BBQ in 9 of their 12 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

11 of 16 shared chicken entries lost

3 EYZ BBQ ahead 69% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, 3 EYZ BBQ has out-cooked them in 11 of 16 shared chicken entries.

Show 3 more storylines

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE has landed one call behind them 2 times.

The long haul

4,042 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 4,042 miles across 21 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 457 miles to Sam's Club National BBQ Tour.

21 mapped stops
furthest 457 mi

The metronome

±2.42% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.42% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 90.7% of a perfect score
21 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
2016 ↗	Master	#1263 (228 pts)	#1221 (268 pts)	#897 (428 pts)	#1734 (153 pts)	#1197 (268 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#541 (700 pts)	#544 (715 pts)	#555 (695 pts)	#691 (550 pts)	#563 (660 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#551 (678 pts)	#591 (658 pts)	#554 (703 pts)	#639 (598 pts)	#623 (593 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#290 (1,058 pts)	#222 (1,203 pts)	#198 (1,328 pts)	#317 (938 pts)	#289 (1,038 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to BLACK CAT BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

TWO CRACKERS Q-ING

#934 of the rated field

1612 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 60%
Peak: 1623

Careers of much the same size, 20 contests to 21, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 20 contests
last seen Sep 24, 2021

⚔ Compare careers

THAT'S OUR QUE

#939 of the rated field

1612 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 44%
Peak: 1614

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 27 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 27 contests
last seen Jun 1, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

County Line Que

#938 of the rated field

1612 power rating

Contests: 30
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 37%
Peak: 1620

30 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 37% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 30 contests
last seen Sep 4, 2015

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YAZOO'S DELTA Q

#935 of the rated field

1612 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 50%
Peak: 1612

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

rated over 12 contests
last seen Sep 15, 2018

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PIGGY D'S BBQ

#936 of the rated field

1612 power rating

Contests: 41
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 46%
Peak: 1627

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

rated over 41 contests
last seen Aug 23, 2019

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PAPA'S PIT CREW

#937 of the rated field

1612 power rating

Contests: 53
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 30%
Peak: 1612

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 51 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 51 contests
last seen Aug 14, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
3 EYZ BBQ	16	2	14	13%	⚔ compare
BIG BLOCK BBQ	12	9	3	75%	⚔ compare
APORKALYPSE NOW	11	3	8	27%	⚔ compare
PAVONE BROTHERS BBQ	9	5	4	56%	⚔ compare
CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
LO' -N- SLO' BBQ	9	2	7	22%	⚔ compare
CHIX, SWINE & BOVINE BBQ	9	2	7	22%	⚔ compare
ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ	8	7	1	88%	⚔ compare
4:20 Q	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
PORK BARREL BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
LIFE IS GOOD BUT BBQ IS BETTER	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare
DEGUELLO BBQ	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
BONE TO BARK BBQ	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
LYIN' PIGS	6	6	0	100%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	21	11	1	3	176	155.4286	165.73	top 34%
Pork Ribs	21	13	2	4	176.5716	146.8000	164.72	top 29%
Pork	21	6	0	1	174.2744	137.1426	159.78	top 48%
Brisket	21	10	0	1	169.7028	145.6572	162.78	top 34%

“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)	12	0	top 40%
Large (40+)	9	0	top 22%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
MD	8	top 29%
VA	4	top 39%
PA	3	top 35%
ME	2	top 25%
DE	2	top 29%
DC	1	top 46%
VT	1	top 37%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Beltway BBQ Showdown	2	7	0	top 37%	May 29, 2015
Naptown barBAYq Contest & Music Festival	2	6	0	top 11%	May 2, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2013 9 contests

Contests a season 5.3 across 4 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MD 8 of 21 contests · 7 states in all

Contests visited 19 2 of them more than once

Opponents faced 475 finished ahead 635 times, behind 256

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

20163 milestones

Jun 25 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)176.5716 Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle
Jun 25 Peak power rating (1612) Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle
Aug 5 Most recent contest Pit at the Park

20153 milestones

Aug 14 First overall podium 14th Annual Maryland State BBQ Bash
Aug 14 First Reserve Championship 14th Annual Maryland State BBQ Bash
Aug 14 Career-best overall score691.3832 14th Annual Maryland State BBQ Bash

20141 milestone

Apr 11 10th tracked contest Delaware's Triple Threat BBQ Festival at the Fair

20135 milestones

May 3 First tracked contest Naptown barBAYq Contest & Music Festival
May 3 First call Naptown barBAYq Contest & Music Festival
May 3 First overall top-10 Naptown barBAYq Contest & Music Festival
May 3 First overall past 90% of a perfect score657.7140 Naptown barBAYq Contest & Music Festival
Jul 26 First category win (Pork Ribs) Bluemont BBQ Bash & Blackberry Bonanza

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+12.9	14th Annual Maryland State BBQ Bash	Aug 14, 2015
+12.6	Keystone Classic Barbeque	Oct 4, 2013
+12.4	Naptown barBAYq Contest & Music Festival	May 3, 2013
+12	Naptown barBAYq Contest & Music Festival	May 2, 2014
+10.7	Hogs & Hops Dover	Sep 20, 2013

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-6.5	The Memorial Day Pignic	May 25, 2013
-2.4	The Ironman	Apr 3, 2015
-0.8	Beltway BBQ Showdown	May 31, 2013
-0.3	Pit at the Park	Aug 5, 2016

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)
2016	2	1	1	100%	top 45%	93.2%	92.4%
2015	5	2	1	100%	top 28%	96%	92.1%
2014	5	2	0	80%	top 28%	92.9%	90.4%
2013	9	6	1	100%	top 35%	92.2%	89.7%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Aug 5, 2016	Pit at the Park Macungie, PA	10 / 23 (658.7656)	7 (168.5716)	8 (165.1084)	19 (155.3828)	6 (169.7028)
Jun 25, 2016	Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle Washington, DC	16 / 35 (671.3260)	14 (165.1200)	1 (176.5716)	22 (162.8000)	16 (166.8344)
Aug 14, 2015	14th Annual Maryland State BBQ Bash Bel Air, MD	2 / 46 (691.3832)	12 (171.4172)	3 (176.5716)	5 (174.2744)	8 (169.1200)
Jul 25, 2015	Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ Windsor, VT	13 / 35 (665.7372)	17 (167.9540)	2 (173.7488)	15 (163.4744)	21 (160.5600)
May 29, 2015	Beltway BBQ Showdown Ft. Washington, MD	7 / 39 (660.4456)	1 (176)	23 (150.8000)	10 (164.5372)	6 (169.1084)
May 1, 2015	Naptown barBAYq Contest and Music Festival Annapolis, MD	18 / 64 (655.8400)	9 (171.4056)	31 (160.5372)	33 (159.3600)	20 (164.5372)
Apr 3, 2015	The Ironman Shady Grove, PA	25 / 48 (640.4000)	35 (156.5600)	23 (159.9544)	34 (154.7656)	7 (169.1200)
Aug 29, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Richmond, VA	15 / 30 (656.4572)	7 (173.1316)	18 (164)	22 (159.9428)	17 (159.3828)
Aug 8, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Scarborough, ME	5 / 28 (658.2172)	19 (157.1316)	6 (167.9656)	5 (166.2972)	6 (166.8228)
May 9, 2014	BBQ Jamboree Fredericksburg, VA	14 / 64 (642.1028)	9 (164.5372)	6 (168)	35 (156.5028)	34 (153.0628)
May 2, 2014	Naptown barBAYq Contest & Music Festival Annapolis, MD	6 / 59 (669.2008)	7 (170.3088)	7 (166.8804)	5 (168.5944)	17 (163.4172)
Apr 11, 2014	Delaware's Triple Threat BBQ Festival at the Fair Harrington, DE	43 / 109 (628.4684)	59 (155.9772)	80 (146.8000)	40 (158.8112)	12 (166.8800)
Oct 11, 2013	3rd Annual High Point BBQ Clarksburg, MD	9 / 31 (653.6000)	21 (155.9772)	12 (162.2628)	4 (166.2400)	3 (169.1200)
Oct 4, 2013	Keystone Classic Barbeque Harrisburg, PA	5 / 55 (663.9660)	9 (167.4172)	4 (167.4172)	3 (167.9772)	13 (161.1544)
Sep 20, 2013	Hogs & Hops Dover Dover, DE	8 / 45 (663.3256)	8 (169.1084)	8 (165.1544)	22 (160.5256)	5 (168.5372)
Aug 23, 2013	Blue Ridge BBQ and Music Festival Harrisonburg, VA	10 / 28 (626.1488)	3 (167.4400)	13 (154.2516)	20 (149.6572)	10 (154.8000)
Jul 26, 2013	Bluemont BBQ Bash & Blackberry Bonanza Bluemont, VA	16 / 33 (631.2688)	20 (155.9660)	1 (173.1200)	22 (156.5256)	30 (145.6572)
Jun 21, 2013	Smokin @ the Ballpark BBQ Festival Old Orchard Beach, ME	9 / 28 (663.4284)	2 (176)	13 (164.5716)	16 (161.1426)	12 (161.7142)
May 31, 2013	Beltway BBQ Showdown Ft. Washington, MD	14 / 25 (639.4282)	20 (155.4286)	5 (168.0002)	21 (152.5710)	8 (163.4284)
May 25, 2013	The Memorial Day Pignic Fort Ritchie, MD	27 / 38 (615.9992)	12 (163.9998)	9 (165.1428)	37 (137.1426)	23 (149.7140)
May 3, 2013	Naptown barBAYq Contest & Music Festival Annapolis, MD	7 / 55 (657.7140)	5 (170.8572)	10 (162.2856)	20 (158.8570)	10 (165.7142)

BLACK CAT 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

Master avg

Storylines (10 found in their record)

Happy hunting ground

They almost always walk

High-water mark

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

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 — 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)