SUNDANCER BBQ

SUNDANCER BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 22 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2016. Their best overall finish is 3rd of 26 at the Bliss Brews & Que (2013). They are ranked #727 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#727

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1637

peak 1637 · rated over 22 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Mar 15, 2013

latest Oct 7, 2016 · 3.6 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#318

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

18 podiums

Overall top-10s

59% of 22 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 28%

overall standings

Best overall

681.6456 / 720

Master · USA Barbecue Championship

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

662.36 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 663.44 (-1.08)

Walk rate

95%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Pork · Colorado Pork & Hops Challenge

Consistency

±13.39

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 167.55 · weakest Brisket (164.14)

Road miles

5,780

across 22 mapped stops · furthest 510 mi

Schedule strength

29%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1539)

State championships

0 🏅

won from 3 state-championship entries

Master avg

663.44 / 720

22 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (13 found in their record)

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

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 pork.

Pork ×1

Happy hunting ground

Top 18% average finish here

Smokin' On The Pecos is their spot: an average finish in the top 18% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 6th
average top 18%

A multi-meat day

1 contest 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 San Luis Valley Beat the Heat Brews, Barbecue & Chili Challenge (Sep 6, 2013).

Chicken 1st
Brisket 1st

They almost always walk

95% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 21 of 22 contests

A top-10 category call in 95% of their 22 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

681.6456 career-best overall

94.7% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 681.6456 at USA Barbecue Championship — 94.7% of a perfect 720.

Master
Oct 30, 2014

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

BIG POPPA SMOKERS has finished one call ahead of SUNDANCER BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

12–3 behind in the head-to-head

SMOKIN TRIGGERS ahead in 80% of their meetings

SMOKIN TRIGGERS has come out ahead in 12 of their 15 shared contests.

Show 6 more storylines

Pork nemesis

12 of 13 shared pork entries lost

4 LEGS UP BBQ ahead 92% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, 4 LEGS UP BBQ has out-cooked them in 12 of 13 shared pork entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

DJS SMOKIN' BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A June team

Top 20% average finish in June

Something about June: average finish in the top 20% across 4 contests, versus top 28% the rest of the year.

4 June contests
top 28% the rest of the year

The long haul

5,780 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 5,780 miles across 22 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 510 miles to USA Barbecue Championship.

22 mapped stops
furthest 510 mi

The metronome

±1.86% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.86% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 92.1% of a perfect score
22 contests

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Bliss Brews & Que every year from 2013 to 2016 — the contest they never miss.

4 visits in all
best finish 3rd

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	#876 (399 pts)	#1028 (339 pts)	#884 (434 pts)	#863 (454 pts)	#919 (384 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#760 (456 pts)	#850 (426 pts)	#687 (556 pts)	#553 (706 pts)	#1215 (241 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#344 (1,054 pts)	#223 (1,359 pts)	#544 (719 pts)	#427 (889 pts)	#313 (1,129 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#318 (965 pts)	#281 (1,025 pts)	#371 (830 pts)	#370 (835 pts)	#262 (1,125 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

Bad Bears BBQ

#726 of the rated field

1637 power rating

Contests: 38
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 53%
Peak: 1661

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 38 contests to 22.

rated over 36 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Meat Monarchy

#731 of the rated field

1636 power rating

Contests: 48
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 38%
Peak: 1636

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 46 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 46 contests
last seen Sep 19, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

RICHIE Z's

#732 of the rated field

1636 power rating

Contests: 61
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 28%
Peak: 1638

61 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 28% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 59 contests
last seen Jul 12, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

COOL HAND QUE

#729 of the rated field

1637 power rating

Contests: 81
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 42%
Peak: 1672

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

rated over 77 contests
last seen May 29, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

BEER TIME BBQ

#730 of the rated field

1636 power rating

Contests: 84
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 38%
Peak: 1640

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

rated over 79 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

UNCLE BUB'S BBQ, LLC

#728 of the rated field

1637 power rating

Contests: 95
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 35%
Peak: 1736

They've been 1736 at their best, 100 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 91 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SMOKIN TRIGGERS	15	3	12	20%	⚔ compare
DJS SMOKIN' BBQ	14	13	1	93%	⚔ compare
4 LEGS UP BBQ	13	2	11	15%	⚔ compare
HIGH DESERT HOLY SMOKE BBQ	12	10	2	83%	⚔ compare
THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
SWEET PEPPERS	10	6	4	60%	⚔ compare
Organized Chaos	9	8	1	89%	⚔ compare
Backdraft BBQ	9	5	4	56%	⚔ compare
PIG IN A PIT	8	8	0	100%	⚔ compare
WILD HOGS BBQ	8	5	3	63%	⚔ compare
BLACK BETTY BBQ	7	7	0	100%	⚔ compare
Double Barrel Smokers	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare
ROCK N SMOKE	7	5	2	71%	⚔ compare
2-CAN-Q	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
Duck Dog Bar-B-Que	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	22	11	3	5	177.1428	146.8568	166.28	top 32%
Pork Ribs	22	8	0	2	176.0344	153.1316	165.48	top 40%
Pork	22	12	2	5	180 🔥	157.0972	167.55	top 30%
Brisket	22	11	2	6	175.4056	148.5028	164.14	top 36%

“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)	2	top 22%
Medium (20–39)	12	top 32%
Large (40+)	8	top 24%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
NM	9	top 22%
CO	7	top 37%
TX	4	top 20%
NV	1	top 27%
AZ	1	top 53%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Bliss Brews & Que	4	3	top 20%	Oct 7, 2016
Smokin' On The Pecos	2	6	top 18%	Jun 24, 2016
Pork & Brew BBQ State Championship	2	5	top 25%	Jul 3, 2015
Smokin' On The Pecos	2	6	top 22%	Jun 26, 2015
Telluride Barbeque Festival	2	5	top 39%	Sep 20, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2014 7 contests

Contests a season 5.5 across 4 seasons in the data

Most contests held in NM 9 of 22 contests · 5 states in all

Contests visited 15 5 of them more than once

Opponents faced 403 finished ahead 593 times, behind 193

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

20162 milestones

Oct 7 Peak power rating (1637) Bliss Brews & Que
Oct 7 Most recent contest Bliss Brews & Que

20151 milestone

Sep 11 First perfect 180 (Pork) Colorado Pork & Hops Challenge

20142 milestones

Aug 1 10th tracked contest The SLV Beat the Heat BBQ, Brews and Chili Competition
Oct 30 Career-best overall score681.6456 USA Barbecue Championship

20137 milestones

Mar 15 First tracked contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Mar 15 First call Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Mar 15 First overall top-10 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Jul 5 First overall past 90% of a perfect score669.1428 Rio Rancho NM 10th Annual 2013 Pork & Brew State BBQ Championship
Sep 6 First category win (Chicken) San Luis Valley Beat the Heat Brews, Barbecue & Chili Challenge
Sep 6 First overall podium San Luis Valley Beat the Heat Brews, Barbecue & Chili Challenge
Sep 6 First multi-meat day San Luis Valley Beat the Heat Brews, Barbecue & Chili Challenge

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+12.4	San Luis Valley Beat the Heat Brews, Barbecue & Chili Challenge	Sep 6, 2013
+12.3	Rio Rancho NM 10th Annual 2013 Pork & Brew State BBQ Championship	Jul 5, 2013
+11.9	Smokin' On The Pecos	Jun 27, 2014
+11.8	Bliss Brews & Que	Oct 11, 2013
+11.8	Pork & Brew BBQ State Championship	Jul 4, 2014

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-4.9	SanLuis Valley Beat The Heat Brew BBQ & Chili Challenge	Jul 29, 2016
-1.9	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Mar 21, 2014

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	4	2	0	100%	top 29%	93.5%	92.9%
2015	5	3	2	100%	top 28%	94%	91.5%
2014	7	4	2	86%	top 27%	94.7%	92.7%
2013	6	4	3	100%	top 28%	93.9%	91.5%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Oct 7, 2016	Bliss Brews & Que Ft. Bliss, TX	6 / 32 (671.9544)	16 (158.8344)	11 (166.2628)	3 (172.5944)	3 (174.2628)
Jul 29, 2016	SanLuis Valley Beat The Heat Brew BBQ & Chili Challenge Alamosa, CO	16 / 27 (662.2288)	5 (171.4516)	5 (171.4516)	18 (163.9428)	25 (155.3828)
Jul 2, 2016	13th Annual Pork & Brew BBQ State Championship 🏅 Rio Rancho, NM	4 / 31 (673.0972)	5 (167.4172)	13 (166.8456)	6 (172)	7 (166.8344)
Jun 24, 2016	Smokin' On The Pecos Artesia, NM	11 / 44 (669.1428)	27 (161.7028)	11 (173.1544)	10 (170.2972)	17 (163.9884)
Oct 9, 2015	Bliss, Brews & Que Fort Bliss, TX	13 / 40 (635.3828)	26 (153.1200)	14 (159.9772)	12 (161.1544)	8 (161.1312)
Sep 11, 2015	Colorado Pork & Hops Challenge Grand Junction, CO	9 / 32 (670.7432)	12 (167.3828)	8 (168.5488)	1 (180)	24 (154.8116)
Jul 31, 2015	SLV Beat the Heat - Barbeque, Brews and Chili Alamosa, CO	9 / 29 (676.4912)	12 (169.6684)	6 (172)	9 (170.8572)	12 (163.9656)
Jul 3, 2015	Pork & Brew BBQ State Championship 🏅 Rio Rancho, NM	16 / 44 (643.3372)	12 (162.8572)	27 (157.1200)	9 (169.1200)	23 (154.2400)
Jun 26, 2015	Smokin' On The Pecos Artesia, NM	6 / 48 (669.6456)	5 (171.4056)	3 (176.0344)	1 (173.7028)	38 (148.5028)
Oct 30, 2014	USA Barbecue Championship Laughlin, NV	21 / 79 (681.6456)	42 (167.4056)	20 (171.9772)	27 (168.5600)	16 (173.7028)
Oct 10, 2014	Bliss, Brews & Que Fort Bliss, TX	4 / 26 (661.6796)	12 (155.9884)	7 (164)	5 (168.5828)	1 (173.1084)
Sep 20, 2014	Telluride Barbeque Festival Telluride, CO	5 / 19 (666.3200)	3 (169.7372)	12 (163.4400)	3 (172.0228)	9 (161.1200)
Aug 1, 2014	The SLV Beat the Heat BBQ, Brews and Chili Competition Alamosa, CO	14 / 31 (652.5256)	3 (173.1428)	17 (161.1428)	13 (165.1084)	23 (153.1316)
Jul 4, 2014	Pork & Brew BBQ State Championship 🏅 Rio Rancho, NM	5 / 38 (681.1884)	1 (177.1428)	16 (165.7600)	11 (168)	7 (170.2856)
Jun 27, 2014	Smokin' On The Pecos Artesia, NM	6 / 60 (681.1084)	4 (173.1428)	28 (165.7028)	21 (166.8572)	2 (175.4056)
Mar 21, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Tucson, AZ	16 / 30 (648.5828)	4 (172.6172)	21 (159.4400)	21 (159.3828)	17 (157.1428)
Oct 11, 2013	Bliss Brews & Que Fort Bliss, TX	3 / 26 (661.6452)	4 (169.7028)	14 (161.1084)	8 (162.2856)	3 (168.5484)
Sep 21, 2013	Telluride Barbeque Festival Telluride, CO	13 / 25 (654.7888)	1 (176.5600)	20 (153.1316)	18 (157.0972)	7 (168)
Sep 6, 2013	San Luis Valley Beat the Heat Brews, Barbecue & Chili Challenge Alamosa, CO	3 / 17 (675.9772)	1 (170.8456)	14 (156.5600)	2 (175.4516)	1 (173.1200)
Jul 5, 2013	Rio Rancho NM 10th Annual 2013 Pork & Brew State BBQ Championship Rio Rancho, NM	6 / 42 (669.1428)	19 (159.4284)	3 (174.2858)	16 (161.7142)	3 (173.7144)
Jun 28, 2013	Smokin' On the Pecos Artesia, NM	22 / 70 (645.7140)	62 (146.8568)	8 (168.5714)	16 (166.8572)	16 (163.4286)
Mar 15, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Albuquerque, NM	8 / 20 (643.4284)	12 (161.7142)	8 (164.0002)	9 (160.5712)	11 (157.1428)

SUNDANCER 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

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (13 found in their record)

Perfect scores on the board

Happy hunting ground

A multi-meat day

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

A tough matchup

Pork nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

A June team

The long haul

The metronome

A standing appointment

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)