WHEN PIGS FLY

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

Power ranking

#1752

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1549

peak 1549 · rated over 43 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s

Contests

in the data

First seen

2012-12-31

latest 2021-10-22

Best ToY finish

#365

Master 2013

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

9 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 47 contests

Avg finish

top 52%

overall standings

Best overall

674.2512 / 720

Master · West Coast BBQ Classic

Perfect 180s

Current form

651.68 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 649.57 (+2.11)

Walk rate

45%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

178.8800

Pork Ribs · Riverside Resort Casino USA Barbecue Championship

Consistency

±15.03

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 164.94 · weakest Brisket (159.88)

Road miles

36,601

mi across 47 mapped stops · furthest 1785 mi

Schedule strength

30%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1541)

Purse competed for

$35K

listed at 7 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 7 state-championship entries

Master avg

649.57 / 720

36 Master contests · 0 GCs

Backyard avg

361.99 / 360

7 Backyard contests · 0 GCs

Master and Backyard overall scores sit on different scales (Master is 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.

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (13 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.

On the rise

+37 rating points in a year

Their power rating has climbed 37 points across 5 contests since 2020-11-20 — from 1512 up to 1549.

5 contests since 2020-11-20
now 1549

Happy hunting ground

Top 18% average finish here

Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque is their spot: an average finish in the top 18% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 19th
average top 18%

High-water mark

674.2512 career-best overall

93.6% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 674.2512 at West Coast BBQ Classic — 93.6% of a perfect 720.

Master
2014-05-09

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

PATIO PITMASTERS has finished one call ahead of WHEN PIGS FLY 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2021 their best year

2021 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 26%.

4 contests
3 overall top-10s
1 category wins
average top 26%

A tough matchup

21–1 behind in the head-to-head

Burnin and Lootin ahead in 95% of their meetings

Burnin and Lootin has come out ahead in 21 of their 22 shared contests.

The weak link

−5.1 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.07 points below their pork, and turns into a call 11% of the time against 18%.

Brisket avg 159.88
Pork avg 164.94
4 calls in 36 entries

A strong matchup

12–4 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 75% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of TWISTED BRISKET BBQ in 12 of their 16 shared contests.

Pork nemesis

14 of 20 shared pork entries lost

LEFT COAST Q ahead 70% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, LEFT COAST Q has out-cooked them in 14 of 20 shared pork entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

ROYAL SMOKIN' HOT has landed one call behind them 2 times.

Boom or bust

±8.01% swing around their own average

Their overall swings ±8.01% of a perfect score around its own average — when it lands they're dangerous, and when it doesn't the weekend is gone by lunch.

averages 91.9% of a perfect score
best 141.6%

A September team

Top 42% average finish in September

Something about September: average finish in the top 42% across 7 contests, versus top 52% the rest of the year.

7 September contests
top 52% the rest of the year

The long haul

36,601 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 36,601 miles across 47 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,785 miles to Smokin' On The River.

47 mapped stops
furthest 1,785 mi

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.

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

3 GUYS WITH WOOD

#1750 of the rated field

1550 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1579

2–2 in 4 shared contests (50% to WHEN PIGS FLY)

These two have cooked 4 of the same contests — honours even — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 22 contests
last seen 2023-09-27

⚔ Head-to-head

SWEET ASH BBQ

#1755 of the rated field

1549 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 8%
Peak: 1552

1–3 in 4 shared contests (25% to WHEN PIGS FLY)

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 13 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 13 contests
last seen 2021-09-24

⚔ Head-to-head

FREE RANGE BBQ

#1758 of the rated field

1549 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 16%
Peak: 1579

No shared contest yet.

Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 3 years before WHEN PIGS FLY's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 24 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

PIG ON FIRE

#1745 of the rated field

1550 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 100
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1581

No shared contest yet.

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 100 contests to 47.

rated over 99 contests
last seen 2026-07-17

⚔ Head-to-head

NORTH POLE BBQ TEAM

#1754 of the rated field

1549 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 20%
Peak: 1553

No shared contest yet.

15 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 20% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 15 contests
last seen 2019-10-04

⚔ Head-to-head

Thin Blue Smoke MS

#1746 of the rated field

1550 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 14%
Peak: 1550

No shared contest yet.

They turned up 13 years after WHEN PIGS FLY did, first appearing in 2025.

rated over 13 contests
last seen 2026-04-24

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Burnin and Lootin	22	1	21	5%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN MO'S BBQ	21	3	18	14%	⚔ compare
RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ	20	3	17	15%	⚔ compare
SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ	20	2	18	10%	⚔ compare
LADY OF Q	20	1	19	5%	⚔ compare
LEFT COAST Q	20	1	19	5%	⚔ compare
THE PIT CREW BBQ OF AZ	19	3	16	16%	⚔ compare
TWISTED BRISKET BBQ	16	12	4	75%	⚔ compare
COOL GRILLING	16	11	5	69%	⚔ compare
VICIOUS SMOKE	16	4	12	25%	⚔ compare
Rooftop BBQ	16	3	13	19%	⚔ compare
PORKETEERS	16	3	13	19%	⚔ compare
KNOCK UR SOX OFF BBQ	16	2	14	13%	⚔ compare
ZZYZX BAR.B.Q	16	2	14	13%	⚔ compare
BIG POPPA SMOKERS	15	2	13	13%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	44	10	1	3	176.5600	145.7140	163.89	top 54%
Pork Ribs	44	5	1	2	178.8800	147.9544	162.80	top 53%
Pork	38	7	2	3	178.8572	147.3484	164.94	top 44%
Brisket	36	4	0	1	175.4172	147.3716	159.88	top 55%

“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	Avg finish
CA	25	top 54%
AL	10	top 57%
KS	4	top 30%
NV	2	top 59%
TN	1	top 20%
MO	1	top 57%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	15	0	top 51%
Large (40+)	28	0	top 53%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Mission Q (Backyard Only)	2	15	top 73%	2020-11-20
Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque	2	19	top 18%	2018-09-21
Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship	2	43	top 42%	2016-09-23
West Coast BBQ Classic	2	4	top 24%	2015-05-08

The story so far (18 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 8.8 yrs 2012-12-31 → 2021-10-22

Busiest season 2013 13 contests

Contests a season 4.7 across 10 seasons in the data

Cooks most in CA 25 of 47 contests · 7 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 39 4 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 44 entries · 1 win · 10 calls

Strongest meat Pork averages 164.94 · weakest Brisket (159.88)

Walk rate 45% a top-10 call in 21 of 47 contests

Overall top-10 rate 11% 5 of 47 contests

Best top-10 run 3 straight contests

Master average 649.57 out of 720 · 36 contests · 0 GCs

Backyard average 361.99 out of 360 · 7 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 1,087 1,225–1,187 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 36,601 47 mapped stops · furthest 1,785 mi

Schedule strength 1541 average field rating faced — tougher than 30% of rated contests

Purse competed for $34,700 listed at 7 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 7 state-championship entries

Power rating 1549 peak 1549 · #1752 of 6,413 rated

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

2012
Dec 31 First tracked contest Wild Wild West III BBQ Championship
Dec 31 First call Wild Wild West III BBQ Championship
2013
Apr 5 First overall past 90% of a perfect score656.5714 Kennett Jaycee's Show Me State BBQ Cookoff
Oct 4 10th tracked contest Dana Point State BBQ Championship
Oct 31 First category win (Pork Ribs) Riverside Resort Casino USA Barbecue Championship
Oct 31 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)178.8800 Riverside Resort Casino USA Barbecue Championship
2014
May 9 First overall top-10 West Coast BBQ Classic
May 9 Career-best overall score674.2512 West Coast BBQ Classic
Oct 30 25th tracked contest USA Barbecue Championship
2021
Oct 22 Peak power rating (1549) Railyard BBQ Fest (BACKYARD ONLY)
Oct 22 Most recent contest Railyard BBQ Fest (BACKYARD ONLY)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.6	West Coast BBQ Classic	2014-05-09
+13.6	RiverFest	2019-09-13
+11.5	Smoke on the Water Festival(BACKYARD ONLY)	2021-04-23
+11.5	Great Americana BBQ Festival	2021-08-27
+11	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque	2017-09-22

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-14.5	20th Annual Decatur Jaycee's Riverfest	2014-09-19
-13.4	Cullman Oktoberfest BBQ Challenge	2013-10-11
-11.4	The Golden State Battle	2019-01-25
-8.5	8th Annual Vista BBQ Classic	2016-07-29
-6.7	Mission Q (Backyard Only)	2019-11-22

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	4	3	1	100%	top 26%	141.6%	106.4%
2020	1	0	0	0%	top 71%	91.6%	91.6%
2019	3	1	0	67%	top 61%	94.9%	91.6%
2018	2	0	0	50%	top 19%	93.1%	93.1%
2017	2	0	0	50%	top 46%	93.1%	90.7%
2016	4	0	0	25%	top 56%	92.6%	90.6%
2015	6	0	0	50%	top 51%	93.3%	92%
2014	11	1	1	36%	top 56%	93.6%	90.1%
2013	13	0	2	31%	top 56%	92.1%	89.4%
2012	1	0	0	100%	top 72%	88.5%	88.5%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2021-10-22	Railyard BBQ Fest (BACKYARD ONLY) Madison, AL	11 / 30 (334.8116)	5 (173.1200)	15 (161.6916)	—	—
2021-08-27	Great Americana BBQ Festival 🏅 Franklin, TN	5 / 25 (509.6456)	1 (176.5600)	9 (169.1200)	16 (163.9656)	—
2021-06-11	Reelin N Smokin Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) Huntsville, AL	8 / 31 (342.2284)	3 (175.4056)	16 (166.8228)	—	—
2021-04-23	Smoke on the Water Festival(BACKYARD ONLY) Florence, AL	6 / 29 (345.1316)	4 (174.2856)	11 (170.8460)	—	—
2020-11-20	Mission Q (Backyard Only) Tuscumbia, AL	15 / 21 (329.6684)	17 (162.8112)	13 (166.8572)	—	—
2019-11-22	Mission Q (Backyard Only) Tuscumbia, AL	15 / 20 (330.7772)	18 (162.2400)	8 (168.5372)	—	—
2019-09-13	RiverFest 🏅 Decatur, AL	5 / 37 (341.6688)	6 (173.1316)	13 (168.5372)	—	—
2019-01-25	The Golden State Battle 🏅 Santa Ynez, CA	46 / 48 (633.0280)	37 (165.1428)	40 (159.9540)	42 (155.9540)	45 (151.9772)
2018-09-21	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque 🏅 Shawnee, KS	20 / 107 (670.2172)	74 (160.0000)	30 (167.9888)	31 (167.9656)	9 (174.2628)
2018-09-14	*Riverfest BBQ and Music Festival Decatur, AL	—	—	—	—	—
2017-09-22	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque 🏅 Shawnee, KS	19 / 112 (670.2400)	5 (174.8572)	76 (158.2744)	12 (172.5600)	36 (164.5484)
2017-07-28	8th Annual Vista BBQ Classic(JUDGES FULL) Vista, CA	30 / 40 (635.2912)	37 (152.5028)	31 (155.9544)	22 (165.6684)	23 (161.1656)
2016-09-23	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS	51 / 111 (649.6344)	61 (161.6800)	49 (163.9772)	37 (166.8456)	64 (157.1316)
2016-07-29	8th Annual Vista BBQ Classic Vista, CA	35 / 42 (635.3256)	39 (151.4056)	16 (167.4172)	24 (165.0972)	36 (151.4056)
2016-04-01	5th Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship Arciadia, CA	23 / 72 (666.8228)	30 (168.0228)	18 (170.8344)	45 (162.2628)	29 (165.7028)
2016-02-19	The Pig(Guinea Pig) Indio, CA	31 / 48 (657.7028)	42 (158.8456)	8 (173.1428)	27 (166.8228)	36 (158.8916)
2015-11-13	Indio California State BBQ Championship- JUDGES FULL Indio, CA	20 / 34 (666.7540)	19 (167.3828)	22 (166.2512)	25 (162.2400)	12 (170.8800)
2015-09-25	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS	43 / 112 (654.8116)	41 (166.2860)	42 (166.2628)	43 (165.1200)	62 (157.1428)
2015-06-19	Stagecoach Days 1st Annual State BBQ Championship Banning, CA	19 / 29 (671.9428)	28 (165.6800)	22 (161.7028)	13 (169.1428)	2 (175.4172)
2015-05-08	West Coast BBQ Classic Long Beach, CA	24 / 57 (669.7484)	41 (160.0112)	45 (158.8688)	2 (177.1428)	9 (173.7256)
2015-03-20	4th Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship Arcadia, CA	70 / 100 (648.5372)	76 (162.8456)	93 (147.9544)	28 (170.8800)	48 (166.8572)
2015-02-20	The Pig (Guinea Pig) Competitor's Series Rancho Mirage, CA	16 / 49 (663.9428)	16 (168.5600)	18 (167.3828)	8 (168.5828)	32 (159.4172)
2014-10-30	USA Barbecue Championship Laughlin, NV	64 / 79 (648.4456)	57 (164.5600)	60 (159.9656)	12 (174.2628)	71 (149.6572)
2014-10-24	Jack Daniel's World Championship Backyard Contest (BACKYARD) Lynchburg, TN	—	29 (164.0000)	32 (156.5600)	30 (158.8572)	—
2014-09-19	20th Annual Decatur Jaycee's Riverfest Decatur, AL	70 / 75 (617.4968)	55 (160.5140)	70 (151.3828)	74 (147.3484)	53 (158.2516)
2014-07-25	6th Annual Vista Q Classic Vista, CA	42 / 60 (646.6400)	43 (163.3944)	52 (152.4684)	18 (169.6800)	36 (161.0972)
2014-06-13	Smokin' On The River Jeffersonville, IN	—	—	—	—	—
2014-06-06	3rd Annual VC Music Fest & BBQ Valley Center, CA	22 / 32 (646.8228)	2 (172.5600)	27 (156.5484)	12 (165.7144)	28 (152.0000)
2014-05-16	Cotton Pickin' BBQ Cookoff Hartselle, AL	—	—	—	—	—
2014-05-09	West Coast BBQ Classic Long Beach, CA	4 / 59 (674.2512)	9 (169.7028)	2 (176.0000)	35 (161.6684)	14 (166.8800)
2014-03-21	3rd Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship Arcadia, CA	31 / 69 (642.7656)	20 (167.3940)	32 (159.4288)	16 (164.0000)	47 (151.9428)
2014-02-28	Havasu Landing California BBQ Championship Havasu Landing, CA	13 / 28 (663.8624)	21 (161.6684)	13 (163.9428)	8 (170.2628)	6 (167.9884)
2014-02-21	The Guinea Pig (Competitor's Series) Indio, CA	16 / 48 (646.7316)	8 (169.6684)	32 (155.4172)	1 (174.2744)	43 (147.3716)
2013-12-27	4th Annual Wild Wild West BBQ Championship Lake Elsinore, CA	14 / 28 (658.2284)	11 (166.2400)	13 (164.5600)	1 (178.8572)	23 (148.5712)
2013-10-31	Riverside Resort Casino USA Barbecue Championship Laughlin, NV	31 / 85 (663.3712)	81 (148.5256)	1 (178.8800)	17 (169.7028)	26 (166.2628)
2013-10-18	Cowboy Up at the PRCA Rodeo & BBQ Lancaster, CA	23 / 41 (646.8800)	26 (160.5944)	16 (166.3200)	7 (168.5484)	32 (151.4172)
2013-10-11	Cullman Oktoberfest BBQ Challenge Cullman, AL	32 / 32 (627.3484)	22 (165.6912)	31 (150.2744)	29 (153.6800)	27 (157.7028)
2013-10-04	Dana Point State BBQ Championship Dana Point, CA	25 / 99 (662.8344)	29 (167.4744)	41 (163.3944)	32 (163.4172)	18 (168.5484)
2013-09-13	Decatur Jaycees 19th Annual Riverfest Decatur, AL	55 / 80 (641.1084)	26 (167.4056)	48 (158.8572)	70 (155.4288)	47 (159.4168)
2013-08-02	5th Annual Vista Smokin' Q Classic Vista, CA	33 / 46 (627.2800)	41 (149.7028)	29 (158.2400)	33 (155.3600)	14 (163.9772)
2013-06-21	2nd Annual Pechanga BBQ Championship Temecula, CA	24 / 70 (647.4284)	20 (165.7142)	19 (164.5714)	17 (164.5714)	42 (152.5714)
2013-05-10	West Coast BBQ Classic Long Beach, CA	29 / 54 (634.8570)	41 (154.2860)	39 (154.8570)	30 (159.9998)	11 (165.7142)
2013-05-03	The Whistle Stop Festival & Rocket City BBQ Huntsville, AL	43 / 62 (638.8570)	41 (161.7142)	23 (165.7144)	37 (163.4284)	53 (148.0000)
2013-04-27	7th Stagecoach BBQ Fest Indio, CA	14 / 30 (638.8574)	7 (167.4288)	12 (165.1430)	21 (152.5714)	18 (153.7142)
2013-04-05	The Ultimate BBQ Showdown East vs. West IV Wildomar, CA	30 / 48 (622.8570)	29 (155.9998)	27 (152.0000)	13 (161.1430)	27 (153.7142)
2013-04-05	Kennett Jaycee's Show Me State BBQ Cookoff Kennett, MO	25 / 44 (656.5714)	31 (160.5714)	22 (165.7144)	21 (167.9998)	26 (162.2858)
2012-12-31	Wild Wild West III BBQ Championship Lake Elsinore, CA	18 / 25 (637.1428)	25 (145.7140)	11 (164.5716)	9 (166.8572)	15 (160.0000)

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
2019 ↗	Master	#1955 (60 pts)	#2049 (60 pts)	#2026 (60 pts)	#2029 (60 pts)	#2010 (60 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#2212 (60 pts)	#2286 (60 pts)	#2304 (60 pts)	#2170 (75 pts)	#2197 (70 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1418 (190 pts)	#1547 (180 pts)	#1007 (355 pts)	#1536 (185 pts)	#1503 (180 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1030 (293 pts)	#1171 (263 pts)	#1184 (263 pts)	#755 (493 pts)	#639 (583 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#563 (668 pts)	#492 (788 pts)	#550 (708 pts)	#431 (883 pts)	#652 (568 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#365 (834 pts)	#356 (853 pts)	#224 (1240 pts)	#257 (1098 pts)	#321 (949 pts)