PUDDLEDUCK BBQ AL
Rating
1692
peak 1697 · rated over 36 contests
Best runs
8
straight top-10s · 2 straight GCs
Contests
48
in the data
First seen
2024-05-17
latest 2026-08-15
Best ToY finish
#3
Backyard 2026
Grand champs
5
3 reserve
Category wins
11
22 podiums
Overall top-10s
23
of 48 contests
Avg finish
top 30%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
5 🔥
Current form
343.38 ▼
last 5 Backyard vs avg 351.77 (-8.39)
Walk rate
81%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
8
best run (overall)
Consistency
±66.93
std dev of Backyard overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork
avg 173.86 · weakest Brisket (165.34)
Road miles
5654
mi across 48 mapped stops · furthest 503 mi
Schedule strength
81%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1581)
Purse competed for
$252K
listed at 39 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
1 🏅
GCs in 15 state-championship entries
Master avg
680.10 / 720
5 Master contests · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
351.77 / 360
30 Backyard contests · 5 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.
Storylines
🎯 The one to beat
ELITE BBQ SMOKERS has finished one call ahead of PUDDLEDUCK BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
👀 Looking over their shoulder
Rollin Smoke BBQ has landed one call behind them 3 times.
⚔️ A tough matchup
Kings BBQ Team has come out ahead in 6 of their 7 shared contests.
⚔️ A strong matchup
They've finished ahead of Say My Name BBQ in 13 of their 18 shared contests.
🏕️ Happy hunting ground
Smokin on the Osage BBQ Contest (Day 2) is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 2 visits.
💔 The heartbreaker
Came within 1.1428 points of the Grand Championship at Sip & Swine BBQ Festival (2026-03-06).
🗡️ Giant slayer
Took the Grand Championship over a 32-team field at Smokin on the Osage BBQ Contest (Day 2).
😤 Pork nemesis
Even in their strongest meat, Big James Kitchen has out-cooked them in 6 of 7 shared pork entries.
📅 A March team
Something about March: average finish in the top 9% across 5 contests, versus top 30% the rest of the year.
🃏 Against the odds
Their Grand Championship at Smoke in the Park (BACKYARD & KIDS QUE) (2025-09-19) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 23-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, NORALA BBQ TEAM.
📈 Riding a hot streak
Currently on a 4-contest overall top-10 run.
Teams like this (closest power rating, AL first)
Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rollin Smoke BBQ | 25 | 14 | 11 | 56% | ⚔ compare |
| LEE LA Q | 21 | 13 | 8 | 62% | ⚔ compare |
| Electro-Que-ted | 20 | 9 | 11 | 45% | ⚔ compare |
| Say My Name BBQ | 18 | 13 | 5 | 72% | ⚔ compare |
| Bentley Que | 18 | 11 | 7 | 61% | ⚔ compare |
| Deviant Smoke | 18 | 11 | 7 | 61% | ⚔ compare |
| NORALA BBQ TEAM | 17 | 7 | 10 | 41% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokey Bees BBQ - MS | 17 | 7 | 10 | 41% | ⚔ compare |
| Wee Daddy's BBQ | 15 | 11 | 4 | 73% | ⚔ compare |
| Southern Swine | 14 | 8 | 6 | 57% | ⚔ compare |
| Pork Life | 13 | 12 | 1 | 92% | ⚔ compare |
| Dogpatch Q | 12 | 9 | 3 | 75% | ⚔ compare |
| Modest Meats | 12 | 9 | 3 | 75% | ⚔ compare |
| Armstrong Smoke & Co. | 11 | 8 | 3 | 73% | ⚔ compare |
| ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | 11 | 5 | 6 | 45% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 40 | 19 | 5 | 8 | 180.0000 🔥 | 163.9428 | 173.37 | top 32% |
| Pork Ribs | 40 | 24 | 4 | 10 | 178.8800 | 155.3484 | 172.55 | top 33% |
| Pork | 14 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 180.0000 🔥 | 169.6684 | 173.86 | top 29% |
| Brisket | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 174.2744 | 152.4800 | 165.34 | top 57% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| AL | 16 | 3 | top 29% |
| TN | 8 | 1 | top 31% |
| IL | 3 | 0 | top 33% |
| GA | 3 | 0 | top 46% |
| MO | 2 | 1 | top 13% |
| IN | 2 | 0 | top 32% |
| OH | 1 | 0 | top 20% |
| VA | 1 | 0 | top 11% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 3 | 1 | top 24% |
| Medium (20–39) | 19 | 4 | top 30% |
| Large (40+) | 14 | 0 | top 31% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smokin on the Osage BBQ Contest (Day 2) | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 13% | 2026-07-18 |
| High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 36% | 2026-05-15 |
| Smoke N for the Kids (Day 2) | 2 | 5 | 0 | top 27% | 2026-08-15 |
| Reelin N Smokin Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2 | 5 | 0 | top 57% | 2026-06-12 |
| Singing River Smoke-O-Rama (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2 | 5 | 0 | top 14% | 2026-03-27 |
| Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship | 2 | 7 | 0 | top 7% | 2026-03-20 |
| Atlanta BBQ Store Classic | 2 | 29 | 0 | top 66% | 2025-11-14 |
| WhistleStop BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2 | 5 | 0 | top 19% | 2025-10-17 |
| Smoke on the Water Guntersville (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2 | 7 | 0 | top 39% | 2025-09-12 |
The story so far
- Busiest season: 2025 (24 contests)
- Cooks mostly in AL (20 of 48 contests)
- Most-entered category: Chicken (40 entries)
- First Grand Championship in the data: Smoke in the Park (BACKYARD & KIDS QUE) (2025-09-19)
- Wins it all in 10% of contests
- Average Master overall score: 680.10 / 720
- Average Backyard overall score: 351.77 / 360
- 5 perfect 180s on the books 🔥
Milestones
- 🚩 2024-05-17 — First tracked contest · The High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)
- 📣 2024-05-17 — First call · The High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)
- 🔥 2025-05-16 — First perfect 180 (Pork) · High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)
- ⭐ 2025-08-15 — Career-best overall score (687.3372) · Madison Ribberfest
- 🏆 2025-09-19 — First Grand Championship · Smoke in the Park (BACKYARD & KIDS QUE)
- 🎖️ 2025-09-19 — 25th tracked contest · Smoke in the Park (BACKYARD & KIDS QUE)
- 📈 2026-05-24 — Peak power rating (1697) · 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: Master Series Invitational and the Backyard Series Invitational (Sunday, May 24, 2026)
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +16 | Smoke in the Park (BACKYARD & KIDS QUE) | 2025-09-19 |
| +15.4 | Bernard Blues & BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2025-09-05 |
| +14.7 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: Master Series Invitational and the Backyard Series Invitational (Sunday, May 24, 2026) | 2026-05-24 |
| +14.6 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship | 2025-03-14 |
| +14.4 | Scottsboro BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2025-10-10 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -22.1 | Reelin N Smokin Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2026-06-12 |
| -14.3 | Atlanta BBQ Store Classic | 2025-11-14 |
| -11.9 | O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 2 | 2025-05-03 |
| -6.1 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational (Saturday, May 24, 2025) | 2025-05-24 |
| -5.5 | High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2025-05-16 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 19 | 3 | 12 | 6 | 84% | top 23% | 186.3% | 99.7% |
| 2025 | 24 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 83% | top 35% | 98.1% | 95.7% |
| 2024 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 60% | top 31% | 95.9% | 95.2% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-15 | Smoke N for the Kids (Day 2) 🏅 Troy, IL | 5 / 32 (342.8000) | 12 (165.0972) | 1 (177.7028) | — | — |
| 2026-08-14 | Smoke N for the Kids (Day 1) 🏅 Troy, IL | 10 / 26 (332.4800) | 12 (165.0972) | 8 (167.3828) | — | — |
| 2026-07-18 | Smokin on the Osage BBQ Contest (Day 2) 🏅 Osceola, MO | 1 / 32 (356.5600) | 1 (180.0000) | 1 (176.5600) | — | — |
| 2026-07-17 | Smokin on the Osage BBQ Contest (Day 1) 🏅 Osceola, MO | 7 / 32 (343.3828) | 6 (171.9772) | 9 (171.4056) | — | — |
| 2026-06-19 | Rhythm & BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Morris, IL | 18 / 41 (341.6800) | 6 (175.4172) | 28 (166.2628) | — | — |
| 2026-06-12 | Reelin N Smokin Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) Huntsville, AL | 31 / 31 (176.5600) | 7 (176.5600) | — | — | — |
| 2026-05-24 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: Master Series Invitational and the Backyard Series Invitational (Sunday, May 24, 2026) Lebanon, TN | 2 / 82 (354.2744) | 13 (175.4172) | 1 (178.8572) | — | — |
| 2026-05-22 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: World Chicken Finals (Friday, May 22, 2026) Lebanon, TN | — | 19 (175.4288) | — | — | — |
| 2026-05-22 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: World Rib Finals (Friday, May 22, 2026) Lebanon, TN | — | — | 37 (173.7144) | — | — |
| 2026-05-15 | High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Winchester, TN | 1 / 29 (357.1544) | 4 (179.4400) | 2 (177.7144) | 2 (177.7028) | — |
| 2026-05-02 | O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 2 Cleveland, AL | 7 / 15 (348.5372) | 5 (176.5600) | 8 (171.9772) | — | — |
| 2026-05-01 | O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 1 Cleveland, AL | 1 / 17 (350.8344) | 1 (180.0000) | 11 (170.8344) | — | — |
| 2026-04-24 | Marietta River City BBQ (OPEN FORMAT) 🏅 Marietta, OH | 3 / 15 (670.7544) | 11 (167.9772) | 11 (168.5372) | 7 (171.4172) | 9 (162.8228) |
| 2026-04-24 | Marietta River City BBQ (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Marietta, OH | — | 1 (176.5600) | — | — | — |
| 2026-03-27 | Singing River Smoke-O-Rama (BACKYARD ONLY) Athens, AL | 7 / 43 (348.5488) | 3 (177.7144) | 17 (170.8344) | — | — |
| 2026-03-20 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Lebanon, TN | — | 15 (176.5600) | — | — | — |
| 2026-03-20 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 7 / 125 (349.1316) | 3 (178.8572) | 20 (170.2744) | 23 (169.6684) | — |
| 2026-03-20 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT RIBS) Lebanon, TN | — | — | 4 (178.8572) | — | — |
| 2026-03-06 | Sip & Swine BBQ Festival 🏅 Lawrenceville, GA | 2 / 44 (353.1316) | 4 (175.4172) | 2 (177.7144) | 4 (177.7028) | — |
| 2025-11-14 | Atlanta BBQ Store Classic 🏅 Cumming, GA | 46 / 56 (671.8284) | 21 (173.1084) | 10 (176.5600) | 41 (169.6800) | 55 (152.4800) |
| 2025-10-17 | WhistleStop BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Huntsville, AL | 5 / 39 (349.6912) | 12 (170.8112) | 1 (178.8800) | — | — |
| 2025-10-10 | Scottsboro BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Scottsboro, AL | 1 / 30 (353.1200) | 1 (178.8572) | 4 (174.2628) | — | — |
| 2025-09-19 | The Great Alabama BBQ Cook-off Qualifier "Don't Burn the Brisket" (ONE MEAT BRISKET) Glencoe, AL | — | — | — | — | 2 (174.2744) |
| 2025-09-19 | Smoke in the Park (BACKYARD & KIDS QUE) Glencoe, AL | 1 / 30 (351.9656) | 6 (175.4056) | 4 (176.5600) | 1 (180.0000) | — |
| 2025-09-12 | Smoke on the Water Guntersville (BACKYARD ONLY) Guntersville, AL | 16 / 28 (339.9428) | 8 (176.5600) | 25 (163.3828) | — | — |
| 2025-09-12 | The Great Alabama BBQ Cook-off Qualifier "Lakeside Pork Fest" (ONE MEAT PORK) Guntersville, AL | — | — | — | 8 (170.8228) | — |
| 2025-09-12 | The Great Alabama BBQ Cook-off Qualifier "Battle of the Bones" (ONE MEAT RIBS) Guntersville, AL | — | — | 9 (171.9656) | — | — |
| 2025-09-05 | Bernard Blues & BBQ Cookoff (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Cullman, AL | — | 7 (174.2628) | — | — | — |
| 2025-09-05 | Bernard Blues & BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY) Cullman, AL | 2 / 29 (351.9772) | 4 (177.7028) | 3 (174.2744) | — | — |
| 2025-08-15 | Madison Ribberfest 🏅 Madison, IN | 15 / 45 (687.3372) | 26 (170.8228) | 33 (166.2400) | 9 (176.5716) | 10 (173.7028) |
| 2025-07-25 | Smoke on the Mountain 🏅 Galax, VA | 4 / 37 (347.4060) | 2 (174.2860) | 4 (173.1200) | — | — |
| 2025-06-20 | Poosa Q 🏅 Montgomery, AL | 16 / 42 (341.6572) | 30 (163.9428) | 3 (177.7144) | — | — |
| 2025-06-13 | Reelin N Smokin Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) Huntsville, AL | 5 / 35 (348.5372) | 1 (180.0000) | 15 (168.5372) | — | — |
| 2025-05-24 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational (Saturday, May 24, 2025) Lebanon, TN | 88 / 106 (671.8168) | 89 (168.5256) | 90 (167.3828) | 39 (173.1200) | 95 (162.7884) |
| 2025-05-23 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational Anything Molasses (Friday, May 23, 2025) Lebanon, TN | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2025-05-23 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational Ribs (Friday, May 23, 2025) Lebanon, TN | — | — | 53 (155.3484) | — | — |
| 2025-05-16 | High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Winchester, TN | 22 / 32 (333.1084) | 27 (165.7028) | 19 (167.4056) | 1 (180.0000) | — |
| 2025-05-03 | O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 2 Oneonta, AL | 21 / 23 (333.6228) | 19 (167.3828) | 21 (166.2400) | 7 (174.2628) | — |
| 2025-04-25 | Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITOR SERIES) Murfreesboro, TN | 16 / 31 (507.8740) | 11 (170.8228) | 7 (174.2628) | — | — |
| 2025-04-11 | Smoke on the Falls BBQ Competition 🏅 Gadsden, AL | 5 / 31 (350.8112) | 7 (175.4056) | 8 (175.4056) | — | — |
| 2025-03-21 | Singing River Smoke-O-Rama (BACKYARD ONLY) Athens, AL | 5 / 43 (348.5372) | 18 (170.8228) | 2 (177.7144) | — | — |
| 2025-03-14 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 9 / 100 (348.5488) | 20 (173.1200) | 6 (175.4288) | 15 (170.2744) | — |
| 2025-03-14 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT RIBS) Lebanon, TN | — | — | 28 (171.9656) | — | — |
| 2024-11-15 | Atlanta BBQ Store Classic 🏅 Cuming, GA | 29 / 58 (683.2912) | 11 (176.5600) | 15 (175.4056) | 23 (171.9656) | 50 (159.3600) |
| 2024-10-18 | WhistleStop BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Huntsville, AL | 13 / 50 (338.7884) | 21 (168.5256) | 13 (170.2628) | — | — |
| 2024-09-13 | Smoke on the Water Guntersville (BACKYARD ONLY) Guntersville, AL | 7 / 33 (344.5372) | 19 (167.9772) | 2 (176.5600) | — | — |
| 2024-08-16 | Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues 🏅 Madison, IN | 15 / 49 (686.2172) | 30 (169.1200) | 9 (174.2972) | 22 (170.8344) | 15 (171.9656) |
| 2024-05-17 | The High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Winchester, TN | 10 / 39 (345.0972) | 17 (170.8228) | 4 (174.2744) | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ↗ | Backyard | #3 (1329 pts) | #3 (1263 pts) | #1 🏆 (1331 pts) | — | — |
| 2026 ↗ | Master | #894 (60 pts) | #315 (541 pts) | #433 (405 pts) | #929 (60 pts) | #917 (60 pts) |
| 2025 ↗ | Backyard | #20 (1189 pts) | #23 (1179 pts) | #18 (1214 pts) | — | — |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #649 (230 pts) | #526 (399 pts) | #483 (475 pts) | #489 (408 pts) | #437 (499 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Backyard | #137 (418 pts) | #192 (268 pts) | #102 (588 pts) | — | — |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #978 (110 pts) | #1242 (60 pts) | #933 (145 pts) | #1170 (75 pts) | #1011 (110 pts) |