WALDO BBQ

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

Power ranking

#1006

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1604

peak 1604 · rated over 33 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-04-05

latest 2017-09-15

Best ToY finish

#425

Master 2013

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

8 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 33 contests

Avg finish

top 42%

overall standings

Best overall

685.6456 / 720

Master · Smokin' On The Summit

Perfect 180s

Current form

677.41 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 657.69 (+19.72)

Walk rate

45%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

178.8572

Chicken · Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out

Consistency

±17.03

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 164.72 · weakest Brisket (164.21)

Road miles

972

mi across 33 mapped stops · furthest 69 mi

Schedule strength

36%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1548)

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 1 state-championship entries

Master avg

657.69 / 720

33 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (9 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

+39 rating points in a year

Their power rating has climbed 39 points across 10 contests since 2016-10-07 — from 1565 up to 1604.

10 contests since 2016-10-07
now 1604

High-water mark

685.6456 career-best overall

95.2% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 685.6456 at Smokin' On The Summit — 95.2% of a perfect 720.

Master
2017-06-02

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

CHASE BROTHERS BBQ has finished one call ahead of WALDO BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

19–3 behind in the head-to-head

Theslabs.com ahead in 86% of their meetings

Theslabs.com has come out ahead in 19 of their 22 shared contests.

A strong matchup

8–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of WOODBROTHERS BBQ in 8 of their 8 shared contests.

Pork nemesis

17 of 20 shared pork entries lost

VALLEY OAKS STEAK COMPANY ahead 85% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, VALLEY OAKS STEAK COMPANY has out-cooked them in 17 of 20 shared pork entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A June team

Top 26% average finish in June

Something about June: average finish in the top 26% across 8 contests, versus top 42% the rest of the year.

8 June contests
top 42% the rest of the year

The metronome

±2.37% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.37% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 91.3% of a perfect score
33 contests

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.

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

BULL RUSH BBQ

#1005 of the rated field

1604 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1611

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to WALDO BBQ)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team WALDO BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 20 contests
last seen 2018-03-23

⚔ Head-to-head

Cousin's Catering and BBQ

#1008 of the rated field

1604 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 30
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 43%
Peak: 1605

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 30 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 30 contests
last seen 2026-08-22

⚔ Head-to-head

SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS

#1007 of the rated field

1604 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 50
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 44%
Peak: 1604

No shared contest yet.

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 50 contests to 33.

rated over 47 contests
last seen 2026-08-28

⚔ Head-to-head

OVERLAND PORK BBQ

#1020 of the rated field

1603 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 43
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 16%
Peak: 1646

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to WALDO BBQ)

43 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 16% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 43 contests
last seen 2022-06-10

⚔ Head-to-head

IN DEEP SAUCE

#1001 of the rated field

1605 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 105
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1694

1–5 in 6 shared contests (17% to WALDO BBQ)

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

rated over 105 contests
last seen 2026-08-14

⚔ Head-to-head

GRINDERS BBQ KANSAS CITY

#1014 of the rated field

1603 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 117
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 15%
Peak: 1638

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

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

rated over 116 contests
last seen 2026-04-10

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Theslabs.com	22	3	19	14%	⚔ compare
VALLEY OAKS STEAK COMPANY	20	3	17	15%	⚔ compare
THUMP & STRUM BBQ	18	6	12	33%	⚔ compare
BURNT FINGER BBQ	18	3	15	17%	⚔ compare
JAESTAR BBQ	17	2	15	12%	⚔ compare
DIRT ROAD BBQ	17	1	16	6%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	16	2	14	13%	⚔ compare
PELLET ENVY	15	2	13	13%	⚔ compare
ALL FORKED UP FOR Q	14	9	5	64%	⚔ compare
Sons of a Brisket	14	7	7	50%	⚔ compare
HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' RUB	14	3	11	21%	⚔ compare
SMOOTH SMOKE	13	4	9	31%	⚔ compare
NICKLE BOYS BBQ	13	2	11	15%	⚔ compare
50 SHADES OF QUE	12	3	9	25%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' BASTED	12	1	11	8%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	33	3	1	2	178.8572	146.2512	164.32	top 48%
Pork Ribs	33	8	1	3	176.6172	141.7144	164.44	top 42%
Pork	33	3	0	0	171.9884	150.8228	164.72	top 48%
Brisket	33	6	1	3	176.5828	150.2628	164.21	top 41%

“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
MO	19	0	top 39%
KS	14	0	top 47%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	6	0	top 40%
Large (40+)	27	0	top 42%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Smokin' On The Summit	4	5	top 21%	2017-06-02
*Racing for the BBQ	2	12	top 37%	2017-07-28
The Best Damn BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake	2	18	top 41%	2017-04-07
Sugar Mound BBQ Festival	2	34	top 66%	2015-05-23
Brew, Blues & Bar-B-Q Cook-Off	2	9	top 37%	2014-05-02

The story so far (16 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 4.4 yrs 2013-04-05 → 2017-09-15

Busiest season 2016 9 contests

Contests a season 6.6 across 5 seasons in the data

Cooks most in MO 19 of 33 contests · 2 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 26 5 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 33 entries · 1 win · 3 calls

Strongest meat Pork averages 164.72 · weakest Brisket (164.21)

Walk rate 45% a top-10 call in 15 of 33 contests

Overall top-10 rate 15% 5 of 33 contests

Best top-10 run 2 straight contests

Master average 657.69 out of 720 · 33 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 1,737 1,894–1,602 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 972 33 mapped stops · furthest 69 mi

Schedule strength 1548 average field rating faced — tougher than 36% of rated contests

State championships 0 from 1 state-championship entries

Power rating 1604 peak 1604 · #1006 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Apr 5 First tracked contest Smokin' On Big Creek
Apr 5 First overall past 90% of a perfect score649.1424 Smokin' On Big Creek
May 3 First call Brew, Blues & Bar-B-Q Cook-Off
May 3 First overall top-10 Brew, Blues & Bar-B-Q Cook-Off
2014
May 2 10th tracked contest Brew, Blues & Bar-B-Q Cook-Off
Jun 6 First category win (Brisket) Smokin on the Summit
2016
Oct 29 25th tracked contest 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN)
2017
Jun 2 Career-best overall score685.6456 Smokin' On The Summit
Sep 15 Career-best single call (Chicken)178.8572 Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out
Sep 15 Peak power rating (1604) Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out
Sep 15 Most recent contest Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.2	SMOKIN on the Summit	2013-06-07
+12.2	Smokin' On The Summit	2017-06-02
+10.8	Racing for the BBQ	2016-07-29
+10.3	Smokin on the Summit	2014-06-06
+10.3	Smokin' on the Summit BBQ	2016-06-03

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-8.5	Smokin On Big Creek - Benefiting Operation BBQ Relief	2014-04-04
-6.6	Sugar Mound BBQ Festival	2014-05-24
-6.1	Smoked & Sauced a BBQ for Badges	2017-03-24
-5.5	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open	2014-10-02
-2.8	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open	2013-10-03

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)
2017	8	2	2	63%	top 38%	95.2%	93%
2016	9	1	0	44%	top 35%	94.8%	92.7%
2015	2	0	0	0%	top 54%	92%	90.1%
2014	6	0	1	50%	top 56%	92.5%	89.2%
2013	8	2	0	38%	top 41%	93.7%	90.1%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2017-09-15	Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out Kearney, MO	6 / 37 (682.7772)	1 (178.8572)	12 (169.7028)	15 (167.3828)	11 (166.8344)
2017-08-18	BBQ and Fly In on the River Excelsior Springs, MO	25 / 65 (668.5024)	39 (164.0000)	27 (166.8456)	17 (171.9884)	29 (165.6684)
2017-07-28	*Racing for the BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	28 / 54 (669.5996)	37 (164.5372)	29 (168.5140)	29 (166.8456)	18 (169.7028)
2017-06-02	Smokin' On The Summit Lee's Summit, MO	5 / 65 (685.6456)	31 (165.6800)	5 (171.9772)	9 (171.4056)	2 (176.5828)
2017-05-19	22nd Annual Platte City BBQ Cook Off at Basswood Resort Platte City, MO	12 / 59 (680.5372)	12 (172.5600)	6 (173.7028)	38 (163.9772)	11 (170.2972)
2017-04-21	9th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge Overland Park, KS	38 / 64 (650.1024)	59 (152.5028)	19 (167.4056)	32 (167.9656)	35 (162.2284)
2017-04-07	The Best Damn BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake Smithville, MO	18 / 54 (669.1200)	43 (159.4172)	1 (176.6172)	31 (166.8228)	16 (166.2628)
2017-03-24	Smoked & Sauced a BBQ for Badges Spring Hill, KS	20 / 27 (653.0056)	16 (165.6800)	27 (151.9312)	10 (169.1200)	16 (166.2744)
2016-10-29	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN) Kansas City, KS	174 / 557 (666.8112)	200 (167.4056)	121 (170.3316)	156 (169.1084)	326 (159.9656)
2016-10-07	Cookin on the Kaw DeSoto, KS	16 / 56 (678.2624)	15 (171.9884)	7 (174.8800)	25 (170.2856)	38 (161.1084)
2016-09-09	*Independence Fire & Ice BBQ Independence, MO	33 / 76 (667.9200)	26 (168.5372)	40 (164.5600)	47 (165.1200)	15 (169.7028)
2016-08-26	East Central State BBQ Cook-Off, Paola Roots Festival Paola, KS	32 / 61 (645.0284)	40 (159.3944)	34 (162.2856)	19 (165.6684)	35 (157.6800)
2016-07-29	Racing for the BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	12 / 54 (682.2400)	15 (172.0116)	23 (167.9772)	30 (167.4056)	4 (174.8456)
2016-06-17	Knights of Columbus BBQ Smoke Off Kansas City, KS	8 / 25 (663.2912)	12 (163.9656)	3 (173.1200)	6 (168.5256)	16 (157.6800)
2016-06-03	Smokin' on the Summit BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	12 / 67 (675.3828)	4 (175.4172)	17 (168.5828)	41 (161.6684)	9 (169.7144)
2016-04-22	8th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge Overland Park, KS	24 / 60 (671.3712)	23 (170.2628)	27 (166.8456)	34 (165.1200)	15 (169.1428)
2016-04-08	The Best Damn BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake Smithville, MO	26 / 53 (656.5028)	46 (157.6572)	26 (163.9656)	25 (165.1772)	15 (169.7028)
2015-06-05	Smokin' on the Summit Lee's Summit, MO	41 / 78 (634.1484)	61 (152.5028)	21 (165.7028)	51 (158.2628)	44 (157.6800)
2015-05-23	Sugar Mound BBQ Festival Mound City, KS	34 / 62 (662.7424)	11 (173.7028)	27 (169.1084)	30 (167.4056)	52 (152.5256)
2014-10-02	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	385 / 552 (637.0856)	271 (165.1200)	531 (145.1200)	281 (163.4400)	247 (163.4056)
2014-06-21	Buckner Smoke Out in the Valley Buckner, MO	16 / 35 (647.8516)	16 (162.8000)	25 (156.5488)	15 (164.5372)	9 (163.9656)
2014-06-06	Smokin on the Summit Lee's Summit, MO	15 / 79 (666.2172)	28 (163.9772)	39 (161.1544)	23 (164.5256)	1 (176.5600)
2014-05-24	Sugar Mound BBQ Festival Mound City, KS	67 / 87 (626.7312)	82 (146.2512)	22 (166.2744)	63 (158.7884)	61 (155.4172)
2014-05-02	Brew, Blues & Bar-B-Q Cook-Off Lansing, KS	12 / 26 (646.7536)	13 (162.2284)	10 (158.2856)	12 (164.5712)	14 (161.6684)
2014-04-04	Smokin On Big Creek - Benefiting Operation BBQ Relief Pleasant Hill, MO	60 / 75 (628.4568)	21 (167.9656)	45 (159.4056)	70 (150.8228)	62 (150.2628)
2013-10-03	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	311 / 535 (633.1084)	429 (152.0000)	124 (166.2628)	339 (157.1200)	273 (157.7256)
2013-09-13	Battle of the Brisket Mission, KS	30 / 53 (639.7940)	17 (165.1200)	39 (157.0628)	45 (151.9312)	15 (165.6800)
2013-09-06	Blue Springs Barbeque Blaze-Off Blue Springs, MO	32 / 72 (650.8116)	50 (159.4172)	22 (166.2744)	20 (170.8800)	47 (154.2400)
2013-06-21	Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS	54 / 183 (642.2854)	3 (174.2856)	167 (141.7144)	51 (164.5710)	56 (161.7144)
2013-06-07	SMOKIN on the Summit Lees Summit, MO	5 / 81 (674.8570)	42 (161.1428)	3 (173.1428)	25 (165.1428)	2 (175.4286)
2013-05-03	Brew, Blues & Bar-B-Q Cook-Off Lansing, KS	9 / 33 (663.4284)	18 (161.7142)	5 (170.2858)	12 (165.7142)	16 (165.7142)
2013-04-19	5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL) Overland Park, KS	33 / 73 (634.2850)	53 (153.7140)	52 (151.4284)	30 (161.7140)	16 (167.4286)
2013-04-05	Smokin' On Big Creek Pleasant Hill, MO	43 / 74 (649.1424)	11 (170.8570)	44 (159.4286)	49 (162.8570)	56 (155.9998)

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
2017 ↗	Master	#1691 (125 pts)	#1768 (125 pts)	#1559 (175 pts)	#2260 (60 pts)	#1741 (130 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#986 (330 pts)	#947 (385 pts)	#955 (385 pts)	#1186 (285 pts)	#995 (350 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1676 (120 pts)	#1440 (190 pts)	#1693 (140 pts)	#1790 (120 pts)	#1763 (120 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#649 (571 pts)	#707 (536 pts)	#743 (501 pts)	#707 (536 pts)	#482 (776 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#425 (718 pts)	#375 (828 pts)	#377 (823 pts)	#551 (598 pts)	#369 (848 pts)