HANG 'EM' HIGH

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

Power ranking

#5984

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1433

peak 1433 · rated over 29 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-03-15

latest 2018-07-27

Best ToY finish

#625

Master 2015

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

1 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 29 contests

Avg finish

top 66%

overall standings

Best overall

660.4572 / 720

Master · 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open

Perfect 180s

Current form

623.69 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 627.54 (-3.85)

Walk rate

41%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

173.7028

Pork · Fountains Blaze off & Senior Q

Consistency

±56.96

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 160.18 · weakest Pork Ribs (157.85)

Road miles

470

mi across 29 mapped stops

Schedule strength

35%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1546)

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 1 state-championship entries

Master avg

627.54 / 720

29 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (7 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.

Their season

2013 their best year

2013 was the year it came together: 7 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 56%.

7 contests
0 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 56%

A tough matchup

17–4 behind in the head-to-head

Sons of a Brisket ahead in 81% of their meetings

Sons of a Brisket has come out ahead in 17 of their 21 shared contests.

A strong matchup

7–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of UNCLE BO'S BBQ in 7 of their 7 shared contests.

Pork nemesis

16 of 21 shared pork entries lost

Sons of a Brisket ahead 76% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Sons of a Brisket has out-cooked them in 16 of 21 shared pork entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

SMOKIN PHATTY'S has landed one call behind them 2 times.

Boom or bust

±7.91% swing around their own average

Their overall swings ±7.91% 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 87.2% of a perfect score
best 91.7%

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked *Racing for the BBQ every year from 2015 to 2018 — the contest they never miss.

4 visits in all
best finish 40th

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.

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

Bare Bones BBQ

#5986 of the rated field

1433 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1506

No shared contest yet.

They've been 1506 at their best, 73 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 27 contests
last seen 2022-07-23

⚔ Head-to-head

Slappin'Butt BBQ

#5981 of the rated field

1433 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 22
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1433

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 22 contests to 29, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 21 contests
last seen 2025-06-27

⚔ Head-to-head

ADAM'S RIB MIDLAND, VA

#5987 of the rated field

1433 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1508

No shared contest yet.

19 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 19 contests
last seen 2019-10-04

⚔ Head-to-head

CROW CREEK BBQ

#5982 of the rated field

1433 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1433

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 16 contests
last seen 2018-05-25

⚔ Head-to-head

Poor Richard's BBQ

#5975 of the rated field

1433 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1505

No shared contest yet.

Level with HANG 'EM' HIGH on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 14 contests
last seen 2026-08-28

⚔ Head-to-head

IOWA STATE GRILL TEAM

#5992 of the rated field

1433 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1433

No shared contest yet.

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 2019-06-14

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Sons of a Brisket	21	4	17	19%	⚔ compare
THUMP & STRUM BBQ	19	2	17	11%	⚔ compare
NICKLE BOYS BBQ	16	4	12	25%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	16	2	14	13%	⚔ compare
VALLEY OAKS STEAK COMPANY	16	2	14	13%	⚔ compare
BURNT FINGER BBQ	16	0	16	0%	⚔ compare
DIRT ROAD BBQ	14	0	14	0%	⚔ compare
ALL FORKED UP FOR Q	13	5	8	38%	⚔ compare
50 SHADES OF QUE	12	3	9	25%	⚔ compare
JAESTAR BBQ	12	0	12	0%	⚔ compare
Smoke on the Water	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
DUSTY ROADS BBQ	10	3	7	30%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN IN THE BOARDROOM	10	3	7	30%	⚔ compare
PELLET ENVY	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' SAUCED	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	29	1	0	171.4284	141.7144	159.80	top 66%
Pork Ribs	29	3	0	170.2628	134.2060	157.85	top 64%
Pork	29	4	1	173.7028	143.4284	160.18	top 67%
Brisket	29	7	0	170.8456	136.5144	159.85	top 53%

“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	26	0	top 66%
KS	3	0	top 66%

By contest size

Field	Contests	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 73%
Medium (20–39)	14	top 75%
Large (40+)	14	top 57%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
*Racing for the BBQ	4	40	top 76%	2018-07-27
*Smokin on Oak	3	12	top 66%	2017-08-18
Smoke Out in the Valley	3	19	top 82%	2017-06-17
Liberty 4th Fest BBQ Contest	3	17	top 61%	2015-07-03
Smokin' on the Summit	3	16	top 41%	2015-06-05
2017 Greenbriar Blaze Off and Senior Q	2	11	top 87%	2017-10-20

The story so far (15 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 5.4 yrs 2013-03-15 → 2018-07-27

Busiest season 2015 8 contests

Contests a season 4.8 across 6 seasons in the data

Cooks most in MO 26 of 29 contests · 2 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 17 6 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 29 entries · 0 wins · 1 calls

Strongest meat Pork averages 160.18 · weakest Pork Ribs (157.85)

Walk rate 41% a top-10 call in 12 of 29 contests

Overall top-10 rate 0% 0 of 29 contests

Master average 627.54 out of 720 · 29 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 1,279 1,207–1,084 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 470 29 mapped stops

Schedule strength 1546 average field rating faced — tougher than 35% of rated contests

State championships 0 from 1 state-championship entries

Power rating 1433 peak 1433 · #5984 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Mar 15 First tracked contest NKC MO State BBQ Championship
Apr 26 First call Smokin' In The Creek
Jun 7 First overall past 90% of a perfect score655.4286 SMOKIN on the Summit
Oct 3 Career-best overall score660.4572 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open
2014
Jul 3 10th tracked contest Liberty 4th Fest BBQ Contest
Aug 22 Peak power rating (1499) Smokin' on Oak
2015
Oct 23 Career-best single call (Pork)173.7028 Fountains Blaze off & Senior Q
2017
Jun 17 25th tracked contest Smoke Out in the Valley
2018
Jul 27 Most recent contest *Racing for the BBQ

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+12	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open	2013-10-03
+10.9	SMOKIN on the Summit	2013-06-07
+6.7	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open	2015-10-03
+4.6	Smokin' on Oak	2014-08-22
+3.1	Racing for the BBQ	2014-07-25

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.5	NKC MO State BBQ Championship	2013-03-15
-11.3	Holy Smoke BBQ Contest	2015-08-21
-10.1	Smokin' on Oak	2013-08-23
-9.2	2017 Greenbriar Blaze Off and Senior Q	2017-10-20
-8.9	Smoke Out in the Valley	2017-06-17

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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2018	1	0%	top 68%	87.2%	87.2%
2017	4	25%	top 90%	89.2%	86.5%
2016	3	33%	top 80%	90.3%	88.1%
2015	8	25%	top 62%	91.4%	84%
2014	6	67%	top 58%	91.2%	89.3%
2013	7	57%	top 56%	91.7%	88.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2018-07-27	*Racing for the BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	45 / 66 (627.8856)	14 (168.5600)	40 (157.7028)	45 (156.5256)	51 (145.0972)
2017-10-20	2017 Greenbriar Blaze Off and Senior Q Independence, MO	25 / 25 (620.4344)	24 (146.2172)	24 (151.9544)	24 (162.8228)	19 (159.4400)
2017-08-18	*Smokin on Oak Bonner Springs, KS	21 / 28 (642.2856)	23 (151.4172)	8 (169.1200)	24 (159.4628)	19 (162.2856)
2017-07-28	*Racing for the BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	49 / 54 (610.7656)	52 (152.5372)	47 (151.9656)	41 (159.4628)	50 (146.8000)
2017-06-17	Smoke Out in the Valley Buckner, MO	20 / 21 (617.0632)	21 (154.2744)	20 (141.0972)	17 (161.7144)	15 (159.9772)
2016-10-21	2016 Greenbriar Blaze Off and Senior Q Independence, MO	11 / 15 (650.2284)	13 (158.2628)	9 (161.1772)	10 (165.6684)	10 (165.1200)
2016-07-29	Racing for the BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	44 / 54 (634.2172)	20 (170.2856)	43 (157.7144)	25 (169.7028)	54 (136.5144)
2016-06-18	Smoke out in the Valley Buckner, MO	26 / 30 (618.1368)	24 (162.2628)	28 (145.6456)	22 (160.5484)	27 (149.6800)
2015-10-23	Fountains Blaze off & Senior Q Independence, MO	14 / 22 (658.2512)	6 (170.8456)	18 (151.9656)	3 (173.7028)	14 (161.7372)
2015-10-03	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO	130 / 606 (333.7028)	105 (171.4284)	458 (156.0000)	462 (156.5372)	150 (168.5828)
2015-08-21	Holy Smoke BBQ Contest Liberty, MO	27 / 28 (631.3140)	25 (160.5372)	27 (154.2628)	21 (163.9656)	25 (152.5484)
2015-07-24	Racing for the BBQ Lees Summit, MO	40 / 63 (648.9368)	24 (167.9656)	51 (154.7884)	54 (159.9428)	26 (166.2400)
2015-07-03	Liberty 4th Fest BBQ Contest Liberty, MO	17 / 27 (650.1484)	20 (162.8228)	14 (166.8344)	23 (157.6684)	13 (162.8228)
2015-06-20	Smoke Out in the Valley Buckner, MO	19 / 29 (642.7424)	19 (162.8112)	8 (170.2628)	28 (151.4056)	18 (158.2628)
2015-06-05	Smokin' on the Summit Lee's Summit, MO	44 / 78 (631.9084)	41 (161.1084)	37 (158.8344)	63 (153.1084)	42 (158.8572)
2015-05-01	Truman Heritage Festival BBQ Championship Grandview, MO	22 / 32 (643.4052)	30 (154.7768)	14 (165.2000)	26 (159.4056)	18 (164.0228)
2014-10-17	The Fountain's Blaze Off & Senior Q Independence, MO	21 / 25 (640.4572)	22 (158.8000)	15 (161.1316)	21 (157.0856)	11 (163.4400)
2014-08-22	Smokin' on Oak Bonner Springs, KS	12 / 30 (653.6916)	12 (168.0000)	12 (166.2856)	28 (154.2516)	7 (165.1544)
2014-07-25	Racing for the BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	25 / 54 (656.4112)	40 (162.2284)	40 (158.2400)	21 (166.2628)	11 (169.6800)
2014-07-03	Liberty 4th Fest BBQ Contest Liberty, MO	20 / 31 (645.0516)	24 (161.6800)	14 (167.3828)	10 (168.5944)	25 (147.3944)
2014-06-06	Smokin on the Summit Lee's Summit, MO	36 / 79 (642.1944)	61 (152.5256)	25 (165.7372)	9 (169.6916)	51 (154.2400)
2014-03-14	NKC MO State Championship BBQ 🏅 N. Kansas City, MO	40 / 61 (619.3028)	51 (147.4056)	46 (150.7884)	46 (153.6916)	9 (167.4172)
2013-10-03	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	98 / 535 (660.4572)	54 (171.4056)	211 (161.6800)	211 (163.3944)	155 (163.9772)
2013-08-23	Smokin' on Oak Bonner Springs, KS	32 / 38 (605.6120)	31 (151.4516)	36 (134.2060)	26 (155.3828)	8 (164.5716)
2013-07-26	Racing For The BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	35 / 58 (652.4912)	22 (167.3828)	43 (159.4172)	48 (154.8456)	6 (170.8456)
2013-07-03	Liberty 4th Fest BBQ Contest Liberty, MO	17 / 30 (648.5708)	25 (154.8570)	20 (157.1426)	11 (166.8572)	6 (169.7140)
2013-06-07	SMOKIN on the Summit Lees Summit, MO	16 / 81 (655.4286)	12 (168.0000)	44 (158.2858)	31 (162.8570)	17 (166.2858)
2013-04-26	Smokin' In The Creek Sugar Creek, MO	28 / 41 (634.8564)	35 (152.5714)	28 (157.1426)	29 (157.1426)	9 (167.9998)
2013-03-15	NKC MO State BBQ Championship N. Kansas City, MO	68 / 79 (597.7140)	73 (141.7144)	19 (165.7142)	75 (143.4284)	66 (146.8570)

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	#1167 (254 pts)	#1278 (244 pts)	#1063 (334 pts)	#1230 (259 pts)	#1070 (319 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1279 (225 pts)	#1293 (245 pts)	#1307 (240 pts)	#1305 (245 pts)	#1339 (230 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#625 (583 pts)	#622 (618 pts)	#565 (683 pts)	#599 (648 pts)	#600 (628 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#713 (496 pts)	#780 (471 pts)	#678 (556 pts)	#651 (586 pts)	#520 (716 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#629 (503 pts)	#658 (498 pts)	#703 (473 pts)	#680 (488 pts)	#397 (783 pts)