Paying to judge

Sawdustguy

Sawdustguy

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I understand those who judge the American Royal will have to pay for the priviledge this year. To judge the open it will cost you a $15 donation and the invitational a $50 donation. IMHO this is dangerous. If this policy is adapted by our local contests, the number of CBJ's at the local level will drop severely. I think the Royal is setting a dangerous trend. What do you think?
 
BBQ has become big business. I would never pay to judge. That is a big event so they can get away with it i doubt a local could
 
Sledneck said:
BBQ has become big business. I would never pay to judge. That is a big event so they can get away with it i doubt a local could
Click to expand...

Don't think for a minute anyone who runs a contest for profit wouldn't try it.
 
There's really a simple solution if KCBS would get involved:

Local Contest: "Hey KCBS, we're going to start charging judges $10 to judge our contest."

KCBS: "No you're not. You aren't going to charge OUR certified judges to do so."

Local Event: "OK, we'll just use non-certified judges then."

KCBS: "No problem... we'll pull your sanctioning in the morning. Have a nice day."
 
KCBS has grown along with the Royal. It's pretty big now. This is all an eventuality. Before long, it could be reasonable to presume that with their authoritative stamp on the world of food, they will be the premier-elite of food contests involving BBQ, and it will more resemble the kinds of glamorous contests you see on Food TV than a normal average Joe BBQ contest. Then again I could be wrong, but someone will fill that need, and it seems to me that KCBS is the leader in that field.

Please don't hammer me, it seems logical. No harm meant. Just saying.
 
Jeff,

Wouldn't that be a double standard. The KCBS is allowing the Royal to charge the judges a fee, why not the local contests.
 
I think I'll pay $50 to judge the super bowl next year and be yet another blind guy in stripes! This is stupid to even consider as a judge I would not pay to do this except in time, gas (both kinds), training, research etc. To pay a contest to judge is the beginning of the end for the BBQ boom in my humble opinion!
 
Jeff_in_KC said:
There's really a simple solution if KCBS would get involved:

Local Contest: "Hey KCBS, we're going to start charging judges $10 to judge our contest."

KCBS: "No you're not. You aren't going to charge OUR certified judges to do so."

Local Event: "OK, we'll just use non-certified judges then."

KCBS: "No problem... we'll pull your sanctioning in the morning. Have a nice day."
Click to expand...

Not sure I get your point. They are charging to judge at the American Royal according to the original poster. I agree this is what they should do, but based on the top of the thread, it would not make sense for them to maintain a double standard.
 
Speaking as a judge who has judged 10 or so contests I would not pay to be a judge at a local contest. Other than Grill Kings which is not that far away almost all the other contests I've done have been 2-4 hours travel time. A couple of them I've even had to get a motel room. I'm not going to add a judging fee to the expenses I already have. I can understand an event like the Royal charging a fee because they probably have so many volunteers it's kind of a way of narrowing down the field to the most serious people.
 
I can see where some of the bigger contests could get away with charging for judges, but it would kill smaller contests. Bad idea all around in my opinion.:mad:
 
G$ said:
Not sure I get your point. They are charging to judge at the American Royal according to the original poster. I agree this is what they should do, but based on the top of the thread, it would not make sense for them to maintain a double standard.
Click to expand...

Not a difficult concept... you don't allow ANY contests to charge fees to judges, local, Royal or otherwise.
 
I'm on the same page as Rich. I became a KCBS CBJ to pick up inside tips on how I could improve my Q along with the assumption that being able to judge competition bbq is way better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. Any payment, nominal or other, doesn't make sense to me. BBQ is my avocation, not my profession.
 
It is just their way of making money. Thats what it has become. I won't be renewing my kcbs membership.
 
I do not agree with paying to judge. I think that the people who judge, whether it be to gain knowledge to perfect their own Q or for personal satisfaction are making a time and a financial commitment already. Too many BBQ competitions are not fully judged by certified judges. The system is not perfect, but having CBJ's levels the playing field and make things fair to the competitors. My last judging event required traveling 4.5 hr each way, motel room, fuel and auto expense as well as food. It was a great learning experience and I would do it again. I don't think I would pay a fee to judge however.

Yours in BBQ,

Cliff
 
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Jeff_in_KC said:
Not a difficult concept... you don't allow ANY contests to charge fees to judges, local, Royal or otherwise.
Click to expand...

Fine, but apparently that is exactly what they are not currently advocating nor doing.
 
Memphis in May has been charging judges for 4 or 5 years now and don't seem to have a problem getting judges.

Not all contests are charging or will be anytime soon. The Royal as stated is a charity and it is the organizer right to charge, KCBS has no policy on it at this time that I know of.

As someone who does Rep contests just because the judge is certified doesn't make them a good judge, I have seen very good non certified judges. Instruction is given before along with the concepts KCBSis looking for. I find some of those that have judged for many years have a preconcieved ideas of what they are looking for, wouldn't be a bad thing as long as they would let the cooks know what those ideas are before the contest. Some judges just don't get it.

When charities are involved as cook I like to give to them. In Boise I gave the RG check back to the Red Cross as a donation. If you can give, give.
Jim
 
Judging BBQ is a hobby. Kind of like golfing or fishing. If you want to drive a few hours to fish a new lake or judge a new contest, that's up to you. If you want to play a round at Pebble Beach it costs an arm and a leg but it's your hobby. If you want to fish in a stream in Colorado you'll need to drive or fly there, get a hotel room and buy a license. If you don't want to spend that cash, no worries. Someone else will probably fish that stream instead.

No BBQ judge is THAT good at eating free BBQ. They will find someone to judge the free BBQ. They always do.
 
I do think that it makes a difference if the event is a charity. I would hope that the full amount of the judging fee would go to the charity. They should let people know that the judging fee goes to charity(if it does).

Like Mr. Minion said...If you can give, give.
 
jminion said:
As someone who does Rep contests just because the judge is certified doesn't make them a good judge, I have seen very good non certified judges. Instruction is given before along with the concepts KCBSis looking for. I find some of those that have judged for many years have a preconcieved ideas of what they are looking for, wouldn't be a bad thing as long as they would let the cooks know what those ideas are before the contest. Some judges just don't get it.
Click to expand...

LOTS of judges just don't get it, Jim. :lol: How would you have the judges get around to all the cooks, telling them their preconceived ideas of what they're looking for? Or am I misunderstanding what you're saying?
 
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