Are you talking about difficulty of winning a GC? I'd have to put any major Midwest contest on your list, especially those in eastern KS, western MO, eastern NE, IA, & Southern MN. When you look at a list of competitors from that area, it's typically a who's who of BBQ stalwarts. Off the top of my head... Pork Pullin' Plowboys, Tippeycanoe BBQ, Munchin Hogs, Pellet Envy, Big Tz, Swine Assassins, Iowa's Smokey D's, etc.
The depth of competition may vary from region to region, but I think you're always going to have a handful of tough competitors no matter where you go. Especially since many of the big guys travel around the U.S. shooting for a Jack Draw. Johnny Trigg is all over, Quau hits several states, Butcher BBQ, 4 Legs Up covers a lot of ground, Buffalos, etc.
In regards to scores, I think the judging pool can vary from week to week. Here in Colorado, winning scores can vary from 660 to 685 on any given week. However, regardless of that, the top teams still seem to win. It's not a matter of skewed scoring for any particular entry... it seems everyone gets a fair shake albeit the overall scores may be lower than what is expected from time to time.
