Judges: What you wish you knew

motoeric · Oct 12, 2007

Hi,

If you could take a minute to talk to a younger version of yourself as you were about to judge your first event, what would you say? What advice would you have?

Pace yourself?
Try not to be nervous?
Feel free to ask the table captains questions?

What else?

Thanks,

Eric

MilitantSquatter · Oct 13, 2007

good questions noted above Eric...

Here's a few more

1)Eat slower, think more

2)don't be afraid to ask the table captain to ensure you get a good view or they keep the sample in front of you long enough to make a fair appearance evaluation

3)remember to drink water/cleanse palate between samples

4)Did I forget my cooler in the car ? :biggrin: (just kidding)

Leeper · Oct 13, 2007

Don't rush with your samples. There will be time to get to everything.

Try to get out of your head what you think the "best" BBQ is, each day brings something new.

Don't ever ask for a fork or a knife. Use your fingers for everything.

Try to not get too much sauce on your hand between samples, it almost never comes off during the day.

Think positive vs. negative. It is BBQ, not stuffy old world French.

ModelMaker · Oct 13, 2007

One of the best tips I got was to pick samples with your left hand, it goes along way in keeping your score card and pencil clean. Have a towel handy to wipe your fingers after placing samples on the plate. If you lick your fingers before you start you are mixing six different flavors before your first bite!
Take your time you have a full 1/2 hr. I'm usually the last one done, and don't care if the rest of them are waiting to chat or not. Pet peeve of mine is the one who has to be done first so they can act like a expert.
Ignore them, be yourself....
ModelMaker

FatBoyz · Oct 13, 2007

Bring your oun beer
sneek more smokes

no joking slow down
taste the food
enjoy yourself

Sledneck · Oct 13, 2007

Dont forget to bring your cooler

Westexbbq · Oct 13, 2007

Assuming normal turn-in times, remember, you don't need to eat a big breakfast.

StLouQue · Oct 13, 2007

Timely topic, Eric. As a newb judge, I hope to pick up some helpful tips from more seas... (sidestepping the obvious pun) um, experienced CBJs. Let 'em flow brothers and sisters.

MrSmoker · Oct 14, 2007

Do not compare the sample to your own Q, even though you know yours is better. :wink:

Rookie'48 · Oct 14, 2007

I've only judged 3 comps so far, so I'm not very experienced at this but this is what I have done at each of these comps: Before the judging begins, I tell my table captain that I'm a new-be judge and that would he / she keep an eye on my scores and tell me later if I am out of line (high OR low) with the other judges, especially the other CBJs, at the table. So far, so good. They have told me that I was "in the ball park" with the other judges. I will most likely do this a couple of more times next year, until I gain more confidence in my judging ability.

Dave

KCBS CBJ# 22569
issued 4-28-2007

Transformer BBQ · Oct 15, 2007

Show up early... if you miss the judges meeting, you're not allowed to judge.

(didn't happen to me, but almost happend to a guy who had driven ovr an hour... made it by about 30 seconds)

peculiarmike · Oct 16, 2007

Arrive early.
Keep the cap on your water bottle. If knocked over without cap while reaching for a sample there WILL be hate and discontent.

Roo-B-Q'N · Oct 16, 2007

1. Take your time and judge each entry on it's own merits. By human nature, it is hard not comparing, but you are not there for that.
2. Go make some friends in the pits AFTER judging, once you know you are solid with them ask them if you could do a contest with them so you know what they go through.

peculiarmike · Oct 16, 2007

Roo-B-Q'N said:
1. Take your time and judge each entry on it's own merits. By human nature, it is hard not comparing, but you are not there for that.
2. Go make some friends in the pits AFTER judging, once you know you are solid with them ask them if you could do a contest with them so you know what they go through.

Bottom line - It's what is in the sample box that matters.
Being bud's with the competitors and what they go through to get it there has absolutely NOTHING to do with judging a comp. If things like that are on a judge's mind the judging won't be impartial and the whine factor increases.
If they had to smoke a brisket standing on their head in the rain - oh well.

Roo-B-Q'N · Oct 16, 2007

peculiarmike said:
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Bottom line - It's what is in the sample box that matters.
Being bud's with the competitors and what they go through to get it there has absolutely NOTHING to do with judging a comp. If things like that are on a judge's mind the judging won't be impartial and the whine factor increases.
If they had to smoke a brisket standing on their head in the rain - oh well.

And in order to judge according to what the cook was trying to achieve, you need to be in the pits at least once. After starting out only judging and then competing this year I can tell you I know alot more about judging than I did before.
Whining only comes into play when a team can't accept their turn ins were not up to par.

Judges: What you wish you knew

motoeric

Babbling Farker

MilitantSquatter

Moderator

Leeper

Full Fledged Farker

ModelMaker

Quintessential Chatty Farker

FatBoyz

is one Smokin' Farker

Sledneck

Full Fledged Farker

Westexbbq

Quintessential Chatty Farker

StLouQue

Guest

MrSmoker

is Blowin Smoke!

Rookie'48

Quintessential Chatty Farker

Transformer BBQ

is one Smokin' Farker

peculiarmike

Knows what a fatty is.

Roo-B-Q'N

Guest

peculiarmike

Knows what a fatty is.

Roo-B-Q'N

Guest

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