Interpreting 8's

I wouldn't change a thing on appearance..

1. Get those tenderness scores up. These have to be 8s & 9s.
2. Once you accomplish #1, try kicking up the flavor if you are still getting a few 7s and mostly 8s.
3. avoid judge #2
4. clone judge #3

great scores, I wouldnt change much those are huge comps with good results

Jacked UP BBQ said:

great scores, I wouldnt change much those are huge comps with good results

Click to expand...

That's what I was thinking. I'd be real happy with those results.

I agree with the comment to get those tenderness scores up. You've got more 7s and 6s than you do 9s.

I've noticed, in general, scoring seems to be higher this year at the contests we've cooked. Any scores below 8s will impact your ability to place well in any category.

Get the tenderness perfect, and then worry about maybe tweaking the flavor.

JMO...

That's correct, Mike. We've had numerous 160.+ scores this year that haven't sniffed a call.

Yea, last comp we had a 160something that was 29th out of 66. :doh:

I'd go to smaller comps. :becky:

Also, consider changing your rub and/or sauce ever-so-slightly. There's quite a bit
if 9's and then 7's and a 6. Apparently that which tickles one guy's fancy doesn't
do it for the next guy. Perhaps ever-so-slightly too sweet, or too spicy hot, or
too salty, etc.

Shame they dont require comments for every score. You'd know.

If you tallied up the number of teams competing all of the PNWBA events in a year, it wouldn't come close to the events you've been cooking!

In my experience as a judge and table captain I would be asking to interpret the 6's and 7's on appearance. Most experienced judges do not give 6 or 7 on appearance, therefore, you probably have a new judge that is afraid to give an 8 or a 9. The scores from the other judges seem to support this idea so in interpreting the scores just add 1 point:

Apple Blossom would be: 889; 888; 999;888;899
Great American would be: 889;888;999;888;888;899
Great Lenexa would be: 889;888;999;888;888;899

You can see how adding one point across that judge's scores can bring his/her low scores in line with the other scores. You can't make this assumption if the appearance scores are high and the others are low but when appearance scores are low the chances are good that you have a new judge at your table.

This doesn't help you at the contest but may give you a better understanding of why you received the scores you received.

That's my theory and I'm sticking to it :wink:

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