Time to move to Pro?

RubMeTender

RubMeTender

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How many Grand or Reserve Grand Champions do you think people need to win before it's time to move up to Pro?
 
I agree. If you've earned $$ from winning a contest, you've moved into the "pro" category in my book. :wink:
 
"Need"? None! We jumped right in.
shiner.gif
 
Even some of the smaller contests give small monetary awards for Grand and Reserve Grand. I just know there are teams winning Grand and Reserve Grand for years in Backyard and don't make the jump up.
 
If i'm going to be out there spending the time cooking I want to have a shot at the biggest money possible. Backyard is not worth it imho.
 
From what I hear there is a huge difference between backyard and pro divisions in regards to the caliber of food turned in. I'm a rookie and Backyard entries are much more affordable. I vend a little to offset the costs. I think if you consistently get calls and grand/reserve wins in backyard, it's time to step it up. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to continue to crush the competition and not be rewarded monetarily with prize money. Maybe those teams are just filthy rich and like collecting trophies?

I know if I start getting alot of calls and grand/reserve wins, I plan to enter the big leagues.
 
We got crushed in a small tailgate competition and then decided to jump in and go pro. Its a challenge, but thats the fun of it.
 
Maybe I didn't word the question right.
If a team continues to win Grand Champions in the Backyard Category should they be forced to enter the Pro Category?
 
There is no sanctioning body for backyard events, so that would be up to the organizer of each event.
 
Generalizing here .......

Backyard didn't really exist out here when we started. Even now, backyard means "burgers and chicken", not the "KCBS meats".

I am not sure why anyone would not do "Pro" competitions if they were cookign the classic BBQ meats.

Again, I generalize, but we are proof you do not have to be good to be a "pro". :lol:
 
Dan, largely, in our area (yours and mine), if it's not sanctioned it's considered
a "back yard" comp. Some do sanctioned "style" without being sanctioned, others
just do a meat or two... Some backyard comps coincide with sanctioned comps...

As to should they be forced?... I guess it's really up to them, isn't it?
 
I started competing last year and did 3 backyard events. One was KCBS and we cooked ribs and chicken and the other 2 were FBA in which all 4 meats were cooked. We got calls in all competitions and the last one in FBA I did by myself and won reserve. I enjoy the backyard and until I feel more comfortable in my cooking flavor profiles in all categories I will stay in the backyard. I don't see the need to spend the extra money to compete as a pro if I am not ready to do so. If i can win in the backyard and get back my entry fee by winning the reserve or the grand then that is fine with me. For me it is not about winning the big bucks but about having fun at a hobby that I enjoy.

But as to being forced to move up I don't think that is a good move. Most of the backyard teams are usually local teams and just do it for fun for a weekend and not year round like the pro's. If you force them to move up and compete as a pro the next time they enter a contest they maybe likely not to enter.
 
Dont most backyard events that are the same weekend as "pro" events generally force the winner to do the "pro" event next year? Seems like that would be the best way to go about it...just give the grand in the backyard an entry into the pro for next year. I dont see why anyone would want to win multiple grands in backyard events and not just do the pro events.
 
RubMeTender said:
Are you saying that KCBS and FBA don't sanction their backyard division at events?
Click to expand...

Hey Dan, good talking with you guys this past weekend. I can be very slow at putting 1+1 together and am just now making the connection :oops:

The FBA does not "sanction" backyard contests, only pro. We will provide the judging and scoring system for a backyard event being run along with a sanctioned FBA event if the organizer wants and pays for it. Sometimes the organizer has their own judges. So in essence it is as close as you can get to the real deal, without really being one. So on to your question, it is not up to the FBA to state when a team should move up to the pro side. Usually peer pressure takes care of these things. Myself and others convinced Team Unknown and Whiskey Bent to go pro, and they've been doing great ever since. Team Unknown has beat my butt the last 2 contests! :lol::eek::redface:

I have my own thoughts about it which have not been officially adopted yet by the BOD but we are still mulling it over. I think if you take any chance of winning $$ away from backyard events and make them trophies only, the problem will take care of itself. Seems like it would work to me.
 
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