Starting A Comp

good luck

Start as a backyard, but with the main four categories. Contact KCBS - I think they will help you establish the contest and run it as close to a sanctioned event as you can without going all the way - like a test run. Or get in touch with the Greater Omaha BBQ Society (GOBS) - they might have a rep out your way that can join you for the day to run the event. Once your local cooks are involved and know the rules, you can sanction it and open it up to competitors from anywhere.

I was part of a small unsanctioned event in my hometown up in Nebraska a few years ago. It was fun, but would have benefitted from some outside guidance. It only happened the one year and hasn't been talked about since.

One thing I think that is real important to the success of these small town events is a people's choice category to get the public involved. If you have any packing plants or other meat companies near Cozad you can approach them and ask for a meat donation, then distribute that stuff to the competitors to cook for the public.

Sanctioning will get you some good publicity and will draw in some competition teams.

Change the name to BBQ, bands & brews. :-D

Celebrity grilling competition. Invite radio and TV personalities (always good for some free advertising as they mention the cookoff they're preparing for).

Making BBQ the center of attention is always a bit challenging when you don't let the public taste the BBQ. The typical spectator walks around all day looking and smelling, but can't taste the Q. Kinda stinks for them. So people's choice is a good idea. Not sure how that goes, but I think it has something to do with folks buying voting tickets and sampling food.

Two good points on this so far.

Backyard division is good the help stir local interest.

Peoples choice or similar sample packs are good to draw general public to the event. PC is usually suppemented by sponsors and meat donated to the teams to prepare and serve to the crowd in some controlled maner.

Sanctioning and sponsor (prize) money are key to drawing traveling teams and just being able to promote a known comodity. You can also provide separate recognition to local teams to create inner contest competition

IMHO: Local teams will want to try and cook against established winners for the bragging rights and to see how they fare. The public will be curious and want to see what this BBQ contest stuff is all about-got to have something to reward them (Peoples Choice) for their admission. Sanctioning provides a known format that traveling teams will be willing to take a chance with on a new competition. Having sponsors is key to providing $$$ to allow advertising of a prize payout to then draw those teams to your sanctioned event.

GOOD LUCK! BBQ always needs more new events!