Judging Priority

Should a KCBS sanctioned competition give judgind priority to:

  • Past Judges

    Votes: 11 17.2%

  • Certified Judges

    Votes: 53 82.8%
  • Total voters
    64
KC_Bobby

KC_Bobby

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Who should a KCBS sanctioned competitions give judging priority to if the competition has numerous of judging volunteers in plenty of advance of the competition?

(Of course, we'll probably all agree past event certified judges should have first priority, thus this choice was omitted)

I bring this up today because earlier this week I sent an email to one of the local competions this spring letting them know I would like to judge and I provided my CBJ number. The response was that they gave past judges priority. Now, if they had 100% CBJ's last year - no problem, I agree with their proceedure. However, if they didn't, well then I think all KCBS competitions should strive for 100% CBJ's when possible and all CBJ's volunteering prior to a certain date prior to the event should get priority over past judges who are not CBJs.

Not only do I feel that this is in the best interest of all competitors, I think this is in the best interest of the competition and the KCBS as a whole - especially if they are on a membership drive. Ain't no such thing as a free lunch - literally in this case.
 
I voted for certified judges, I think that an event should give them firdt crack at the judging since they take the time to be trained to me that means that they should be able to judge more fairly based on the judging criteria. I also feel that a certified judge will take it more seriously than an non-certified judge. There are always going to be extremes one way or another but I feel better getting low marks from a certified judge than from Joe down the street who just listened to the judging tape for the first time.
 
I voted for past judges. You know they have experience, I don't think you'd have to worry as much about them not showing up, and they've supported the contest in the past.
 
eurycea said:
I voted for past judges. You know they have experience, I don't think you'd have to worry as much about them not showing up, and they've supported the contest in the past.
Click to expand...

I don't totally disagree, but just because Ed or Ethel lives a block away from the event and has judged this one event in the past does not generally give them the nod (in my book) over someone who is a dues paying member that took the time to become certified. However, do keep their numbers handy that morning when a judge does not show.
 
They should give priority to those judges that helped to get them to where they are today regardless of whether they are certified or not, just like they should give priority to past teams regardless of whether they are KCBS members or not.
 
Seems to me it would be best if the Judges were trained. How hard could it be to school somebody on how to Judge at the contest? CBJs all the way, even Ed and Ethel can be trained in what, less then an hour or 2?
 
KC_Bobby said:
I don't totally disagree, but just because Ed or Ethel lives a block away from the event and has judged this one event in the past does not generally give them the nod (in my book) over someone who is a dues paying member that took the time to become certified.
Click to expand...

Which is why choosing judges should probably be done on a case by case basis instead of just going one way or the other. But given the choice you gave me, I'd go with the group I know rather then the one I don't know.

But if I were starting a contest, I'd put the non-certifieds on the waiting list until it was obvious that I wasn't going to get enough certifieds.
 
I voted past judges. As a cook I like CBJ's although I don't like brand new CBJ's too much. :biggrin:

BUT as an organizer I would want to have sponsors judge if they wanted to. It's a perk for the sponsors and after all they are funding the contest. While most of our entry money goes back to cooks there are $1,000's of dollars in expenses to run a contest plus getting volunteers to do most of the work.

Bottom line is IMHO it's up to each contest to decide who will judge. We're already trying to force things on organizers and after a certain point they will decertify the contest.

Remember if it has a proclamation and gets 50 teams it's a qualifier so they don't need the KCBS. Or they could easily go to the IBCA. Get a few reps trained up north and they could start competing for contest dollars.
 
I voted for certified judges, just for the fact that you are competing in a kcbs event, it outta be judged by kcbs judges. But knowing that it isn't always possible to fill all judges spots with a cbj, then someone that has judged the event in the past would be suitable. I would not like to see an event turn down a cbj for someone that isn't, just because they judged it last year. Ya pay a premium price to compete in a kcbs event, we deserve to have kcbs cbj's,,, but that is just my opinion on the subject.
 
I voted for past judges. I feel that organizers should stick with the people that have supported their contest in the past. I judged the Blue Springs. MO contest for years before I became a certified judge. Just because I became certified didn't by itself make me a better judge. Cooking contests made me a better judge but the CBJ class really didn't change the way I judged.
 
Tinybud said:
I voted for certified judges, just for the fact that you are competing in a kcbs event,
Click to expand...

Therein lies the confusion.

It is not a KCBS event, it is the organizer's event. KCBS is just giving it their blessing ... for a fee of course.
 
KCBS is and will post the presentage of CBJ's at the contest the year before. This allows the cook to decide what is important, high precentage of CBJs or not. If there are two contests to chose from and one offers 100% CBJ's if that is important to you then that will effect what contest you attend.
 
I know that I am beating a dead horse on this issue, but the whole certified judge issue is simple. What exactly does a certified judge have compared to a past judge? What exactly does the certification add to a judges ability to determine good Q?
 
There is a reason to spend the time and money to become a judge. If you want to have them you have to give them some respect not all of us judges are there for the food. (There are some) I think at least most of us try to be fair, equitable, and do the job requested. I will compete some day and am not sure which should come first but head knowledge helps in any thing you do. I you are going to go to an event because it is KCBS certified then unless you missed the point you should want KCBS trained judges. If it is not a KCBS event make up what you want and live with it!
 
Well I personally think that certified judges are way over rated. As is garnish and appearance. I mean if a rib tastes great who cares what it looks like. Also, who needs to be trained to know good BBQ, and who trains the trainers? I would also have to think that if you try for appearance, you might be taking away from taste. I mean wouldn't you rather have a chicken thigh that tastes great with crispy skin and not so pretty or one that looks pretty with slightly rubbery skin. It's a no-brainer, you take the crispy skin every time.
 
I admit that the judges class wasn't really an eye opener for me, I know what I like in bbq, and I know what the kcbs rules are, But for me, I enter kcbs sanctioned events, becasue I am a member of the kcbs, and like being a member, and knowing that the judges are certified, then I know they support the kcbs. I'm by no means saying all judges have to be certified, I'm only saying that a cbj shouldn't be turned away because of a non cbj is in place.
 
I voted for the certified judges, although with some of the things I've heard at the juding table, it makes you wonder if they were awake during the class. I think you're going to get a more balanced scoring system with certified judges. During our class with Mike Lake, it was a real eye opener when we had to judge the entry and discuss why we gave the score we did. Hard to duplicate that experience at the contest site.

What I really want is a judge who is going to be consistant and fair. I HATE judges who are really just in it to scarf up as much bbq to take home. I've judged at tables where the judge seemed more interested in getting some food home than actually judging the entry. That's farken ridiculous!
 
jminion said:
KCBS is and will post the presentage of CBJ's at the contest the year before. This allows the cook to decide what is important, high precentage of CBJs or not. If there are two contests to chose from and one offers 100% CBJ's if that is important to you then that will effect what contest you attend.
Click to expand...

Actually, what the cook should be concerned with is 'will there be enough judges show up so that the organizer doesn't have to pull people from the street'. If someone has shown that they are dependable and are interested enough to sign up in advance and show up when asked to, I'm happy to have them.

As an organizer, I would prefer to have 100% cbj's, but my main concern is that I have enough judges show up. At our event last year we had more than 30% of the people who wanted to judge not show up and a good number of those were cbj's.

Eric
 
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