MIM to stop sanctioning

thats pretty interesting, opens the door for other sanctioning bodies to add some contests, what will Seabrisket do now ????

does that mean more then just pork?

Smokin' Gnome BBQ said:

does that mean more then just pork?

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I dunno. That's a pretty confusing message. They don't really have room to add more teams down there but I guess they could add brisket and chicken categories. Then it's not the Superbowl of Swine anymore though.

SmokeInDaEye said:

I dunno. That's a pretty confusing message. They don't really have room to add more teams down there but I guess they could add brisket and chicken categories. Then it's not the Superbowl of Swine anymore though.

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Just like I don't get MIM in general... I don't get what this message is saying? Who's sanctioning if MIM isn't?

Plowboy said:

Just like I don't get MIM in general... I don't get what this message is saying? Who's sanctioning if MIM isn't?

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Agreed.. I never understood who does what.

Anyone care to provide a quick overview of MIM, MBA etc ? I thought MIM was a specific event only in Memphis that as part of it included the barbeque competition.

I wouldn't mind understanding it myself.

Yes, finally unraveling the details would be nice. I thought MIM was both the contest and the sanctioning body... Someone educate me too, please

HoDeDo said:

Yes, finally unraveling the details would be nice. I thought MIM was both the contest and the sanctioning body... Someone educate me too, please

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My own 2 cents (which could be completely wrong) after doing a MIM sanctioned contest last month and visiting the big show each May, they have tried to build a sanctioning body around the rules of MIM and its too hard to bring in new teams who are used to competing a different way (biggest being no onsite judges).

My guess is that they are dropping the Memphis Barbeque Association which santions a handful of smaller MIM-style contests each year and, if they really want to attract some new top level teams, align with KCBS and other bodies to offer automatic entry into MIM for Grand Champs at certain contests.

As for adding new non-pork categories at the main event, I don't see it happening. Seems like an un-necessary effort for a contest with a never ending waiting list.

Actually, the sanctioning body is the Memphis Barbeque Association. I think for convenience, other contests started being called "Memphis in May" contests if sanctioned by the MBA.

MilitantSquatter said:

Agreed.. I never understood who does what.

Anyone care to provide a quick overview of MIM, MBA etc ? I thought MIM was a specific event only in Memphis that as part of it included the barbeque competition.

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Yes, Memphis in May is a contest, the Memphis Barbeque Association is the organization which sanctions MIM and a handful of other contests around the country. Contests are all pork (shoulder, ribs, and whole hog) and are judged 60% on blind boxes (no garnish) and 40% scores from 2 of 3 judges who visit your site individually for 10-15 minutes each (lowest is dropped). You are judged on appearance of your site, taste of your meat and your presentation to the judges.

The top three teams in each category from the prelim round then advance to the finals abd present to 4 judges to determine 1-2-3 rankings.

SmokeInDaEye said:

You are judged on appearance of your site...

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Which is why you'll never see the Meatheads cooking a MIM contest! :wink: :lol: :razz:

I think the MIM way of judging is a little intimidating. Not only do you have to cook well, your showmanship comes into play. There's a contest in Ontario (I believe its the Canadian Open), and they have on site judging. We're a little reluctant to enter, even though its so close to home.

Also, I think it might be hard to be impartial as a judge. You know who's meat you are tasting cuz they are right there with you.

The Giggler said:

I think the MIM way of judging is a little intimidating. Not only do you have to cook well, your showmanship comes into play. There's a contest in Ontario (I believe its the Canadian Open), and they have on site judging. We're a little reluctant to enter, even though its so close to home.

Also, I think it might be hard to be impartial as a judge. You know who's meat you are tasting cuz they are right there with you.

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Go for it Mike.. for on site set up an ezup with the sides and make it
like your kitchen table.. I'm sure you guys would do well.. You only
have to cook one catagory.. Seabriket does shoulders and ribs at the
small MIM contests.. Come to Memphis some time and get torn down

Nitrofly said:

Go for it Mike.. for on site set up an ezup with the sides and make it
like your kitchen table.. I'm sure you guys would do well.. You only
have to cook one catagory.. Seabriket does shoulders and ribs at the
small MIM contests.. Come to Memphis some time and get torn down

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Or tore up from the floor up. Which ever you prefer.

SmokeInDaEye said:

Or tore up from the floor up. Which ever you prefer.

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Torn down or Tore up you got a fresh clonesicle and I'm there

MilitantSquatter said:

Agreed.. I never understood who does what.

Anyone care to provide a quick overview of MIM, MBA etc ? I thought MIM was a specific event only in Memphis that as part of it included the barbeque competition.

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I'll offer my thoughts on the matter as well....

Memphis In May used to be a stand alone all-encompassing organization that ran & sanctioned a barbecue contest network, hosted the MIM world championship, plus many other aspects of a month long international festival.

A few years ago the SCN (sanctioned contest network) portion of MIM began having leadership problems and was floundering. The spin-off from that became the MBA-Memphis Barbecue Association, which took over the contest network from MIM but still maintained all the core judging principals and scoring that MIM had established. MBA also attempted to become a membership based association (like KCBS) with different levels (individual, team, sponsor, etc.) MBA has struggled with growing pains and leadership changes and the contest network has also been losing popularity (not many new teams that cook more than 1-2 contests each season). I also think team participation in the sanctioned 'qualifier' events has been down. Some contest organizers and MBA contest reps did attempt to simplify some of the judging to ease pressure on many teams(several of these contests did the finals judging with blind turn-ins, instead of a second round of on-site judging for the top 3 in each category)

I personally have felt for a couple of years that organization and process changes were needed in the contests to make them more affordable and inviting for new teams. (I am a member of a team that had cooked MIM events exclusively for 10 years, traveling to a many as 8 events in a season, before we cooked our first KCBS event last year). For the teams that don't have deep pockets or big sponsors, the cost to enter and compete in the MIM/MBA contests is easily double what a KCBS contest will cost the average team (especially if cooking in all categories: shoulders, hog, & ribs). The cost to cook at the MIM World Championship is easily 4x that of any other event, and you only cook in a single category.

I don't know what, if anything will change with the make-up of the MIM World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. That group would like to find ways to broaden the team base by inviting other winners from other sanctioning groups to participate.

I also read in another post on a different forum that MIM is essentially selling the rights & scoring software to a 3rd party to manage and run a qualifier sanctioned contest nework that is to take the place of what is now the MBA/MIM network.

I hope this will be successfull, as I would hate to see this form of contest cooking disappear.

Nitrofly said:

Go for it Mike.. for on site set up an ezup with the sides and make it
like your kitchen table.. I'm sure you guys would do well.. You only
have to cook one catagory.. Seabriket does shoulders and ribs at the
small MIM contests.. Come to Memphis some time and get torn down

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Do you guys travel to MIM? What are your thoughts on the whole process?

The idea is to put out your best china, etc., right? What categories are there to choose from? Do you pick? Or is it based on when you enter?

Thanks for the invite, we'll have to take you up on it.

Plowboy said:

Just like I don't get MIM in general... I don't get what this message is saying? Who's sanctioning if MIM isn't?

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My thoughts exactly Todd, Heck I can barely afford to cook in KCBS comps a couple times a year, forget all the meat you have to buy for a MIM event.