New Rules for American Royal Invitational Qualification

[musicmanryann]

I Just received this email. See the attachments as well. Interesting new procedures for ensuring qualification for the invitational.

"Hello everyone,

The American Royal World Series of Barbecue® is only 209 days away and we are asking for your assistance in gathering the information for those teams who have qualified and will qualify for our Invitational Contest!

In order to streamline the process and ensure all information is received in an efficient and timely manner, we have put a new process in place for gathering the information required.

Please forward the attached documents to your Contest Organizers.

These documents include:
· Contest Organizer Letter

· 2012 Organizer & Invitational Team Information Sheets
· Invitational Contest FAQ

We understand that gathering together the information for all of your sanctioned contests and the Grand Champion team information for those contests can be time consuming. We are moving the responsibility to the Contest Organizers. It will be the responsibility of each Contest Organizer AND their respective Grand Champion team to return all documents.

It is the decision of each individual association whether they choose to email, mail or fax these documents to their contest organizers.

We are currently updating our website www.AmericanRoyal.com, but once this has been completed these forms will be available online along with the updated Qualifying Contest Criteria and Invitational Contest FAQ.

Given this new process we expect there will be questions, so please don’t hesitate to contact me to clarify the process and expectations.

Thank you in advance for your assistance in distributing this information. It is important for the American Royal Association to include all teams that qualify for the Invitational Contest. Your assistance will help facilitate gathering the information so that your teams will be properly recognized for their outstanding accomplishment of being a Grand Champion.

Best,
Melissa

Melissa Pate
BBQ Event Manager"

2012 Organizer & Invitational Team Information Sheets.pdf

Invitational Contest-Organizer Letter.pdf

[musicmanryann]

Since it is a long read, I will paraphrase how I understand this new process.

For every contest, the organizer and contest winner must submit a signed information form directly to the American Royal verifying compliance with the qualification criteria. A copy of the team list and governor's proclamation must also be submitted. The completed paperwork and supplemental materials must be submitted no longer than seven (7) days after the contest. If paperwork is not submitted on time you will not receive an invitation for that contest.

[Smoke Ring]

What about contests from last year that qualify? It's a little hard to meet that 7 day rule at this point.

[Smoke Ring]

By the way, this is yet another member service that KCBS no longer provides, leaving it up to the invitationals like American Royal and Jack Daniel's to determine who qualified in KCBS events. Who does KCBS serve these days? It doesn't seem to be the members.

[Rich Parker]

I don't think 7 days is enough especially if a team has to be held responsible with the organizer.

[musicmanryann]

Originally Posted by Smoke Ring

What about contests from last year that qualify? It's a little hard to meet that 7 day rule at this point.

I have emailed Melissa regarding this very question as my contest is one of those. I am awaiting a response and will post as soon as I know.

[Diva]

It's bullcrap that KCBS stopped keeping track of the grand champion of their sanctioned contests. It doesn't take long to update an excel spreadsheet every week. I know, I used to do it. It's the LEAST they could do for the MEMBERS of KCBS.

Each sanctioning body takes care of their own...that's the way it should be. That's why sanctioning bodies have MEMBERS who pay DUES. Instead of having someone go in the office on the weekend to manually update the TOY calculations, why don't they let the computer do that and they can spend their time on an "added benefit" for the members, like, turning in Grand Champions' names to the Invitationals. This really pisses me off.

What about the teams that aren't in "the know", that aren't aware of this forum, that aren't aware of this procedural change??? They're screwed.

Lemme tell you how I really feel.....

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Diva

It's bullcrap that KCBS stopped keeping track of the grand champion of their sanctioned contests. It doesn't take long to update an excel spreadsheet every week. I know, I used to do it. It's the LEAST they could do for the MEMBERS of KCBS.

Each sanctioning body takes care of their own...that's the way it should be. That's why sanctioning bodies have MEMBERS who pay DUES. Instead of having someone go in the office on the weekend to manually update the TOY calculations, why don't they let the computer do that and they can spend their time on an "added benefit" for the members, like, turning in Grand Champions' names to the Invitationals. This really pisses me off.

What about the teams that aren't in "the know", that aren't aware of this forum, that aren't aware of this procedural change??? They're screwed.

Lemme tell you how I really feel.....

I know a couple of folks on the BOD. Ill relay your message...

[AZScott]

Awesome. Our first GC happened 12 days ago.

[Diva]

Originally Posted by Scottie

I know a couple of folks on the BOD. Ill relay your message...

Yeah, me too and they've already heard from me. No need to relay anything to anybody on my account.

[musicmanryann]

I asked for some clarification on a few things. I have noted her responses in RED. Make sure you read this, especially if you think you are already qualified for the 2012 invite.

Good morning Melissa,

I received your email message this morning regarding new procedures for qualifying for the American Royal Invitational and I have a couple of questions.

Perhaps I missed it in the message, but I am not clear if this new procedure is to begin immediately and/or is retroactive to contests that have occurred previous to today. The contest I organized was on Labor Day weekend last year and thus is a potential qualifier for the 2012 Invitational. Given the new rules do I need to get in an Informational Sheet to you, and have the winner do the same? If so, do I need to do that within 7 days of today? Yes, I realize everyone has just now received this information, and the 7-day window for past contests has passed, therefore please have both the Organizer and Invitational team sheets completed and returned to me within 7 days from receipt of documents.

Further, the required documents include a copy of the Governor’s Proclamation. As is the case with several states, the State of Iowa has had, in my understanding, a perpetual blanket proclamation on all KCBS sanctioned events for years. Therefore, I, as well as other contests in Iowa do not have a paper copy of a proclamation. Please advise on how we should proceed in this case. I am sure that one could find a copy of the original proclamation, and perhaps The American Royal and/or KCBS already has this on file. I am aware that Iowa has a blanket proclamation, so for this question, circle “Yes” and just note blanket in the margin.

I appreciate the time and attention to these questions as we transition to this new process. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Ryan Newstrom
Contest Organizer
All American BBQ Bash in Ames, Iowa

[Lakeside Smoker]

This is crazy.
So, if the organizer sits on paperwork, or does not get back to me in time, I lose?

-Mike

[musicmanryann]

Originally Posted by Lakeside Smoker

This is crazy.
So, if the organizer sits on paperwork, or does not get back to me in time, I lose?

-Mike

My plan is to have a blank form and addressed envelope in my truck at all times and if we are lucky enough to win a contest not leave until I have signed forms and a sealed envelope from my contest organizer. Hopefully this wont jinx us--I don't even like filling out the tax forms for a contest until I know we have won something.

[Smoke Ring]

Originally Posted by Diva

It's bullcrap that KCBS stopped keeping track of the grand champion of their sanctioned contests. It doesn't take long to update an excel spreadsheet every week. I know, I used to do it. It's the LEAST they could do for the MEMBERS of KCBS.

They don't even have to do that. It is tracked in the contest database the office uses to manage contests and the application generates an organizer report with a list of all the contests, their qualifying status, and the GC. All they have to do is push a button.

[Podge]

Things like this is what reminds me why I didn't renew my membership