I am not much for competition BBQ in terms of competing, but, I have to say there are regional characteristics that can come into play, especially when you are talking local judges and new judges. Many of the techniques you see, such as panning, muffin cups, margarine etc...are being used to create a consistent, repeatable product while reducing the variables. Consistent size of meat, amount of fat, thickness of skin, location of bone etc...are all about making each piece cook like it's neighbor on the grill.
In terms of flavor, last year as I trolled through peoples comp sites looking for samples, I found one guy who scored abysmally whose chicken was outstanding. It was chickeny, smoky, salty everything I would ascribe to bbq chicken. But, it was not spicy/sweet and the flavor was too much different, the skin was crispy and pulled, not bite through, it was too far afield.