First Competition,,, maybe

[tduffy]

Having done a LOT (hundreds) of chili cookoffs as well as cooking and judging sanctioned and un-sanctioned BBQ cookoffs, what they are telling you above is spot on. 99.9% of the time the local team that's able to bring out their friends and families wins, regardless of how you cook. That last 0.1% is usually who cooks the most and outlasts the other competitors to be the only team getting those last votes...

One of the guys said earlier something about good practice; I'd argue that if you're cooking for something like this, there's very little to come away with that's usable in an actual sanctioned contest, other than practicing cooking 3 or 4 butts, but frankly you can do that at home and eat the results yourself without incurring any other costs and hassles.

Yep. people's choice is a joke.

 

[SDAR]

Yep. people's choice is a joke.

Its a social event fundraiser, not a contest. The promotor/charity gets the food and cook costs free and then people pay them to eat it. Cash on both ends for the promoter at the expense of the cooks. You will usually see a lot of corporate teams in events like this because they can write it off.

 

[wrenfro12]

any organizer that requires this doesn't deserve to get many teams.

I have seen that listed on many contests. Check your label on your EZup or Caravan canopy. They are all fire retardant.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

any organizer that requires this doesn't deserve to get many teams.

I don't see how that makes sense. It's a rule for safety. Heck contests require fire extinguishers a lot of times, should they not get any teams because they require a fire extinguisher? Shame on Sam for wanting people to be safe... Really that is a stupid thing to say.
Seriously, why on earth would you bash him for wanting to be safe?

Why don't you relax and stop being so critical of everything?

 

[smokeacholic]

Sounds like this is a fund raiser for the event only. Not a contest.

 

[Pork Barrel Project]

My one-fiftieth of a dollar's worth of opinion: If you decide to do it, go into the event with the outlook that you're donating a significant amount of your time, meat, money and energy toward helping one or more charities raise some cash. And that's all.

Otherwise, don't walk, run away from the event.

You're not going to learn anything useful to you about competitions regarding timings or presentations by making a PC contest your first event. Chances are better than even that you'll walk away fairly jaded by the whole experience.

The quality of the food is largely irrelevant. The winners will be the local teams that bring the largest contingent of family, friends and clients who will stuff the ballot box for their buddies...after, you won't help but notice, they first gorge themselves on your food. That's just the nature of this type of beast.

 

[tduffy]

I don't see how that makes sense. It's a rule for safety. Heck contests require fire extinguishers a lot of times, should they not get any teams because they require a fire extinguisher? Shame on Sam for wanting people to be safe... Really that is a stupid thing to say.
Seriously, why on earth would you bash him for wanting to be safe?

Why don't you relax and stop being so critical of everything?

They require fire extinguishers because kcbs rules require it. No kcbs rule dictates what kind of canopy I have to use. We don't need extra regulations and red tape. I dont need someone telling me what canopy I choose to use.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

They require fire extinguishers because kcbs rules require it. No kcbs rule dictates what kind of canopy I have to use. We don't need extra regulations and red tape. I dont need someone telling me what canopy I choose to use.

It isn't KCBS and it's at his place of business. You don't have to go and I doubt you ever will be at Whitings so why you worry about it?

When someone organizes and hosts a contest it's their contest and their rules.
You can choose not to enter which is fine. To say he doesn't deserve to get many teams because he wants to have an extra layer of safety is absurd. They work hard to put on a good contest up there. I appreciate the hard work that Sam and all the people at whitings put into it. Great venue and great people. If he wants to dictate the canopy be fire retardant then I am fine with it.

He only charges $25 to enter a 3 category unsanctioned contest. Just saying even most unsanctioned contests cost more.

Don't take this wrong way but you get way to worked up over such a small detail. Especially for a contest I very much doubt you would ever enter.

You cook KCBS right? So why worry about a rule for an unsanctioned event.

Also, why wouldn't you want to have a fire retardant canopy?

Last I checked we cook with fire so maybe cooking under a flammable canopy might not be the best idea. Just saying. :flame:

 

[Scottie]

I've never been to a contest where a fire proof canopy was a requirement.

I've cooked a few different states in my career. There are plenty of contests that require this. This is from marching orders from the local or state fire marshall. Some places require a 5# extinguisher, with current tags. And 2 - 2 1/2# extinguishers do not add up to 5# with their math. Have seen plenty of teams scramble, or in some cases not cook with an Ez-Up because of the enforcement.

 

[tduffy]

It isn't KCBS and it's at his place of business. You don't have to go and I doubt you ever will be at Whitings so why you worry about it?

When someone organizes and hosts a contest it's their contest and their rules.
You can choose not to enter which is fine. To say he doesn't deserve to get many teams because he wants to have an extra layer of safety is absurd. They work hard to put on a good contest up there. I appreciate the hard work that Sam and all the people at whitings put into it. Great venue and great people. If he wants to dictate the canopy be fire retardant then I am fine with it.

He only charges $25 to enter a 3 category unsanctioned contest. Just saying even most unsanctioned contests cost more.

Don't take this wrong way but you get way to worked up over such a small detail. Especially for a contest I very much doubt you would ever enter.

You cook KCBS right? So why worry about a rule for an unsanctioned event.

Also, why wouldn't you want to have a fire retardant canopy?

Last I checked we cook with fire so maybe cooking under a flammable canopy might not be the best idea. Just saying. :flame:

Why wouldn't i want a fire retardant canopy? Because i'm not an idiot and start my cook site on fire. I don't need it.

 

[tduffy]

All these stupid rules on canopies etc. are all the more reason to buy a porch trailer with a commercial kitchen in it, where nothing has to be unloaded or set up. Easy in and easy out. Then organizers can complain about why cook teams don't interact with the public anymore.

 

[Untraceable]

Sam's Club tour had to move out of Rockford Il because of a crazy Fire Marshall

 

[Serious Hog]

You know the season is sadly coming to an end when the two hottest (get it? Hot ) threads on the Competition Forum are related to canopies.

 

[Untraceable]

True. Love trailer talk tho

 

[ITBFQ]

I've cooked a few different states in my career. There are plenty of contests that require this. This is from marching orders from the local or state fire marshall. Some places require a 5# extinguisher, with current tags. And 2 - 2 1/2# extinguishers do not add up to 5# with their math. Have seen plenty of teams scramble, or in some cases not cook with an Ez-Up because of the enforcement.

I was speaking from my own experience, which obviously pales in comparison to yours. That is good to know info... thanks. The safety police sure know how to suck the fun out of competing sometimes. I get it; they are just doing their job.

 

[Scottie]

All these stupid rules on canopies etc. are all the more reason to buy a porch trailer with a commercial kitchen in it, where nothing has to be unloaded or set up. Easy in and easy out. Then organizers can complain about why cook teams don't interact with the public anymore.

Even been to contests where the fire marshall wouldn't approve a team because they had a porch trailer and they wanted the smoker out in the open. Just depends on how much they wanted to enforce that. Basically, once the inspector left, it was all good. But I could see someday where they make teams scramble and unload their smoker off rhe trailer.

 

[Red Valley BBQ]

Also, remember that this type of People's Choice often turns into a contest to see who can bring out the most friends and family and is rarely about the food.

THIS^^^

I would not do this.

I agree.

Even been to contests where the fire marshall wouldn't approve a team because they had a porch trailer and they wanted the smoker out in the open. Just depends on how much they wanted to enforce that. Basically, once the inspector left, it was all good. But I could see someday where they make teams scramble and unload their smoker off rhe trailer.

I was cooking at two comps in NY this year where the Fire Marshall made a general nuisance of themselves over the fire retardant/cookers under the canopy issue. Of course, neither showed up until the teams were set up and the cookers were lit.

 

[CBQ]

And I can see where a local good ol' boy could win by popularity too

..and the location of the booth, how many tickets they sell, how close you are to the ticket booth, how the voting is handled, whether or not they have a bunch of model types handling out food, etc. etc.

In most contests that have both blind judging and people's choice, the top teams for the blind judging and the people's choice are almost never the same. People's choice just aren't serious contests. If you want to jump in to competitive BBQ, but aren't sure if a sanctioned "pro" event is right for you yet, find a tailgate or backyard event with blind judging.

I would advise to just jump right in to KCBS. You won't win, but it will be a good measure of where you stand and what you need to work on.