It works like this:
Certain contests are sanctioned by NEBS, these are both KCBS BBQ contests, as well as some grilling contests.
In general, if it's listed on the NEBS website it is counted... (there are some exceptions I think, but that's the basic idea)
Total scores are used for overall rankings, only KCBS contests count towards "Chicken, Ribs, Brisket, Pork" ie. Chicken wings at a grilling contest does not count towards those chicken rankings.
Your top 5 scores are used, can be any mix of grilling or KCBS. A grilling and KCBS contest at a venue, count as 2 separate contests. Only the first 4 categories in any contest count...(ie. 5 categories in grilling, only the first 4 count-- this applies to GC)
Teams can not combine scores mid year... change a team name, you start at 0
The "Year" ends with Harpoon Grilling Contest... (this year Maine was the first of the "year")
Jamie Hart spends a lot of time working on the numbers... and people constantly ask about them... i think this is in the rules somewhere too...