Just curious as to where you feel it lacks in quality Tim.
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Rub,
I "rate" comps primarily as to how "cooker friendly" they seem to me.
Stated differently, do I feel that the organizer wants me there, or am I there to support the other parts of the event??
Some things I look at are:
1. Do I ever see the organizer? Or, do I ever really see any of the staff? Over the two or more days there, does anyone stop by just to say "hi" or ask if we need anything?
2. Do I need to hunt down ice and trash bins, or does the event use one of their many golf carts to help out with that? Or, do the cute girls in the golf carts just drive around the area?
3. Even if the sites are of a good size, is the travel area between them adequate to allow the teams to maneuver for parking and such? Or are they so narrow that the front of my truck (parked within my site limits) gets $700 worth of damage by an arriving team threading the narrow area remaining between rows? Is there enough maneuver room to get even my 17' trailer into my spot without 4-5 twists and turns and 2 helpers to keep me off of the neighbors?
4. Is there a traffic plan to allow teams to depart shortly after awards?
If there is, do the nice folks at the gates know what it is?
5. Are the cash awards commersate with the entry fee? If a well established contest charges "good money" of $275, is the high placing (in catagory) payouts reasonable? Or is something like $350 for a first in catagory instead of a more reasonable $500, for the amount of entry fees received the way to go?
I will leave it to others to evaluate the Dothan event as they see fit.
I do know that the first several years of this event at the Peanut Festival ground with a different organizer were totally different from the current incarnation. That era was a class act!!!
I just know that there are too many "quality" events like Jesup, Marianna, Thomaston, the old Okeechobee, and Ocala that have set the standard for me.
With all of that said, I will be there some supporting Russ (Second Star) and hanging out with anyone who will put up with me.
TIM