So, how do we make CBJ judging more consistant without making judges clones?
Certainly taste and to a lesser extent tenderness are more subjective
and "in the eye of the beholder". However, presentation/appearance isn't
nearly so subjective, not across a 4+ point range. Whatever a presentation
was, it wasn't both bad and great...
Anyway, other sanctioning bodies have different scoring systems and
more exhaustive training, testing, and certification processes that tend
to keep scores usually within 2 points. That, and there are judge captains
that question scores outside a range and work with the very rare rogue
judge. To some degree KCBS is a victim of their own success. However,
they really seem to embrace the willy-nilly-ness of it, and to me it's a
complete slap in the face to every team/cook who competes.