International BBQ Festival Owensboro,KY

[birgey]

Brethren and Sisters,
The International BBQ Festival in Owensboro,KY is coming up in May. There is a "Backyard Competition", and the categories are beef,pork,and chicken. Entry fee is only $50 (I need to find out if that's for EACH category, or just a flat entry fee). Anyway, I am seriously considering entering it, and it would be my first competition. I've gotten a name (Pa's Posse BBQ Team. Named after my dad).
I've got a couple of questions for you all...
Any tips,ideas, suggestions? Any pointers since it would be my first?
Also....cook time begins at 7am, with judging at 2pm. Not a lot of time, but it IS A "backyard " type event. I'm thinking about doing some whole chickens and pulling/shredding them. For beef, a local grocery store sells small beef briskets (real small...like 4 inches wide 6 inches long and 2-3 inches "tall"). I could do some of those for the beef category, or maybe a smoked meatloaf or smoke a few chucks? And for pork, I think I can get some racks of ribs done in that amount of time. Thoughts?
Thanks in advance!

 

[Gowan]

Unsanctioned backyard events are the Wild West of competition BBQ - anything and everything can and does happen!

Best advice it don't take it too seriously and have fun. These sort of affairs can be a ball if you maintain a carefree attitude, or a big disappointment if you go in expecting a sanctioned contest experience.

 

[charmcitycookers]

Unsanctioned backyard events are the Wild West of competition BBQ - anything and everything can and does happen!

Best advice it don't take it too seriously and have fun. These sort of affairs can be a ball if you maintain a carefree attitude, or a big disappointment if you go in expecting a sanctioned contest experience.

Yeah I have heard the same. I was going to try dipping my feet into competition at a backyard category at a comp but after checking into it more I decided to just dive in and do a full blown KCBS comp instead.