Is it even necessary to have a rules "overlord"? If you have a good idea of how you want the contest to run, can publish rules so competitors know what to do, have a scoring system and method of producing results -- the answer is NO!
What a sanctioning organization does to assist contest organizers (in addition to the three things above) is open the event up to a list of already established competitors and in some cases, judges.
Some events choose a sanctioning body because it's close. If I'm doing an event in Texas, it's likely that IBCA, LSBS or one of the others will be used. Though KCBS has made in roads into Texas in the last several years and IBCA is strong in Louisiana, New Mexico with some contests in Arkansas and Oklahoma as well. IBCA even has an event in Hilo in July! Down side from a competitor's perspective is that there are no score sheets in Texas rules. If you don't make the top 10 or "finals table" you have no feedback from the judges. "Certified" judges are not required under these rules. Judging is not comparative. Turn ins (what's in the box) are very structured. 1/2 chicken (fully jointed), pork spare ribs (placed horizontally to the box hinge) and brisket slices (7 as thick as a pencil). Judges have a plastic fork and knife to cut a small sample off of each entry. Lots of forks and knives are used! Judging table structure depends on the number of teams cooking.
KCBS has the largest number of sanctioned events in the USA! Judging is again not comparative. Judges are "trained" in the KCBS judging method. Contest officials are trained to conduct the contest according to KCBS rules, enter scores and maintain the double blind. Score sheets are given to each competitor showing the detailed scoring, judge's average scores at that event, table the entry was judged on and where it scored against the other entries judged at that table. Basically, there's a judge for every team. Normally, each table of 6 judges will score from 4 to 6 samples in each category. Teams are instructed to turn in enough meat for 6 judges. There is flexibility in how meat is presented to judges. Through the end of July 2014, almost 5,000 distinct teams had competed at KCBS events.
What a sanctioning organization does to assist contest organizers (in addition to the three things above) is open the event up to a list of already established competitors and in some cases, judges.
Some events choose a sanctioning body because it's close. If I'm doing an event in Texas, it's likely that IBCA, LSBS or one of the others will be used. Though KCBS has made in roads into Texas in the last several years and IBCA is strong in Louisiana, New Mexico with some contests in Arkansas and Oklahoma as well. IBCA even has an event in Hilo in July! Down side from a competitor's perspective is that there are no score sheets in Texas rules. If you don't make the top 10 or "finals table" you have no feedback from the judges. "Certified" judges are not required under these rules. Judging is not comparative. Turn ins (what's in the box) are very structured. 1/2 chicken (fully jointed), pork spare ribs (placed horizontally to the box hinge) and brisket slices (7 as thick as a pencil). Judges have a plastic fork and knife to cut a small sample off of each entry. Lots of forks and knives are used! Judging table structure depends on the number of teams cooking.
KCBS has the largest number of sanctioned events in the USA! Judging is again not comparative. Judges are "trained" in the KCBS judging method. Contest officials are trained to conduct the contest according to KCBS rules, enter scores and maintain the double blind. Score sheets are given to each competitor showing the detailed scoring, judge's average scores at that event, table the entry was judged on and where it scored against the other entries judged at that table. Basically, there's a judge for every team. Normally, each table of 6 judges will score from 4 to 6 samples in each category. Teams are instructed to turn in enough meat for 6 judges. There is flexibility in how meat is presented to judges. Through the end of July 2014, almost 5,000 distinct teams had competed at KCBS events.
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