Anyone here compete in the IBCA (BBQ) event that was at DS High?

that is the problems with those local competitions

the judging is a joke and oftentimes soley based on their personal tastes as opposed to set criteria

Thats the way it is for almost all except for the national invitational levels. Even then I would argue its about personal tastes. The scoring at all levels of IBCA is personal taste of 1-10. Which takes in account other factors that you are instructed to judge on. There is no set criteria unless the judge knows about it.

At this competition I would say that for ribs for example most of the judges preferred fall off the bone vs tender but complete rib. There was no instruction to the contrary. That is why those in the competition win one week and dont place the next.

I did glance at a ladies scores next to me. She would give a 5 for an entry that I gave a 9 to. I gave a 4 to an entry she gave a 8 to. The competitors never know who their judges will be which isnt a bad thing all the time though.

Not true if the judging is run by an IBCA judge.

I was a judge in a local event run by IBCA judges. There is a definitely a standardized process for judging, but yes, it depends on the tastes and preferences of the judges you have. But when you have 10 judges, there will be a trend in scoring, and so to in rankings.

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jusging at this deals is very subjective

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as it should be. give them the parameters then let them make a determination based on their personal observations.

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comes down to politics and who knows who

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pretty sure 90% of these are blind tastings.

I think he meant about who gets to do the judging not who wins. At least thats the way I understood it. I was asked because I knew someone who knew someone. So yea that happens.

The process is score a 1 if you want to spit it out and 10 if its the best you have had.

Now the process used to judge is very clean. Just not what people are judging on. Taste is everything there.

They tell you to rank appearance as well (to go into overall score) which I have a problem with their score process. If you are judge 1 at a table of 9 you dont see what box 9 looks like until 8 people cut into it. Then if it makes the finals and you are judge 1 then you dont see that cut of chicken until 17 people cut into it. How do you judge that on looks?

You're right. It's not a perfect system.

But dammit if they didn't tell the entrants EXACTLY how to stack their ribs in the box they submit to us