How many backyard contest before pro?

There is not a set amount.

Here is our story...we started much like you. Our annual local event is called Pros and Joes. As we found out, both Pros and Joes cook the same meats and are judged side-by-side...meaning the judges don't know if they are tasting a Pro entry vs. a Joe entry. Long story short, we won the Joes with a 1st, 1st, 2nd and overall GC. What we found out later is that even if we had entered as a Pro, we would have been RGC overall. We figured there was no need to continue to compete as a Joe (backyard), so we jumped into the Pro division ever since.

I feel that once you have conquered the Backyard division, then it's time to step up. I see in the new KCBS rules that you can enter up to 12 Pro level events and still be considered Backyard....assuming you don't GC or RGC a Pro event. If you do, you're a Pro....so they say.

Go for it! I always remind people that these competitions are based on one thing.....BBQ!..It's just BBQ. Cook it good enough and you can win!

We didn't do any backyard

We only did one.

We jumped in with both feet and our first competition was "pro." I will say that I hate using the word "pro" because we have never earned a dime, in fact being "pro" has cost me a lot of cash.

Though, using BBQ logic....I pay a lot to play beer league ice hockey.....holy chit!.....I am a professional hockey player!

Rick

I didn't do any backyard events prior either. Jumped in feet first.

You don't have to cook expensive brisket.

I think some contests won't let you compete in Backyard once you've got a GC (but I wouldn't know how they police that).

chrischandler71 said:

We definitely are moving toward the pro side rather quickly. We are gonna compete in March at Coolray Field in the backyard, but after that we move to the pro side. The cost sure does increase moving up having to cook Wagu brisket and the increased entry fee. We really have had a lot of fun though and look forward to moving up.

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You do not have to cook wagyu. I'm not nearly as experienced as most on here but have won money with prime and CAB.

In fact speaking from experience don't cook wagyu. Last year was our second year competing, and I'll be honest I wasted a lot of money cooking wagyu briskets thinking I had to. got a few top 10 calls, but nothing in the top 5. Finally towards the end of the year we decided to go back to costco primes (always under $3.50/ lb) this year that's all we'll be cooking until we get to the point that we feel perfectly cooked primes are holding us back.

Hey chrischandler71, I will be cooking there in BY as well, so I will look you up. I just placed a call to the KCBS office this week to inquire about cooking pro and going back to backyard. There is a Sam's Club tournament 4 miles from my house that I want to cook in this June, so I asked about going back to BY afterward, and the answer I was given was that if we get a call in one of the categories, then we must stay pro. I thought, fair enough. And as far as policing or enforcement of the rules, my guess is by your KCBS member number, as it is required by several comps and used to keep your scores.

I don't think we even have backyard down here in Texas. We just signed up for an event, strapped on the bandanas, and went for it.

I jumped right into pro for my first year in 2015 and did 3 comps. This past year I did 10. Whether or not it was the right thing to do? I have no regrets.

ronbrad62 said:

I was given was that if we get a call in one of the categories, then we must stay pro.

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Interesting. This doesn't match what the rules say

2017 Rules and Regulations

Definition for Backyard Cook Team
A. Any member of the team who has not entered in
and competed in more than twelve (12) sanctioned
“Master Series” BBQ competitions in the past and;
B. Any person who has been a member of a team who
has not been awarded a Grand Champion or Reserve
Champion status in any KCBS Sanctioned “Master
Series” competition and;
C. Any member of the team who has competed in
three (3) or less “Master Series BBQ competitions
within the current competition year.
If any member of the team has entered in and competed in more
than twelve (12) sanctioned “Master Series” BBQ competitions in
the past, they are ineligible to participate in the Backyard
competition. Any person who was a member of a team who has
competed in three (3) or less “Master Series” BBQ competitions
within one (1) competition year may be considered a backyard cook
and may declare or revert to such status. This includes the Chief Cook
and/or Assistant Cooks. The only exclusion to this rule would be those
judges cooking with a team to qualify for master judge
status. Individuals who feel they have extenuating circumstances
may appeal to the KCBS Sanctioning committed or their designee for
reconsideration as a backyard cook. Those requests must be made in
writing within 90 days of the competition in question.
The purpose is to ensure a level playing field in the cooking
competition. The Cook Team cannot have been compensated as a Pro
BBQ Restaurant or Caterer

I say one or two just to see what you are getting into. We didn't do any and darn near won our first event (damn chicken).

BV

Never did backyard...jumped right in. Dip your toe in, the water's fine.

cook whatever you want within the rules.