Guinea Pig 2016

[JD McGee]

I have held back publicly but KCBS has refused to allow TOY points of Jack bung or Royal draw. We are losing comps and teams right and left and meanwhile they refuse to consider or support a well run concept that benefits the teams. It is in no way an easier contest to cook.

If this contest were to spread to your area and provided a Jack Bung and a Royal draw but was not a KCBS Sanctioned event, would that keep you from cooking it?

I'd cook it in a heartbeat!

This type of event would do well up here in PNWBA land...pretty sure our rules would allow it to be sanctioned as well...:becky:

Excerpt from the PNWBA 2015 Rules...

"•All teams are to supply their own competition foods, unless otherwise specified."

 

[Burnt at Both Endz]

If the KCBBQ store and you are teaming up to bring one to the heartland, go ahead and pencil my name in for a spot. I could care less if it sanctioned as long as it's helping some of the young teams.

 

[Booties BBQ]

I have held back publicly but KCBS has refused to allow TOY points of Jack bung or Royal draw. We are losing comps and teams right and left and meanwhile they refuse to consider or support a well run concept that benefits the teams. It is in no way an easier contest to cook.

If this contest were to spread to your area and provided a Jack Bung and a Royal draw but was not a KCBS Sanctioned event, would that keep you from cooking it?

I'd absolutely cook it!!

 

[bbqwizard]

I'd cook it in a heartbeat. I just like to compete. If contest fees had a "correction" like the stock market, I would compete every weekend. A contest like this one appeals inso many ways!

 

[DUBBAGA]

As of 8:20am the CBBQA posted that 2 spots have been opened up for the GPIII

fyi: SRF will be providing the briskets... Wagyu... big honkers

Jump on the opportunity to participate in this awesome event, the spots will fill up quick

 

[bpeyton89]

would love to see this expand to the midwest... might even think about trying to get on the list for next year, but right now socal is a little to far from eastern Missouri for me to travel.

 

[DUBBAGA]

socal is a little to far from eastern Missouri for me to travel.

Road trip with Brad and Tim?

 

[SITM BBQ]

I have held back publicly but KCBS has refused to allow TOY points of Jack bung or Royal draw. We are losing comps and teams right and left and meanwhile they refuse to consider or support a well run concept that benefits the teams. It is in no way an easier contest to cook.

If this contest were to spread to your area and provided a Jack Bung and a Royal draw but was not a KCBS Sanctioned event, would that keep you from cooking it?

Yes, absolutely would cook this in my area even if it was not KCBS sanctioned. As a team that only cooks 5-10 events a year this is an ideal concept. It keeps our costs down and helps level the playing field. I think you have a great idea Sterling and would love to see this concept grow across the country.

It would be awesome to see one in the Asheville, NC area.

 

[Big Poppa]

Hey Smithfield is in as pork sponsor...They love the idea! Support Smithfield!
SRF has been an amazing sponsor of the Guinea Pig....Annella and I worked together to make the wagyu happen!

One spot left.......There are 4 elite teams, 22 teams with gc;s, the reigning Chicken champion Getting Basted, the reigning rib champion in Shake and Bake the current American Royal champions Grills Gone Wild Iowa...Pigskin

THis contest has hit a nerve and its stride....we have all types of cooks...from judges who never cook to teams that only cook this one. \
There is a kids que with cash....dessert contest with cash....$10,600 prize pool. Remember 60% of the teams over the last two years cash a check and 20% make money or break even...

Ohh yeah we have a SRF Double R Weenie roast where the only cooking Im allowed to do at the GP is the hot dogs. ( I so wish I could cook this comp) A bunch of teams are bringing chili for an unofficial chili dog contest (who doesnt love a great chili dog!
hahahaha) Speaking of dessert there is a dessert potluck where the residents of the RV park Shadow Hills Resort and the teams are contributing too over 100 desserts!

Oh yeah....entry fee is $450 including all of the above. Pays 10 deep in each category and overall

 

[cpw]

Hey Smithfield is in as pork sponsor...They love the idea! Support Smithfield!
SRF has been an amazing sponsor of the Guinea Pig....Annella and I worked together to make the wagyu happen!

One spot left.......There are 4 elite teams, 22 teams with gc;s, the reigning Chicken champion Getting Basted, the reigning rib champion in Shake and Bake the current American Royal champions Grills Gone Wild Iowa...Pigskin

THis contest has hit a nerve and its stride....we have all types of cooks...from judges who never cook to teams that only cook this one. \
There is a kids que with cash....dessert contest with cash....$10,600 prize pool. Remember 60% of the teams over the last two years cash a check and 20% make money or break even...

Ohh yeah we have a SRF Double R Weenie roast where the only cooking Im allowed to do at the GP is the hot dogs. ( I so wish I could cook this comp) A bunch of teams are bringing chili for an unofficial chili dog contest (who doesnt love a great chili dog!
hahahaha) Speaking of dessert there is a dessert potluck where the residents of the RV park Shadow Hills Resort and the teams are contributing too over 100 desserts!

Sounds like a GREAT time!

 

[Right on Q]

I'm very envious of this contest. I'd love to see this concept happen around us.

 

[NascarFanTom19]

I wish this contest was open to the public. I also join the contest as BPS puts on a very nice contest.

 

[DUBBAGA]

Feb 2016 Board Meeting agenda - Old/New Business http://www.kcbs.us/news.php?id=917

Peters: motion to exempt the 2016 Guinea Pig contests (assuming additional events will be called “Guinea Pig”) from rule #7, specifically the sentence that reads “When the contest organizer supplies the meat, the contestant is not required to enter only that meat”.

I would much rather allow an exemption for an established contest than having an organizer manipulate the system to get their contest approved. This appears to be a fair and even way to distribute meat that does not favor one competitor over another. Sterling states that there will be more events in 2016 which is why I would ask for a 2016 exemption. I know that there have been discussions in the past on how to include more events that closely follow our standard rules and this would give the rules committee most of 2016 to track the progress and suggest changes should they see fit.

 

[gettinbasted]

Mike Peters is right on with this.

 

[Meat Man]

I could care less if it's a qualifier or not. I think it is a really great concept, and I hope guys around the country get to cook a contest like the GP. It's pretty exciting when you get that box of meat. It's a cooks cook, and as level a contest that I've ever cooked. Now if the guys could just find a parsley sponsor, all I'd have to worry about are those orange cones.

 

[Bob in Corona]

We judges also LOVE this contest ! The friendly atmosphere. Spending time with your BBQ family, be they judges and/or teams ! Enjoying some Great BBQ.

What's not to like !

OH... Wishing All BBQ Teams, BBQ Excellence at the Guinea Pig !

Will... see you sometime after 2pm or so ?

 

[DUBBAGA]

The 3rd Annual Guinea Pig (GP III) has been over for more than 36 hours, but here I am waking up at 2:30 am still smiling about how wonderful the event was.

Thank you, yet again, to the man responsible for the event - Sterling "Big Poppa" Ball. Hopefully you were as happy as the teams were, with the outcome and execution this year. Things were run impeccably, and the service to the teams was without equal. Much of this is a credit to your devoted team at Ernie Ball Music - Jessie, Jody and James "The Flame" Perez (plus others who I sadly don't remember the names of), but ultimately that is due to the leadership and example which is set for them.

Having the participation of Arlie Bragg, Kelly and Kathleen McIntosh, Ian Schmidt and Julie Poe ensured that everything played smoothly like a James Valentine Signature Guitar :thumb:.

The host facility, Shadow Hills RV Resort, is so fantastic - lush grass, real restrooms (with hot water, and showers !!!!), and a community that welcomes the bbq teams and judges with open arms. The owner even came around on Friday night to personally greet us, and ensure that we were each invited to a gathering with the other residents around a roaring fire.

Since I don't use Facebook or Instagram, my thanks to the additional sponsors will be presented in the following format: #snakeriverfarms #SRF #IheartWieners (hmm, maybe this one should have been excluded) #SmithfieldFoods #smokinwithsmithfield. How crazy is it that a $450 entry fee, that includes all meats, provided a brisket which individually is valued at $169. This was my first time handling such a beautiful piece of meat, all I kept repeating to myself is don't screw it up. In addition to the briskets, SRF also provided Waygu hot dogs for the Friday night weenie roast and dessert potluck. Them be some awesome tube steaks. And the desserts, wow! Hopefully people enjoyed my pig candy pecan toffee. This was my first time cooking with Smithfield pork, and it definitely won't be my last. The ribs and butts were from their Extra Tender line - look for them at your local Walmart (and other stores, I'm sure). In particular, I really loved the ribs - they didn't need any injecting to stay moist, and really plumped up during cooking. Thank you Annella and Shane from SRF, and to whomever at Smithfield that believes in the value of the Guinea Pig competition model, and the leadership of BPS.

Congratulations to Lady of Q (Sylvie) on GC, Hickory and Spice (Rick Mysse) on RGC, and all of the others who heard their names called. It was so much fun in the awards, as this event pays 10 deep in each category plus overall, and all teams get called up. This really spreads the love, and results an a lot of happy faces.

Personally, I was cheering the loudest for my comp neighbor (and fellow judge) B'Mackin (Brett). Not only did he receive a call in ribs, but his daughter "Tiny Bre'Mackin" won the Kids Que burger competition for 6-10 year olds, and had the highest score, even over the older kids.

It was an honor to sit behind KCBS powerhouses Shake 'N Bake, Gettin' Basted, Grills Gone Wild Iowa and Pigskin BBQ. Just check out the KCBS ToY results page for 2015, and you will see the street cred that each of these teams have. They are each humble, funny, personable, and true bbq ambassadors - thank you all for coming back to California, and hope it won't be the last time, either.

As always, I'm looking forward to Jim's pictures, as he has such a unique talent of capturing the special moments which convey the feeling of an event.

Thank you again Big Poppa...

turns out 40 isn't my lucky number

#ICP in the house

don't screw it up, don't screw it up, don't screw it up...

Night shot of the marbling

Great pork...

I could go through 10 packs of ribs at the store, and never find 3 racks with bones these straight

Ice was included (and delivered), and not tiny 10 lb bags either

It's 2016, and kale is legal :clap2:. For anyone considering it, here are my appearance scores. My actual results are due to taste and tenderness, as a minimum of 2 judges in each gave me 7's in those areas. Kale didn't hurt my appearance, and was too damn easy to build nice boxes quickly. Bought 6 bunches before the contest, but only needed to use 4 of them.

Chicken - 8, 9, 9, 8, 9, 9

Ribs - 8, 9, 9, 8, 8, 8

Pork - 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9

Brisket - 8, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9

 

[cpw]

^^ beautiful boxes! I really hope the guinea pig spreads out this way, it always sounds like an amazing contest.

 

[Beer Belly BBQ]

I really like the concept of this contest. Evens out the playing field. Thanks for the review on it and nice boxes.

 

[Big Poppa]

Thank you for the kind words... I would never re post some of the attacks I got here when I announced this three years ago...that would be gloating....hahahahahahaha

It fully matured and was a beautiful event from my standpoint Arlie Julie Ian Kelly Kathleen Annella Jessie jody James Holly Bobby SRF Smithfield the teams...the venue

James Jody and I cooked 325 Snake RIver farms Tube Steaks in about 30 minutes I sent an email out to the teams for a chili call and had about 10 all outstanding. I am on a serious diet but it would have been rude for me to not have three chili dogs....Steve Nelson from Grills Gone Wild Iowa just had the dogs....5 of them. WE beer braised them on a ole hickory cto and then hit them till they popped on the weber ranch kettle that was raging.

I am going to make a change next year. I am adding the Family Bonus. We will add up the kids que score, dessert score and team score and pay that team $500.00

The worst anyone did was spend $450.00 to cook srf Smithfield and stay in a great RV resort in the palm springs area peak season and most importantly bond with their fellow bbq families. I will post the prize money breakdown later. Historically 20% either break even or make money and 60% cash a check.