Judges doin dishes

[a075923]

I was able to have a brief conversation earlier this year with two KCBS Board members regarding my pet issue, balance the judging tables by using the data compiled by KCBS. That conversation opened my eyes to a problem in many areas of judges signing up for several contests on the same weekend, receiving several acceptances and not letting organizers know they are not coming. This leads to contests having a huge number of no show judges. The current solution is to overbook the number of judges needed which results on the OP's complaint.
My suggestion to the Board members was to require (as part of the sanctioning contract) organizers to use the KCBS judge sign up system (or judgebbq.com perhaps) where the system can reject a judge who has already signed up for a contest on a particular weekend. Using this method will give organizers a more accurate count and they would not have to overbook by a vast amount. It would give judges some assurance that they will actually get to judge. No call/no shows can then be tracked through a national system to see if certain judges have a pattern and they can be removed (suspended) for a time. Hopefully, this could also lead to KCBS implementing a table averaging system if they know which judges will be attending a contest with some measure of accuracy.

I don't like this suggestion as there is so much competition for slots you have to sign up for more than one a weekend if you are wanting to get max amount in. I'd rather the system track who is a no show and provide that information to the BBQ event to aid them is their selection process.

 

[a075923]

This is a copy of a email I recently received from an event. Sure hard to tell who, what, and when from the below information. I replied and received no response.

Guess some events make it hard on themselves to get enough judges to show up for an event.

Blacked out name

Mar 16 (5 days ago)


to dougshensen, jodyed52, lwgober, Karim, carolsue.holla., joet.holland, Brent, scottg146, marjasmith, adjamsmith, me, mike.notary2go, monana63, kcbs, gustafson4, briandavisdesi., aveale1, bojokrucker, Melissa, jean.krieske, Steve, Jerry, youngemsa

Thank you all for volunteering to judge our competition this year. We are excited about our second year and the fact we are having a two day competition! For that reason, please email me and confirm which days you will be available to judge. We would love to have everyone for both days, but understand some of you may have other obligations.

Thank you for your cooperation, and I will be in contact with everyone again prior to the event.

 

[Burnt at Both Endz]

Correct, to be a CBJ the individual must be a current member. Contest Reps, will seat the judges provided by the organizer, if they meet published requirements. They can be CBJs, friends, family, VIPs, or people recruited off the street. KCBS does not mandate, and Reps can't require judges to be CBJs.

There is a contest in the Eastern part of Ks that celebrated their 25th yr of being a KCBS sanctioned contest. They use it for a town feed/gathering. The last 3 yrs the winning score was over 700. The funny thing is that got mad at two of their local judges, because they went and got certified by KCBS.:shocked:

Now I can remember a few folks saying that without CBJ's there would be no contests...yeah right!!!!

We cooks pay an entry fee and if something goes wrong or comes up, not many contests give our money back. It is what it is........$$$$$

 

[J&B'sBBQ]

I don't like this suggestion as there is so much competition for slots you have to sign up for more than one a weekend if you are wanting to get max amount in. I'd rather the system track who is a no show and provide that information to the BBQ event to aid them is their selection process.

My understanding of the system is that it would no longer be open to register for a contest once the max (plus a reasonable amount of overflow) has been accepted, so there is no need to register for multiple in one weekend. If the event is closed, then they have what they need, if it is open, then they're still accepting judges. Yes, you would need to register early, but we do as teams as well for many contest. I've had multiple opportunities where we waited too long and were wait listed for an event. It happens.

 

[Jorge]

There is a contest in the Eastern part of Ks that celebrated their 25th yr of being a KCBS sanctioned contest. They use it for a town feed/gathering. The last 3 yrs the winning score was over 700. The funny thing is that got mad at two of their local judges, because they went and got certified by KCBS.:shocked:

Now I can remember a few folks saying that without CBJ's there would be no contests...yeah right!!!!

We cooks pay an entry fee and if something goes wrong or comes up, not many contests give our money back. It is what it is........$$$$$

Does it start with L and end with an A? :mrgreen:

 

[Jorge]

I was able to have a brief conversation earlier this year with two KCBS Board members regarding my pet issue, balance the judging tables by using the data compiled by KCBS. That conversation opened my eyes to a problem in many areas of judges signing up for several contests on the same weekend, receiving several acceptances and not letting organizers know they are not coming. This leads to contests having a huge number of no show judges. The current solution is to overbook the number of judges needed which results on the OP's complaint.
My suggestion to the Board members was to require (as part of the sanctioning contract) organizers to use the KCBS judge sign up system (or judgebbq.com perhaps) where the system can reject a judge who has already signed up for a contest on a particular weekend. Using this method will give organizers a more accurate count and they would not have to overbook by a vast amount. It would give judges some assurance that they will actually get to judge. No call/no shows can then be tracked through a national system to see if certain judges have a pattern and they can be removed (suspended) for a time. Hopefully, this could also lead to KCBS implementing a table averaging system if they know which judges will be attending a contest with some measure of accuracy.

I don't see much a problem with using online registration, if organizers don't object and whoever provides the service can meet their needs. I know some organizers give returning judges priority. If whoever provides the registration service can manage a list from the previous year, great. I know there are also organizers that have a list of judges they will not accept again, for cause. The same thing applies. Organizers have the right to accept who they want when it comes to judges, just like they do with cooks. Considering the role that they play in BBQ, I think they should probably get a vote.

 

[J&B'sBBQ]

I don't see much a problem with using online registration, if organizers don't object and whoever provides the service can meet their needs. I know some organizers give returning judges priority. If whoever provides the registration service can manage a list from the previous year, great. I know there are also organizers that have a list of judges they will not accept again, for cause. The same thing applies. Organizers have the right to accept who they want when it comes to judges, just like they do with cooks. Considering the role that they play in BBQ, I think they should probably get a vote.

Maybe if the online system could be set up in a way that the organizer has access to their list, and they can pre-register certain people, or kick out people who are on their "don't use" list if they register. We do so many things very well via technology these days, there has to be a logical way to make this work more efficiently.

 

[Jorge]

Maybe if the online system could be set up in a way that the organizer has access to their list, and they can pre-register certain people, or kick out people who are on their "don't use" list if they register. We do so many things very well via technology these days, there has to be a logical way to make this work more efficiently.

It can be done, relatively easily, but requires cooperation between those providing the service and organizers.

 

[Burnt at Both Endz]

Does it start with L and end with an A? :mrgreen:

Nah! This is the one that starts with Mc. They only have two CBJ's, the one you are talking about has a few more.:mrgreen:

 

[Jorge]

Nah! This is the one that starts with Mc. They only have two CBJ's, the one you are talking about has a few more.:mrgreen:

So I see:mrgreen:

 

[rickv14623]

KCBS CERTIFIED judges are required to be KCBS members. If you do not renew your membership you are no longer "certified". Given the original post, I thought this thread was specifically about KCBS judges/dishwashers/whatever.

Yes indeed that is the case for being a CBJ. Who gets sat is up to the organizer. I have been at several where up to 50% of the spots were set up for the local "dignitaries".

 

[a075923]

My understanding of the system is that it would no longer be open to register for a contest once the max (plus a reasonable amount of overflow) has been accepted, so there is no need to register for multiple in one weekend. If the event is closed, then they have what they need, if it is open, then they're still accepting judges. Yes, you would need to register early, but we do as teams as well for many contest. I've had multiple opportunities where we waited too long and were wait listed for an event. It happens.

OK, I think I see now. Currently, some contests respond pretty quick with yes or no....others drag it out until fairly close to contest.....with this system full is full?...could be closed out same day it goes up?

Thanks

 

[RumRunner_1492]

When I sign up to judge I want to judge but if they need help in other areas that are part of that process I'm more than happy to do that instead. I don't see the issue.

 

[rickv14623]

Lots of interesting stuff here. Conspicuous in it's absence is any other response from the OP since page one.

 

[Jorge]

Why? Maybe Ed said what he had to say.

 

[North Is Up]

I love to judge, but if the rep needs me for something else, no problem. On some occasions, I welcome the diversion even when I drove from between 20 to 500+ miles each way to get there. It's a nice gesture to give up a seat to an excited new judge showing up for their first or second contest. It's very important for them to get a seat regardless of teams possibly disagreeing. They will remember the gesture and you'll surely run into each other again and smile. Maybe they'll do the same for somebody else down the road.

I'm there to support the organization, the contest, and everyone involved. Frankly, I also want to come back next year. That means that the teams have to be happy, the organizer has to make money and the reps have to have the support that they need to run the show. I just do my part as asked.

I consider it a successful day when I table captain and didn't screw anything major up! I have two more contests to MCBJ.

 

[fwdiii]

I love to judge, but if the rep needs me for something else, no problem. On some occasions, I welcome the diversion even when I drove from between 20 to 500+ miles each way to get there. It's a nice gesture to give up a seat to an excited new judge showing up for their first or second contest. It's very important for them to get a seat regardless of teams possibly disagreeing. They will remember the gesture and you'll surely run into each other again and smile. Maybe they'll do the same for somebody else down the road.

I'm there to support the organization, the contest, and everyone involved. Frankly, I also want to come back next year. That means that the teams have to be happy, the organizer has to make money and the reps have to have the support that they need to run the show. I just do my part as asked.

I consider it a successful day when I table captain and didn't screw anything major up! I have two more contests to MCBJ.

Amen!!

 

[ModelMaker]

Lots of interesting stuff here. Conspicuous in it's absence is any other response from the OP since page one.

Oh I've been here everyday,reading and smiling.
Look folks, I saw something in the BOD minutes that I (and assumed others) would find objectionable. Explained what I saw, how I felt, and what I did, and provided others with a path to complain if they so chose to.
If everyone just read my post and acted accordingly and never responded to the post, That would have been fine with me.
That's all, I'm done. Carry on.
Ed

 

[thesemicullen]

Personally, I like to do other things now and then. I find working the turn-in table to be enlightening and fun. The grazing table is fine, but not as much fun. As long as I get to do something I don't feel as though I wasted my time driving out to a contest.

 

[Alexa RnQ]

I see a certain disparity here with investment and entitlement in the separate areas of competition and judging that I find interesting.

A team will roll the dice with approximately $1000 for the weekend, and FAR more teams will go away empty-handed than will walk for some token of achievement. I don't know of any decent cook that feels entitled to win at every single contest; that's not the nature of the game. They (should) do it for the love of the sport.

A judge invests travel expenses, and far more are seated to eat each week than will *occasionally* serve in ancillary capacities. They too (should) do it for the love of the sport.

When a team feels their investment is no longer justified by their passion for the activity, they are free to take a number of options such as limiting long-distance travel, or competing less often, or taking a break.

If a judge feels the need to threaten to flounce if not seated, those same options are available, just like on the other side. Don't let your empty cooler lid hit you in the ass on the way out.