Competition Ethics

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B&K Smokers
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Competition Ethics

Postby B&K Smokers » Mon Sep 08, 2014 1:18 pm

Is there any reason at all that cook teams should be having communication with the judging room before judging is complete?

I recently cooked a comp and the results were delayed 30 minutes because they were not done judging. Everyone still showed up to the awards at 6 like they were supposed to because no one knew about the delay except for three teams. These three teams showed up 2 minutes before they trays actually showed up. Now these three teams all had spouses on the head judging crew (this is a whole other subject). I am not acusing anybody of any funny buisness but it did not look right to me. The only way they would have known it was going to be delayed is if they were in contact with the judging room while judging was going on.

When you have over 100 teams paying entry fees and spending money on competition I think you should keep everything on the up and up. Even if nothing funny is going on you must not make it appear as if it may be.

What kind of stuff have any of you seen?
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Re: Competition Ethics

Postby Scott P » Mon Sep 08, 2014 4:04 pm

Was that what was going on? I looked at my watch around 6:05 when I checked the fair website to see the awards were set to start at 5:30. I ran over there to find a full house and he was just announcing that the scores were so tight that they were taking longer to get them to the building. My cookoff neighbor said he was asked to judge brisket, but he told him it wouldn't be fair since h had an entry in it.

I had a lady come up to me as I was boxing my chicken. She said she didn't get o be a judge, but was told teams gave out BBQ and wondered when that would be ready. I told her that I had no idea what she was talking about and that right now was a very bad time to ask any team.
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Re: Competition Ethics

Postby jtilk » Tue Sep 09, 2014 10:34 pm

I've experienced some shady things recently myself... not saying any "cheating" was done but it definitely left quesitons in the head of some of the competitors. The one I did there was about 70 teams, because they were short of judges every team was asked to supply 2 judges that would be used at prelims only. I was told after the event by a friend that a team had submitted a team member as a judge that admittedly was scoring briskets down they A) knew was not theirs ... B) found it a quality turn in... this was done in an attempt to eliminate competiton for the next round. Supposedly he scores were tossed out... BUT that particular group had 4-5 spots so they totaled 8-10 judges. My question is what about the remaining 7 or 9?? Were they doing the same?? and why wasnt the team DQ'ed??

Another issue with this same cookoff, possibly purposed by the teams providing judges was awards were @ 6 pm ... this was delayed till 6:30, again not a big issue. I got home and later found a post on FB a team made at 6:12 pm (mind you this was before before awards began and if it had brisket wasnt announed until the end)... the guy posted a pic of their brisket box and said "We made final table brisket, so we are in the hunt... wish us luck." (or something similiar to that in nature)... hmmm

How did this team know this before awards?? Unless the judge they provided for prelims was on final table?? :dont:

Needless to say too many question for my liking ... I wont be back. But things like this can make you sour quick.
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Re: Competition Ethics

Postby E Town » Wed Sep 10, 2014 3:09 am

Was this a sanctioned event?
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Re: Competition Ethics

Postby B&K Smokers » Wed Sep 10, 2014 8:33 am

in my case it was a sanctioned event.


I know its hard to judge something that is subjective to the judges personal prefrences, but everything should be kept looking on the up and up as much as possible. It really turns me off of this sanctioning body but unfortunatley if I want to cook a comp close to the house they are all we have.
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Re: Competition Ethics

Postby Boots » Wed Sep 10, 2014 9:09 am

At a large sanctioned cook, no judge at a final table should have any relation to any team, JMHO, particularly a spouse or a sibling, for crying out loud. Even if they play it 100% honest and straight, there will always be questions. If they can't line up enough final judges beforehand, they probably don't have any business putting on a big cook in the first place.
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Re: Competition Ethics

Postby Okie Sawbones » Wed Sep 10, 2014 10:37 am

B&K Smokers wrote:in my case it was a sanctioned event.


I know its hard to judge something that is subjective to the judges personal prefrences, but everything should be kept looking on the up and up as much as possible. It really turns me off of this sanctioning body but unfortunatley if I want to cook a comp close to the house they are all we have.


Personal preferences are not supposed to play a point in judging. You have to set aside personal biases and judge each entry for its own expression. Does this happen 100% of the time? Of course not, especially with new or untrained judges.
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Re: Competition Ethics

Postby Okie Sawbones » Wed Sep 10, 2014 10:39 am

Boots wrote:At a large sanctioned cook, no judge at a final table should have any relation to any team, JMHO, particularly a spouse or a sibling, for crying out loud. Even if they play it 100% honest and straight, there will always be questions. If they can't line up enough final judges beforehand, they probably don't have any business putting on a big cook in the first place.


We don't even let husband and wife judges sit at the same table.
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Re: Competition Ethics

Postby All_Grilla_No_Filla » Wed Sep 10, 2014 10:55 am

This is a pet peeve of mine when the promoters are going through the competitors' spots asking for judges because they're short. I'm sure there's nothing going on there, but it just doesn't sit well with me. Anyone who's competed very long knows with fair certainty the flavor profiles, appearance, etc, of fellow cooks (at least some of them), and would introduce at least the off chance of a recognition of a particular team's entry (and hence, no longer true blind judging). I know it's probably difficult to get people to devote a couple of hours on their Saturday afternoon, right in the middle of the day, to go judge barbecue- I get that. It just kinda cheapens the competition, in my opinion. Not gonna keep me from cooking in the events, it's just an observation.
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Re: Competition Ethics

Postby papajim » Sat Nov 15, 2014 10:03 am

This is a problem that will not go away until Texas cookers demand better. Maybe Texas should look at other sanctions to see how to GET-R-Done.

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Re: Competition Ethics

Postby Fish and teach » Sat Nov 15, 2014 6:23 pm

Take me... I don't know anybody so I'd be completely impartial. I was looking at events though and you really have to be willing to travel a lot. I'm quite surprised to hear that an event would take judges from competitors in the event. I'm really learning a lot about this comp stuff from the board. I've grilled and barbecued my whole life but never even thought about comps until got on this board. now I'm thinking about arranging a weekend just to go see a competition...

Ok hijack over. Please return to your regularly scheduled programming
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Re: Competition Ethics

Postby k.a.m. » Sun Nov 16, 2014 7:02 pm

Not a big fan of team members as judges. The promoter has all year most of the time to nail down his judges, in my opinion this line item should be top priority to them.
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