Hello to all GBA judges, cook teams and other members.
I am Harry Faircloth your new GBA President and to those of you who don’t know me, here is a little of my BBQ history and thoughts. I started my BBQ experience, along with my wife Laurie, as a Memphis in May (now MBN) judge 21 years ago, judging both blind and on-site.
I like judging on-site listening to the “tales” the pit masters spun trying to influence your scoring, the likes of Myron Mixon, Lonnie Smith, Joby Standland, Chip Faul, Buster Dunn, Gary Kersey and many other “tale masters”. Some “old-timer” judges that helped and influenced our careers were Kitty and Sam Gray, Brenda and Ernie South, Libby Evans and Ila and A.K. Saville.
We joined the GBA a little over four years ago at the invitation of the one and only Mr. BBQ judge himself, A.K. Saville. We have met new cook teams and new judges and made fast friends with a lot of you and folks from different associations. As I told you earlier I enjoy the on-site judging BUT I know blind judging like the GBA does is the fairest judging.
After I became a Master Judge I began to see the inner workings of the GBA scoring and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is fair and accurate. Having said that we are all human and there “can” be errors made, but you can rest assured that the GBA will do our utmost to always do ”the right thing”.
My pledge to you as a GBA Rep., partner and as your President for the next year is to make the GBA the best BBQ assn. that it can be. We don’t have to be the biggest, the most far-reaching or the most anything except THE BEST. My goal is for each of us judges and cooks to get to know everyone in our association. We should all honor each other with a pledge of dedication to the GBA and treat each other with kindness and integrity.
If you have a suggestion please let me know. I am only a small part of this organization and we all should work together to make us a “well-oiled machine” that is the envy of other BBQ associations in the country. The GBA is the friendliest and most talented group of bbq’rs around and we can all make a difference. What part are you willing to play?
On behalf of Jimmy Nelms, Vice President, and Pam Nelms, Sec/Treas.; “Good BBQ’n” in 2012. The GBA looks forward to adding some of our MBN friends, FBA friends and any other BBQ judges to our ranks in 2012!
Harry Faircloth, President Georgia BBQ Association
