ARTHUR - The meat doesn't stand a chance.

If anybody loses in Arthur this weekend, it will be the chicken and pork, which will be rubbed, mopped, sauced, smoked, grilled and who knows what else during the fourth annual Central Illinois Bragging Rights State Championship Kansas City Barbecue Society Barbecue Competition.

More than 40 traveling competition barbecue teams from all over the Midwest and beyond are expected to vie for the championship Saturday.

In addition, the event offers a competition for the amateur, or backyard, griller: The Thrill of the Grill Backyard Competition.

Teams are welcome to join in as late as Saturday morning.

"This contest is for the everyday guy or gal, NOT for the pros," said George Fritz, organizer. "Any backyard cook will fit in with any kind of grill. And unless you charcoal your entry, you'll have a good chance at earning some bragging rights, plus you're going to have a lot of fun."

Fritz encourages anyone with an interest in backyard barbecuing to enter.

"You have to please six judges; you don't have to please the world," he said. "It's somewhat the luck of the judges."

Each entry is judged by a table of six judges who are randomly seated. Some may score sweet ribs high; some may score hot and spicy ones high.

"For every judge, there is no wrong answer," he said.

Friday night, the public can get in the act during the People's Choice Competition. Judges pay $10 for the privilege of tasting teams' barbecue offerings and voting for their favorites. Afterward, anyone who judges can join the teams for the VIP Whole Hog Roast dinner, Fritz said.

Saturday, the air around downtown Arthur will fill with the smell of barbecue and wood smoke. Lucky passers-by, or those who talk a good talk, might get a sample or two from the competing teams. If not, plenty of vendors will be selling competition-grade barbecue, Fritz said.

"There's a lot of good eating," he said. "Almost all (the teams) have to cook more than they use to compete, and they can't take it home every week."

Fritz said those who aren't competing might pick up some barbecuing tips.

"It's a good place to learn," he said. "They love to talk."

For more information, visit the event's Web site at www.cibr-bbq.com.

Lisa Bartelt can be reached at lbartelt@jg-tc.com or 238-6858.

If you go

Central Illinois Bragging Rights BBQ

Friday

5 p.m.-1 a.m., beer garden open.

6-8 p.m., People's Choice Competition, $10 to judge, includes entry to VIP Whole Hog Roast dinner.

Saturday

9:30-11 a.m., Gunny Sack Revue

9:45-10:30 a.m., Kansas City Barbecue Society judges registration, followed by judges meeting

10 a.m., Kids-Q competition turn-in

10 a.m.-4 p.m. Kids Zone with face painting, balloon creations, cookie-decorating, Action Inflatables, in front of the Knights Court

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Barbecue vendors open

11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Rick Hardwick and the Close to Home Boys Bluegrass

Noon-midnight, beer garden with live entertainment

Noon-1:30 p.m., KCBS turn-in, chicken at noon, ribs at 12:30 p.m., pork butt at 1 p.m., brisket at 1:30 p.m.

2 p.m., Thrill of the Grill chicken turn-in, followed by ribs turn-in at 2:30 p.m.

3:30 p.m., Awards ceremony.