Personally, I think that the judges (who I believe were all junior high band boys) had their tongues so fried by the first couple chili pots that they couldn't taste anything after that! The fact that first and second place went to the crock pots labeled #1 and #2 lends credence to my theory, I think.
Anyway, there were enough people that liked our chili that we brought home an almost empty pot with just a few stray beans in the bottom. I'd say that counts as a winning vote!