Congratulations to the NCC Community Judge Contest Winners!

Drum roll please! We are beyond excited to announce the results of the National Cannabis Championship Community Judge Contest.

This month, hundreds of cannabis-lovers from DC and Virginia filled out an application to be considered to help judge the 2023 State Championship categories for the National Cannabis Championship. First, the NCC committee removed identifiers from the applications (names, etc.) and then reviewed applications narrowing them down to the top 20. They were looking for thorough, thoughtful answers about qualifications and criteria for assessment.

Here are the questions we asked:

1. What part of Virginia or DC do you live in and what do you do for a living?

2. Are you a home cultivator?

3. What experiences or qualifications make you the ideal NCC Community Judge?

4. What are the top 3 things you look for when assessing cannabis and why?

5. Name one reason why terpenes are important?

6. What is one thing you wish more people knew about cannabis cultivation?

After narrowing down the pool, applications were handed off to our expert assessors for final consideration. Thomas Moylan, Director of Cultivation, Culta, Camille Tindal, General Manager, Cannabliss, and 2022 NCC Judges Jay Mills and DC Scroger, reviewed and ranked the finalist applications scoring them from 1 to 100. Once scores were submitted, the NCC committee confirmed the results.

The Winners!

Bradley Crumpler

In no particular order, we’d like to light one up and celebrate the 6 individuals below who’ll be helping crown the Virginia and DC NCC Champions and selecting the best buds to advance to the Grand Championship Round:

Virginia

BRADLEY CRUMPLER

Instagram: @herbs.flowers.aromatics

Hello! I am from Norfolk, Virginia. I am an all out cannabis freak and connoisseur. I’ve worked at the Portsmouth medical dispensary and production facility for the past two years. I have been ever-so-blessed with my ability to grow at home and have come to find some sort of magic green thumb for shaping/bonsai. I love to grow!

Name one reason why terpenes are important:

Terpenes are half the battle! Terpenes are the flavor. Terpenes are half the medical benefits the plant provides outside of cannabinoids. Each seed can sprout creating its own personal profile, and that's the most exciting thing about this plant to me, the wide capabilities of profile individuality.

RVACannamom

RVACannamom

Instagram: @Rvacannamom, @rvacannacouples, @rvacannababe

I am from Richmond, Virginia. I am an experienced outdoor grower here in the DMV and I just started growing indoor last year.

What is one thing you wish more people knew about cannabis cultivation?

Proper cloning etiquette and procedures. That is an easy way to let viruses, bugs, and contaminants into our plants. People should be cleaning more than they do when they take clones. Irresponsible cloning is hurting a lot of our home growers and their crops.

Jason Painter

JASON PAINTER

Instagram: @jay_fordays, @seven_bends

I live in Shenandoah County, Virginia. I have a professional career in sales, and I’ve also been cultivating at home for 4 years.

What are the top 3 things you look for when assessing cannabis and why?

1. Smell. I think smell immediately lets you know what level of cannabis you are dealing with.

2. Effect. What does it do to you? How does it make you feel? Is the taste and terpene profile enjoyable or do you have to force yourself to smoke it?

3. Texture/moisture level/freshness kind of rolled into one, to determine the freshness of the harvest. The real talent comes after you chop it down!!!

Leesa-Estelle Manley

Washington, DC

LEESA-ESTELLE MANLEY

Instagram: @jiggataughtyou, @mltpg.25

I’m from Uptown (NW, DC). I’ve been a cannabis connoisseur for years! My career has upgraded to a cannabis chef and production manager/product developer for cannabis items.

What experiences/qualifications make you the ideal NCC judge?

I enjoy trying new things, especially with my culinary background. I also enjoy helping people choose the correct cannabis for themselves, it’s deeper to me than just smoking. I’ve worked in the medicinal cannabis industry for a few years to help patients and consumers get the most out of their products.

Ebony “Baltimore Bae”

EBONY “BALTIMORE BAE”

Instagram: @Ebakescakes

I’m from Northeast DC. I’ve lived here for more than 30 years and have been a lover of flowers for about 20 years. DC used to have some great flowers for crazy-cheap back in the 90's. Boy do I miss those days, but I am so glad weed is now legal. It's more expensive, but at least I won't get locked up for 3 dubs anymore! I've tried my hand at growing a few times and really enjoyed it but now because I travel so much, I can’t maintain my own home grow.

What do you wish more people knew about cannabis cultivation?

How easy it can be once you cultivate the right environment and how enjoyable it is to see something that you started bloom and grow and enjoy!

ARIANA FOOTE

Instagram: @indicawife

I am a cannabis content creator, podcaster, tiktoker, and social media manager for various restaurants throughout DC. I have a podcast called “Chat About It” that recently launched.

What experiences/qualifications make you the ideal NCC judge?

I have 6+ years in the cannabis industry on the regulated side and have loved and harnessed knowledge about cannabis for over a decade. I consume cannabis in all forms and have deep depth in knowledge of what makes a product "good" aside from just getting you "stoned."

Congratulations to all of our winners!

To learn more about the National Cannabis Championship, click here.

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