I would love to have the right of refusal (as an AHA member) for a day or two on one entry per year (same with the conference)...I don't want to have to take a day off waiting at my computer refreshing every 3 seconds to get my beer into a competetion or registered for the AHA conference....that is way too much of a hassle. I have a hard enough time finding the time to brew. You might as well make me camp out the night before at your offices in Boulder with my bottle in hand (its not that that wouldn't be fun, but I would end up drinking the beer before it got to the entry). This doesn't solve the number's problem (30k enteries), but....
...perhaps you give vouchers for guaranteed enteries to next year's comp for volunteering this year (one per shift for stewards, two for judges) or similar preference in the conference purchase...I volunteer because I like to and most years do not enter any beers, but I would like the option without worrying about it filling up in a day or two while I am busy relaxing, not worrying, and having a homebrew.
While I am on this rant, let's talk about the "member's only" session at the GABF. Can we make showing your membership card (ie actually being a member) and having a ticket the price of entry for this session?