I miss Bubba and the other competetive chili makers who were once popular members here, there's really a lot to learn about making chili for judging and for the masses. I know a lot of chili cooks will add seasonings/spices at least 3 times during the cooking process to sort of layer the spice/heat. There is also a big difference between using ground meat vs. cubed meat, and the heat level can never be too crazy in competition.
Personally I like garden fresh with some kindney or pinto beans in my bowl of red, but they really do dominate the flavor of the chili so I always use in extreme moderation.
I also avoid habaneros and use less fruity and less hot peppers, usually I use mostly mild/medium mexican chiles and a lot of them, and then add my hotter peppers and spices at the end.
