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Forums - News / General |
For General modelling or hobby-related topics that are not covered by any other specific forum. Please keep to topics concerning the hobby. |
| Topics | 2989 |
| Messages | 22332 |
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| Subject: | Re: What makes a competition winner? |  |
| Date: | Feb 16, 2005 |
| From: | Jim Hayes | |
I fully concur with what has been mentioned previously.
Roy Chow's comment on seeing an award go to a poor entry by default from a lack of entries, or lack of competently built models in a category is particularly irksome. To not award in a caetgory based on this might be appropriate, but would discourage the very concept fostered by a contest, which is to encourage kit completion and thus contest entry.
I would like to add that in the end there is no telling what the judges will sometimes base their decisions on, especially in light of the case when the judges flagrantly violate their own published rules.(trust me it happened repeatedly at one particular show last year)
It is also very common to see judges who build in other categories judging armor, and it can be frustrating to see truly deserving entries passed by, because the judges are not able to appreciate/understand just what went into an entry to achieve the presented model.
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Just as an example my own experience in several of last years' shows and based on just one of several kits that were repeatedly entered in shows across the midwest and at the AMPS Nationals, may I present the following:
Kit Entry: Resicast Sherman BARV, heavily reworked to more up to date standards expected today, finished and weathered in oils in an unusual but accurate Royal Navy blue/gray finish, appropriatley stowed, mounted on a simple finished oak base. No figures/groundwork.
IPMS Awards: 6 First, 3 Second, 3 Best D Day Subject, 1 Best Military Vehicle in show.
AMPS Awards:Gold Medal Advanced, Show Theme Award for Best Engineering Vehicle, Best Commonwealth Subject, Best D Day Subject.
Ok Fine you may ask,no reason to complain, but herin lies the point:
At one well attended and respected IPMS show last year this entry failed to place at all. In this particular show, ALL Allied vehicles were left on the table without placing and with no apparent regard for quality of entry level, while the judges choose to split the Allied/Axis category thusly: Axis Heavy Armor and Axis Light Armor and in one of the years most heavily entered shows in the armor category placed an Axis entry that was elevated enough to plainly show the severely twisted tracks on the vehicle. (This basic construction error was obvious from across the display table) As we always conclude after hours of discussion of this topic amongst ourselves here, go figure.
A well built, well finished entry should always be considered, but I personally think that an unusual subject can tend to dominate the presentation table, as they literally cry out for attention from passers by, especially when there is added detail/stowage as in the case of that red bicycle.
I left the competetive aspect of our hobby 20 years ago, but on the advice and encouragement of several local fellow modelers, re-entered this aspect of our hobby three years ago, and my humble opinions should be taken for what they are worth, but they are based on repeated contest entry experience, which when all was said and done last year was well worth the time, trouble, shared competition and friendship, and occassional grief that left me with no room for crying or complaining as I managed to recieve over 80 awards.
I now tend to look at a show from the point of attendance level, the quality of the entries, whether or not the entrants were fairly rewarded for their efforts, and to see old friends and exchange new ideas while we browse the vendors.
As your own show experience continues to expand, hopefully you will end up completing kits to enter and participating not for the sake of winning, but for the betterment of all of us who may come to know you from the shows we meet you at and as we become your friends. |
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 | What makes a competition winner? - Andrew Johnson - Feb 15, 2005 |
| . . . Re: What makes a competition winner? - Brian Bocchino - Feb 15, 2005 |
| . . . Re: What makes a competition winner? - Jim Wechsler - Feb 15, 2005 |
| . . . Re: What makes a competition winner? - Ray Peterson - Feb 15, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Re: What makes a competition winner? - Jim Wechsler - Feb 15, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . Great point on stowage!! - Ray Peterson - Feb 15, 2005 |
| . . . Re: What makes a competition winner? - Roy Chow - Feb 15, 2005 |
| . . . Re: What makes a competition winner? - Jim Wechsler - Feb 16, 2005 |
| . . . Re: What makes a competition winner? - Jim Hayes - Feb 16, 2005 |
| . . . Re: What makes a competition winner? - Paul Roberts - Feb 17, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Re: What makes a competition winner? - Andrew Johnson - Feb 18, 2005 |
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