IPMS model contest eureka mo was a joke!

[Jantrix]

I think it is a matter of out-look. I view these get-togethers as a party where we get to display our handy-work for one another and at the end of the day some folks wander around and pick some models that they feel deserve special mention and a little trophy to mark the occasion. Nothing to live or die on or get all bent out of shape about.

A great outlook Dan, but Matt is mostly in it to win it. And if things aren't the way he likes them, he's gonna attitude up and not participate. What he doesn't seem to get is that it isn't the quantity of work done to a model that wins contests. It's the quality of the work done. And based on that criteria, the IPMS judging rules are appropiate. And that is why a cleanly built box stock with a great finish and no visible flaws, will whip a highly detailed photoetched/mega scratched build with a few flaws every time. And it should.

[jbwelda]

i can see both sides of this and i have to say i see something worthwhile in that part about not having the basics down, then added on stuff doesnt even count...but:

>If you want rigidly enforced rules find something else to compete at.

that part i have a problem with. all the other rules seem to be rigidly enforced. why is it this entry time one can be not so rigidly enforced, and if it were joe blow off the street would he have been given the leeway too?

i dont mean that to start (or continue) an argument, it just doesnt look good and its pretty hard to explain away if you cant explain away the mold lines you left in because you were 100% sure those wont ever show on the finished model.

i realize the problems with contests, especially the judging part, ive been on both sides of that coin. but contrary to those who dont want anything to do with them, i am more like the poster above described: i look at them as fun, a chance to see some other builders stuff, maybe get some interest in your builds and be able to share about them a bit, and if i am really lucky, maybe bring home some plaque or something to remember the occasion. but if not thats not the point, i still have a good time. you just kinda gotta go with the flow and not expect too much recognition of your obviously vastly superior builds.

[Jantrix]

that part i have a problem with. all the other rules seem to be rigidly enforced. why is it this entry time one can be not so rigidly enforced, and if it were joe blow off the street would he have been given the leeway too?

Why does it need to be? A guys walks in at 11:10 when registration closes at 11:00. He's just driven in from Hoboken, had some travel issues and is expecting to get turned away. The judges are still being briefed by the head judge and as yet have not started at the tables. Is it so wrong to make this guys day and let him drop a couple models on the table? Isn't this hobby about having a good time? Isn't our sense of community worth it? This hobby is about our escape from the deadlines, due dates and billing days of every day life. The judging rules should be rigidly enforced. That's what keeps things fair across the board. This isn't the olympics folks.

[71drolds]

A great outlook Dan, but Matt is mostly in it to win it. And if things aren't the way he likes them, he's gonna attitude up and not participate. What he doesn't seem to get is that it isn't the quantity of work done to a model that wins contests. It's the quality of the work done. And based on that criteria, the IPMS judging rules are appropiate. And that is why a cleanly built box stock with a great finish and no visible flaws, will whip a highly detailed photoetched/mega scratched build with a few flaws every time. And it should.

first of all dan, your ignorance is plainly seen as a out of box model wouldnt even be in same catagory as a custom. maybe i am in it to win it. does anyone go the compete at these shows and say " boy i really hope i lose and have the crappiest model there. that would really make my day". if people didnt strive to win you wouldnt get as many high quality builds that we see at so many shows. maybe this is your opinion because you cant achieve this level of building.

Why does it need to be? A guys walks in at 11:10 when registration closes at 11:00. He's just driven in from Hoboken, had some travel issues and is expecting to get turned away. The judges are still being briefed by the head judge and as yet have not started at the tables. Is it so wrong to make this guys day and let him drop a couple models on the table? Isn't this hobby about having a good time? Isn't our sense of community worth it? This hobby is about our escape from the deadlines, due dates and billing days of every day life. The judging rules should be rigidly enforced. That's what keeps things fair across the board. This isn't the olympics folks.

rob , the briefing was done and the judges were already viewing the models. it is about fun but if we cant stick to the rules, why have them. how is this fair to someone who planned accordingly and had been there since the doors opened. it needs to be a level playing field and had this been someone who wasnt friends with the hosting club, i dont believe he would have been allowed to participate. your talking out both sides of your mouth. one sentence says let the rules slide and allow late enteries, the next says they should be rigidly enforced( weither that applies to the actual judging or the end of registration). pick a side.

[Darin Bastedo]

"first of all dan, your ignorance is plainly seen as a out of box model wouldnt even be in same catagory as a custom."

Actually the last Contest I entered had no seperate class for out of box. if you entered a race car it went up against other race cars. if you entered an OOB custom (like the revell Merc) it competed with all the other customs. the winner was based on the quality of the build alone.

rob , the briefing was done and the judges were already viewing the models. it is about fun but if we cant stick to the rules, why have them. how is this fair to someone who planned accordingly and had been there since the doors opened. it needs to be a level playing field and had this been someone who wasnt friends with the hosting club, i dont believe he would have been allowed to participate. your talking out both sides of your mouth. one sentence says let the rules slide and allow late enteries, the next says they should be rigidly enforced( weither that applies to the actual judging or the end of registration). pick a side.

The models being allowed in late has no effect on the judging. I doubt that they had judged every model on the table yet so why not let him enter. If anything in this economy I'm sure the added entry fees were more than worth the slight inconveniance of the models being late. Besides would you like to be the one to tell a fellow modeler that he isn't allowed to compete due to an arbitrary deadline? Perhaps they were more worried about losing a modeler for their next contest.

[Harry P.]

Besides would you like to be the one to tell a fellow modeler that he isn't allowed to compete due to an arbitrary deadline?

If the deadline that everyone knew about in advance was "arbitrary," then aren't all the rules governing the judging also "arbitrary?" I mean, someone made up the deadline; someone made up the judging standards. And if modeler A is allowed to submit his models 10 minutes after the deadline, does modeler B also get to submit his 20 or 30 minutes after the deadline? How late is too late?

I mean, why is one standard "arbitrary" while another is not? Just curious as to your take on that.

[Jantrix]

maybe this is your opinion because you cant achieve this level of building.

My photobucket album is in my signature line. Feel free to judge for yourself. As a few people on this forum can attest to, I have won my share of awards at contest.

one sentence says let the rules slide and allow late enteries, the next says they should be rigidly enforced( weither that applies to the actual judging or the end of registration). pick a side.

One set of rules are vitally important (judging), the entry rules..........not enough to send a fellow builder away. We are not going to agree on this, so I'm just going to let this go.

[route66modeler]

HI, I forwarded your comments to one of the members of the club that put the show on. Hopefully they will address your concerns/problems. Steve

Edited September 14, 2011 by route66modeler

[Darin Bastedo]

If the deadline that everyone knew about in advance was "arbitrary," then aren't all the rules governing the judging also "arbitrary?" I mean, someone made up the deadline; someone made up the judging standards. And if modeler A is allowed to submit his models 10 minutes after the deadline, does modeler B also get to submit his 20 or 30 minutes after the deadline? How late is too late?

I mean, why is one standard "arbitrary" while another is not? Just curious as to your take on that.

The deadline is arbitrary. they could easily set it an hour or more earlier or later and it wouldn't make a difference in the judging. It's not like someone is going to come in, scope out the competition and go home and build something better. The judging standard aren't. arbitrary, they have been developed over years of IMPS experience in running a contest, and ensure that craftsmanship is rewarded over the "wow" factor. If your model doesn't show the basics of good modeling such as no glue marks, mold lines etc. it doesn't win. Many automotive modelers aren't used to that level of judging and it seems foriegn to them. The popularity of the NNL has shown this clearly.

"why is one standard "arbitrary" while another is not?" because they aren't both standards. The dealine is a rule, The judging criteria is a standard that the model is held to. The modeler had bad luck, got lost, held up in traffic or what ever, but letting him in was the nice thing to do. Once there it is the model which is judged, not the person.

[71drolds]

the bottom line on this topic is everyone has their own opinions. mine were made clear as well as other peoples. no one has to agree with me and i see most people dont. fine, i dont care. im not out to make enemies within the modeling community because as we all agree, its fun. maybe i did a little too much finger pointing and i appologize for that. anyone is free to check out my build posts and decide weither or not i have a leg to stand on. i encourage comments good or bad because they are something i can learn from. i will continue to attend and enter shows and if i win great, if i lose, so what. everytime i dont place it just encourages me to build a better model. i have already gone back and redone and added some stuff on my lastest build that the ipms website said they look for. good luck to everyone.

[bigphoto]

the bottom line on this topic is everyone has their own opinions. mine were made clear as well as other peoples. no one has to agree with me and i see most people dont. fine, i dont care. im not out to make enemies within the modeling community because as we all agree, its fun. maybe i did a little too much finger pointing and i appologize for that. anyone is free to check out my build posts and decide weither or not i have a leg to stand on. i encourage comments good or bad because they are something i can learn from. i will continue to attend and enter shows and if i win great, if i lose, so what. everytime i dont place it just encourages me to build a better model. i have already gone back and redone and added some stuff on my lastest build that the ipms website said they look for. good luck to everyone.

Well put! now lets let the horse go to pasture b4 it gets totally beat to death.

[Plasticfanatic]

Interesting topic about IPMS, over here in P.R. the IPMS event is heavy in the model car (favorite subject of the local modelers) area followed by the model airplanes and military miniatures, the judges/organizers ask the modeler if he want the model pick up by a judge or the owner of the model for inspection...but is not obligatory, you can choose not to, but it can hurt you in the final 'points" desision some times and even more if is a heavily contested category.

I know several of the organizers of the local IPMS which are great model builders, they are mostly in the military arena but have made a good effort of expand and support the model car/hot rod/muscle car/custom categories and they try to have judges that know about cars...real and models...and that they can detect or understand all the modifications/scrachtbuilding in the model been inspected.....that sometimes the judges have personal preferences, likes or dislikes...of course...but again, it also happens a lot of times in the real car shows!!!

That there are problems or diferences of opinions in the way the models are judge, of course they are, and some times the winning model in one VERY PERSONAL opinion and view should have been the second or third place winner and not the first place, but again once one goes to any contest, one have to respect the desision of the judges on their final choices, thats is something I always have very clear in the rare times I attend model shows here, for me is usualy hanging out with fellow model builders friends,see their great work and get some inspiration or solution for a next project, for me a medal or trophy is just an added bonus, if I win, great if I don't...great to.

I am not a member of IPMS-USA or my local chapter or any other club for that matter, I just enjoy building models that I like,to my taste and that I will enjoy looking at for a very long time,sharring them with fellow modelers and have a good time in my passtime...that for me is 'the best in show" prize, that's is in my VERY,VERY personal opinion of course!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fred

Edited September 12, 2011 by Plasticfanatic

[KevinMoparFord]

I am not on IPMS member but regularly attend their show in Columbus, Ohio each February. I know there was a comment made about noit being able to make a lot more classes to cater to automotive because clubs do not make money that way i swrong. This show used to get a lot of automotive models in the few classes they had. Then the one year they cut the auto classes in half and last year the turn out was extremely low, 3 cars in the master stock car class, pathetic. I know it is there show, I know what to expect of their judging, and I enjoy the show and will still go. What I find ridiculous is walking by a lot of empty classes for all of the armor and planes. I think there should be a happy medium of car an military clasees. The cars have no break out for scales, finally they split the large street rod class by 49 and below and then 50 and up, and a few other basic classes. Look at armor, soft armor, troop transport, 4 or 5 scales, planes, many scales, jet, propeller, WWII, and almost every other possible little division where you see little or no entries. Now if you want to talk losing money, they make 3 award plaques for each class. I could see if this was a one year fluke, but I have seen this for years and I find it odd for a club not to eveluate how many of each entry and at least try to adjust classes.

I enjoy looking at the other models, I really appreciate how these guys build and know I could never build to some of their levels. I like to win, it is not my main priority for entering, but going to a show and getting a 1,2 or 3 place trophy when there are only 3 cars in the class is pretty meaningless, along with not much to look at. Makes me think about not attending anymore unless they start attracting the auto builders back.

I alos attend the IPMS Kirtland show and that seems to be more acceptable to the auto entries and is a fun show as well.

[LAone]

i have been to 1 IPMS show. it was mini con here in ontario, cali. from what they say, it was this event had the most car entries ever, if i recall, about 250?.

now, they didnt have an import catagory, but were open to making one as long as there was A: 3 entries with 3 or more cars and B: enough awards to hand out. there was 4 of use with imports, but 2 them only had 1 entry. they didnt have enough awards, so no import catagory, but we made our presence felt and they said they will try for one next year.

i think they did a great job on organizing the awards as they combined more than 4-5 catagories. majority was airplanes and sci-fi builds. but the automotive builders made a very strong presense. i had several builders come up to me and ask if we won anything. even one of the judges came up to us and said that he tried to get up open. but didnt have enough awards. next year, we'll see what happens.

for me and most of the guys on here, i dont enter to win or plan to win anything. if it happens, awesome, if not, eh. i go to share my builds with others that don't know about the types of builds that i do. also get to meet and know other builders of all kinds. all for fun.