IPMS Nationals in Anaheim, California

[Gregg]

Guys, Jairus and I will be at the IPMS Nationals in Anaheim from Thursday to Saturday.

I will be a doing a photography seminar/demonstration on Thursday and Friday.

Will shoot the show when I can.

If you need more info, check out the IPMS web site:

http://www.ipmsusa2007.org/

Hope to see a lot of you there!

[SoCalCarCulture]

Thanks for the warning!

See you there

[Barbo]

Hi....Gregg , have a great trip , hope you do another photography seminar in another event............Barbo

[Gregg]

The show is over, and it's back home again.

Here are table shots of what I think is almost every single model car entered.

http://www.himcc.org/IPMSNats07/index.html

[Zoom Zoom]

Thanks for the photos, Gregg!

I hear the judging and awards were controversial, to say the least

[Danno]

Thanks for the photos, Gregg!

I hear the judging and awards were controversial, to say the least

Can you ... or anyone ... elaborate on that? I'm curious. I didn't attend, but the one and only IPMS Nationals I have attended was also quite controversial to say the least!

Seems to be a pattern ...

And, Gregg: What turned you off?

[Gregg]

A box stock motorcycle won Best Automotive, which kind of put anything from the automotive/car side of the show out of contention for best of show, go figure

There were a least a dozen models there that were in my opinion that should have or could have won the automotive side, and then been in contention for Best of Show

I am not knocking the bike, it was well done, flawless, and very deserving, but I think there were others there that had more work, were done as good or better, and the end result of the judging was more important than the objective truth.

This has really thrown a thorn in my side, and it's unfortunate

[Danno]

A box stock motorcycle won Best Automotive, which kind of put anything from the automotive/car side of the show out of contention for best of show, go figure

There were a least a dozen models there that were in my opinion that should have or could have won the automotive side, and then been in contention for Best of Show

I am not knocking the bike, it was well done, flawless, and very deserving, but I think there were others there that had more work, were done as good or better, and the end result of the judging was more important than the objective truth.

This has really thrown a thorn in my side, and it's unfortunate

Gregg,

Hey, fellow nightowl! Hope you've been well and doing fine!

Ironic topic, since the last time I saw you must have been at the IPMS Nats here in Phoenix, and that one was mired in automotive division controversy, too! Is it you? LOL. Just kidding! It really does seem to be IPMS.

The local chapter ... and a few others, I'm sure, seem to try ... but the international just doesn't appear to get it ... or care to get it ... when it comes to cars/trucks. I've seen the motorcycle bias in action, too. (International Plastic Motorcycle Society?)

Personally, I'm on the fence about their 'out of box' concept. I can see the notion that 'out of box' really focuses on basic skills, but I also think they're missing the boat by not acknowledging and appreciating the more advanced skills. IMHO, there seems to be a fear that they might reward check-book builds if anything other than kit parts are exhibited on a model. Or, is it just me?

Anyway, I'm sorry to hear ... again ... that controversial awards-decisions have marred yet another IPMS National. Sure seems to be nearly impossible to pull off an international scope competition without generating a bunch of hub-bub, doesn't it!?!

Mahalo nui loa, my friend!

[Zoom Zoom]

I found out this past weekend just how ticked off the winner of best automotive really is. I can only imagine what kind of dictatorship was in charge of the judging regime at the nat's.

[Danno]

Bob, I'm not sure I get it: why would the winner be ticked off?

I viewed Gregg's pix and the official IPMS gallery photos, but I have not seen any of the entries in person ... except ... I'm personally familiar with Steve Keck's yellow Nissan ... it is truly spectacular. I just can't imagine any out-of-box build being perfect enough to beat it!!! I just can't.

[Scale-Master]

I think I can shed some light on this. The cycle should not have beaten Steve's Nissan. But then when a contest is manipulated or rigged, everyone gets screwed and it casts doubt on all the decisions.

The reason the winner of the Best Automotive award is ticked is because this motorcycle, built in only two weeks,

beat this model of serious undertaking and two years, seven months hard work

that has more scratchbuilding in it than the winner of the Scratchbuilding category.

Where does this info come from? How do I know the cycle was not better than the Super Seven? How dare I impugn the Magnum? Because I am the builder of all three of the above models.

I was also a judge for the beginning of the show, (judges are dismissed early if they earn a 1st place so they have no way of knowing the outcome of the contest). I have been a National IPMS judge for 17 years and was asked by the National automotive head judge to become the new National automotive head judge. So they must have thought I knew my stuff. Obviously I will not accept that "honor".

It is a case of the head automotive judge, Terry Buschmann and the chief judge Aris Pappas making sure a car had no chance of winning Best Of Show again, especially not another Super Seven. ( IPMS Nats 2003 http://www.flagshipmodels.com/nats2003/Best_of_Awards.html )

Sadly there were at least five other automotive entries that should have been awarded Best Auto over that cycle, but any of them would have been competitive against the other Best Of's (Aircraft, Armor, Ships, etc.) that would compete for overall Best Of Show. The motorcycle was not up to that challenge.

I'm not ticked because I didn't win Best Of Show, and I wish people who don't know the truth would stop passing that malicious rumor around. I'm ticked because I was not allowed to compete for it. And by the judges manipulating the awards as they did, they eliminated other viable models from the same competition.

When I brought this to the attention of those two judges, they agreed the Super Seven was indeed the superior model, "but nothing could be done now". Commence "Operation Sweep Under Rug". Aris even had the audacity to tell me I should have brought it up earlier. Even though I was not present at that part of the judging. Really, how could I have known?

I think Aris Pappas is a dishonest and incompetent judge. He should be dismissed, but the good ole boys are standing with him, much to the detriment to the society. When other builders expressed their discontent with his decision, he told them hit the road, they weren't wanted in the society. Ever wonder why IPMS membership is declining? Does he speak for all IPMS members?

Why it should matter what subject wins a model competition is beyond me. And unfortunately since I did not have an answer to that question, Aris claims obviously there is nothing hokey going on.

Politics won over modeling this time, too bad. Good thing I build for myself, not a bunch of wannbe politicians or control freaks, many who haven't built a model in a decade, but see fit to ignorantly, or dishonestly, (jury is still out on that), run a contest.

[Zoom Zoom]

Mark, thanks for the reply (and the phone call ).

That pretty much sums up what the problems are. I certainly hope this gets properly dealt with inside of IPMS. As an IPMS member, they owe the membership a complete accounting of why this nonsense is going on. And I thought the Atlanta Nat's were all kind of screwed up...

[Danno]

Mark,

Just amazing!

I had heard the grumblings about Atlanta. And the shenanigans at Phoenix seemed to be hard to beat (so to speak) in the category of questionable judging and results. Now Anaheim trumps them both. Just amazing.

I overlooked your Super Seven when I scanned through the gallery pictures very late last night, otherwise I would have included it in my comments. Both your Seven and Steve's Nissan are exquisite models. And of course I wasn't at Anaheim so I didn't see the rest of the automotive models.

But I see what you mean. The effort you put into the Seven and the effort Steve put into his Nissan surely should have eclipsed even the beautiful preparation of your bike.

The misguided BS of 'not another Seven' reeks. I hate to see a deserved build passed over just because of its subject. And, I've always opposed the so-called 'no sweep' rules, written or unwritten. Plainly and simply, the best model should be named the best model, regardless of personal prejudices, biases, politics or agendas of the judges.

Wow. Another exciting chapter in the hobby! And, it would appear IPMS international treats itself to yet another sordid episode ... all the while wondering how it continues to have a bad rep.

Best regards, Dan ...

[Scale-Master]

Well, considering Aris Pappas has designated himself chief judge for life, something that has just been brought to my attention, I see no possibility of a guarantee of integrity in the judging in that organization. Basically he is now a non model building (from multiple sources) dictator deciding the outcome of what used to be a very prestigious contest, which renders it a nearly useless contest in my view. But that may be giving him too much presumed authority, according to him, he saw nothing of much of what I was disappointed in at the contest. I guess it depends on if one believes him.

And after my recent conversation with him, I think he will do whatever he wants no matter how unethical it looks, let alone is. After all, this is a guy who apparently tried to enter a drawing of a stick figure he scribbled out on some scratch paper in the Paper Figures (category #399) when he realized there were no entries in it. Sure fire 1st place win. Too bad registration had already closed. (For those of you who want to do some fact checking, you will not find category 399 in post-contest literature as categories with zero entries are removed from the list. But you can find it in the pre-registration info.)

Thankfully the lady handling the registration denied him this folly. He claimed it was all in good fun. Shameful is more like it, the chief judge especially should be beyond reproach. Just talking about it as a prank is bad enough. (Yes, I have a sense of humor, just ask Gregg...) But actually trying to enter it?

I have no doubts that he would have entered and accepted the prize if he had not been thwarted. Of course that is just my opinion, but I am basing it on my observations of his past actions and words to me.

[Mr.1/16th]

I had a bad experience with the local IPMS chapter years ago that fortunatly only gave me a bad taste for IPMS contests.

I was the judge for the car classes and it basicly came down to they refuse to let ANY car model beat out their beloved planes, tanks

and ships. I literally walked out of the contest hall because their idea of the best of show car winner was not one of the group of first place winners

but someone who didn't place because of their bullsh*t no sweeps rule. There were other reasons for me walking out. Like the head IPMS judge got in my face about how I was judging the car class. If they didn't want the help, they shouldn't have asked. I only recently went to a local chapters contest, but it was kind of still the same thing. I think it was the same head judge last time who got in our faces this time because our car club was the judges for the car class.

Paul

WHAT UP PUAL!! IT'S ME ALBERT! CALL ME AND LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN BUILD IN 1/16TH!! I GOT A NEW PLACE AND I'M BUILDING AGIAN!! LATERS BRO...