Contest Theory: A built models tour

[Austin T]

One thing that I notice a lot of guys do at shows I attend yearly is they bring the same model year after year. Some of the models I have seen at every show I have ever been to! I honestly think it makes the builder look lazy,not the model, the fact that they have brought the same model untouched to the same contest the last three years. What I have created to avoid myself doing that is my "Show Circuit". Each model "Tours" all the shows one year, after that is gets retired and lives comfortably in a clear display case in my cabinet. If I go to a new show for the first time I bust out the model for that show and it gets show again,then back into the case.

Here's my question, do you think it's acceptable for builders to bring a build model to the same show multiple years in a row or should they have a "show circuit"?

PLEASE keep this on topic,logical,clean,and within the forum rules. Also this is not about the contests themselves, just people who bring the same model multiple times.

[customsrus]

I agree with you on this, I show my builds only once per show win or lose, then after they have been to all the shows for the year they are retired, if they go to the same show again, I put a sign with them "for display only". I have seen the same build win multiple times at the same show year after year, and this does not seem fair to the other builders, in fact it discourages most of the people that I have talked to about it. So to answer your question: BUILD, SHOW, RETIRE. That's the way it should be.

[mr moto]

All the shows in this area - and I think this is an IPMS rule - don't allow a model to be entered again in the same show if they have won an award at that show. They can be displayed but no more competing at the same place if it won an award there. It encourages modelers to keep building if they want to compete. Good rule.

[comp1839]

just a curiosity. how much time / money do you guys have invested in your builds?

[Harry P.]

Why don't they just make a simple rule... any model may compete in this event ONE TIME ONLY. The people putting on the contest can keep track of the entries, and the next year they check last year's entries to see if anyone is trying to enter the same model again.

Problem solved.

But... if there is no rule prohibiting a person from entering the same model in the same contest year after year, then you have no basis for a complaint. It may be tacky... but it's not against the rules.

Change the rules and eliminate the problem.

[martinfan5]

Maybe for those builders that is their best , and that is what they have to compete with, and maybe they are hoping that one year, it might pay off . Now, I am pretty sure that all the model contest's have rules in place that say once it has one, its not welcome back for competition, heck, even on the club level those rules are in place

[comp1839]

the question posed says nothing of winning a contest.

[Ramcharger]

Mine are all one and done. Having said that, it is almost impossible to remember who brought what from year to year without going through previous year's photos. Remember, this is a question of ethics, people without them don't concern themselves with the rules. Even with a list of previous year's builds and builders, who's to say I didn't build another 66 Nova last year and won? Maybe I just really like to build 66 Novas and I bring one every year and I finish in the money every year. I have noticed that some guys like to bring the same models forever and ever, even to the little monthly club contests. Heck, I knew a guy who built a dragster back in the 90's in California, showed it all over there, moved to Ohio and showed it all over here. He won with it everywhere and his philosophy was that since it kept winning, he should keep showing it. He believed that if the judges were sick of seeing it, they would quit giving it awards. Some guys just really like to win. No matter what.

[Fabrux]

For my club's show we have had a few instances of builders entering the same kits year after year. We finally added a new rule to the entries for our 25th anniversary show last year that kits that have been entered before will not be judged. Our show is a little different than most in that every entrant gets a medal (bronze, silver, and gold) based on their judged score. So, a model that was judged as a bronze one year won't be a silver the next year with no changes.

[Lunajammer]

I don't think the same model should be shown in back to back years, but personally I enjoy seeing the return of models I haven't seen for awhile. About every third or fourth year I'll bring a model I've shown before because I've always thought bringing models, whether contenders or not, is a show of support for the show hosts. I've never considered it lazy or egotistical of someone to let us see it again (within reason). I also think it's a shame to show a model once then no one gets to see it again. Why hide them? I love models.

Edited March 9, 2014 by Lunajammer

[Harry P.]

the question posed says nothing of winning a contest.

"I honestly think it makes the builder look lazy,not the model, the fact that they have brought the same model untouched to the same contest the last three years."

For what reason other than trying to win would you enter a contest?

[LoneWolf15]

the question posed says nothing of winning a contest.

True ! However it does play a large part in the reason behind the original question !

Austin , to answer your question , I believe in one and done . The models that I take to a show are shown there once , win , lose , or draw , they are done with that particular show forever .

As for my original statement , there are individuals that refuse to accept the fact that a particular model is just not able to toe the mark and win an award . They continue to take these models to the same shows , hope against hope , that it will finally win . When it doesn't , this can and has, opened up Pandora's box , and created headaches for the host club and the other model contestants .

To alleviate this problem , quite a few clubs photograph and keep records of past contestant winners . Should an individual enter a past winner , it is simply ignored by the judges . As for the continuos repeat entries of certain models ? A club has to take the three monkeys approach and let it ride !

[jaymcminn]

I couldn't bring the same stuff to the same contest over and over again. I'd hate to be known as a one-trick pony. That having been said, a display-only table for previous winners would be a great idea to expose some new attendees to some great models.

[jbwelda]

>Why don't they just make a simple rule... any model may compete in this event ONE TIME ONLY.

>The people putting on the contest can keep track of the entries, and the next year they check last year's

>entries to see if anyone is trying to enter the same model again.

and what happens the third year then harry?

kludges like that never really work and just lead to a lot of extra paperwork and frustration.

I built the model, I can show the model. and if I want to enter it in the same contest I entered it in last year and the year before and the year before...well that should be alright. though without more work there should be no reason for it to fare any better than in the past and in fact if your old models are anywhere as good as what youre building now, then you got a building problem not a showing problem. so basically its a self defeating proposition and especially if you have to pay to enter, enter on sport!

now in the case of major award winners, its totally bad form to enter that car in that contest again at least for some number of years and ideally declaring it for display only. if the awards garnered so far are minor: best interior, motor, paint, etc then I don't see any problem re-entering it another year.

limiting this sort of thing causes all sorts of problems though: imagine you entered a new build in a contest and win best in your class but maybe not best of show. maybe that was because there was an unusual influx of entries from out of the area, maybe a visiting genius at work, and your best was totally outclassed. but that was not the norm and the next year you only saw the more local entries and the same entry that faded into the background last year now stands out like a diamond in a field. its really not fair to exclude that model from entry simply because of the best of class win, when his entry is rightly best of show this year. the luck of the draw among entries is too heavy a factor. same with prejudiced judges and a host of other possibilities to outright exclude entries based on winning some major but not THE major award seems kind of unfair too. then that leads to endless lists of entries qualified for which awards and endless headaches.

this is all pretty theoretical to me though as I don't really seriously enter "contests" too much. I just don't really put much stock in the outcomes most of the time.

jb

[LoneWolf15]

J B ,

Problem being , if that particular model wins it's class the previous year , it is almost certain to win it's class again on the way to that Best Of Show award . A local club has an Ace Of Aces category where past class winners can compete against each other for said award .

[comp1839]

geez, harry. i don't know why it matters, why one would enter a contest, since that wasn't the question.

Here's my question, do you think it's acceptable for builders to bring a build model to the same show multiple years in a row or should they have a "show circuit"?

anyway, forget it.

[Nick Winter]

"I honestly think it makes the builder look lazy,not the model, the fact that they have brought the same model untouched to the same contest the last three years."

For what reason other than trying to win would you enter a contest?

Some do it just to display, I never take a model to a contest and intend to win, just take them to show...............................

Nick

[Fabrux]

Thank you, Nick! I know with absolute certainty that I never have a chance at winning a major award but I enter my kits anyway to display. Maybe someday I'll build something that will get gold but in the meantime if one of my kits inspires someone else to build, I've done good.

[gtx6970]

Being I've only entered one show with 3 models in the past 10 years . My vote probably doesnt count. When I build it's for my display cabinet not a show table.

BUT, If said models didn't win previously. we'll say withing 2 consectitive years of shows . Then they should be retired .

BUT if they DID win then ( IMO ) ,, they should be lumped in one class with other previous winners and they should compete againsts each other ( thats how the 1/1 world is done )

But as far as judges keeping track of previous years entries and then trying to police that ??? ,,,,,,,,,good luck

Edited March 9, 2014 by gtx6970

[1930fordpickup]

The club makes money, why turn them away.

[Modelmartin]

I don't see anyone here making the distinction between a CONTEST and an NNL display type of show.

Almost all contests that are worthy of the name do not allow previous winners to return to competition unless they have been substantially rebuilt.

You can do whatever you want for an NNL. If you want to bring the same model year in and year out you are certainly free to do that. That will put you in the slug category as far as building goes.

Once in a while I will bring one of my older builds to an NNL because I have a 30+ year record of building and sometimes people newer to the scene enjoy seeing my older builds because they are new to them!

[cartpix]

When I used to take models to show, I would show them, for 1 year, & retire them. Even if a new show, popped up, they're retired. One reason is, my skills should be improving, with time. My current models, should be better than the ones I built, a year ago. I did have one model, that was at it's last show, get a second place, peoples choice, & my latest, that I thought would win something in paint or drag class (I would have been happy with a 3rd, even) got nothing. I almost didn't bring the street rod, that got the award. I retired it, after that show & have no regrets.

Now I build for my display case. Building for the judges, took a lot of fun out of it.

[jbwelda]

_{yes Andy I was going to mention that the concepts were being freely mingled here and perhaps they don't fit together.}

_{by the way, since it was brought up above, I don't really consider "Peoples Choice" to be a "major" award. oftentimes the winners of PC are the best in the show but oftentimes its much easier to fool a crowd than to impress a knowledgeable judge. For PC, "bigger is better" is generally a good watchword, regardless of level of build or detail.}

_jb

[ZTony8]

In the Metro Detroit area we have no rules about how long a model is eligible for judged awards in any contest.It's more of a "What's best in the classes in this contest today?"If a model built years ago is the best in that day's contest,so be it.We had exactly this situation in Box Stock at the Autorama model contest this past weekend.The first place winner was a Revell '68 Dart built at least 5 years ago(the entrant also entered several more builds that were 4 or more years old).

For a "People's Choice" award,generally the earlier your entry goes on the table and the more popular the build subject is what garners that prize(that old "Gotcha Factor" works here).

I'm personally a very slow builder-I finished four models last year(a cold build area will do that).So I rarely have a fresh build to bring to a show thereby requiring me by default to bring an old build.I'm also not anywhere near a contest winning builder so when I do happen to get an award it's always a pleasant surprise.

[Jantrix]

I will take a completed model to each contest - once. Win or lose. If it takes me three years to get to a particular contest, I will bring some older stuff.

The guys that bring the same stuff over and over, are usually the same guys that go whining to the contest judges/promoters to find out why their model didn't win. I've even been to a contest where the judges saw the builds and said, "This one again, he's won in the past, ignore it, whats next?" Is it right to do so? Probably not, but I certainly understand the sentiment.