If you have a kit that wins a contest should you retire that kit or can you show it in other contests.

Depends on the rules set down by the hosting club. My club stipulates that a model that has previously won at our show is not eligible to enter again. Regional and national winners ar welcome. Another club in the area disallows regional and national winners. A third requires that previous winners go into a masters class.

When I was in Al's neighborhood, it was common to see kits do the annual circuit, that is, compete at the various local shows for that year, even if it won at any of those local shows.

Strange thing is that sometimes you would see some kits come in 1,2,3 at one show and the same three kits come in at 2,1,3 or in some other order. Made you wonder why it beat out one kit at one show and then lost to the same kit at another show.

I chalked it up to judges' personal preferences.

Or different sets of eyes seeing things the previous team missed.

A father and son that live close to me make a circuit with thier ships. They build in the winter then take the same models with them to several different shows.

Win or loose I would only take mine to one show. But others might not.

Thank you all for your input on this issue. I feel that one should do what is right and not keep entering the same pieces over and over. Should the only exception be going from a regional to a national contest? Since I started getting into competitions I noticed a pattern when I look at my pictures I took at these functions. I would see same entries come and go. I have seen contestants flooding a table with some new entries and a few insurance policies. I assume that once you have entered a kit that has placed one should retire that from the circuit.

Following the rules established by the sponsoring club IS doing what is right. Lewis Hamilton won the Australian Grand Prix in a Mercedes. Should he be withdrawn from further competition until he gets a new car? Should Mercedes need to get a new driver for the rest of the season?




No. Not unless and until regionals and nationals only allow previous winning models into the competition. And that won't happen because there'd be hardly any models on the tables. The only criterion for entering the IPMS nationals is to be a paid up member of IPMS USA and for a regional to pay your entry fee. As Rob mentioned earlier, what get first today may not even place at the next event.


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You have seen these (presumably ) quality models in person since you "do the circuit." Many people only attend their own or the closest show each year. They will not have seen the winners before. Also, more models on the tables means a better chance of breaking even for the club. My club contest costs betwee $1500 and $2000 to run. More entries means we don't have to worry about paying the bills or raising the costs to the entrants, vendors or spectators. The more there is to look at, the more likely spectators will return.




If that's what you want to do or all the clubs on your circuit want to do, that's fine. Again, right in this case is what the sponsoring club says is right.

Okay, I'm not sure I get this? If you are saying that one should not enter the same model in the same show year after year I agree. But entering the piece in several different shows over the course of the year is fine. IPMS rules state that if you win in an upper level show (like the Nat'ls) then you can only display the winning piece at regional contest.This seems fair.
I like to enter/display my work at several shows during the year, only one of which could be considered 'local'
I make note on each piece where it has been entered and how it placed so I don't forget and try and enter in the same contest/different year.
Winning medals etc. is nice but I really like the response from the spectators on what they like/dislike about your piece. I think that feedback can certainly help with future projects.

cheers,
Charles

I would enter my kits for a year of shows. If they win at a IPMS regional or above, I believe the rules state that they should not be entered in a local contest.
MIke

Local contests set their own rules about that. Two of the shows on the New England circuit follow this, the others don't. When I won a first at the Phoenix Nats, the president of one club, now our recgional coordinator, invited me to bring it to compete at his show later that fall. (It didn't take a first in class.)

A couple of my modeling pals are ( were?) Perennial winners at MasterCon, their names are common in the awards listings. Whether they won at lesser shows or not, they would take their models to further shows. Sometimes their Best Of Show at MasterCon would not do well at a subsequent local or regional.

I entered the same model at a local show that I had previously entered at the Knoxville show, then a year or so later in Roanoke. I do not rework my pieces, but once a model has been at show A, it does not go back, win or loose. I have no idea if the rules preclude this, but I don't go to many shows.

Again thank you all for you input. I’m not saying that there is a right or wrong answer to this question just wanted to see how people feel about it. I agree that it is based on club rules and that clubs benefit from the number of entries. However, allow me play the Devil’s advocate for a moment. Lewis Hamilton won the Australian Grand Prix not the car. The man will drive again. Winners of the Daytona 500 give up the winning car that is placed on display but the driver goes on. Is it the skill of the man that wins the race or the car? Luck and the set up of the car contribute but still it is the driver who wins the race. Many of us know that not all kits that we break the seal on will make it to the table. Many factors go into a show able kit. Even with the best kit and the finest tools on your workbench will not buy you a guarantee of victory. So I guess my question is more of a philosophical one. If indeed your object is to look for feedback would you do that improving skills on a new kit with the knowledge obtained from that last feedback? If it is indeed numbers of entries you seek past winners placed on master tables with a grand prize to a master category would surly bring in numbers. In the state that I live in there are many shows that are only a few hours away and most burst at the seams with contestants, vendors and spectators with little table room to spare. I commend anyone who places a kit to be judged on a table. The first time I did I was able to see many faults in my work in comparison to others and learned a great deal. Shows are a great way to have fun and learn I guess my view is not so black and white. I’m an adult who plays with kids toys and has fun. My desire is not for a prize at the end of the day but friendship and learning from others. Also seeing fresh faces, projects and ideas brought to the table is what make clubs and contests grow. Just my two cents.

Race cars and models, apples and oranges. If we're to use the analogy of a race car, it's common for drivers to use the same car in different races in the same year.

There is no such thing as a a non-showable kit. I've seen competitors who glued decals down with tube glue (not a junior, either) As a judge, I've had to give first place to a car whose drive shaft was not connected to the rear differential and which had large gaps between the taillight bezel and the body. I've also had to by pass excellent models because there were better ones on the table on that given day




Absolutely true. As noted above, in most cases how well you do depends an what else shows up.




Straightforward feedback is what a site like this or a club meeting is for. A contest is to compete. One enters a contest with the hopes of winning. Hanging out with old friends and making new ones is also great, but putting your model on the table says you are hoping to do well.




In my 25+ years experience, it doesn't, partly because you are placing cars in the same catergory as dioramas as aircraft as figures, etc. My club has not had a masters in at least 16 years. The last club that still does this has wound up with a very difficult time in managing this. If a known prior winner is placed in regular competition, with or without intent to break the rules, the organizers must either ignore the violation (saw that done and the resultant anger at those who knew what was happening hurt the reputation of the contest greatly) or enforce the rule at the risk of alienating a customer and potentially his friends. It's a no win situation.




In the last four years, we've lost at least three of the major shows, several have had significant decreases and the IPMS regional has lost money at least for the last two years. My club has been fortunate to hold its own and actually will have more vendors this year than in the last two,

[quate] I commend anyone who places a kit to be judged on a table. The first time I did I was able to see many faults in my work in comparison to others and learned a great deal. [/quote]

I agree completely.

{quote]Shows are a great way to have fun and learn I guess my view is not so black and white. I’m an adult who plays with kids toys and has fun. My desire is not for a prize at the end of the day but friendship and learning from others. Also seeing fresh faces, projects and ideas brought to the table is what make clubs and contests grow. Just my two cents. [/quote]

Agreed here, too. By competing (as well as being in a couple supportive clubs through the years) I've improved my skills immensely. Yes, I like winning, I like the bragging rights I'll get over my competitors, most of whom I consider great friends. I know that this week I might come out ahead of them, but next time, the same stuff will be reversed.

It's as good as we want it to be.