IPMS Cincinnati Scale Modelers, 27 September 2003
Initial stuff. I didn't check the website as I'd gotten a flyer from a previous show. The folks at CSM had e-mailed me the entry forms as well. From what others told me, these forms were not available on the web site. Talking to the CSM folks at the contest, they told me that they need a knowledgeable web master as most of their club was relatively new to the Internet.
The flyer was well done with easy to follow instructions on how to get there. There were also the usual rules and categories. The club allows modified sweeps (an entrant can win two of the three awards) and combines categories if there are not two or more entries. My feelings on sweeps is that there should not be any at all to allow maximum number of people to take home awards. As to the combination of categories, I have no problem with that as awards are expensive. However, I saw one category that had only one entry with an award given to it. It was pointed out to officials who left it as it was.
Entry fee was very reasonable at $5 which included two models and $1 per additional model. This club (and the others, I should point out) was very friendly and we were all made to feel welcome. They supplied do-nuts, cookies, and coffee free for the entrants, a very nice touch. Registration went quickly and there were plenty of tables/forms for folks to fill things out. I should mention that the forms that went with the model did have the name of the builder written on a tab that was folded under the form. I discussed this with organizers, but they felt this to be easier for them to have the name right there. As you know, I feel the entrant's name should be nowhere on the form where it can be read by judges. The club also called out for judges many times and asked competitors if they wanted to help judge.
The venue is the cafeteria of a local technical school. It was well lit and had plenty of room for the goodly number of vendors and the contest area. IT also meant that parking was plentiful and close by. The contest area was separated from the vendors by metal barricades. This is an excellent way to keep models from accidentally being damaged by folks trying to get around the vendors areas when one has to use a single large room for the contest. There were vending machines available for sodas and easy access to clean rest rooms. As for places to sit down and relax, there were some folding chairs up near the front and outside the entrance were picnic tables, but those were mainly being used by smokers. Plenty of places to eat were within easy driving distance for the lunch-time meal.
As I mentioned earlier, there were lots of vendors. About 50/50 retail and individuals. There were oodles of bargains to be had and I have no complaints in that area at all, though I'm sure most of the really good stuff was gone by the time the doors opened to competitors, as usually happens at shows. In terms of numbers of vendors, this was one of the more well represented shows of the year.
There was an excellent raffle that was divided into cars, aircraft, and armor. Tickets were 50 cents each or 13 for $5.00. Each of the awards was given a ticket so that there was not a mad grab for the best kits. Three drawings were held during the course of the event with the winning tickets written on a tablet. The organizers had already separated tickets into groups of 13 and mixed up the batches so one didn't get a sequential number when purchasing more than $5 worth. Made it a bit of additional work and hassle for the buyer, but it all worked out well in the end.
Doors opened to competitors at 9AM and judging began at 12.30 PM. It seems as if there were around 300 or so entries. Cars were down as the club was competing with an all-car event being held in the area. Lots of 1/48 aircraft and a very health 1/32 showing, the most I've seen outside the Nationals this year. There were also a goodly number of armor entries, thanks to the closeness of Louisville, which has a major armor IPMS. Judging was supposed to end at 3:30, but they were finished an hour early. All awards other than 'best of' were placed with the entries so the actual awards ceremony was swift. The awards themselves were very nice, consisting of a brass plaque on a marble base. We were out of there by 3:30PM, a blessing as it was a 6 hour+ one-way trip for us.
I'd like to point out a feature of this event I've never seen. They had a 'Model Medic' area that was complete with glues and such for those whose models suffered damage on the trip to the show. This is a really great idea and one that other shows might want to consider.
Good: Registration, Costs, Venue, Vendors, Raffle, Awards, Awards Ceremony, Free coffee and donuts!
What could be improved: entry form (requiring name on), web site (provide forms), sequential raffle tickets (but that is stretching things). Sticking to the minimum entries rule, and a full vice partial no sweeps rule would be nice as well in terms of keeping down the rumblings of the masses and having more people take home awards.
I couldn't tell you what the percentage of local vs visitor winners there were, but I'm sure that info will be posted along with the show report on their website.
I'd like to thank all the folks from CSM for putting on a fine show. I know they will take this report in the spirit given and discuss it amongst themselves. I look forward to next year.