IPMS Military Modelers Club of Louisville, October 25, 2003
Let's start off with the usual preliminaries. I had a flyer from them which I picked up in a local hobby shop. The flyer provided directions to the contest site, a nice map, costs, and a listing of categories. Their website had basically the front page of the flyer with no categories and an entry form that one could download. Finding the place was quite easy as the club had set out da-glo information signs once one got off the freeway, a really nice touch.
Registration was an easy affair as I'd already downloaded and filled out the entry forms. Entry forms were two parts with the name of the entrant on the part that did not accompany the model. I'll have to mention that the price was rather high, in my opinion, at $10 for 2 models and $2 a model after that. A bit more on this later. The first glitch was that the organizers had changed the category numbers and eliminated some of the categories from what was on the flyer. Of the five models I'd entered, only one was still current. Apparently they'd decided to change things just before the show! In the end, it would have been better to leave things the way they were as most of the removed categories were reinstated due to splits.
The venue is a convention center, which was great as it allowed lots of room between tables and the lighting was good. Even though it was a warmish day (for late October), it never got stifling, though short sleeved shirts were a good idea. There were three long rows of tables (at standard height) for models and a row of curtains separating the models from the vendors. The vendors pretty well filled the room. Most were hobby shops or established on-line sellers with few of the 'selling my excess kits for a pittance' types that I enjoy so much. None-the-less, the selection was good and I found quite a few things I couldn't do without!
There was a small concession stand there set up by the center with the usual high prices for sodas and food, but not as bad as at a major league ball park. For instance, hot dogs were $2 and sodas $1.50 and mostly ice. Fortunately, restaurants were plentiful for lunch and the water fountains were nearby. Thanks to the concession stand, tables and chairs were available for the foot-weary.
The raffle was excellent. Tickets were 6 for $5. There were drawings every hour from 11AM to 3 PM with super prizes (as well as some real dogs). Tickets were placed on items at random so there wasn't the rush for the goodies with all the good stuff gone early. I won a kit that had already been started. I know that they got it from a vendor but I do wish they'd check these things first. There were some problems because some of the member's children were helping. Their enthusiasm caused numbers to be erased from the listing before people had been able to claim their prizes and on at least one occasion a friend of mine had a number posted on the winners board for which there was no prize. The attitude was 'too bad' and my friend never did get his raffle prize. As a result, I'm pretty sure they have lost a future attendee as well as any good will.
The judging was rapid and by 2:45 they were done. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards were placed by the models. Then we waited an hour and a half for a tour to return for the 'best of' and special awards. Had I known that these only went to first place winners, I'd have left as soon as the regular awards were placed. Folks, for those of us who travel long distances, this long wait is unacceptable. By this time of day, we are tired and have a long drive ahead of us. We want to have the awards ceremony over and be on our way home. Go ahead and hand out the major awards and when those who went on the tour return, they can then come and get their awards. Vendors don't like these tours either as it keeps prospective buyers away from their tables. The awards themselves were in the form of 4.5 x 4.5 centimeter (about 1 3/4 by 1 3/4 inches) medals with a small plate on the outside of the case with the contest name and date on them. They were very nicely cast though I don't know just how to display them. I'm certainly not going to wear them on my suit! ;o) Personally, I don't care about awards that much (jaded contest attender that I am), but I heard much grumbling that they could have at least offered plaques. I overheard that the club grossed $4,000 on this event (understandable with what seemed to be 300 entries or more) so perhaps next time the awards will be better or the entrance fee will be less.
I can't pass this section without an observation. There were quite a few special awards. There were also people who won more than one of them, one in particular winning four or five for the same model. This tends to look very bad when one guy hogs a bunch of awards, regardless of how nice the model is. I'd highly recommend limiting the number of special awards to one or two per person (since obviously one had to win a 1st in category in order to win a special award) and give others a chance. I also found it very strange that best German aircraft went to an F-104 Starfighter in German markings. Usually best German means best German-designed plane like a Bf-109. Perhaps posting the rules for these things would be in the best interest of the club. Of all the folks who went with me to the contest, half will probably not be returning because of things like this. There were the usual raised eyebrows and grumblings of 'home cooking' when certain winners were announced, though that is to be expected and happens at nearly every show I attend. To my knowledge, the club did not seek out anyone but their own people to judge as I heard no announcements asking for volunteers.
OK, things that were good: Registration form on the website, good directions, excellent raffle, good venue, goodly number of vendors, the shortness of the awards ceremony once it was held, and of course, the friendliness and welcome of the club organizers.
Things that the club should consider: Having everything locked in stone in terms of categories well before the event, posting rules for the various categories and special awards, not doing tours or at least not waiting until these tours return to do awards. Not allowing kids help in the raffle or at least better supervising them. Reducing the cost of entry or improving the awards. Limiting the number of special awards a person can win.
Things that the club probably can't control: cost of refreshments. (Most clubs that sell sodas at these events sell them for 50 cents a can)
Will I return to the show? Well, I did have a good time and while there were some rough spots, they are not anything that can't be cured by the club. I'll wait and see if there have been any changes when I get the flyer for next years event.