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Where is the Judging Survey?


SkyKing

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Nick,  I think that when anyone enters a competition it is just fundamental that there will be winners and losers, and everyone entering accepts this! Your last remark in your last post about build better models for competition  in order not to be disappointed does not take into account that everyone can only develop their modelling skills up to a certain level beyond which they cannot go. I have placed models into competitions just to support the competition knowing that they will be also rans and won with others. Unfortunately your last remark could come across as a bit arrogant, although I am absolutely sure it was not intended to be.

I have been judging at Telford and at local level for many years and would not want to discourage any one of any ability from entering a competition. We may be in danger of losing focus that this should be an enjoyable hobby and taking ourselves way too seriously. Otherwise IPMS will be perceived wrongly as a bunch of nerds and boffins instead of an inclusive model making society. Goodness knows, the hobby has retracted a lot from the halcyon days due to outside pressures from computer games and social media being taken up by youngsters instead of model making. 

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No, indeed, they were not intended to be arrogant. They were intended to serve as a reminder that if we will have competition, we will have winners and losers- regardless of what methods and criteria we use to evaluate quality in craftsmanship and regardless of what system is used to dispense awards. All may join IPMS and enter our contests. That has never been an the issue. Young people do not enter our contests because young people do not build models. But if you think they are not competitive, watch them salivate over a video game contest!

But if anyone is arrogant, I fear it is all of us in America (and the Mother Country?) We assume that because we do not see modelers in our countries in the same numbers as 50 years ago, the hobby is retracting. Somebody is buying all this stuff. In China, Japan, South Korea? Modelers in the now resurgent Central and Eastern Europe? More power to them! They may be supporting the industry that entertains us all, even as we no longer can by ourselves. Nick

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Nick. Looks like we are pretty much agreed going by your last reply that clarified your stance about competition generally. Your comment about the US and UK's approach stems from being the main markets for so long that our expectations have led to complacency.

As you have said, emerging markets like China, South Korea and Eastern European Countries' numbers of modellers have very likely overtaken the markets previously enjoyed by the UK and US. At IPMS SMW Telford each year we are seeing many modellers entries in the competition and on the winners table who come over from Eastern Europe as a testmony to what you have observed.

Unfortunately kids in the UK and I guess in the US also are more interested in playing computer games. My grandson is no exception being more interested in playing Fortnite on his PS4 so no surprises there. As for model making? No interest whatsoever! It is just a pity that the hobby will probably continue to shrink in the pocket money market and be aimed at mature modellers. Hopefully, some of the kids into computer games at present as they get older may start to look for a more fulfilling hobby. Who knows, but I am not holding my breath!

Kind regards. Noel

Edited by noelsmith
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On 5/17/2019 at 1:47 PM, Nick Filippone said:

These are craftsmanship competitions NOT an assessment of how much enthusiasm the modeler has(snip)

If it were, I'd win Best Of with my 1500+ finished models! LOLOL!

 

 

Tha's a joke people. Don't take me seriously, my wife sure doesn't.

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