Competitions
| AMC Competitions | Gasmules Competitions | Impromptu Competitions |
|---|---|---|
| Notes on Anonymous Entry | Overall Best Non-combatant | Beatiful Buns |
| Notes on Documentation | Overall Best Combatant | Wet Tunic |
| Active and Other Competitions | Best Campsite | |
| Best Military Unit | ||
| Best Banquet Hall Setting |
Competitions
Notes on 'Anonymous entry':
ose that wish to enter a competition item must first have it gistered at the competition table at the market. Your name will be entered on a Register with a description of the item entered, to enable the organisers to return the items after the competition. You will then be allocated a registration number. This number will be noted on the Competition Entry Form instead of the entrants name. Then each entrant must complete the details on the Competition Entry Form, listing: items name; a brief description of the item and its usage. The Competition Form is attached to the item, ready for impartial judging.
Notes on Documentation:
All items entered into competitions held during the Ninth Australasian Medieval Conference must have supporting documentation, to prove that the submitted item has relevance to a particular medieval period. Also the item's creator must know the purpose and historical method of manufacture of the item. Therefore your research must include the following: what the item is; the period it was used and where it was used; the historical method of manufacture and the materials involved; how this particular item was made and the materials that were used; why (if applicable) any changes to the design, manufacture or materials were necessary.
The actual item doesn't have to be an exact replica of an historical one, but must look or act like it came from the period. If any changes are made from the historical example, the changes need to be documented also. The ideal form of documentation will consist of a photograph, photocopy, technical line drawings from an archaeological study, or textual description from a period source, and a summary in point formation of the necessary information as given above: Tertiary documentation, that is, your own visual representation of an item described in text or twentieth century line drawings based on a historical item, is not acceptable. It may however prove useful in gaining an overall "feel" for the period or item. Make sure you cross check your documentation against other sources - the more sources that you use, the better your documentation will be. Please use a bibliography/list of sources in your documentation to assist the judges.
Remember that bigger is not always better, the judges do not have time to wade through pages of information, so keep it clear and concise. You will be judged on the quality of supporting evidence, not the quantity. Therefore, documentation is to be kept to a maximum of five pages. In case of a dispute, you may keep some documentation as back up, so you can resolve things easily.
Competitions
Active Competitions:
- Archery Competition: Friday 3:30pm-6:00pm
- Bardic Competition: Trials at the market Friday afternoon & Saturday morning; Finalist perform at feast & winner decided by popular acclaim.
- Virulent Curse Competition: Friday night Feast
- Glima Wrestling: Friday night Feast
Other Competitions:
Items to be registered by 12.00 pm Friday in the Marquee; on view at Market, then Judging at 2.30pm. 3 classes for each competition: A) professional, B) non-professional, C) novice (i.e. has never entered anything in a competition before).
- Armouring
- Weaponry
- Costuming (item only)
- Textiles
- Fine Art
- Brewing
- Jewellery
- Domestic equipment
- Leatherwork
- Woodwork
- Best camouflaged non-period item - 1 class only
and Australasian Medieval Convention Association Competitions. Information available at the Conference.
Gasmules Competitions
Overall best non-combatant presentation
Description
Individual competition. The emphasis is on top-to-toe authentic appearance, including shoes, costume and accessories. Theoretically, someone dressed as a peasant or leper could win if everything was in place (sores etc.). More seriously though, someone presenting themselves as a Viking trader's wife, with a well made, plain, workday dress and appropriate accessories would be as worthy of consideration for a prize as someone dressed in the panoply of a Byzantine Emperor.
Eligibility
All attendees, except nominated judges, are eligible. Entrants must nominate themselves prior to, or at, registration.
Judging Criteria
- Completeness of outfit and accessories, and yes, the judges may ask to see your underwear, if it comes down to that!
- Historicity - whether all items worn conform to the same historical period
- Materials - use of authentic or nearest modern equivalents to period fabrics and materials
- Manufacture - overall quality of work & finish, for example, hand stitching instead of machine stitching of garments.
Judging Timetable and Location
To be confirmed with the publishing of the Convention timetable, but probably during the main market.
Overall best Combatant presentation
Description
Individual competition. Same as non-combatant competition, with extra points being given for fighting style and good combat field behaviour.
Eligibility
All combatants, except judges, are eligible. Entrants must nominate themselves prior to, or at, registration.
Judging Criteria
- Completeness of outfit and accessories.
- Historicity - whether all items worn conform to the same historical period. This includes costume worn under armour, and the period and cultural appropriateness of any armour worn (modified to account for items worn for safety reasons, such as gauntlets).
- Materials - use of authentic or nearest modern equivalents to period materials and fabrics.
- Manufacture - overall quality of work & finish.
- Fighting style - confident, capable handling of weapons and use within safety parameters. Historicity of style where this can be established.
-
Combat field behaviour- Make blows safely, take blows cheerfully,
die well and return to fight again.
Can we ask for more?
Judging Timetable and Location
To be confirmed, but will cover all mass period fighting and display fights which are held before (probably) Sunday evening.
Best Campsite (individual or group)
Description
Authenticity would be a criterion, but we'd also be looking for things like friendliness, hospitality, and constructive participation in Convention activities.
Eligibility
All attendees, except nominated judges, are eligible. Grouping to be decided by attendees, but may include an individual campsite or a small grouping within an larger encampment; e.g., if your group has 2 authentic tents and a number of modern ones, you may decide to nominate the authentic part only. If any grouping is unclear, the judges will decide. Nominate your grouping as soon as possible (otherwise you will be judged by the company you keep!).
Judging Criteria
- Authenticity of tents and campsite equipment, absence (or disguise) of glaringly modern items & whether all items conform to the same historical period. (This may be modified slightly to prevent a total disadvantage for cross-period groups, although such groups should probably split their campsites into sub-campsites - let us know what you think).
- Camp overall appearance - does it look like a working, functional campsite?
- Fun-factor - are you nice to be near? Do you welcome strangers? When asked to shut up at 4.00 in the morning, do you do so?
- Participation - will be judged relative to your encampment size. Think about whether people in your group will do any of the following; enter competitions, give workshops or lectures, provide entertainment, help out the organisers, do displays of any kind, allow their bodies to be used as battering rams during night assaults...
Judging Timetable
Judged from Friday onward. To be awarded on Sunday night.
Description
Group entries only. This competition covers the overall authenticity and standard of the group's equipment, its use or display of tactics, and its general esprit de corps
Eligibility
Groups are asked to nominate their unit(s) at registration or beforehand in order to be included in this competition. Minimum number in a unit is 3. Units may elect to be judged during any organised or display combat.
Judging Criteria
- Authenticity: of costume, arms & armour and other equipment
- Organisation: relevant historical model
- Tactics: on-field deployment, leadership, responsiveness in combat conditions
- Safety: of individual members and the group as a whole
- Esprit de corps: unity of purpose, strength & courage during attack or defence, generosity in defeat or victory
Judging Timetable and Location
Depending on the timetable, probably over Saturday & Sunday. Winner to be announced Sunday night.
Best banquet hall setting
Description
For groups of 2 or more people only. Covers authenticity of personal effects, decorative accessories.
Eligibility
All attendees, except nominated judges, are eligible to enter this competition. Groups must nominate their grouping at registration or beforehand; there will be no "on the night" alterations permitted except for very good reason, eg illness or injury.
Judging Criteria
- Authenticity of personal effects
- Effective use of on-table decoration
- Use of off-table decorative accessories eg banners (note: judges will modify this criteria to take account of seating arrangements, eg. to avoid giving an advantage to people sitting in front of a tent wall if there are also people seated in central rows)
- Quality of all the above
- Consideration for other people (ie, no space hogs! No low banners blocking the view!)
Judging Timetable and location
Most probably Saturday night.
Impromptu Competitions
Beautiful Buns
An impromptu competition devised by a number of the ladies (ahem!) present at the conferention, aided and abetted by a large number of gentlemen (also ahem!) willing to get their buttocks fondled for the chance of winning (or not, as the case may have been) a case of beer.
Judging of the preliminary rounds was done by the ladies in question (thus revealing their real motive), with the final round being judged by the openly gay men present (thus exposing the homophobes). The only rule any one remembers is "No clenching".
One of the judges describes the way to... "discern between a firm arse and a clenched one. Grab a buttock in each hand and attempt to give 'em a good wobble. Clenched buttocks will be fairly immovable. A 'firm arse' will be a bit jubbly."
A number of strategies to fool the Wobble Test are known to many of the contestants, among them is the "Eely Maneuver", named after its inventor. This technique involves tilting the pelvis forwards slightly, giving the impression of a firmer and more pert set of buttocks without the telltale immobility of clenching. I prefer to tighten the gracillis and adductor muscle groups in my thighs to take up the slack in the gluteus without having to adopt a dodgy posture.
Wet Tunic
Proposed by a number of the chaps as a form of retaliation against the "Beautiful Buns" competition above. Never got off the ground, partially because it was nothing more than wishful thinking but mainly because no one would compete. It may have had something to do with the way the organisers were drooling when they asked ladies to enter.
Prepared by Wayne Robinson,
Gasmules Society (Formerly The Australasian Mediaeval Conference Association
Incorporated)
Last Updated 17 April 2013
Hosted by Coppergate Technology
