NEW JUDGING PROCEDURES THIS YEAR
This year IPMS Metro OKC (Metro) and the Oklahoma Historical Modelers Society (OHMS) are teaming up with our friends of The Armor Modeling and Preservation Society (AMPS) to bring you SoonerCon 2010. Metro and OHMS are IPMS/USA chapters while AMPS is a…well…AMPS national chapter. This is important because AMPS and IPMS/USA represent two entirely different styles of judging to achieve the same goal; that being to fairly judge and determine the better of the various entries at our contests. SoonerCon 2010 will be one of the very few contests in the country that combines both styles of judging.
AMPS & IPMS/USA judging:
The significant difference between AMPS judging and IPMS/USA judging is how the awards are determined and not so much as how they are actually judged. AMPS uses what is called the “Gold, Silver, Bronze style” (GSB) under a pre-determined standard, while IPMS/USA rules dictate that all IPMS/USA National and Regional contests use what is known as “1st, 2nd, and 3rd style” award placement (123).
GSB style uses a mathematical system to determine each model’s award (if any). Let’s say for example, a score by a panel of judges determines a score of 0-9 would be worth no award, 10-30 would be worth a Bronze medal, and a score of 31-50 could be worth Silver while a score of 51 points or higher would determine the Gold medal winners. This system to determine each individual modeler’s skill level allows that any number of Gold, Silver, or Bronze awards (or none) could be awarded in each category, which is why many modelers (IPMS/USA included) prefer this style of judging.
IPMS/USA uses the 123 system which determines via a team of three or more judges, the best three models on the table that day. No predetermined standard is used and the judges discuss and the good, bad and indifferent aspects of each model. They then vote and award the top three models in the category as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. This process is much faster than the GSB style and is the major reason IPMS/USA prefers this system.
Our judging procedure this year:
This year, SoonerCon will use BOTH systems. ALL the armor categories will be judged by the AMPS guys using their system of judging (GSB) and Metro and OHMS will using the 123 system to judge all the remaining categories. In short, Gold Silver and Bronze medal will awarded in the armor categories and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards will be given in all other categories.
If you are entering armor models this year, check out the AMPS judging criteria on their web site. The rules for SoonerCon 2010 are on the home page.
