Contestant Judging was Calling Maneuvers for Judges

[AWorrest at aol.com]

Gray and all,

I am going to play Devil's advocate.  If the sole purpose of a pattern 
contest is for the benefit of the flyers, then contestant judging is the way to go.  
But as a former CD, let me assure you there are more reasons than this one 
for holding a pattern contest.  As important it is to provide a fair venue for 
the contestants, a contest can also serve as a way to get new blood into the 
sport.

Using contestant judging exclusively closes one door for introducing new 
people into pattern.  If we exclude non-pattern fliers from participation, pattern 
will wither and die.  I was introduced into pattern first as a scribe, then 
as a judge.  After judging a few contests, I decided I could fly as well as 
some of those who were flying and entered my first contest.

As a CD I believed it was important to involve non-pattern fliers in a 
pattern contest.  I even strong-armed some reluctant club members into judging.  
Good judging is the goal so training is essential.  People should not be asked to 
judge classes beyond their ability.  A good mix of contestant and 
non-contestant judges is necessary to keep the sport healthy.

Allan Worrest

In a message dated 6/12/2003 11:29:08 AM Central Daylight Time, 
gfowler at raytheon.com writes:


> Tony 
> 
> I was the one flying when this happened. When I heard the judge say " isn't 
> he supposed to be inverted" both myself and my caller Lance said "no" in 
> unison. During the flight I think two more judge "questions" arose where upon I 
> almost missed a downwind centered maneuver because my caller was again 
> straightening out judge confusion. Frankly I felt like landing. I really do not know 
> how this could have been fixed after the fact unless I re-flew the entire 
> pattern.  Considering that I am a very bad Advanced guy I am no where near 
> winning anything  so it did not matter. To alleviate this problem on the next 
> rounds both myself and Lance started calling out the entire  maneuver loud 
> enough for the judges to know that there is both a stall turn with and without 
> half rolls and when I was supposed to be inverted. 
> These judges were club guys who got the intense training session prior to 
> the contest. They were trying their best to do it right, and were just 
> confused-no reason to get mad. What I think this underscores the most is that we as 
> Pattern dudes are by far the most qualified to judge ourselves, yet no one 
> wants to judge- or it appears no one wants to judge at the contests, yet we are 
> willing to let the local sport flyers give us all 8 ,9 and 10's no matter how 
> bad it is, not know when to zero, look down during the maneuver, etc. 
> Here's a vote for contestant judging! .... 
> 
> Gray Fowler
> Principal Chemical Engineer
> Composites Engineering
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