Having been involved with the creation of the open class event at the very beginnings of the RCCA and also going to most of the big meets in Montana, I have to say after a while I burned out. It is tough to build all the time to maintain a fleet.

My biggest problem with the rules though, are the ability for the pilot to be so close and comunicate with the judges. I have seen to many pilots that win all of the time that have figured out how to talk the judge into scoring cuts for them that they did not deserve. How many times are judges just whoever you can get to do it, at an event? Workers are hard to find. I really realized this one time when I was a judge. I had one pilot that I denied 10 cuts! Yes, I gave him 2 or 3, as he is a good pilot. But someones teenage daughter judging, probably would have given him 6-7. Just so happens this guy never lost.
Seperation and no communication between the judges and pilots would at least make these events more fair. Just wanted to point out this issue I have experienced.