Jaybird

Well, unless there is some sort of qualifying competion required and a certain score that must be attained before one can attend this event, then a viewers expectations are his or hers to be met...or not.

I sing barbershop harmony music and there is a two year cycle of spring area qualifying competitons open to all choruses and quartets. Those meeting or exceeding the minumum cut off score move on to the fall district competitions. Only the winners from those contests are elligible to move up to the lsit of participants for the following years international competition. Each stage has higher and higher expectations and demands upon the performer with only the very best moving forward. So, without a pre-requiste to have successfully achieved a certain level of scale competition before entering the Toledo show, there is no reason someone who doesn't have the same experience as those with higher expectations would not feel justified in showing up. At that point the judging system will weed out those that don't qualify and the viewers can then agree or disagree depending on their personal preferences.

My point with the above is that I've gone to many barbershop competitons and heard quartets and choruses that do not meet my personal level of performance to be enjoyable, and that level has steadily moved upwards the longer I've been exposed to it. Other people at the same competition hearing the same groups have thought they were great and loved it. What is very valuable is that every competitor has an opportunity after the contest is over to work directly with the judges and get their feedback on exactly why they received the score they got and how to improve it. They are coached and given skills appropriate for their level to help them move foward and get better and more entertaining.

Perhaps this person has not been exposed to scale competiton and so has a different frame of reference and certainly different expectations than those with more experience.

Either that or you need to stand at the back door and not let anyone you feel is unworthy to attend from entering the building with a sub-par model.

Were there any similar examples of poor workmanship in any of the other catagories on display?

I agree that that particular example isn't up to the standards of the other models nearby, but without knowing the whole story its just opinions, which everyone has.

More pictures please!

Jaybird