[Healeys] WG: concours judging

[Josef.Eckert at t-systems.com]

Derek,
Here in Europe, we use the judging system as done at the European Healey Meets
(Luxembourg, St. Moritz, Halmstad). We have about 10 classes which include all
sorts of Healeys, also Warwick Healeys, Jensen Healeys, Sprites, even a
"Tribute to Healey Class" ( for HMC Healeys, Isle of Wright Sprites, Replicas
etc.). And we have classes for Modified Big Healeys and Modified Sprites. This
is all done in a competition where 1st, second and third prizes are awarded in
class and a "Best Car of Show", see: The Austin Healey Club National
Concours:
 www.austin-healey-club.com/Pages/trophies.html<http://www.austin-healey-club
.com/Pages/trophies.html>
We have about 20 to 40 cars booked in for a National Concours, even more for
the Concours at  European Healey Meets. So we are not able to spend such long
time for judging one car. These many cars are judged in about 2 hours time.
One or two judges together do one class. In case first and second scored cars
in a class are very close with their overall scores, we do a second round with
only these two cars to be sure to get the best car as the class winner.
Similar we do for getting the Overall Winner.
Anyway, if an owners wants to know how he can improve his car for the next
event, the judges are very open to tell were to set the spanner.
Concours is part of an Healey event and open to the public for asking
questions to the owners and judges, which is heavily used. To take ideas and
tips for your own restoration. Its included in an event as one of the
attractions and usually there is some public around the cars and "expert
discussions".

Josef Eckert

________________________________
Von: Derek Job [mailto:derek.c.job at gmail.com]
Gesendet: Donnerstag, 5. August 2010 09:47
An: Eckert, Josef
Cc: Healeys at autox.team.net
Betreff: Re: [Healeys] concours judging

Not sure I understand this comment Joseph.

I believe the whole point of the US style judgeing is that the cars sshould be
as close to factory as possible and are awarded Gold, silver and bronze (or
nothing) according to their achievement.The only way to do this is to have
several people scrutinise every aspect of the car, which of course takes
time.

I think that any other kind of concours is more of a concours d'elegance,
where the car's condition and standard of workmanship is what is being judged.
For instance this is what happened at St Moritz in the Concours there,
although by chance, the car that actually won overall was the 3000 restored by
Magnus which would have scored very highly in the US system. Other cars that
received prizes were nothing like they left the factory.

Personally, I dont think it matters as there is room for both types of
Concours in the Healeey world as long as everyone understands the type of
competition involved. In the US very few cars are actually put forward for the
intense type of Concours judgeing so judgeing time isn' t an issue. Plus the
US system isn't  a competition. You are not competing against other cars you
are having your car marked against a standard.

best regards

Derek