Rules of Engagement for the St. Eligius Contest November 12, 2017 held at the St. Eligius Arts and Sciences Competition and Display, Meriden CT.
The St. Eligius Contest is an A&S Contest modeled on an SCA armored combat or rapier tourney. You must be present at the event with your entry to participate in this contest.
- Each entrant declares the contest group they feel best fits their experience level. Advice is available from contest registration personnel but entrant must make the decision.
Novices have entered up to 2 previous small competitions & feel inexperienced in A&S contests. (Analogy: competes in Novice/Rookie Tourney)Artisans have entered >2 A&S contests and have experience in getting feedback & refining their entry so it shows to best advantage. (Analogy: competes in Cadet’s/Squire’s Tourney)Experienced competitors have entered several local or Kingdom-wide contests. This group also includes any Laurel whose entry is anything-BUT-what-they-were-laureled-for. (Analogy: competes in King and Queen’s Championship Tourney)Laurels & masters are either members of the Order of the Laurel entering examples of the work(s) for which they received their recognition, or any non-Laurel who chooses to enter in this group to demonstrate their mastery of an art or science. (Analogy: competes in Best of the Knowne World Tourney)
- In SCA tourneys the combatants declare the winner of their bout. At the St. Eligius A&S Contest entrants in each group will score entries in their group: novices scoring novice entries, artisans scoring artisan entries etc. Orientation to scoring will be available for every entrant. An experienced and confidential consultant will be assigned to each group to advise and assist the individuals in that group. Be prepared to talk about your work and be ready to ask questions and score others’ entries. Get ready to wear both hats!
- Please bring your best entry of a single item or a body of work of multiple related items for the main competition. Bodies of work will be judged as a whole as a single entry. Additional items can be displayed or entered into special competitions.
- A St. Eligius 12 Question sheet should accompany entries in this contest (strongly recommended). It is OK to say “see documentation” and provide your documentation from prior competitions/displays.
- Where possible, images of extant examples or related items should be included to help those scoring your work. Sources should be generally regarded as reputable and directly applicable to the entry. Source location info should be provided so that others can look up your sources and find the same images and text that you found.
- No kitchen facilities are provided. All food, beverage, and cosmetic entries must have a full ingredients list to avoid foreseeable allergies. We do not have a Baronial Epi-pen.
- Works-in-progress are very welcome.
- Works that are difficult to transport may be entered via photos & write-ups. Videos of works are permitted. Entrants must still be present to discuss their work and to score others’ works.
- Use of smart phones or computers to show images or references is permitted but not required. No equipment will be supplied, but you may share or borrow. NO internet hotspot access is available.
- This site is discreetly damp and alcohol-containing entries are welcome. Please use period-appearing containers and take your empties with you.
- There is no age limit on entries. Good work is still good work. Bring your best even if you made it 20+ years ago. If it’s a cordial it might be even better than when it was new.
- Please remember that encouragement and kindliness are very important. We’re all amateurs doing this stuff for the fun of it. Critiques are most helpful when suggestions for improvement are specific and presented in clear, friendly, courteous language. When in doubt, discuss your concerns with your group’s consultant. Plan to exchange contact information so if you have additional thoughts to share you can reach the entrant.
Some focused competitions are also being held at this event. Designated judges will seek out entrants to discuss their work, but detailed written scoring will not be available for these contests. Works entered in focused competitions may (but need not) be entered into primary competition.
Baron Adhemar Challenge: This is a challenge in honor of the late Baron Adhemar de Villarquemada. Entrants are invited to display something that would have amused, or delighted him. His larger-than-life persona was that of a 14th C French Baron and he loved food, history, art, music. He had a strong singing voice and a laugh that could shake dust from the ceiling.
Artisan’s Progress: Encourage others by displaying 3-5 examples of your work showing how your skill has progressed. Please include something from early in your career (even if that was last week). Documentation should be very brief with rough dates of completion. Misadventures and failed examples are encouraged.
Master Alexander Challenge: In the spirit of Master Alexander the Younger, you are invited to enter example(s) of your work in an art that is new to you within the last year. A special prize will be presented for this challenge winner.
Research papers: Research papers are limited to 8 pages & must be received in e-format by Contest Coordinators Mistress Renye Wurm <wurm55@juno.com> and Master Tristan de Worrell <enamelista@cox.net> by Nov 4, 2017. Papers will be read and scored in advance by non-contestants.
Don Christoffel’s Art of Combat Challenge: Choose your favorite period Master’s combat style. Bring documentation and/or a description of the Master and play you choose to use. Describe the action and perform it for judges. The judging criteria will be based on the documentation provided, interpretation of the action, and how well your action represents what is described. It is recommended that you have descriptive props such as handouts or other ways to help explain your actions. A special prize will be presented for this challenge winner by Don Christoffel.
Populace Choice: Vote for your favorite entry. Most beans wins.
Baron & Baronesses Choice: Catch their Excellencies’ eye and gain their praise and a prize. The Barony of Dragonship Haven’s A&S Champion will also be selected at this event.
Not everybody wishes to be scored, so non-contestants are warmly encouraged to DISPLAY their works for the delight and amazement of the populace. Please consider showing your works and let us see what you’re up to. Show off your beautiful and marvelous works to amuse and astonish all those present.