Tag Archives: competitions

Autumn Crown A&S Competition Results

By   29 April, 2018

Competitions were held in Lochac over the past 3.5 months to contribute to the Autumn Crown competition season.

The topics were:

  • Item for an archer
  • Smellable
  • A meeting of Mediterranean cultures (think: trade, cross-cultural influence, war, piracy, diplomacy, etc.)

Winners are determined based on the entrants experience in the skill/craft that they are submitting (see this page for an explanation of this system). In this competition season the results are:

Experienced category:

Winner: Mistress Tatianitska Iaroslavna, for her hand cream “Nostradamus precious green pomade”

Second place: THL Sigmund Spelmann, for his recreation of an extant Venetian quiver

Beginner’s category:

Winner: Lord Thomas Boardmakere, for his presentation of a set of arrows and a quiver

Second place: Mistress Katherne Rischer, for her work on period paints for illuminations

Photos of Some Entries

a dark textile on a piece of paper with writing on it

Item for an archer – naalbinded hand protection – Lady Jeneur le Geline

black leather item on a piece of paper with writing on it

Item for an archer – an arm guard – Lord Thomas Boardmakere

a small jar with white contents on a piece of paper with writing on it

Smellable – Nostradamus precious green pomade – Mistress Tatianitska Iaroslavna

a black quiver decorated with gold lines, resting on some paper on a white table

Item for an archer – 16th century venetian archery quiver – THL Sigmund Spelmann

A new Kingdom Competition system

By   17 February, 2018

The Kingdom-wide survey of A&S opinions and activity showed that one of the areas we needed to improve was our Kingdom Competition format. It really isn’t working for most of the Kingdom. This can be seen by a simple comparison between the number of entries received at competitions and the dis-engagement around the process of entering and judging versus numbers and the energy surrounding artisan displays like the one held at Canterbury Faire or Laurel Prize at Rowany Festival.

Respondents gave specific reasons they didn’t enter competitions. A large number of responses said that they just couldn’t get to the events to enter, many said they found the topics too narrow and were only likely to enter something if they were already planning to make it. So this means that entrants are drawn from a very tiny set of people that are going to a specific Kingdom event AND  were already making something that fit a competition topic. I don’t know about you but that seems unlikely and not the culture of Lochac.

Other respondents talked about how they didn’t feel good enough to enter, were intimidated by Kingdom level expectations, or even didn’t want to enter as they didn’t want to discourage other entries (in the case of Laurels). So, yet again, we have broad swathes of the populace feeling like competitions as designed are not for them. We are a Kingdom that likes to cheer people on for their efforts, their enthusiasm and for how they have improved. If our competitions are too intimidating for the populace then we should change them.

Finally there were some really good and sensible suggestions. Group entries, the Anealan rubric, a focus on feedback, improvement and being able to compare yourself across the Kingdom as the purpose of the competitions.

Introducing Lochac A&S competitions for the post AS50 era

Featuring: A new rubric! New forms! Group entries! Winners announced by experience not topic!

Judging allowed around the Kingdom, not just at Kingdom events!

Here’s our current Kingdom Minister for A&S explaining the changes:

 

What does this mean?!

The less exclamation pointed explanation is: From now on Kingdom competitions can be judged at any time in the Kingdom at any official SCA event, as long as it is supervised by the local A&S officer, the Kingdom Minister of A&S or someone they have deputised (like an A&S co-ordinator for an event). The beauty of a well-written, standardised rubric (how judging points are allocated) is that it should calibrate judging across the Kingdom. This means entries can be judged at disparate locations and achieve reasonably comparable scores. We are a large Kingdom and this means better access and more inclusive competitions. It means we can actually find outstanding artisans across the Kingdom and not just those who are able to travel to Kingdom events.

The way we award winners is changing too. Instead of a winner for a competition topic, we’re going to award winners for experience levels. This means that our beginners have a chance to shine, and our more experienced artisans can set themselves challenges without fear of tall poppy syndrome. The experience levels are explained on the rules page.

There’s now also a group entry category. The Kingdom was inspired by the Politarchopolis Pentathlon. Many people have spoken to me about how they like to work with others and would like our competitions to allow this. So now they do. Go forth collaborative artisans! Show us what you can make together!!

Want to know more?!

We’ve written some new pages for the website. Check out:

Introduction to A&S competitions

The competition rules

How to organise A&S competitions

How to enter A&S competitions

How to judge A&S competitions

12th Night – Kingdom Competition Results

By   29 January, 2018

Three competition categories were open for entry at 12th Night Coronation. 12 people entered the competitions, and the results are:

Science

First place: Lady Rosalind Beaufort for an aged cider

Second place: Mistress Ant Blowme of Saint Cloud for a treatise on blue glazes

Painting

First place: Mistress Katherne Rischer an illuminated

Second place:Lord Halvard Svennissonn for a bone carving with painted viking runes

Inspired by Bees

First place: Don Lorcán Ruadh for a bound book on a treatise of beekeeping

Second Place: Mistress Bethony Gaitskell with her dish of marzipan fish in a honey sauce

With thanks to Bekhi Altani Khalighu for organising the competitions, and to our judges for giving up their time to score and review all the entries

November Crown – Kingdom A&S competition results

By   20 November, 2017

Three competition categories were open for entry at November Crown Tournament. Entries were received for the category “Norse Culture”.

The results are:

Winner: Lady Helouys le Poer with Dublin Cap made of silk

2nd place: Duke Niall inn Orkneyski with a runestone

3rd place: Lady Drusticc Inigena Eddarrnonn with a tablet woven belt

Mistress Rowan Perigrynne and Mistress Madelaine de Bourgogne judged the entries.

 

May Crown – Kingdom A&S competition results

By   13 June, 2017

A belated announcement of the results of the May Crown A&S competition results.

Three categories were advertised, and an extra “open A&S” category was judged on the day as per tradition in the West of the Kingdom
The winners were as follows:

A concept for a period event

Winner: Baroness Adelindis filia Gotefridi
2nd place: Lady Morgan Monroe

Able to be consumed

Equal First: Mistress Elena le Breustere & Mistress Sláine inghean Uí Ruadháin

Piece of illumination

Winner: THL Svantr Ormisson
2nd place: THL Ydenye de Baillencourt

Open A&S

Winner: Yvonne Heiser-Taylor
2nd place: Sir Rowland Bridgeford

Congratulations to all the winners!

Thanks to our judges who gave up time at the event to grade entries and provide feedback to all entrants, and to Baroness Leonie de Grey who organised the competitions at the event.

Southron Gaard’s Baronial Variety Pentathlon Challenge

By   15 May, 2017

The Barony of Southron Gaard is currently running a Baronial Variety Pentathlon Challenge, and you are invited to participate, or to follow along in admiration.

From the challenge website:
“Each entrant must complete five projects that each meet the requirements of at least one distinct category of the thirty available. The projects must be begun after Baronial Anniversary 2017, and completed by Baronial Anniversary 2018. Projects must be submitted to the A&S Officer – summaries and photographs as appropriate, reviews of comestibles/potables by consumers and performances by those present etc. Submissions/progress submissions will be featured on [the challenge] blog by the A&S officer throughout the Challenge, if approved by the submitter. Spot prizes/awards will occur throughout the challenge, and successful completion of the Challenge by Baronial Anniversary 2018 will earn a special token from their Excellencies’ hands at that event. There will be a special display of projects as they are at that point during the A&S Display at next Canterbury Faire, and a display of the available projects at Baronial Anniversary 2018.

For any who are not members of the populace of Southron Gaard, Her Excellency has decided this Challenge is also open to entry from those not resident in our fair Barony, as it is not your fault that you are so disadvantaged.”

Challenge blog has been set up to showcase entries as they come in – there’s already a few items up for display

So, follow along and see what the SG populace is producing.

Rowany Festival A&S competition results

By   19 April, 2017

There were three A&S competitions held at the 2017 Rowany Festival for food, brewing and costuming. Here are the results:

The Capsule Wardrobe contest

Beginners category, with a point between them:

1st: Mildryth Thomaswyf for an Anglo Saxon
2nd: Lady Blanca Gutierez de Avila for 1480s Castile

Intermediate:

Lady Gwen verch David for 13th Century Wales

Advanced:

1st: Master Járnulfr Þórólfsson for a Viking trader on the York-Hedeby-Kaupang route
2nd: Mistress Miriam Galbraith for 1570s Flemish market woman

Competition criteria and other details: http://festival.lochac.sca.org/as-competitions/

Lochac’s Ultimate Food Fight

Winner was Lady Tatianitska Iaroslavna

Competition criteria and other details: http://festival.lochac.sca.org/as-competitions/

Brewers Guild competition for a cider with apples and one other ingredient

Winner was Lord Wulfgang Germanicus

Competition criteria and other details: http://brewers.lochac.sca.org/2016/11/14/guild-competitions-canterbury-faire-rowany-festival-and-may-crown-in-aneala/

12th Night’s A&S competitions and open display

By   11 January, 2017

Three Kingdom A&S competitions were held at 12th Night Coronation in Politarchopolis last Saturday. The winners were:

Category: Heads, Hands and Feet

Entries: 12. 3 places were announced in this category due to the number of entrants.

Winner: THL Honore Corbaut

2nd place: Lady Anushka Medvedchikova

3rd place: Lady Euphemia de Niccolo Ziani

Category: Nautical

Entries: 2

Winner: THL Honore Corbaut

2nd place: Master Giles Leabrook

Category: Item to hold liquid

Entries: 1

THL Brían dorcha ua Conaill

Gallery of Entries

A 16th century Venetian veil by Lady Euphemia de Niccolo Ziani

Two items of headwear by Lady Mairi of Kilravock

Mary Rose hats by Baroness Honore Corbaut

A sailor’s diet research paper by Master Giles Leabrook

A 13th century fillet by Lady Gwen verch David

A turned wood goblet by THL Brían dorcha ua Conaill

Where’s Waldo naalbinded hat by Lady Jeneur le Geline

Two pairs of gloves, sewn and naalbinded, by Lady Jeneur le Geline

A 14th century wimple and veil set by Hrafnhilda

A pair of sandals, by Lord Matthijs Tjepke van der Horst

Silk thread and knitted gloves (unfinished) by Lady Anushka Medvedchikova

Open Display

An Open Display was also held, with the following items displayed for the populace to view:

Drinking vessels by Master Owen van Nordern

Rapier and musket holster set by Master Owen van Norden

Various knives and other cutlery by Master Owen van Norden

Two rolls of tablet weaving by Lady Kolfinna Burlufotr

Pottery vessels by Master Alex the Potter

A piece of embroidery by THL Miriam Bat Shimeon

Encouraging Arts and Sciences at Your Events – A Steward’s Guide

By   18 December, 2016

There is a strong A&S community in Lochac, and they will often look for ways to engage in A&S at events and meet with other artisans. This page is a guide to help you think about how to incorporate A&S into your event.

The primary thing you should consider when incorporating A&S into your event is to make sure it can be found. Try to locate displays in a place that everyone can admire them, make classes easy to find and hospitable to your teachers and students, and think about how performances and pageantry can add you the atmosphere of your event.

Finally, if you are serving food, then consider that “period food” is just a particular cuisine and we are a nation of people interested in interesting tasty food, so take the chance to showcase something interesting and tasty!

Collegia

Collegia can be either classes or workshops. They are an important way to share knowledge and skills to newer members of the Society, as well as allow everyone to be inspired. Think about moving beyond the common hour-long lecture with notes, perhaps there is someone in your group who is willing to mentor a group of people through making a particular item, perhaps someone would like to host a round-table discussion on a particular skill…

If you want to include collegia you should consider whether you have the facilities to host classes and workshops – a warm, dry space is a must for most sedentary lecture-style classes, whilst some crafts may require a certain light quality, or warmth, or to be outdoors.

Finally, appoint a specific collegia co-ordinator who is responsible for the class timetable, setting up the teaching spaces, finding teachers and making sure everything is running smoothly.

A&S Displays

A&S displays are a fantastic way to showcase what is currently happening in your local group. They are a low pressure way for artisans to bring along something they have recently completed, or a work in progress, to display for others to see, thus contributing to their renown. It also means that people interested in similar areas can find each other.

You can set up an open display, or create a specific theme. Open displays are preferred, as the artisans of Lochac work on items for various reasons, and usually those reasons don’t align with specific themes. However, if you are creating a theme, then think about something that will have a broad appeal, such as a food item.

They are easy to include in any event, as all that is required is a table or two with a tablecloth upon it.

Advertise ahead of time that an “open display” will be set up, and invite anyone to bring along items. Provide cardboard and marker pens so that people can write down their name and what the item is.

Ensure the table(s) are in a well-lit part of the hall, and that the display extends throughout any feast that is served, so that people can browse entries between removes. Also, be sure to announce the display during court, so people know what it is and where to find it.

Competitions

In many ways competitions are a specialised version of the A&S display. Where topics are set by the A&S officer (or Kingdom Minister in the case of a Kingdom Event).

If your event has a competition associated with it, then you should make sure that space is provided on the timetable for entries to be submitted and judging to occur. Judging can take an hour or two, depending on the number and complexity of entries.

The competition administration should be organised by your local A&S officer, so check in with them that they know this, and what help they might need. Also, they will need a chance to announce the winner in court (if you have one), so check that your Herald has this included in the business of court.

General Activities

Does your group enjoy dancing? How about singing or music? Performance is a great way to bring the Arts into your event. Think about whether you have the space and at what points in your event such items would enhance everyone’s fun. Between first and second remove is good for dancing, whilst singing might accompany a procession, or occur whilst people are eating.

Maybe you want to include a subtletie (or series of subtleties) to be presented to high table, and you know someone willing to create it. Make sure that such effort is displayed to the entire room to celebrate the creator.

SCAdians often also enjoy games, and there are a variety of period games suitable for events. Consider period board games, or outdoor games that can be run during the day time.

Ultimately A&S emcompasses a variety of activities, and there are so many ways that it can add to your event and create the enjoyment and atmosphere that ensures your event will be a success.