ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

I was looking through the winners for Tamworth and thought.

Now most of the written competitions have the stipulation that the poem has not won before ? Those writers who received Highly Commemded have their poems names listed with them so would it make it hard for them to maintain the anomymity of the poem for future events that they may want to enter it in ??? unless they changed the name of course ???. An I missing something ?


Bob

Bob, the anonymity only applies to the competition they are entering, and only prior to the judging. That's not too hard to understand, is it? You're not stupid are you, Bob?

No Stephen I'm not stupid !!! I would assume that the judges would be pretty well read and some do multiple competitions so for example if Glenny was to be a future judge at a comp so she could know these poems and who they were written by !!!

Oh forget it !!! bigger fish to fry. not worth the effort.


Bob

I know what you mean Bob, quite right. A highly commended is not considered a winning entry so can be entered into written comps where only winning entries are excluded.

Some written comps do exclude all entries that have received any sort of award 1st 2nd HC or C. , some exclude only first prize, some exclude only first, second or third.

No you are not missing anything, there is an uneven criteria, but there is no legislative power invested in the ABPA to require any uniformity. It would be up to the organisers to decide if the arrangements were suitable, I suppose.

Bob, I don't believe the stipulation that a poem should not have won a previous competition has anything to do with maintaining anonymity. I would think it was more to do with ensuring that the same poems are not winning all the competitions, and trying to encourage poets to enter new poems. (or some such reason!! )
The criteria that tries to maintain anonymity would be the one that says the poem is not to have been published previously. However, as much as anything, I think this would still also be partly to do with encouraging new poems, and having variety, instead of having the same poems entered again and again and again - though I have no doubt that anonymity still plays a very large part in that criteria.
If a competition just says that a poem may not have won a competition, that still allows poems to be entered that have been published in some manner, which then opens it up to the judge having read the poem before.

I personally think there is too much concern over the issue of anonymity and how far one goes to ensure that that anonymity is maintained - for two reasons:
Firstly, the judges usually have more to do than to take note of all the poems that are being awarded certificates, or being published on places like the forum. Most judges have other things in their lives that are just as important, so they are not going to remember every poem/title, although I recognise that there will be times that they may do so (keeping in mind - the poets name is not on the poem for the judging, so unless the judges remembers the details specifically, they then have to put the poets name to it!)
And secondly - and most importantly - I think we have to trust that the people judging the competitions act in the highest integrity, and will judge the competition fairly, even if they happen to recognise a poem. I truly believe that most judges are able to separate themselves from who wrote the poem, and just judge on merit. If they don't - that's the luck of the draw, and it's a chance you take in any competition, no matter what the medium.

We cannot write every risk, or possible conflicting interest out of things. Our judges/organisers are human, winning competitions should not be the be all and end all of entering, and we need to realise that sometimes, life deals us a raw hand - and if that means we miss out on an award, so be it. Maybe next time!! I believe society in general put too much pressure on voluntary organisers/judges over perceived inequalities that could lead to disadvantaging an entry. I'd like to see us all trust in the integrity of others a little more, and accept results in good faith.

And sorry Bob - I'm not having a go at you, or your question. Just taking the opportunity to voice my opinion in general on an issue that I don't believe is as important as a lot of people think it is. Sometimes, we get too hung up on unimportant things, and forget those that make our hearts sing!!

Catchya
IRene

Hi Bob,
What about the reciting comps, you preform in person in front a panel of judges who personally know most if not all the contestants.
No need to be over worried about the written comps mate - but a fair question none the less.

Cheers Mate

Bob, you're quite correct in pointing out that the listing of the HC poems potentially removes anonymity for future submissions, but, as Neville and Irene have indicated, the various limitations placed on what can and can't be entered in written competitions are primarily aimed at preventing previous winning poems from being entered over and over again. Some competitions only ban entries that have won first prizes, some won't accept anything that has won a cash prize, and some won't take a poem that's been published (to name the most common restraints).

The anonymity issue is just one of those things that judges have to deal with, and it does pose a challenge. In just about every written competition I've judged there have been poems whose titles I've recognised from previous results lists (some appearing with minor awards on multiple occasions)...so it's clear who the poet is. As Irene says, we just have to try to ignore that and judge on merit. Allied to that is the fact that it is sometimes possible to recognise a poem's author simply by the style of the writing...and that also destroys anonymity.

Also, as Terry points out, there's no anonymity in performance competitions, so judges have to put aside any preconceptions about individuals and judge purely on that performance alone.

It's all just part and parcel of the judging process.

Cheers
David

Hey Bob. I don't think Stephen was setting out to be rude to you. I think it was more the Aussie mateship thing where we have a dig at a friend to demonstrate that we are such good mates that such is a 'privelege'. You know...the old Aussie Ocker way.

However, what you have asked is a very valid question & I am sooo pleased to see all the comments, but especially the one from our highly qualified Mr Campbell. This situation is one reason I maintain that all written comps should have at least 2 judges, preferably three. For a start, having the same one judge year in & year out, is going to have the natural result of seeing poems of a 'similar' vein winning, just due to the personal preferences of one person. But most importantly, where there are extra judges on the panel, if I recognise an author, I can step aside from judging that particular poem....just to be absolutely sure that I'm not allowing it to (subconsciously?) influence me. Where I am the sole judge, I do as David stated....my very best to remain neutral. It's not a huge problem for me, as once I am ''in the zone'' my concentration is so totally focused upon the work at hand, that I frankly would not notice World War 3 breaking out.

IRene makes a good point. Lighten up & keep trying. Be genuinely happy for your mates if they ''beat'' you, & know that sooner or later, with the right attitude & application, you will BE that winner....but have fun trying.

Cheeers
Glenny

Yeah Bob get over it - you won something And don't forget you were a big winner at SP surely that counts?? and I knew who you were

Thank you Glenny. Some people have to have EVERYTHING explained to them!