For Pete's sake. It's a county fair. With judges who do not know cakes. I know Democrats and Republicans love to blame each other for everything, but this is a little ridiculous. Get over it and move on.

The quality of the judging varies from fair to fair. Those who are in charge hire or appoint the judges. In my county the judging is public. Also the judges credentials are explained when she is introduced. It interesting to listen to the judge's comments. I got a blue ribbon on drop cookies one year because my cookies were perfect lunch box size (they were also perfect in other respects.) Who knew? One woman lost because she peeled all the brown crust off her angel food cake. Again, who knew? (Actually, I did know that- but the poor woman who peeled the crust off her cake didn't.) Communicating with the judges during the judging will get your entry disqualified.

In my post about receiving low ribbons with the only cake in the category, this has happened at a regular cake show most recently. It has happened at other cake shows as well.

I haven't entered a county fair in years, partly because a very popular local decorator would win no matter what was entered. The other reason is that I moved to a non-county fair with cake decorating area.

This stuff happens. Take it as lesson learned and then move on. It is just a fair and caked decorating is low on the "care" totem pole. It is good advertising for your work. I got a lot of orders after a fair, even when I did not place well.

Michele

You've been hosed!

Just had to say your owl cake was absoltely adorable!! I love it

It is so nice to see that it is not just our little county fair that has the problems with the judges. Our judges are always the same old folks on the fair board. I don't think they have any idea of the "new" modern cake decorating its all the gaudy old over piped bright colors that are from the 60's and 70's. One year I did a georgeous 3 tier with drapes and hand made flowers and about 16 hrs work in. It didn't even melt because I did it on "dummies" when the other cakes were just that "cake", which fell apart with all the heat. anyway you should have seen the bright Orange and Pink cake that won. people also walked by and ask questions and made coments. It wasn't only in the wedding cake catigory it was in all of them that the judging was the same. It was the last year that I wasted my time entering but I do enjoy going each year to see what horrible cakes are picked

Guess all the fairs are alike. I am so glad to know that I thought it was just ours.

jenebnell7: The cross cake is embarassing, absolutely incomparable with your cakes. Yours are very beautiful and perfectly executed. Religion, military or politics should not mix with country fairs-cake contests.

First off, your owl cake is simply stunning. Looks great and I love the colors.
Before we go burning the judges...
Are you pro/semi-pro?
When I was dropping off my cupcakes at the NYState Fair, I overheard the judges talking about the decorated cake contest and how they were going to pass over at least this one entry that was submitted by a pro. I am not positive, but I believe the rules in the NYState fair prohibited pros.
I agree with the general rule of thumb that if there is only one entry and it is undeserving of 1st, not awarding 1st...but looking at the pics yours deserved it. The only REAL reason I can see is they thought (right or wrong) you are a professional and that is why they shafted you.

FWIW I came in second for the second year. This time my cupcake nailed a perfect 100 unfortunately so did one other person's. Even though the flavors of mine "blew the judge away", I came in second in a cupcake-off. I jokingly said its because I am a man and they couldn't fathom a man winning a cupcake catagory. Then I laughed at myself because...hey...it's a fair competition.