See this link for the start of the story...

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-5966203-.html#5966203

So I go to pick up my county fair cakes today...second and third place, and ask if I can see the scorecard and how they scored. The teenage girl helping me said there are no scorecards, the judge just writes down what place the cake is. Then she says, "I was there...I can tell you what she said..."

Oh please do.

Are you ready for this???

My third place cake...the crooked one...was painted fondant, and I wanted it to look like watercolor. The judge was displeased b/c she could see white through the paint. Um, no you can't. The paint is less in some places, just like in watercolor. She was also not happy with silk flowers. I like real flowers, but they sure wouldn't have held up now, would they?

But here is where I am really, really pi$$ed. The reason my dog cake didn't place first is b/c in the judges opinion, all of that could not have been made in cake. Then she asked the audience if any of them could do it, and they all said no, so she decided it couldn't be done. Of the five audience members, one told me she was going to enter a cake, but it collapsed since it was her first time working with fondant. Again, THERE WERE NO OTHER CAKES ENTERED!!!

Now, the house is actual cake. The dog, of course, is fondant, as is the mailbag. The hydrant, bone and ball are styrofoam, which is fine according to the rules as long as it is something that COULD be achieved with cake. I have in fact done all those shapes in cake. I did not choose to do that for the fair 1. Because I didn't have to, 2. The transportation would have been a nightmare, 3. I have seen what the cakes look like after being on display...people poke them and ruin them...I didn't want MY name on a ruined cake, with people saying it looked like crap!

I am just so, so irritated. I think next year I will make a three tier buttercream white wedding cake, sixties style, on the plastic columns, and since our county is so hick and conservative I will make the wedding couple be two dudes, just to mess with everyone. Maybe I'll put a big ol' rainbow in the background, too (I live in California...we just passed the same sex marriage law...no comments on this please...let's just talk cake...).

ARGH!!!!!

I would totally be upset too. That sucks. I'd write something in stating everything you just said- that you could have done it, and that you don't appreciate the unprofessional manner in which the judging was conducted.

I'm sorry- I think they look fabulous!

She asked the spectators if they thought it could be done????

Do you know what this judge's cake background is? I mean, has she ever turned on a mixer in her life?

Maybe they just thought that it wouldn't be possible to balance the hydrant and bone if they were made of cake.

I'm so sorry that this happened. It must make you feel awful. But at least it reaffirms that the "judge" didn't know what the heck they were doing!

Hi Lisa,
I feel for you..and I'm sorry this happened. I too entered cakes in the fair this year (county fair) and mine were the only ones entered. Ok, fine. They each got 1st place...wonderful. However, I later learned that the person they were going to have judge couldn't make it so they called two others, who also couldn't make it. All three were at least cake knowledgeable. So since they couldn't get anyone, they just grabbed some lady who was a judge for crafts and quilting! What??? Like she would know a darn thing about decorated cakes. I even asked if she knew about cakes and was told no, but she'd been judging crafts for years. Oh whoopee!

So not only did it make me feel like my first place wins were no big deal since I was the only one who entered anyway but then to know that just some lady in general who happened to judge other things had "judged" my cakes really made me feel like the Fair didn't care at all. Later I was told by the lady in charge of culinary arts that she was sure I would have won 1st places anyway if they'd have had a real cake judge. Oh gee , somehow that doesn't make me feel better.

And on top of that, when I went to see how I did the day after judging, my cakes didn't have any ribbons on them at all. So I found the lady in charge and asked who won. She told me that mine cakes won but they ran out of ribbons. NICE! I did end up getting the ribbons when I picked up my entries but honestly it doesn't feel like much of a win when you're the only one who entered and knowing someone who knows nothing about cakes only gave me a blue ribbon because she liked my cakes. Hardly what I was aiming for.
Oh and in the handbook with rules, our Fair states that there isn't nessicarily 1st place ribbons awarded if the judge doesn't deem it "worthy". Sadly, there isn't one ounce of judging criteria so it's all a matter of what someone happens to like. Nothing like a real cake competition.

Sorry to go off about my own experience but I just wanted to let you know I feel for ya!

KimAZ

Oh, and your cakes are really fun and you did a great job! You'd have easily placed 1st here!

KimAZ

Thanks, guys!

Kim, our rule book states the same thing. And I could definitely understand why you would be irritated. I of course did not want a first place by default, but to have it judged by someone who really doesn't know what she is doing kind of stings. Sure, they aren't perfect...are they first place material for food network challenge or the STATE fair? No, I would say not. But this was a county fair for us ordinary joe schmoes.

Oh, also...on my crooked cake...I did see the back of the paper. It is not a "scorecard" but the judge did record notes. She did not like the fact that I used real ribbon.

Whatever.

I know that this experience must have been very disappointing for you, but in a way it's not like a group of experienced pastry chiefs found your work lacking-it was some hick who didn't seem to know fondant from cake.

When people who don't know a thing about how my job should be done start with all the criticizing, I turn to my art books and read what all the judges said about Monet, Manet and my favorite Renoir. Ha, ha, ha! Look how wrong they were when they said it was messy and not worth anything.

The reality seems to be that someone who didn't know a darn thing about cake decorating, didn't understand the level of your fine work.

When my daughter was only 8 years old and was criticized about her performance, she just shrugged and whispered to me "they have a right to their own opinion, no matter how stupid it is." I think this might be good advice for you too.

However, when you finish it, please post a pic of that cake with the rainbow, buttercream swirls and two grooms that you described-that does sound like a winner!

My mom has a friend who is WAY talented with cakes... She entered a cake in a fair competition, not knowing that it was SUPPOSED to be a dummy cake. Oh well. She was there for the judging, and the judge said that she would disqualify her (or something of that nature), because that particular cake couldn't ACTUALLY be done. But when she cut into it to show them it WAS cake, they disqualified her because it wasn't a dummy cake like the rules required...

Sometimes people are just jerks.

If they are going to bother to do the contest, they need to have it judged by people in culinary arts.

I had fun at the county fair last year, but I did have to take the whole thing with a 'grain of salt' there were only 5 entries.

it is entirely up to the whim of the judge, and I do mean whim.
don't get me wrong, the women who won my competition deserved it, but when I listened to the reason I was like, whoa?

it's annoying as all get out, but you have to write it off.
do the BC next year and go in with a laugh you just might come out with the last laugh - a blue ribbon!

It wasn't cake, but I once ended up not even PLACING in a competition, because, get this... the ONE judge decided that the person who'd taught HER to do the craft would never have approved of my project, never would have bothered with it, and was the utmost authority on the craft, so she was going by what the teacher had told her.

The irony? I was the teacher...

We do a lot of arts and crafts competitions in the medieval reenactment thing I do, and I've learned that competitions, while they're a good opportunity to showcase your work and network with folks to learn more, teach, etc... the judging itself is on an event-to-event basis. One competition can have you the clear winner, and people singing your praises. The next, with the exact same entry, a week later with a different set of judges (but mostly the same other entrants) you'll be at the bottom of the heap.

Just take it with a grain of salt, and do what you're talking about... I'd love to see that "Two Dudes and a Cake" cake! Sounds awesome!

It actually reminds me of dog shows. Yes, the judges judge how closely the entrant dog comes to his/her breed's standards, but the judge is being subjective because it's his or her opinion of how close, it's not totally objective. I believe the same is true for almost any competition that is judged, but some try a lot harder to make the judging more objective than others.

i always wanted to enter a fair......but now i am so rethinking.....i am sorry this happened to you and to all who have posted!!!!! your cakes were great by the way!!!!!!!

Hubby's little sister was in horse shows/competitions and it's the same thing there, too. Some judges only go for the thoroughbred horses ... no matter how good the "non blue blood's" are. Some judges are totally impressed by money, so the kid with the most expensive tack equipment did better than others with cheaper equipment ... regardless of how well the horse performed.

So much for justice being blind and impariality.

Oh my goodness, I am so surprised that there was so little thought & planning in your county fair, that is so bad. I wouldn't even bother to enter if they can't be bothered to organize properly.