Important information on organization of the Cirque Show this year.
This year the show will once again be organized into chronological segments (groups of years). There will be one more age category than last year, with the previous beginning category 1959 and earlier now changed into two, 1949 and earlier and 1950 to 1959. As was done last year, the Craftsman Showcase segment will have slightly different award categories than the other segments. There will be three award categories in all the other segments. To try and control the expanding number of awards, there will no longer be separate Road and Track award designation in the chronological segments. All this is explained further below.
The show segments are:
1949 & Earlier 1950 to 1959 1960 to 1967 1968 to 1973 1974 to 1980 1981 to 1986 1987 & Later Craftsman Showcase
Award categories for each of the chronological segments are as follows:
Best Original/Unrestored Best Restored Best Open Class
In the Craftsman Showcase segment, award categories are as follows:
Best Road/Sport Best Randonneur/Touring Best City/Utility Best Track/Fixed-gear/Single-speed Best Lugs Best Paint
Certificates will also be awarded for People\u2019s Choice (by audience balloting), Best Display and Best in Show. These award categories cover all segments of the show.
One final certificate, the Charles Brown Award, will be presented for the homeliest, funkiest, strangest, ugliest, or just plain weirdest bike in the show.
Judging Criteria:
The basic criteria for judging in the categories are as follows:
Original/Unrestored - This category is intended to promote and encourage the preservation of bicycles in their original condition. The primary criterion is paint and, secondarily, components. Does the bike retain the original finish, and are the parts ones that could, conceivably have been on the bike when it was first assembled? Faithfulness to originality, rarity, historical importance are also contributing factors.
Restored - This category is for those bikes that have been brought back to their original glory from some ill-fated past. New paint, chrome, decals etc. may have been used to recreate what may have been lost. \u201cPeriod correct\u201d graphics, components and accessories are obviously desirable here, as is faithfulness to the original spirit and concept of the builder or manufacturer.
Open Class - This is the former \u201cHot Rod\u201d category. Bikes where creative expression and interpretation might better represent the current owner\u2019s vision more so than that of the original owner or builder. Creative restoration, style and personality are the motivations for this category, which covers all types of bikes (road, track, touring, fixed-gear, single-speed, commuter, or coffee shop cruiser).
I believe that judging in the Craftsman Showcase segment is fairly well understood, and less controversial, so I will not go into detailed criteria for judging in that area. The Charles Brown Award is for the homeliest, funkiest, strangest, or just plain ugliest bike in the show.
That leaves Best in Show. Some people have questioned how any bike can reasonably be deemed \u201cbest\u201d overall in a field as diverse and spectacular as the bikes on display at an event like the Cirque. Sometimes I think we have to set reason aside, and let emotion drive decisions. This category is where the judges have the opportunity to formally recognize something that \u201cspeaks\u201d to them in some way. To highlight a bike that, for whatever reasons the judges deem appropriate, stands out amongst a sea of otherwise extremely impressive bikes.
People entering bikes must identify the category in which they wish to be judged.
First Runner Up entry will also be announced in each category.
Overall, the show should encourage both conservation and usage of vintage bikes. And it should be fun and enjoyable for the majority of participants. The structure presented here is how the Cirque Show for 2009 will be organized. This may not be the definitive word for future Cirque shows, rather a starting point to try and apply some limited amount of structure to the show. It will be an evolutionary process. After this year, I will be happy to listen to feedback, comments and suggestions once again, and see what direction that may lead us.
Thanks -
Wayne Bingham
Lovettsville VA USA
http://www.cirqueducyclisme.com/