With this being the height of show season, we decided that this week we should take a moment to look at the judging process in a concours d’elegance. Now, different shows do judging differently. There are, of course, the popular choice car shows, but even within the concours shows the judging can be varied. Our video is The Judging Process at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Some shows that I have attended have cared more about the presentation and condition of a car than its originality. Other shows have stressed original equipment and options even if that meant that condition may suffer a bit. Still, other shows want every part of the car to be of an original type and quality or be period correct, but the part itself does not need to have been original. Again, there are many variations and it is up to the show organizers to make it clear to the participants what they are looking for.
I will be honest, one of the reasons I am looking at videos such as this is that I have been asked to be a judge next weekend at the Atlanta Concours d’Elegance which is held at Chateau Elan. One of the most important preparations for an event such as this is to find out what cars I will be judging and by what standard they will be judged. This is important so that all of the players, both judges and entrants, are on the same page.
And, by the way, if you at the Atlanta Concours next weekend, make sure to say hello. I will be around the British cars. Imagine that.
I judged the “British Car Circle” at one show (in Canada). I did not enjoy it — guess I was a misfit. My feeling is that old cars are to be enjoyed by being driven — not cossetted as trailer queens/museum pieces — and the Concours mindset seems to work against that.