Running On Empty

A lot of people complain about ute show judging and criteria. SO here's the chance to put your money where your mouth is and make suggestions for what you think the criteria should be in ute show categories.

I ran a show earlier this year and here is how the categories were judged:

BnS (Pre & Post 1989)
Criteria: Amount of Working lights, Amount of Working Aerials, Amount of ball stickers, Amount of ear/cow tags, Amount of Flags, Wheels, Airbrushing/Other stickers, Bug Deflector, Roll Bar, Originality, Swag, Ball accessories, Bulbar, Mudflaps, Side skirts, Exhaust stacks, Exhaust sound.

*** My question is whether the ute should really have to be fitted with a bullbar or not. My ute has ball stickers and ball accessories, but no bullbar and therefore judges at other shows don't even bother to fill out the judging sheet and there are lots of other people that take their utes to balls regularly but don't have bullbars. ***

STREET (Pre & Post 1989 & Chicks Street)
Criteria: Overall Presentation, Wheels, Interior, Engine Bay, Exterior, Tub/Tray, Underneath, Aftermarket Modifications, Nudge/Light Bar, Stereo Etc, Originality, Personalised Plates, Exhaust Sound, Airbrushing.

*** Should airbrushing and nudge bars be in this criteria? ***

CHICKS COUNTRY
Criteria: Overall Presentation, Wheels, Interior, Bullbar, Tub/Tray, Underneath,Tailgate Decoration, Country Stickers, Stereo Etc, UHF, Working Aerials, Working Lights, Side Skirts, Mudflaps ,Exhaust Sound, Airbrushing.

*** I took away the whole pinkest ute wins the gold criteria and requested that registration papers be made available to prove you own it. In the old days, chicks used to have to drive it around the block/change a tyre/change a spark plug to prove it was really their ute. ***

MOST FERAL
Criteria: Non working lights, Non working Aerials, Broken lights, Dents, Rust, Dust/Mud, Non working radio, Exhaust leaks, Exhaust sound, Makeshift repairs, Oil leaks, Dirty engine bay, Engine noises (clunks, taps etc), Non working instruments, Bald/worn tyres, Overall feral-ness.

*** If we got any category right, this is the one. Too many shows have BEST Feral instead of MOST Feral and don't take into account that a Feral ute is a death trap on wheels. ***

WORK UTE
Criteria: Signage, Tools/Equip of trade, Overall Presentation, Safety Equip, Mobile Phone Kit, UHF, Relevant Modifications, Tool Box, Interior, Exterior, Uniform, Paper Work

*** This is the most controversial category at any show. A year ago, you'd be lucky to get one entry then suddenly every man and his dog slapped some stickers on the tailgate or quarter panel and away they went. I put in uniform, paper work and tools/equipment of the actual trade because its quite easy to put a tool box, ladder and sticker on your ute then lie about what you do for a living. I almost made it so that you had to have your certificate of business registration, which should be mandatory. ***

TRUCK THEMED UTE
Criteria: Mudflaps, Mirrors, Aerials, Bullbar, 6 stud wheels, Artwork, Badges/Decals, Stacks, Interior, Amount of Lights.

*** Forgot reverse beeper, truck gear shifter, light truck tyres. Most BnS/Rural utes are based on trucks so I reckon more shows should have this as a cat. ***

4x4 UTE
Criteria: Presentation, Wheels/tyres, Lift Kit, Suspension, Bullbar, Aerials, Lights, Interior, Flags, Mud & Dirt, Engine Bay, Roll Bar.


OTHER POINTS OF INTEREST
- What's a Town Ute? I think Town Utes should be allowed to have a bullbar as they are a country street ute. Many people disagree.

- Should a BnS ute have ball stickers? In my opinion they should have stickers and genuine proof of having been to balls, otherwise they are ruled ineligible. There is a certain ute owned by a female getting around the scene that has placed in BnS categories without having been to a BnS ball. It has no ball stickers and no ball cow tags either.

- Should street utes be allowed to have side skirts? I say yes, most judges say no. Really what difference does it make? Side skirts are on utes to make them look like trucks and the last time I looked trucks were driven on the street.

- Should a chicks ute have to be pink? I say no, to me a chicks ute is a ute driven, owned and registered by a female.

- How do you judge ute of the show? We did a 3-2-1 points system for our show, however it was criticised because it rewards people who can enter multiple categories. In my opinion, to win ute of the show, you must win or be placed in as many categories as possible. Other shows have given the entrants a fistful of slips to fill out and put in a box, some have given it to sponsors. I Personally think next time I will give the entrants a voting slip with 3-2-1 votes and tally them up with entrants only being able to vote and vote once only. Who wouldn't wnat to win a trophy voted on by their peers?

- What's a work ute? In my opinion it is the vehicle you use to conduct your job - your office on wheels. It must have the equipment relevant to your specific trade, it must have ohs/safety equipment relevant to your job on board and you must have genuine proof that it is your actual workplace on wheels. At one show this year, the criteria was: Commercial Signage, Stickers, Aftermarket Modifications, Cleanliness of ute. No mention of tools, equipment etc. Most shows require ladder racks and ladders - why? Not all trades or workers need ladders. I don't need a ladder to type on my computer or mow someones lawn.

- Should judges be allowed to enter? I say NO. At 3 shows this year judges won categories, which I feel is not int the spirit of competing. Having said that i also believe the ute that the best ute should be the winner regardless of who owns it.

- Should organiser's families be allowed to enter? See above.

- Should sponsors be allowed to enter? See tow posts above.

I look forward to what other people think should be used as judging criteria for shows.

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