Why do YOU concour your car?

Edited on 2008-04-21 19:09:55

Here's why I WILL enter one or more cars in one or concours in 2008:

1. Supporting Clubs: our volunteers friends work for the rest of us ... for FREE or worse
spend their own $ to make the big day happen for the attendees ... they deserve
our thanks and our support. Judging is not easy and appears to be thankless task ...
AND SO the least I can (and will) do is gladly give one of my days off, kick in my fees,
get judged and run a BBQ if required;

2. My wife likes winning trophies (she is not too fussy about which one though and is
usually too shy to collect it): but we MUST try to keep her happy ....

3. Lots friends are there ... I like my friends ... I like spending time with my friends.

4. I enjoy washing a Jaguar (except the *&^%$ wheels) and chatting with my neighbours
about the car being detailed.

5. Seeing other all the other Jags ... love 'em ... yummy.

6. Novelty, there's something different every time every venue ... a classic Rolls Royce or
a local Michigan hot dog delicacy ... always a little twist.

7. Love that morning drive to the show with the show car all primped and super-shiny ...
not too much traffic .... an out of town show is a mini-vacation.

Regards,

D Lokun
90 XJ-S et al.

Steve ok I guess I mentally added up the mods and thought you had reached the point threshold--but you would know. I think we might be close on my main point and that is we have the "special interest classes" and possibly they need to be explored. Pascal would have the data on the number entered and your "class" ideas might not be a bad start. In a more jocular mode you might consider doing more mods! Just kidding cuz you know I would want you to go the other way. Main point is adding a whole new set of classes is not the answer but renaming Special and tweaking it might be.

Mr. Jenkins,
Excuse me! But I can't find in my postings where I have whined about anything. You can e-mail me with an apology at mfulton412aol.com. Don't worry. This is my final post on the subject.
Mike

George Camp wrote:
"Steve don't we already have that--If your car is highly modified it seems it would fit perfectly in one of the Special Interest classes. Am I wrong and have missed something? "

Yes, George, you missed my point. I can't compete with totally stock cars because I've made a few mods to the car the will count off in concours, whether Championship or Driven. But I'm not that heavily modified that my car can compete with cars like Gary Hagopian's race car, or Dick Maury's new race car, or Jim Roberge's race car. Next to them, my car looks like an almost stock car, so their cars stand out and mine just sits there, if you know what I mean. It's mixing apples and oranges.

Effectively, we had the same problem in Slalom. We had stock classes and we had modified classes. Someone with a few modifications were dumped into the modified class with the monster cars and couldn't compete. So we created a "Street Prepared" class to allow for some minor modifications that would not qualify as stock, but not so serious as to put them on a par with the real race cars. Something like that, and Enthusiast Division or class, would allow those of us who have pure driving mods like an aluminum radiator, modern AC compressor, stainless steel wire wheels and the like to compete with similar cars.

Just a thought. Maybe we don't need a whole Enthusiast Division, maybe just a couple of special classes designated as Enthusiast, say old sedans, old sportscars, new sedans, new sports car, to limit the growth in the number of classes, but at least to provide a home for those of us who are inbetween stock and full out modified.

Regards,
Steve Weinstein

Peter, let me state that not all clubs and concourse programs are created equal. As I have stated many times, its the local club you are joining and JCNA. Don't paint us all the same. As a judge and now as a training judge, I have alway gone out of my way to help and explain what we are doing. It is not a mystical task, but based on real discernible things. I understand where you are at, as I was there five years ago. So I know what you are feeling. Of course there are the good and the bad in every envier and that is true with our clubs as well. In the long run I am sure you will learn to enjoy your time with the rest of you local members. I know some of the most fun is not at the event, but the Friday night get together.

Pete, don't take all this to heart. The JCNA Concours thing is 99% good people, good cars, and good times.

Many years ago I had the good fortune of being parked right next to Gregory at a Portland ABFM. He spent at least a couple hours, probably more, educating me on all the things I needed to know about my car and within a year had convinced me to compete :-). He's a very nice person and a terrific ambassador for Jaguar and the hobby.

Cheers
DD

William,

First off, let me state that I'm not sending those messages multiple times. Honest! Unless when I leave the page open and it expires and I ask for it to be reloaded, it resends the message. Hmmm. I'll have to ask Pascal about that.

Anyway, thanks for the spelling correction -- man I miss spell check. Hey, I got "raison d'?¬tre" right.

So now that we have ascertained that display-enthusiasts are participants and that I was qualified to participate in the debate, having participated in concours from 1990 through this past year, where do we fundamentally disagree? (Or are you just sniping at me because you can't stand to admit that we are both on precisely the same page? ;->)

"By the way, it's "germane" not "germain." "

What the hell do the Germans have to do with it ???

:-) :-)

Just a bit of silliness for good meaure

Cheers
DD

William,

Mea Culpa. Bad choice of words on my part. I said "I haven't shown my cars for a few years." I have shown my cars, but they weren't judged. I was in display.

Nevertheless, the comment by Mike Fulton "I participated in Concour judjing for three years and have since just displayed my car at various events" and your immediate response, "Mike, you completely missed the point of this topic. This is a thread asking what the reasons are for people who actually participate in concours. You stated you don't even enter your car anymore" seems to indicate that you are backing away from your original position that display entries aren't participants.

I'm with you 100%. Glad you clarified that.

Mark Stephenson, JCCA.

BTW, something's goofed up in the forums or this thread. I sent an e-mail to Pascal. The post at 2008-04-12 13:58:02 was from me. In the meantime, I suggest everyone add their signature to the bottom of their posts.

William,

Mea Culpa. Bad choice of words on my part. I said "I haven't shown my cars for a few years." I have shown my cars, but they weren't judged. I was in display.

Nevertheless, the comment by Mike Fulton "I participated in Concour judjing for three years and have since just displayed my car at various events" and your immediate response, "Mike, you completely missed the point of this topic. This is a thread asking what the reasons are for people who actually participate in concours. You stated you don't even enter your car anymore" seems to indicate that you are backing away from your original position that display entries aren't participants.

I'm with you 100%. Glad you clarified that.

Mark Stephenson, JCCA.

BTW, something's goofed up in the forums or this thread. I sent an e-mail to Pascal. The post at 2008-04-12 13:58:02 was from me. In the meantime, I suggest everyone add their signature to the bottom of their posts.

Okay Mark, for purposes of further clarification, I would like to hear from people who STILL enter their cars in a JCNA sanctioned concours and their reasons for doing so.

500+ word, off-topic diatribes about your reasons for NOT entering ANYMORE really have nothing to do with the original question.

By the way, it's "germane" not "germain."

William,

Mea Culpa. Bad choice of words on my part. I said "I haven't shown my cars for a few years." I have shown my cars, but they weren't judged. I was in display.

Nevertheless, the comment by Mike Fulton "I participated in Concour judjing for three years and have since just displayed my car at various events" and your immediate response, "Mike, you completely missed the point of this topic. This is a thread asking what the reasons are for people who actually participate in concours. You stated you don't even enter your car anymore" seems to indicate that you are backing away from your original position that display entries aren't participants.

I'm with you 100%. Glad you clarified that.

Mark Stephenson, JCCA.

BTW, something's goofed up in the forums or this thread. I sent an e-mail to Pascal. The post at 2008-04-12 13:58:02 was from me. In the meantime, I suggest everyone add their signature to the bottom of their posts.

That last one was me.

John,

Your definition of "attending" and "participating" is slightly different from mine and I'm glad you brought it up.

Regarding how I framed my original question here, I'm inquiring as to why people chose to "concours" their car, meaning actually placing it on the field for a JCNA sanctioned concours rather than leaving it in the parking lot. And by "on the field" I mean entering it in:

Special
Driven
Championship

For the purposes of the original question I asked, I consider the very few in Special as "participating" just as much as the people in Driven and Championship. I aslo view the very few who enter in "Display" as "participating because once again, their car is on the show field.

You also brought to light a point (with your pie eating contest analogy) another distinction I was looking for with my original question. I really don't care to know why people chose NOT to participate and I include in that category those who do put their cars on the field at a combined social gathering/sanctioned concours.

Here's another analogy:

Question: "Why do you chose to run for public office?"

Relevant response: "I enjoy public service, helping people and shaping policy."

A reply that has nothing to do with the original question: "Politicians are all untrustworthy liars and thieves. I would never lower myself to such nonsense. I thought about it once but I'm way too important for wasting my precious time on such siliness. I'm important and I'm special and I'm also modest. I hate watching the news when they talk about political issues, it turns my stomach to watch a bunch of spin masters trying to convince John Q. Public that everything is all right when it's not. Speaking of the news, the only part of the news I care about is sports. Anyone here a Red Sox fan? I've been a Red Sox fan all my life and there is NOTHING like going to a ball game at Fenway Park! The smell of hotdogs and beer is one of the most wonderful things in the world. A couple of things though, parking is a real pain in the backside, especially on Lansdowne Street and they really need to clean those restrooms at Fenway Park, woooooooHO do they smell bad. I hate the Yankees, especially A-Rod."

William,

I "DO participate in concours"! I have entered my cars in Champion, Driven, and Display/Enthusiast categories at my home club and around the Southwest nearly every year since I was first a JCNA member back in 1990. I've been a judge for many years, including at the Western States and Challenge Championships, and have been the Chief Judge at the JCCA Saloons in the Old West sanctioned event (not calling it a concours anymore, Doug :->) for the last three years. Though not a member of JCRC, Dick Cavicke will attest that I contributed to the rewriting of the JCNA Rule Book.

To quote you: "This thread is asking people why they DO participate in concours. Why is that so hard for you to understand?" What's so hard for me to understand is that you are stating that the only way one participates is by entering a car in a judged class. Writing rules, judging, chief judging, and displaying apparently aren't participating. If you want to restate your question as, "Why do you compete at Concours d'Elegance?" my responses don't apply. But then your responses of camaraderie, support for the clubs, being a Jaguar fan, and to a lesser extent, preserving the marque, aren't germain to the question either because they apply whether you're judged or a display-enthusiast.

This is exactly the attitude Doug Ingram is claiming depresses concours attendance and perhaps JCNA membership. Doug considers the 116 "Enthusiast Division" Jaguars that pulled on to the field last year and parked right in with the judged cars just as much participants in "Jaguars on the Island" as the judged cars. They created "A Celebration of Jaguar Automobiles" rivalled only by the JCNA Challenge Championship.

To build upon John's cogent argument, Pie Eating Contests are usually part of a State Fair. They are part of a larger event because people aren't going to go to an auditorium just to see a bunch of people gulp down pies. Likewise, there probably wouldn't be as many people eating pies if they didn't have the audience.

As Doug noted in his article, for most clubs, the biggest event of the year is the concours. Yet, a very small minority of Jaguar owners are members of JCNA clubs, and only 14.9% of that sliver (880 entrants of 5890 members in 2007, according to his figures) entered cars for judging. To build a club's most important annual event around a competition in which only about 1 in 7 participate and to define competiton it's sole raison d'?¬tre while rejecting all others an non-participants, you are writing off a huge majority of your club. Just like PENA (Pie Eaters of NA), the more cars, even if they aren't judged, the bigger audience; the bigger audience, the more cars judged; the more cars on the field, the more attention you bring to the club, the marque, and preservation efforts, and the more friends you meet and make. Every person who participates in JCNA concours, displaying their not-ready-for-prime-time Jaguars, is supporting every single one of those reasons that you participate in concours (and don't you forget it. ;->).

If you take that, or any of my comments in this thread, as whining or criticizing, so be it. The only argument I have with you is your very limited definition of "participation" and the effect that attitude has on the number of cars on the field.

"I like Mark Stevenson's idea of having an "Enthusiast" class. When I have entered one of my cars in a concours, I have virtually no chance of getting a good score because I have too many modifications that are there to make the car more driveable."

"Perhaps an Enthusiast class that allowed for some minor modifications while otherwise preserving the basic integrety of the car would make some sense. I know if it existed, I'd be more likely to show my car.

Regards,
Steve Weinstein"

========================================================
Well, then come up to JCSNE's 35th anniversary concours, being held at Lyman Orchards, Middlefield, CT on June 8th.

If you go to the 'Calendar' section of the website and scroll down to June 8th, you can download our registration form. You will notice that we have formally instituted an 'Enthusiast Division' to cater to people who don't want to have their cars judged and don't want to be relegated to a 'Display' class without the possibility of receiving some kind of recognition.

We at JCSNE are tired of seeing dwindling concours fields, where there sometimes seem to be as many Jaguars in the parking lot as there are on the show field. We are hopeful that instituting an Enthusiast Divsion will lead to greater participation, as demonstrated by the JCOV and discussed at length in the Jaguar Journal by Doug Ingram. Finally, someone recognizes that not everybody wants to have a car scrutinized and scored by judges, but would still like to participate in a show with the potential of being recognized as worthy by other Jaguar enthusiasts.

So, please download our registration form, read it, and come to Connecticut for our inagural year of the Enthusiast Division. Maybe if a majority of the clubs take similar action, we can get this recognized by JCNA. Let's face it, if something isn't done to increase the number of Jags on the field, then the whole concours system will just slowly peter out as us old fogies kick the bucket one by one.

Honestly, I so tired of hearing all the reasons why we can't do or try something different to increase participation. This year, after much cajoling and prodding, we at JCSNE are attempting to stir the pot a little. Others should consider doing likewise.

Hmm, just pondering here... is the question, "Why do we attend the concours" - or - "Why do we compete in the concours?" They're both similar questions but with different answers.

Bill and others have said competition is "...not a major factor... doesn't care one bit about beating others... only competing with himself". I agree. Mark made the point that competition is also, by definition, the essence of the Concours de Elegance. The "...key word is competition", as he put it. I agree with that too. It's pitting car against car and coming out with a ranking. The concours, at it's core, exists for this purpose.

I attend and participate in the concourse event mainly for the social aspect. I compete in the concours because I like to get my cars judged. It is a test of my efforts in restoration to have the car scrutinized by my peers. The goal is mechanical and aesthetic perfection which really stirs up the inner gearhead in me. It's very challenging and I like to be challenged.

That doesn't mean that others can't enjoy the day with their car entered in Enthusiast/Display. I've done that several times. They're just not, in my opinion, taking part in the core reason for the event. Let's say the event is the annual Pie Eating Contest. Some entrants starve themselves (trailered cars) and and the people who have just had lunch right before coming down (driven cars) think that's unfair. Some like pie, but don't like contests and detest those stupid blue, red and yellow ribbons. Others don't really care about pie at all, but enjoy the camaraderie of the event. Many voice their concerns to the Pie Eating Clubs of North America and attendance is down so the organizers of the pie eating contest bring in a barber shop quartet, a clown who makes balloon animals and after dark, we'll have a fireworks show. Wow, that's great, except we need somebody to compete in the pie eating contest - or we need to rename and restructure the event.

"Jaguars on the Island" can be lifted up as the goal for all of us to emulate. Very well done to Paul and his team. They have managed to stage a very successful Celebration of the Marque - the social gathering, coupled with a Concours de Elegance - the contest. They have a dual event, if you will. Evidence of this is that of the 160 cars in attendance, some 44 were judged. That is, 116 cars attending a social gathering and 44 cars in the JCNA Concours. I think it's great. I love social gatherings with cars and owners but that isn't the reason for having a Concours. If we want the concours to mean something special, the owners of the 116 cars shouldn't be angry at the 44 because they want to trailer their cars and prep them with Q-tips and obsess over scoring and originality. And the Q-tip brigade should be happy that others can find enjoyment in the day as well. I think part of the win-win aspect of the Victoria event is that neither group attempts to denigrate the other. Everybody has a good time knowing that some like the competition and some would rather not partake. That doesn't make one group any better - just different. Both rely on the other for a successful event and there is plenty of room for everybody.

Steve,

Credit where credit is due. The idea of Enthusiast Class is Doug Ingram's very successful idea. ("JCNA Events and Participation by Doug Ingram, "Jaguar Journal", Jan/Feb 2008, Pg. 27) I'm just a whole-hearted supporter like you.

Steve don't we already have that--If your car is highly modified it seems it would fit perfectly in one of the Special Interest classes. Am I wrong and have missed something?

I like Mark Stevenson's idea of having an "Enthusiast" class. When I have entered one of my cars in a concours, I have virtually no chance of getting a good score because I have too many modifications that are there to make the car more driveable. I regularly slalom my '70 E-type FHC, and it has been a national champion in slalom a number of times. The changes I've made are small, like a different steering wheel, dog-eared knock-offs so I can easily check that they are tight, replacing the J-hook seatbelts with "real" seat belts that will actually keep me in the car when I'm out on the highway, not to mention an aluminum radiator and modern AC pump so I can enjoy driving the car in the summer. I can't compete in Championship, and even in Driven Division, my car can't be competitive with the things I've done.

When I have entered my car in concours, like in Indy last summer, I enjoyed it. Being with everyone, sharing the joy of looking at all these magnificent cars, seeing what people have done with their cars, all adds to the experience. But there should be a place for people like me, other than in "Special" class, where I'm competing against highly modified cars like the famous "Silver Bullet". Perhaps an Enthusiast class that allowed for some minor modifications while otherwise preserving the basic integrety of the car would make some sense. I know if it existed, I'd be more likely to show my car.

Regards,
Steve Weinstein

Edited on 2008-04-12 9:16:00

Mr. Stpehenson, you stated "I haven't shown my cars for a few years." which means you don't enter your car in a JCNA sanctioned concours anymore.

This thread is asking people why they DO participate in concours. Why is that so hard for you to understand?

You and Mike Fulton have both stated many times over that neither of you enter your cars in JCNA concours anymore and both of you have filled this fourm with pages and pages of posts of explaining why.

If all you two want to do is argue, whine and criticize, please take it somewhere else, not this thread.

I don't think that is too much to ask.

Perhaps it is too much to ask. If you review your reasons for "concour[ing] your car" you'll see that four of them have nothing to do with competition, the key word in the definition of "Concours d'Elegance" -- a "competition of elegance." Your first reason, the people, (assuming you've listed your reasons in the order of importance), is my first reason. Your second reason, maintenance, is crucial for me whenever I take my car on a long trip, especially to Grand Junction from Arizona in desert heat at the end of July. Admittedly, my maintenance focus will be more mechanical and yours will likely include attention to cosmetics. We are both support concours and all the fine people who create the events whether we are in display or judged so we agree on #3, and per #4, we're both supporting the marque by fielding our Jaguars, unless you feel some sense of superiority for being judged.

So you and I are in total agreement on four out of the five reasons for attending a concours and showing our cars. What's left? When you whittle it down, the real question you are asking is, why do you compete? You've indicated that that is the least important reason you attend a concours, so why do you compete? You've already answered that -- I'm being rhetorical, but you can see that it's an equally valid question asked either way.

I think it's fair to say that most people approach concours the way we do and rank the individual reasons in much the same way, although I'd insert the fun of driving my Jaguar there in between 2 and 3, push the rest down one, and drop your #5.

What's more important, than the question and its answers, though, is the emphasis you are placing on competition despite it being at the bottom of your list. Lest I read too much between the lines, you seem to be drawing a sharp distinction between concours participants in judged classes and those who display. This haughtiness is the exact thing Doug Ingram addressed in his excellent article, "JCNA Events and Participation" in the Jan/Feb 08 issue of the "Jaguar Journal" (Pg. 27). His contention is that most concours view the "Display Only" entries as second class, a stigma you perpetuate here. Despite the fact that the top four of your five reasons for attending a concours have little to do with competition, you only want to hear from the small percentage who are good enough to compete.

Doug's club, the Jaguar Club of Victoria, doesn't make that distinction. They don't consider the display entries a sub-class. His goal is to make concours a celebration of the marque and a fun event for everyone, judged or not, beautiful or rough. They don't even call it a "Concours d'Elegance" but "Jaguars on the Island." Instead of "Display Only" ("Think about that -- we are designating his Jaguar as not really very good; it's in a catefory where it is ONLY just allowed on the show field.... We set him and his Jaguar aside....") they call it "Enthusiast Division." That's apt, because like me, most display entrants are every bit as enthusiastic as judged entrants.

JCOV is on a small island that you reach by ferry in a metropolitan area of 350,000, yet they had 160 Jaguars at their event of which 44 were judged. We may have topped 160 cars at the Challenge Championship Concours d' Elegance, but not by much. As Doug asks in his article, "...how many Jaguars were at your event?"

The point of his article is that if you're going to be exclusionary, as you are, here (only those who have their cars judged are permitted to respond), you'll almost certainly alienate members and lower participation. That applies to these forums, events around the continent, and ultimately, JCNA membership.

Once again, this thread is about why you DO enter your car in a concours, not why you don't.

Would it be too much to ask for posters to keep their thoughts to the matter at hand?

Mike,

I'm with you. It's all about the people. I've been a Chief Judge here in Phoenix for the past few years and unofficially helped with the rewriting of some sections of the updated rules. But I haven't shown my cars for a few years.

Why? A competition is supposed to recognize something definitive. It means someone has expended the time, money and effort to create something special, something Jaguar owners and everyone else wish they had.

No one should emulate my imperfect Jaguars. Put me in a competition where I'm an undistinguished fifteenth out of twenty cars, and that would be an accurate appraisal I could accept, but award me a second place trophy in a field of two, the same recognition awarded to a guy with a 99.95 point E-type, and I've cheapened all his hard work, not to mention the concours itself. I want people to emulate me, not for my Jaguars, but for my love of driving them.

I'll be leading a contingent of Jaguar drivers from Phoenix, the Southwest, and Mexico to WS08 in Grand Junction. (Anyone interested in joining us, please contact me.) I'm doing it for the thrill of driving my XK120 on a thousand-mile, open air, top-down, fry-in-the-desert-heat odyssey and to meet all the wonderful folks I've met at the last couple fantastic Western States Meets.

I won't get an award for authenticity or looks or even farthest-driven, but if there is an award for the most fun getting there, I'd definitely be in the running.

Mark Stephenson, JCCA

P.S. I loved seeing Peaches in all her driven-patina glory in Atlanta. It was one of my favorite cars at the CC in part because it was driven.

Mike,

I'm with you. It's all about the people. I've been a Chief Judge here in Phoenix for the past few years and unofficially helped with the rewriting of some sections of the updated rules. But I haven't shown my cars for a few years.

Why? A competition is supposed to recognize something definitive. It means someone has expended the time, money and effort to create something special, something Jaguar owners and everyone else wish they had.

No one should emulate my imperfect Jaguars. Put me in a competition where I'm an undistinguished fifteenth out of twenty cars, and that would be an accurate appraisal I could accept, but award me a second place trophy in a field of two, the same recognition awarded to a guy with a 99.95 point E-type, and I've cheapened all his hard work, not to mention the concours itself. I want people to emulate me, not for my Jaguars, but for my love of driving them.

I'll be leading a contingent of Jaguar drivers from Phoenix, the Southwest, and Mexico to WS08 in Grand Junction. (Anyone interested in joining us, please contact me.) I'm doing it for the thrill of driving my XK120 on a thousand-mile, open air, top-down, fry-in-the-desert-heat odyssey and to meet all the wonderful folks I've met at the last couple fantastic Western States Meets.

I won't get an award for authenticity or looks or even farthest-driven, but if there is an award for the most fun getting there, I'd definitely be in the running.

Mark Stephenson, JCCA

P.S. I loved seeing Peaches in all her driven-patina glory in Atlanta. It was one of my favorite cars at the CC in part because it was driven.

Edited on 2008-04-11 23:12:46

Mike,

I'm with you. It's all about the people. I've been a Chief Judge here in Phoenix for the past few years and unofficially helped with the rewriting of some sections of the updated rules. But I haven't shown my cars for a few years.

Why? A competition is supposed to recognize something definitive. It means someone has expended the time, money and effort to create something special, something Jaguar owners and everyone else wish they had.

No one should emulate my imperfect Jaguars. Put me in a competition where I'm an undistinguished fifteenth out of twenty cars, and that would be an accurate appraisal I could accept, but award me a second place trophy in a field of two, the same recognition awarded to a guy with a 99.95 point E-type, and I've cheapened all his hard work, not to mention the concours itself. I want people to emulate me, not for my Jaguars, but for my love of driving them.

I'll be leading a contingent of Jaguar drivers from Phoenix, the Southwest, and Mexico to WS08 in Grand Junction. (Anyone interested in joining us, please contact me.) I'm doing it for the thrill of driving my XK120 on a thousand-mile, open air, top-down, fry-in-the-desert-heat odyssey and to meet all the wonderful folks I've met at the last couple fantastic Western States Meets.

I won't get an award for authenticity or looks or even farthest-driven, but if there is an award for the most fun getting there, I'd definitely be in the running.

P.S. I loved seeing Peaches in all her driven-patina glory in Atlanta. It was one of my favorite cars at the CC in part because it was driven.

Mike, you completely missed the point of this topic. This is a thread asking what the reasons are for people who actually participate in concours. You stated you don't even enter your car anymore.

We have an extremely generous member in our club who owns a beautiful triple black XKR 100 and a gorgeous customized XJ12C that he uses for rallying and racing. He also owns quite a few other Jaguars as well, including a beautiful XJS convertible and at least one classic XK. My guess is at this point, he really is not interested in concours competition BUT he is considerate enough to enter more than one of his cars in our concours and the JANE concours so we have more cars on the field. Not only that, he always volunteers his time and expertise as a judge because every concours can always use another qualified judge.

I might suggest that you follow his lead in the future. Now THAT would really be helping "supporting other clubs events." You could even take it one step further and decline any additional "tin" to the sponsoring club since you're already full up.

I participated in Concour judjing for three years and have since just displayed my car at various events. I have enough tin hanging on the wall to make most people envious. But I continue to support the events of the clubs that are close to my home base. And the reason for doing so is that we have developed great friendships with folks from those clubs. And I cannot think of a more satisfying reward. And I am an advocate of supporting the other clubs events. We have to support each other.
We have gone to every Smokey Mountain Jaguar Club Concour and have always been treated like one of their own members. Their event is held in conjunction with the Gatlinburg Scottish Games. There's nothing better than men in skirts and fresh squeezed lemonade.
Likewise, we have attended all of the North Georgia Jaguar Club events. They have the best meal on the show circuit. The bread pudding is KILLER.
So for me, it's not so much about the cars anymore. It is more about the people that we meet along the way.
Mike

I'm with Bill. For the most part I feel as though I'm in compettion with myself and improving the car is my reward. Seeing my scores increase is numerical validation

And, yes, it forces you to keep the car in better shape. Nothing wrong with that.

What the other guy scores isn't too important to me unless I feel there's a judging problem. Actually there have been a few times when I felt the "other guy" deserved a better score and didn't get it.

Cheers
DD

PS: I too would have mine on a rotating pedestal in the living room! It is ART!

John, you and I think very much alike. After having spent countless years and many thousands of dollars, the thought of reverting my gorgeous E-Type to one with dings, chips, and greasy engine compartment just doesn't appeal to me....nor does the possibility of it being broadsided by an un-insured motorist. I probably would have purchased a trailer of some sort by now, but because I attended the Challenge Champ in Nashville (2002?), I had no choice but ot get an enclosed trailer.
Patrick

Is concour a verb? - Never mind (-;
I like all of your reasons Bill. Here are some more.

My cars stay in better condition when I campaign them. When I have a show date circled on the calendar, I have incentive to get the jobs done which might otherwise stay on the back burner.

I have found that I am addicted to showing Jaguars in concours events. I love to be part of the event - meeting people and seeing their cars. Then showing them mine. It's all just playing around with our toys and really not important, but I seem to gravitate to it like a moth to a flame. Two years ago, I sold my two Jaguars and was Jagless. I couldn't stand it. Would I have to leave JCNA? The very thought of it was deeply troubling. I bought a project and restored it just so I would have something to take to the shows. Sick - I know. Now I'm back to two Jags and that seems to be a good number for me.

Unlike many, I would rather shine them up and show them than drive them. I don't have a trailer, but I can certainly relate to the guys who use them and I don't blame them one bit. After spending hundreds of hours restoring a car, I don't want to spoil it. Some guys are crew chiefs and some guys are pilots (I've been both) and we just don't view the equipment in the same way at all. I wish I could put the car on a rotating pedestal in my living room. Since that idea would meet with some opposition from Lovely Emily, the concours is the next best thing.

See you all on the show field.

Is concour a verb? - Never mind (-;
I like all of your reasons Bill. Here are some more.

My cars stay in better condition when I campaign them. When I have a show date circled on the calendar, I have incentive to get the jobs done which might otherwise stay on the back burner.

I have found that I am addicted to showing Jaguars in concours events. I love to be part of the event - meeting people and seeing their cars. Then showing them mine. It's all just playing around with our toys and really not important, but I seem to gravitate to it like a moth to a flame. Two years ago, I sold my two Jaguars and was Jagless. I couldn't stand it. Would I have to leave JCNA? The very thought of it was deeply troubling. I bought a project and restored it just so I would have something to take to the shows. Sick - I know. Now I'm back to two Jags and that seems to be a good number for me.

Unlike many, I would rather shine them up and show them than drive them. I don't have a trailer, but I can certainly relate to the guys who use them and I don't blame them one bit. After spending hundreds of hours restoring a car, I don't want to spoil it. Some guys are crew chiefs and some guys are pilots (I've been both) and we just don't view the equipment in the same way at all. I wish I could put the car on a rotating pedestal in my living room. Since that idea would meet with some opposition from Lovely Emily, the concours is the next best thing.

See you all on the show field.

Excellent summary Bill. The point I would add is consistency of judging. The JCRC has gone to great lengths to prepare and update our judging rules and has set in-place a program to train and maintain current our judges. I know this is far from perfect as it is just impossible to any judge to "know everything." If you don't see my point, try entering your Concours entry in a local car show where there are no rules. The last time i did that with my 59 XK-150 I lost to a tricked-out 2001 Honda!