Protecting Councours D'Elegance Entrants

Sir,

I am contemplating forming a Concours Competitors’ Association, to look after the interests of motorists who enter the many concours d’elegance which are held in various parts of the country.

It seems to me that some similar body is required to try to standardise the judging at such events. I have frequently been present at them as a spectator, and have been struck by the lack of consistency in the assessing of merit.

The recent event at Southsea is a typical example. In this instance a car actually damaged in an accident, and with a badly damaged panel, was awarded the prix d’honneur in preference to the immaculate Bentley owned by Mr. Raymond Way. This Bentley had, only three days previously at La Panne, Belgium, beaten more than one hundred newer American and Continental cars.

If this is the first time a damaged entry has won a concours, it should surely also be the last! In the same event a locally-owned 1935 Morris Eight somehow achieved a placing superior to a non-local 1937 Rolls which has won more than 200 awards in previous events.

This would appear to indicate a pressing need for the establishing of uniform standards of adjudication in these events, to which all judges would impartially conform.

An association such as I envisage could lay down one uniform code of judging standards to govern concours everywhere.

The entrance fee and annual subscription would only need to be nominal ones. In return, members would be sent a monthly newsletter containing a programme of future events, comments on judging, advice on the preparation of entries, etc., etc.

I would welcome the comments of your readers on my proposal, and would be very glad to hear of any who might be interested in joining the proposed association.

I am, Yours, etc.,
Kenneth Bourke.
London, W.C.2.

(Letters can be forwarded. — Ed.]