Membership not Required at MCA National Shows!

[FastDad]

if the mca is bad organization that you refuse to join why would want to enter a car, or work at the show?

1. No one said MCA is "bad"

2. Non-members work at a show because the local club they belong to is the host club. *FLASH* not every member of a local MCA club is an MCA member! Those folks are not likely to work at a show (or put in the many hours of planning that occurs before the show) if they cannot fully participate.

[FastDad]

Hugh,

It is unfortunate that your perception of achieving recognition from the MCA judging community does not garner a sense of pride. The MCA invests a huge amount of time and effort to:

1) Develop, document, and communicate judging standards
2) Test and certify judges
3) Train and educate judges
4) Recognize and reward judging excellence

I dare say that you will not encounter this much training and commitment at your local car shows where Billy Bob and Becky Sue Volunteer-of-the-day conduct the judging. So even though your 2011 Grand National award was received under Plan B judging, the judges were trained and experienced in their assessment your vehicle and saw fit to recognize and reward your efforts.

Frankly, I see compliance with the 2013 rule as being a statement of recognition and support for the dedication of the MCA judging community and the efforts of the MCA as a whole.

However, at the Grand National, that commitment did not result in superior judging. In my (and other entrants) expectations, the Grand National should be the premiere event of the MCA show season and receive 100% support from the MCA Board and judging community. Sadly in 2011 it did not. The MCA Board chose to also support a private event in Sturgis that was held the same weekend as the GN. Steve Prewitt has already stated their reasons for doing so, but the bottom line is that, for the host club, it sucked. The Sturgis event drew away many of the vendors who would have normally come to the GN and most of the MCA board were no shows at the GN. As not enough certified judges showed up for the number of cars entered, plan B judging was instituted, although that fact was not communicated to the host club president, show chairman, or most of the entrants. And I think that the disregard for the local club's interests is at the heart of the dispute. It appears that the MCA Board does not care about the local clubs. In their minds, we exist to support the MCA, not the other way around.

[mustangted1963]

but apparently not good enought to join?

1. No one said MCA is "bad"

2. Non-members work at a show because the local club they belong to is the host club. *FLASH* not every member of a local MCA club is an MCA member! Those folks are not likely to work at a show (or put in the many hours of planning that occurs before the show) if they cannot fully participate.

[mustangted1963]

and the reason there wasnt enough judges is because of not joining mca and becoming a judge??.

[390pony]

However, at the Grand National, that commitment did not result in superior judging. In my (and other entrants) expectations, the Grand National should be the premiere event of the MCA show season and receive 100% support from the MCA Board and judging community. Sadly in 2011 it did not. The MCA Board chose to also support a private event in Sturgis that was held the same weekend as the GN. Steve Prewitt has already stated their reasons for doing so, but the bottom line is that, for the host club, it sucked. The Sturgis event drew away many of the vendors who would have normally come to the GN and most of the MCA board were no shows at the GN. As not enough certified judges showed up for the number of cars entered, plan B judging was instituted, although that fact was not communicated to the host club president, show chairman, or most of the entrants. And I think that the disregard for the local club's interests is at the heart of the dispute. It appears that the MCA Board does not care about the local clubs. In their minds, we exist to support the MCA, not the other way around.

It is the responsibility of the host club to recruit and train certified judges. If there weren't enough at your show, then it wasn't MCA's fault, it was your club's. MCA provides the head and assistant judges only. Gold card judges are not reimbursed in any way to travel to a show, so that's the luck of the draw for which judges will attend a show. Travel costs figure greatly into which shows judges will attend.

Same goes for board members. We are not reimbursed for any travel to shows. Although in the past I have flown to three shows to judge, I only did it because we also held a board meeting there. So, since that no longer happens, I now will only judge at shows where I also bring a car. For the record, I just added up my mileage to attend Nationals, Grand Nationals, and Anniversary shows. Since 1997, I have trailered more than 50,000 miles. I will not be heading back east anymore for shows.

[FastDad]

It is the responsibility of the host club to recruit and train certified judges. If there weren't enough at your show, then it wasn't MCA's fault, it was your club's. .

More revisionist MCA history. There were not enough judges because MCA decided to suspend paper certification of judges and go to an online system BEFORE the online system was tested and approved. As a result, over a year passed before anyone could be certified. Even if we had gathered a group of folks willing to be certified judges, MCA had no way to certify them.

And if I get this straight, the host club apparently is responsible for EVERYTHING, including free hotel rooms for certain MCA "dignitaries". Other than insurance and judging cards at the show, tell me again about the "value" of belonging to MCA?

I hear over and over how "dedicated" the MCA Board is, yet when pressed, now there's excuses. I would be Ok if folks just elected to stay home. However some of our MCA Board members went to Sturgis instead of the GN, choosing not to support the MCA event in favor of another event with more flash.

[FastDad]

but apparently not good enought to join?

It all comes down to value perceived/received. The magazine and 2 decals is really not enough enticement for some to spend $50 a year. That is a very expensive magazine subscription.

[390pony]

More revisionist MCA history. There were not enough judges because MCA decided to suspend paper certification of judges and go to an online system BEFORE the online system was tested and approved. As a result, over a year passed before anyone could be certified. Even if we had gathered a group of folks willing to be certified judges, MCA had no way to certify them.

And if I get this straight, the host club apparently is responsible for EVERYTHING, including free hotel rooms for certain MCA "dignitaries". Other than insurance and judging cards at the show, tell me again about the "value" of belonging to MCA?

I hear over and over how "dedicated" the MCA Board is, yet when pressed, now there's excuses. I would be Ok if folks just elected to stay home. However some of our MCA Board members went to Sturgis instead of the GN, choosing not to support the MCA event in favor of another event with more flash.

Your show was approved two years before it was held. Why didn't you begin certifying judges once approved? And, even if your people couldn't get the actual certification due to the transition, your club still could have been training judges and had them ready for the show. Were any training sessions even held?

Yes, a host club is responsible for the show, including providing rooms for the MCA president and head judges. MCA provides financial support for the show, in addition to the insurance, car cards, and judging team.

We have almost 30 board members, which is more than enough for people to attend different shows held on the same weekend.

[mustangted1963]

trying paying directly for insurance to cover a show and then complain the host club received no value.

[FastDad]

Your show was approved two years before it was held. Why didn't you begin certifying judges once approved? And, even if your people couldn't get the actual certification due to the transition, your club still could have been training judges and had them ready for the show. Were any training sessions even held?.

Yes we had several training sessions in the 24 months preceding the show that were conducted by Gold Card judges. We had no way of knowing that MCA would make such a stupid error as to discontinue a process before the new process was in place. However no certification process = not a certified judge. Doesn't matter if you are trained. How would we have them "ready for the show" if MCA had no way to certify them?