A small band of stalwart SCC supporters went to Hailsham in blizzard conditions (actually there was just a dusting of snow on them there hills) to hear Judge Bob Webzell ARPS judge the second ever Sussex Fed P.I. competition.
We came away smiling at our best ever Sussex Fed competition result, certainly in the last 15 years and maybe ever. We were up against 20 other clubs (amongst them there are some top rated clubs) from East and West Sussex and some from Kent.
The marks were very tight at the top, with Steyning CC winning with 92 points; Crawley, East Grinstead and Seaford all came second equal with 91 points; and Storrington third equal together with Bexhill, and Littlehampton with 90 points, 2 below the winners. What a great result!
In the first round Liz Barber's (one of our new and brilliant photographers) 'Parisian Reflections' got a creditable 17 points which put us slightly below half way up the ratings. This was followed by Jane Coward (one of our longer serving and brilliant photographers) with her 'Red Arrows over Windermere' which was awarded 20 to our huge delight. It was one of ten 20's awarded on the day out of 105 entries. Jane has just had a hip replacement operation and we hope it put a smile on her face. This brought us up to third place in the ratings which is where we more or less stayed until the end. Next up was my 'Last Birds in from the Wash' which made me sink low in my seat because this version of it had an intruding twig in the bottom left corner. The one I had entered in our PI comp and which we selected did not have this intrusion. Anyway I expected it to be marked down, but to my amazement it got 19!
After we had had our half time tea break, Anne Nagle's (another LSBP) 'Parental Duties' got 16 which did not alter anything to any great extent. I always feel very sorry for the team entrant who gets the lowest score (been there a few times myself) because Anne did not choose her image to enter; the selection committee did that, and it is their responsibility. Being on that committee, I am sure we would still have chosen this image from Anne as it is a lovely picture. Next we had Charmaine Hayes (another NABP) 'Out of the Darkness'; a different and very good portrait of her Son, which got us 18 points and secured our final place.
All entrants should be very pleased with the result and if any other club had to win we were all happy that it was our friends at Steyning.
Well done to both of us!