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TEXAS OLD TIME FIDDLERS ASSOCIATION

STANDARD CONTEST RULES

1.    There shall be no entry fee.

2.      Contests will start at the advertised time.  Failure to do so shall make the contest subject to revue by Board of directors before approval is granted the following year.  A report stating reason for delay shall be filed by Judges of said contest. 

3.    There shall be no "break" in any contest division for other types of entertainment. 

4.    Only fiddler members or out-of-state fiddler members of the Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association shall be allowed to compete in an approved fiddlers contest: Exception, Annual Fiddlers Reunion Contest. 

5.    A drawing will be held for order of play prior to contest division. 

6.    A contestant shall be allowed to register until the drawing in his division has begun. 

7.    When a contestant is called to play he shall have three minutes to report to the stage with fiddle in tune and ready to play.  Failure to do so, with accompanists ready, shall constitute automatic disqualification. 

8.    No tune shall be prohibited.

9.    No contestant shall play the same tune twice during any contest, including playoffs, championships, etc. (Exception: When winner is challenging a current champion who does not have to compete in preliminaries).

10.   A fiddler will be allowed four accompanists.  If four accompanists are used, one must be a bass player. 

11.   A fiddler breaking any rule of the contest shall be disqualified. 

12.      Amplified instruments shall be regulated by the judges. 

13.   Judges shall have complete control of contest results. 

14.   Judges shall sign each score sheet.  Judges shall score each tune 70 to 100 points.  The Head Judge shall tally the score sheets and be approved by the other judges.  Judges must agree by a majority on the winners.  Any judge may call for a play-off. 

15.   The Head Judge may select a replacement judge in an emergency. 

16.   Judges shall approve all recording equipment.  No recording made during any contest by any party shall be offered for sale in any form without the written permission of the Association and the contestant involved. 

17.   A contestant's scores from a contest shall be available from the Association for a fee of $1.00 and a period of one year.  Contestant scores will be posted for viewing at contest immediately following each division.  Scores will remain posted for at least thirty minutes except for the last division played which will remain posted for a minimum of fifteen minutes.  Score sheets for one entire division are available for $5.00. 

18.   Any complaints by a contestant on the outcome of a contest shall be written, signed, and directed to the Association and not to the contest sponsors.

19.   A contestant may not enter both the fiddle and accompanist contest. 

20.   A contestant must play all tunes unassisted to qualify for Youngest Fiddler Award.