Prizes/Rules
| Time | Schedule | 1st Place | Paying Places | Trophies | Ribbons | Entry Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00 | Register | |||||
| 10:00 | 0-9 yrs | $50 | 7 | 3 | all | $10 |
| 10:30 | 10-12 yrs | $100 | 7 | 3 | 4 | $10 |
| 11:15 | 13-15 yrs | $150 | 7 | 3 | 4 | $10 |
| 12:00 | Prizes and Fiddle Performance by CCYO | |||||
| 12:45 | Accompaniment | $150 | 2 | 1 | 1 | $10 |
| 1:15 | 40+ | $150 | 7 | 3 | 4 | $10 |
| 2:00 | 16-39 yrs | $150 | 7 | 3 | 4 | $10 |
| 2:30 | Break Your Fiddle | $100 | 2 | 1 | 1 | $5 |
| 3:00 | Twin | $100 | 3 | 2 | 4 | $5 |
| 3:30 | Trick & Fancy | $100 | 3 | 1 | 2 | $10 |
| 4:30 | Prizes | |||||
Sierra Vista Fiddle Contest Rules
General Rules
• Contestants must register and draw numbers for order of appearance within 15 minutes of the scheduled starting time of their event.
• Contestants must be ready to go on stage when called or may be disqualified.
• Contact microphones, amplified instruments, music stands, and music are not permitted.
• No tune may be played more than once by the same contestant during all divisions of the fiddle contest (except for the accompaniment division). Repeating tunes or playing unqualified tunes may result in disqualification.
• If a contestant is uncertain whether a tune qualifies he or she may submit the title in writing to the contest committee for verification by the judges.
• If a string breaks or slips out of tune the fiddler may continue or stop. If the tune is completed it will be judged as played, if the fiddler stops he/she will be allowed to begin with that tune and continue his/her round. The time limit will be appropriately adjusted to the start of that tune.
• Fiddlers may play without accompanists or with not more than two.
• Each tune may be scored a maximum of 100 points with 90 being considered average. Judges will not total scores; this will be done by the scorekeeper.
Age Divisions
• Contestants must 1 st play a hoedown, 2 nd a waltz, and 3 rd a tune of their choice other than a hoedown or a waltz. Judges will score on drive (a combination of rhythm and timing), heart (the emotion and feeling the fiddler puts into a tune), and technique (intonation, tone quality, and fiddling ability).
• No trick or fancy fiddling is allowed in these divisions.
• There is a 5 minute time limit; 10 points will be deducted from the total score for each 30 seconds over, or portion thereof. Time starts when the 1 st tune is kicked off.
• If a large number of contestants sign up for any age division, that division may be asked to play only a hoedown and a waltz, they would then have a 4 minute time limit.
Twin Fiddle Division
One entry per fiddler in this division. One slow tune and one fast tune played within a 4 minute time limit.
Trick and Fancy Fiddle Division
Fiddlers are allowed to pluck strings, cross tune, use hokum bowings, play show, swing, or Celtic tunes, dance, sing, play upside down, backwards etc. One tune or medley played within a 5 minute time limit.
Accompanist Division
For guitars only (Fiddlers who play guitar will be allowed to compete). One slow tune and one fast tune played within a 4 minute time limit. Guitarist will be accompanied by one fiddler and has the option to use a bass player as well.
Break Your Fiddle Competition
The “Break your Fiddle Competition” will highlight fiddler's improvisation skills as they compete for pieces of the broken fiddle that contest founder David Kaemmer will smash on the stage to kick off the event. Contestants will draw a swing, bluegrass, or old country tune out of a hat when they get on stage and hand it to local legend Rocky Harper who will sing through the song once and then give it to the fiddler to play a fiddle break. Fiddlers are allowed to ask Rocky what key he will play the song in before starting. The fiddler will be judged on how well they play their fiddle break. The fiddler may improvise their solo or play the melody or do a combination of both. Trick fiddling is allowed. The fiddler may also play fills while Rocky is singing. After the break Rocky will continue singing and then give it to the fiddler again for a second break. After the fiddler's second break Rocky will sing a tag to end the song.
Conduct and Dress
Please dress appropriately for family type entertainment. Anyone appearing intoxicated will not be allowed on stage. Any protests must be submitted to the contest committee in writing within 3 hours of the occurrence. All decisions of the judges and the contest committee will be final.
