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Sugarcraft Skills Competition 2023

Judged by BSG Judges – Co-ordinator of Judges: Jan Thorpe

Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th of March 2023
Cork International Hotel, Cork Airport Business Park

Categories

We have various categories available to suit all contestants

Beginner

This category is open to those who have never entered a Sugarcraft Competition in any category and have been involved in the craft for less than one year.

Novice

This category is open to those who HAVE NOT WON a gold award in the Novice section of a chosen class which is being judged to the BSG standard. E.g., if you have won gold in Novice Royal Icing, you cannot enter Novice Royal Icing again, but you can enter another Novice Class. No tutor/demonstrator/instructor of sugarcraft is eligible to enter any novice division.

Open

This category is open to anyone except those who have won 3 Gold awards in any one “Open” category

Masterclass

Open to all those who have won a gold award in ANY sugarcraft division of a major competition. Competitors are limited to winning a maximum of three gold awards in any one class in this division. In addition, competitors entering the Master division are not allowed to enter, at the same exhibition, any exhibit of the same category at a lower division.

PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ARE ENTERING THE CATEGORY RELEVANT TO YOUR SKILL LEVEL AND PREVIOUS COMPETITION HISTORY

Sugarcraft Competition Classes

Closing Date for Entries: February 10th 2023.
Instructions to Enter:

Entry Fee: €20 per adult (per entry) €10 per child (per entry)

No refunds for cancelled entries/no shows/refused entry due to late arrival.

Any questions are to be directly emailed to the show secretary at show@corksugarcraft.ie

Each adult entrant will be required to take a slot on the stewarding time table.

Class 1: Royal Icing

1A: Novice

Royal Iced Plaque:

Theme: Mother's Day

A plaque made from Royal Icing. All decoration to be done using royal icing only.

1B: Open

Royal Iced Cake:

Theme: Easter

A cake coated and decorated in royal icing. All decoration to be done using royal icing only

Class 2: Floral

All items must be botanically correct. A list of common or Latin names of all flowers and foliage used must be supplied alongside the exhibit. Without the list the exhibit does not meet the schedule requirements and will not be judged.

2A: Beginners

Buttonhole

A taped spray with a specimen flower of the competitor's choice suitable as a buttonhole. Can be made from any edible mediums.

2B: Novice

A floral display incorporating a teacup

The display must contain at least 2 different varieties of flowers with their associated buds and any variety of foliage.

2C: Open

Fabulous Foliage

A display where the foliage predominates, but must also include at least 2 different varieties of white flowers and their associated buds.

2D: Masterclass

Here Comes The Sun:

An uplifting display to fit the theme “Here comes the Sun”. Competitors choice of how many and which specimens of flowers are used...

Class 3: Celebration Cake

This class is an amalgamation of our previous royal iced, sugarpaste, carved novelty and wedding cake classes. Dummies or real cake may be used. Any shape is allowed, so cakes may be carved if the competitor wishes. Competitors will gain more marks if a cake is carved rather than using a pre-shaped dummy, but carving is not a necessity. Cakes may be coated in any edible medium ie sugarpaste, royal icing or chocolate etc. and can be decorated in any edible medium(s) the competitor wishes. In all classes the theme must be obvious, either by the nature of the decoration or by an inscription somewhere on the cake or board.

Note: the use of ribbon is not allowed. You can use your skills to create an edible ribbon, border or piped border if you wish.

3A: Beginner

Celebration Cake

Theme: Cork

A single tier celebration cake decorated with any edible medium(s). Wires, tape, cotton and stamens may be used. No other artificial decorations allowed

3B: Novice

Celebration Cake

Theme: Food

A single tier celebration cake decorated with any edible medium(s). Wires, tape, cotton and stamens may be used. No other artificial decorations allowed

3C: Open

Celebration Cake

Theme: Romantic

A celebration cake of one or more tiers decorated with any edible medium(s). Wires, tape, cotton and stamens may be used. No other artificial decoration allowed.

3D: Masterclass

Celebration Cake

Theme: Transport

A celebration cake of 2 or more tiers decorated with any edible medium(s). Wires, tape cotton and stamens may be used. No other artificial decoration allowed.

Class 4: Open Cake Top Ornament - Competitors Choice

A 3D Cake top ornament made from any edible medium or combination of edible mediums. Discrete edible or food grade supports only may be used. Wire, tape, cotton and stamens are allowed for decoration. No other artificial decoration allowed.
To fit within a maximum base area of 8”/20cm square.

A cake top ornament is 1 single item that can be lifted up and placed directly onto a cake. It should be able to stand up by itself. In this case it should be presented on a coated board. It may be secured with some royal icing underneath but it should be obvious that it could be lifted off in one piece. Do not secure your cake top ornament to a drum using internal supports.

Class 5: Sculpted Centre piece

Theme: ST. PATRICK’S DAY

A sculpted centrepiece decorated in any edible medium or combination of mediums. No restrictions on types/material of internal supports used. Motorised parts may be used but mechanics must not be visible. Exhibit must be completely covered in edible mediums with exception of florist wires (must be taped), tape, cotton and stamens. No other artificial decorations allowed.

To fit within a maximum base area of 20”/51cm square. Size must be stated on entry form.

Class 6: Children

6A: Children 0-7yrs

Creepy Crawlies

A cake board or drum decorated to represent the theme. Any edible mediums may be used. No artificial decorations are allowed. Maximum size 6”/15cm

6A: Children 8-12yrs

On My Holidays

A cake board or drum decorated to represent the theme. Any edible mediums may be used. No artificial decorations are allowed. Maximum size 8”/20cm

6A: Children 13-16yrs

My Own Birthday Cake

A single tier celebration cake or dummy decorated with any edible mediums. Cake can be carved if the competitor wishes. No artificial decorations allowed

Competition rules:

  1. All competition entries must be in place by 09:15 on Saturday and may not be removed before 17:30 on Sunday.  The committee will stage (set up) late arrival exhibits, only if the judging of that class has not already     
  2. Care must be taken to comply with the specifications given for each class. Exhibits that do not comply will not be judged.  Please pay particular reference to use of dummies, artificial decoration including ribbon around cakes, requirement for lists and overall size of exhibit.
  3. Cakes will not be cut unless indicated and dummies may be used unless otherwise stated. The judges may probe cakes to check materials used or for supports.
  4. Competitors have a max entry of  2 per class.
  5. Competitors will be issued with entry numbers for each exhibit, which must be clearly and securely attached to the front and rear of the piece. No personal identification to be displayed.
  6. All care will be taken of exhibits, but the organisers cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage.
  7. The judges will consider exhibits “damaged in transit.” Broken pieces should be left as found and not tidied up or taken away.  Please ask for ‘Damaged in Transit’ sign from Committee Members at the Show.  Signs should be returned/left on tables at close of the Show.
  8. All entries must be original, unaided and current work. The components must not have been used, either as a whole or in part, in any previous competition or classwork situation.
  9. BSG Judges will judge the entries under British Sugarcraft Guild rules, which have the same standard in every competition. Gold, Silver & Bronze Certificates may be awarded if merited. Copies of the current BSG Competition Guidelines booklet are available to purchse from BSG National Office, via the BSG Website online shop bsguk.org
  10. Wires must not be directly inserted into cake or dummy, posy picks or similar must be used. No straws or Safety Seal is allowed.
  11. Gold, Silver, or any other metallic/lustrecolour/dust/glitter/paint used must be edible and this must be stated on the pot or packaging.  Any such colour used, MUSTbe supplied in an envelope marked with the competitor number and placed alongside the exhibit.  If such colours are used and not supplied, the exhibit will be deemed ‘Not to Schedule’.  Rolkem colours are not edible and therefore not allowed.
  12. Where “Ribbon Insertion” is used, the ribbon must be made from an edible medium.
  13. Each class clearly states whether artificial (non-edible) decoration may be used.  The use of feathers or metallic cake jewellery or any jewellery is not permitted in any class.
  14. The board and board edges must be covered.  In all cases ribbon or other trim is permitted on board edges.
  15. In the case of Children’s divisions the definition of age groups are as follows:                                                                                                             A: Class 6A:       7 years or under:           Child’s   8th birthday falls after date of competition.                                                                   B: Class 6B:        8 to 12 years:                  Child’s  13th birthday falls after date of competition.                                                                   C: Class 6C:         13 to 16 years:                Child’s  17th birthday falls after date of competition.
  16. Where printed lists/names are required for floral classes, they must be clear and satisfy what the judges have asked for. Pieces will not be judged without the correct lists.
  17. Each entry must not fall outside or overhang the maximum base area for that class, otherwise it will be deemed not to schedule. Base area is the dimensions of a square within which the whole of the exhibit must fit. Take care that your piece fits with the area the whole way up. Boards can be any shape. There are no height restrictions.
  18. Some classes require you to select a size on the entry form. If your piece is not going to use all the space allocated on the schedule, please select a smaller size. If you change your mind and wish to use more space , please contact the show secretary so we can update the information.
  19. No polystyrene heads in models or buds in flowers are allowed where it states no artificial decoration allowed. The only class these will be allowed in is the Sculpted Centrepiece.
  20. No cocktail sticks or wooden dowels can be used in any class except for the Sculpted Centrepiece
  21. The decision of the judges is absolutely final.