ALR ribbons at Dixon's this year

[Tom Currie]

I am posting to recognize my ALR compatriots on their recognition they received at Dixon's Fair this year.

Dave Person ( Smart Dog ) had a beautiful English Fowler that received  the Masters class "Best of Class" award. Much deserved for Dave's effort he puts into this. I am truly amazed by his work and attention to detail.

Long John Cholin received another fine ribbon for his signature style Bucks County rifle. I could spot one of John's hunting rifles just as I could an Albrecht or Dickert rifle. His workmanship and dedication to his craft is superb.

Art DeCamp , not sure if Art is a member, achieved best of show for his Armstrong bench copy. A superbly beautiful rifle.

Other ALR members took home ribbons also, I'm sorry I don't know all the names, but still a testament to the guys here with a passion for what they do, congrats to all.   

[smart dog]

Hi and Thank you Tom,
TommyG also won a blue ribbon in the apprentice class I believe and so did Tom Currie in the Master class ( for beautiful, beautiful work).  What inspired me most is that TommyG came over to John Cholin and I and expressed gratitude for the information we share on the forum and at Dixon's.  He was convinced that the input from forum members helped him achieve success as a builder and at Dixon's. This is the most important thing and the entire mission of the forum, to teach and share.  It may be hard for some who learned through hard experience at a time when nothing like the internet existed to help (I was one). But I begrudge nothing.  I hope younger members make me look like an old fool, and I mean that.  I want them to be better and move the bar upward. 

dave   

[Mike Brooks]

Congrats to the winners, I suspect the competition is rather stiff.

Only things I have won ribbons for was rabbits , chickens, and green beans.

[smart dog]

Hi Mike,
Thank you.  The truth is that competition was pretty good in the "Journeyman" and "Apprentice" classes but not in the "Master" class.  It would be nice if more experienced makers would submit guns.  In total the number of guns submitted has been declining each year.  They are gradually changing the judging to a "points on" system instead of a "debit" system.  You get more recognition for trying harder and doing more difficult work.  That is an improvement but the judges still really seem to only understand and appreciate traditional American longrifles.  A good bench copy of an original gun without any flaws (despite the flaws in the original) probably will always do well at Dixon's. 

dave 

[Ed Wenger]

Dave, well said on your first post...  I also agree about the traditional American pieces in your last post, and would further include Pennsylvania pieces.  Not a dig, just an observation.  I'm also glad to hear about the "points on" approach, much better, in my opinion.  Your English Sporting Rifle is a beautiful gun, and "Best in Class" ain't too shabby!  Well done!


       Ed

[TommyG]

Guys, this is my first post, so go easy on me.  First, I would like to say that I am humbled by a community and culture here on ALR that embraces and encourages the new/apprentice builder, shares lifetimes of "trade secrets" and hard won learning & skills.  Also, thank you Dave for your kind words that represent just what I am talking about. 
OK, my name is Tom Groller(TommyG).  I started with flintlocks as many of you probably have to get more time in the deer woods with a Lyman Deerstalker(still use it!).  I come to gun building with 40+ yrs of wood & metal working experience, but that by no means makes me a gunbuilder.  I have been registered with ALR for about a year and a half, reading posts, sometimes 2-3 times, heck I could even recite a few!  But as Dave mentioned above, I built and entered a Marshall rifle this year and won 4 ribbons, including Apprentice best in class(contemporary) and first for craftsmanship.  I truly owe a great deal to this site and it's endless information, encouragement and the most incredible guns that all of you guys create.  Role models - we have 'em here in SPADES!!!  So thanks to all of you for sharing your work and knowledge for everyone to succeed(including you Mike Brooks for your stock finish that almost gave me a coronary with that orange stuff).  Hats off to Dave, Tom & John on some very beautiful work entered and ribbons won, and also the ALR members who give their time to do the very informative seminars at the fair.

[smart dog]

Hi Ed,
Thank you.  I agree totally, a bench copy of a traditional Pennsylvania long rifle has a leg up on everything else.  But I think change will come and they want folks to push their limits.  However, you can only go so far with a traditional long rifle.  If someone wants a really tough challenge, try European guns, as you well know, Ed.   We have John Cholin (Long John) to thank for getting the ball rolling for change with the judging.  Regardless, I am glad they have the judging and I am not averse to submitting guns occasionally.  They have a mission to improve the skills of gun makers but they need to embrace the fact that Pennsylvania long rifles are not the epitome of gun making skill and art.

dave         

[smart dog]

Hi Tommy!!
Thanks for posting and your rifle was a beauty and the award s well deserved.  Congratulations!!  Thank you also for coming to speak with John and I.  We appreciated your comments very much.  When you left, John had a huge smile on his face.

dave

[oldtravler61]

  CONGRADULATIONS to all the winner's. Also to the people on hear that give so much hard earned advice so willingly.
 Hopefully someone took pictures of the happy winner's and their guns.
  Still bumbed that I couldn't make it!!!! Oldtravler

[TommyG]

Thanks Dave.  Another thing I would like to add is before I entered my gun, I stopped by Allen Martin's table.  Busy as he was, he took a few minutes to give me an honest critique of my rifle as well.  Thank you Allen.  Sunday I spent a few minutes talking with Nate McKenzie, he also spent some time discussing gun building.  My biggest take away from the fair as an apprentice builder is "flow".  It was a word used and mentioned many times in seminars, from judges and master builders I spoke with.  I think when you are starting at this it takes a bit to grasp.  I know I would build by section or compartment, one at a time not realizing (sometimes too late) that those sections need to compliment one another and flow together as a finished rifle.  Forgive me for rambling and this probably should be a topic for another thread, just an observation that I made from this weekend.

[Acer Saccharum]

I am so happy to see the ALR well represented at Dixon's! Great going, everyone!

[Osprey]

When I went by the judging table I think they must have been scoring Smart Dogs fowler, so couldn't see much of that, but that must have been Art DeCamps Armstrong I saw on the table.  I am drawn to MD guns anyway, but it really stood out on the table!

If they want more guns in the competition they must do something about folks who can't stay until 2-3pm on Sundays.  Let them take their gun home after it's scored and mail them any ribbons, or wrap it all up Saturday evening or early Sunday for display and awards, something.  I won't win any ribbons, proved that twice a few years ago, but some of us have to work early on Monday and don't live close.  Having to wait until the very last bit of the last day to get your gun back in hand cuts more than a few people out of the affair.

[Clear Spring Armory]

I've wanted to attend Dixon's for a long time and finally got to go this year. I loved it and will be back whenever possible. 3 days of education, instruction, and competition. IMO that's exactly what it takes to get new and younger people interested in traditional crafts. Especially the competition. Give an amateur a good reason to create something and an opportunity to display it for people to see. That being said, I agree with what I've read in the two current threads about Dixon's. I wish I could have heard/seen the seminars better and I wish I could have got my rifle back before 2 pm. But there are pros and cons with other options, I'm sure.

Also, I probably had the most contemporary, outlandish gun on the table 😛 and got 3 ribbons. So even if bench copies usually do fair better, don't be reluctant to enter a contemporary.

And thanks to all the ALR guys I got to meet and those who put on the seminars. Hope to see you again next year.

 

[TommyG]

Hopefully the rest or our ALR ribbon winners will follow my lead here.  Below are some pics of my Marshall rifle that I entered.  Forgive me for the "not so professional" photography, something I need to work on.  TomG

[smart dog]

Hi,
My entry was not a fowler but an English rifle.  I think many of you have seen this gun before:









My critique comments from the judges was that the side plate needed more clean up.  Really?  Do you reckon my engraving is inferior to a long rifle?  Not hardly but that was the judges verdict.  It is all OK, they just do not have a very wide scope of knowledge. Maybe over time that will change but It is all OK.  I appreciate the judging and hope it continues.  With respect to English guns, well, I just know more than they do.

dave

[Mike Brooks]

Can't blame them on the side plate. That thing is so crude I thought it was a toilet lid..... ;)NOT!

Do they have a class there for "guns that aren't as shiny as everybody else's guns"? You folks have some great finish on your stuff, I'd get the boobie prize for sure.

[David Price]

Smart dog,

I have seen your rifle a number of times, it always brings a smile on my face.  Keep up the good work.
There is no shortage of talented people at Dixon's.

David Price

[Tom Currie]

When the ribbons were being presented this year one of the judges would hold the gun up summarizing why the gun achieved it's respective ribbon. They also encouraged the application of carving, wire, or other detail work, things I'll categorize as "art". I was very impressed by this effort from the judging committee and would like to commend them for this effort and change in the program. 

[Tom Currie]

And TommyG , That's a fine rendition of the Marshall rifle. I looked it over closely in the case.

[gunlock]

In response to makers not entering guns in the Master Class. I stopped entering guns several years ago because quite frankly there was no one qualified to judge my work.

[TommyG]

Thanks Tom, and I too was glad to hear that they changed the judging criteria and are now encouraging us to work outside our comfort zone and take some risks with carving, engraving and wire work.  That's not to say that poor work should be rewarded, nor a plain gun ignored.  I think good design, architecture is still needs to be the foundation for the artwork.  Dave, your wire work on that gun simply blows me away, I remember seeing it here before, just incredible!  And Mike Brooks - your gun finishes would do just fine - heck the one I used was from your tutorial - just couldn't bring myself to do the black paint though.

[Daryl]

Congratulations to the ribbon achievers - well done. Maybe in a year or two, Taylor and I can attend again.

[Acer Saccharum]

Congratulations to the ribbon achievers - well done. Maybe in a year or two, Taylor and I can attend again.

The Red Carpet will be rolled out for you guys. Seriously, some of the most fun I've ever had at Dixon's was when the Canadians came to PA.

[David Rase]

Congratulations to the ribbon achievers - well done. Maybe in a year or two, Taylor and I can attend again.

The Red Carpet will be rolled out for you guys. Seriously, some of the most fun I've ever had at Dixon's was when the Canadians came to PA.

Tom,
If you think you had fun when they were at Dixon's, you should go visit them at Hefley Creek.  Now that is fun.  Not sure what this year at Hefley Creek will be like with the B.C wild fires.  Daryl, have you heard anything?
David

[GANGGREEN]

I really wanted to go this year but was unable.  Thanks for the photos of the ribbon winners, hopefully more will follow suit.  I had actually considered entering a gun if I went this year, someone has to lose after all.