We run five different internal Club Competitions, but rest assured that there is no pressure on any member to submit an entry. The purpose behind the competitions is not so much to be competitive, but rather to provide members with as many opportunities as possible to share their collections, and their hard work, with fellow members. There is great satisfaction to be had from sharing aspects of your collection(s) with fellow enthusiasts, and this provides many opportunities to see how other collectors arrange, present and display their material. There is always something to learn!
Ladies’ Cup – General Philately – 8 Sheets
This is not a competition for ladies only! This competition is open to all members for a display of any philatelic material, excluding Thematics and Postal History (we have separate competitions for those categories). Each member is limited to one entry for this competition.
Ethel Cottey Cup – Thematics – 8 Sheets
This is a purely “Thematics” competition, with each member limited to one entry. Members who have won this competition within the last three years must submit totally new material (to avoid repetition of the same material).
One Sheet Competition – Any Philatelic Subject – 1 Sheet
As the name implies, entries comprise a single sheet, usually A4 sized, but stamp album pages are welcome. Some members submit a single page entry on an A3 sheet, which allows a little more creativity, and increases the amount of material that can be displayed. Each member is allowed up to three entries covering any philatelic subject. This has always been a very popular competition and the winner is decided by members’ ballot, on the night.
John Nicholson Cup – General – 5 to 10 Sheets
Any subject can be entered in this competition, and members also have an opportunity to give a brief talk (no more than about 5 minutes) to explain the display, although this is not compulsory.
John Hepburn Cup – Postal History – 16 Sheets
This is the Club’s most “serious” competition, the rules for which are based on Federation rules. Judging is usually performed by a Federation Accredited Judge. The normal Wessex Federation criteria for postal history apply.
General Note Winning entries cannot be re-entered in competitions for the next three years. The purpose behind this rule is to give other members a chance to win, and to encourage variety and to stimulate friendly competition.
It is not necessary to submit entries beforehand. Simply turn up on the night with your entry, and complete a simple form with the name of the competition, your name and the title of your entry. There is no charge for members to enter Club competitions.