All the time.....It is difficult as a judge to be impartial when we see these quilts and they do get very careful evaluation by me as well as those with whom I judge. The story is told that one quilter who won at a big show where the quilt had to be given up if the prize money was taken, refused the money because the maker could earn more traveling the quilt. Now this is heresay but I saw the quilt in a later show and it didn't win best of show - another great quit did. Another difficult situation is when we see a quilt that has been in magazines where a kit was available.
How do we judge design when we suspect the design was not the quilt maker's. I once saw a quilt that had been entered in a group category and I recognized the quilt and internally questioned the origin of the quilt. When the signage was added I saw it had been made by the designer and those who had helped her make it. It was the quilt on her pattern book. These are indeed difficult decisions. Quilting is becoming "courisier and courisier".......(did I spell it right). I judged a show a few years ago where in one category there were 8 quilts all made by very well known quilter/designers and when we walked down the row we three judges named the maker. How can you judge such a situation as that. Having said all this.....no one should be discouraged from entering their quilts. It can be a learning experience for the quilt maker. Read the rules and be sure and enter in the correct category and do the best workmanship you can
Back to the quilt that had been previously entered.....The show committee should write their rules to avoid this. That is the reason some say that the quilt should not have been entered in other shows or made in a certain time period.
Let me ask this question which came up recently in discussion. If a quilt has been made and quilted by one person but binding had been put on by a second, should it be considered a group quilt?
Now, while I have the floor so to speak. A few years ago I judged a show that had a large number of very ordinary quilts entered. They were simple designs. Not the "wow" quilts..... and they won ribbons. So, simple is still recognized. Off my box now.