I have never entered a quilt competition nor would I for this very reason. I have often thought that professional and semi-professional quilters do have an advantage and they should not be permitted to preview their work anywhere before a competition It would be different if they were competing against each other. We recently had television a series presented by a celebrity who entered various craft competitions at country fayres in the UK. The entrants were all anonymous so the judges had no idea of their identity. When she won a particular category (deservedly) she was genuinely surprised. Competitors should be allocated a number so that their identity would not be known to the judges. Obviously some judges will recognise the style of a particular artist, but they could never be certain if it was the same person. Perhaps there should be standardised and regulated entry levels for previous award winning quilts so that up and coming amateurs have a chance.