I do the quilt entries for our local fair and of course the judges are out of county. They (apology) are very elderly and very set in their quilt ways. No machine quilted quilt will win if there is a decent hand quilt entered. No matter how great the machine quilted quilt is in color, design or workmanship, the hand quilted one will win. It's to the point of the only quilts turned in to the exhibit are not the best. According to the fair supt. unless other people volunteer to judge out of their county quilts, the same judges are all we have. :evil: Please check with your local fair Supt and ask if they need volunteer judges in other counties. It's not hard, the judging criteria is simple and easy to follow.