As far as what is happening at the shows, so be it. If you are aware of it and want to win something, you know that you will have a better chance right now if you quilt it to death. That is the current trend and that is just the way it is. And trends are always changing, so don't let it get you down.
Julie
Heavily quilted quilts can be very soft and drapable. They can lie flat on a bed or a wall. They can be exactly right. Or not. But making big old generalizations about a whole approach which happens to be very popular right now-- not particularly helpful on a board where a wide variety of quilting approaches are supposed to be welcomed and not put down.
I don't care about shows or competition at all. I make quilts that get heavy use, are washed, loved, and may eventually wear out. And they have a ton of quilting on them because that is the part of the process I love most. They're not at all stiff. Maybe you've seen some that are done with cheap poly batting? Using wool, bamboo, or even an 80/20 will yield a lovely, soft, warm quilt even if your quilting is 1/4 inch all over the entire surface. I've got the quilts to prove it.