One of the reasons I no longer enter quilts in the county fair is because of the judging. The number of quilted items is way down because of it. The winning quilt this year was large rectangles with sashing. I know the maker and the longarmer. While it was a nice quilt it was was by far not the best one there. The top could be completed in an afternoon. Nothing like being a good friend of the head judge. I'm not sure the head judge even sews.
Last year a christmas tree panel with a border that wasn't even pieced won in the wall hanging category.