Your quilt is wonderful, I love the detail to it. We had the similar issues at our county fair this year, but in the fine art section. We did have new people running the program with no experience in the field they were setting up in. Both the storage and display of paintings was abysmal and actually hazardous to the paintings. So, were the people working in the section new, or inexperienced? It is a shame that fair goers could not revel in the glory of the entire piece! I can't imagine any of the quilts I have ever marveled at at local shows or PIQF folded up, with only a sixteenth of it or less on display. Maybe it is time to have a local quilt guild step in and say, hey, for comped entry fees or something, we will take care of displays.
In any case, keep up the good work-I know it is disheartening when your work isn't presented well (been there with my art to wear!), but I just go, well, at least my work is out and being seen, and I also realize that somewhere, a volunteer did the best they could with what they had, and I respect that.