Contest Sections & Scoring
A panel of five judges will be pooled to represent the broad diversity of our community. Judges will use an Olympic Scoring system, with the highest and lowest scores for each category being dropped. The critter and Trainer contestants with the highest aggregate score will be declared the winner.
In the event of a tie, dropped scores will be added back in and scores recalculated to determine the winner. If full scores continue to result in a tie, audience polling will be done to determine the winner.
If only one contestant enters the contest for either title line, the contestant must score at least 75% of the total available points to be declared the new title holder.
Should there be no qualifying winner in a title line, the previous holder of that title will be asked if they wish to retain the title an additional year. Should there be no prior title holder, or the prior holder declines to retain the title, the title will be vacant for the year. In such an instance, the legacy regalia for that title shall be held by the producers and a blank marker will be placed on the regalia to record the vacancy.
Interviews (30%)
Contestants will be given a date for virtual interviews with the judges after closing of the application window. Judges may ask questions about critter play, broader kink community, or appropriate topics of their choice to help understand who each contestant is. Points will be awarded on the contestants knowledge, adaptability, and ability to quickly respond. Should a contestant be unable to answer a question, they should consider following up with the judge who’s question they couldn’t answer before the stage portion of the contest.
Social Scoring (10%)
Contestants will be critiqued on their social interactions from the issuance of their contestant numbers until the beginning of the contest stage portions. Judges will award points based on their perceptions of each contestant’s interactions with the judges and members of the public attending the event.
Applicant’s social media will be extended to judges for consideration. As our community has a sizable online presence, how applicants present themself and interact through online means may have an impact on the judges’ scoring for the social section. We advise any who consider competing for a title to be aware of how they present themself, not just in-person, but also in online spheres. Having unpopular opinions, or past negative behaviors does not prohibit someone from competing or holding the title, but applicants should be prepared to explain their stances, behaviors, or to prove that they have completed an accountability process..
At the start of the Meet and Greet, contestants will be called to stage for introductions. They will then be given 1 pop question to answer for the audience. These questions will be pooled from the community through an online submission form, and curated for safety.
Speech (15%)
Each contestant will have two minutes to give a public speech on a topic of their choice. Points may be awarded based on the topic of choice, and how well the judges feel the contestant conveyed their message. There are no minimum requirements for speech length, only how well you conveyed your message. 10 points will be deducted from category aggregate score for every 5 seconds a contestant’s speech runs past the 2 minute mark. Contestants will be allowed notes or cue cards, written or typed, on index cards for their speech portion. These are permitted for added accessibility, and to be used solely as a guide. Contestants should not be seen to read directly from these notes. If your speech may include triggering or sensitive content, please advise your Den Parent so appropriate announcements can be made prior.
Presentation (30%)
Contestants will be asked to provide three topics for this portion and rank them on their application. One of those three topics will be assigned to them upon application approval (This will prevent any risk of overlap of topics). Contestants will present a 10-minute educational demo or presentation on a critter play-related topic, to a small audience of attendees. The presentation will be followed by 5 minutes for Q&A. This portion will not be scored directly by the contest judges. Contestants will be scored on Content, Clarity, and Confidence of presentation by attendee feedback cards. Judges may be present in the audience, but their input will not be weighed above the input of general attendees.
Show Us Your Headspace (15%)
Contestants will showcase their headspace on stage for a minimum of 2 minutes, and no longer than 5 minutes. We encourage applicants to bring 2-3 items to interact with during this time, and contestants may have up to 2 additional persons on stage to help with this portion. Setup times are not to take longer than 2 minutes. While contestants may pre-plan scenes, the intent of this portion is to show how the contestant expresses their headspace. Judges will score contestants on how well the scene portrays the contestants critter/trainer personality, as well as considerations for safety. No microphones will be provided for this segment. Any audio must be pre-recorded and provided to staff 2 weeks prior to the contest. If audio includes spoken words, a typed transcript should be submitted along with the audio track. If there will be any Triggering or sensitive content for this portion, please provide information to your Den Parent in advance so appropriate announcements can be made.