Important Information!
Contestants will be able to enter either or both of the two categories (humorous and serious).
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For more information on submissions please see our "How To Enter" page.
The contest is for ORIGINAL WORK ONLY. Poems should be created by the contestant presenting the poem. All poems should be family-friendly. No profanity or inappropriate language is allowed.
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Judging:
Entries will be evaluated by a panel of judges on a thirty point scale, based on 10 points for each of three factors:
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Quality - The technical quality of the poem itself. i.e., the rhyme and meter of the poem - does it rhyme well, does it flow, is meter correct?
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Theme - Is it truly cowboy/western? Or just general in topic?
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Presentation – delivery of the poem - effective stage presence, polish of the performer, etc.
A perfect score would be a total of 30 points. Ties are broken based on the scores in the Quality category.
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Prizes:
Winners in each division (humorous and serious) receive a beautiful trophy buckle, a free membership in the Kansas chapter of the International Western Music Association, two tickets to the Symphony in the Flint Hills on June 7th, plus an opportunity to present their poems in the story circle after the symphony. The top three in each division receive an award certificate signed by the Governor of Kansas and gift certificates for western wear.
