The Exhibition

The Rocky Mountain Hobby Expo is based on an open medal system (i.e. gold/silver/bronze) developed by Sheperd Paine and others. Rather than ranking entries against one another, each piece is evaluated on its own merits and is awarded either gold, silver, bronze, or certificate of merit.

This approach avoids fixed categories and limited awards, ensuring that work is recognized regardless of how many similar entries are present. Models are not evaluated “against” other models but assessed individually against the current standards of the hobby.

Judging acknowledges that evaluation is not purely mechanical or objective. While guided by shared criteria, it allows room for informed judgment, creativity, and overall impact. The goal is to recognize excellence, encourage growth, and create a rewarding experience for every participant.

Evaluation considers factors such as degree of difficulty, creativity, workmanship, painting and weathering, presentation, and overall effect. The relative importance of these elements may vary depending on the type of work being shown. The table below shows the approximate relative weights that are applied to these factors in the judging process.