Eastern Iowa Model Contest and Vendor Show. 6 September 2025. Mount Pleasant, Iowa.

[Rhino]

So, the IPMS Blackhawk Model Building Society are in cahoots with IPMS Riverside Scale Modelers, of Coralville, IA and Major’s Rivers Edge Modelers of Davenport, IA, to present the Eastern Iowa Model Contest and Vendor Show tomorrow. Details about contest themes and printable entry forms are scanty. Looks kinda shaky from here, so far.

However, in the proudest traditions of the Shocking Pink Surgeons, sally forth we must! So Sally we shall!
This linkie helps.

Home | Blackhawk Model Buil

www.blackhawkmodelbuilders.com

This event wasn't listed on the IPMS/USA website. Who really uses that much anymore?

 

[Rhino]

No really clear theme or theme award. $10.00 for 3 entries seems reasonable, but $3.00 for each additional entry seems a might spendy for a long-distance, local show. "Table form" PDF's can be printed. but not populated online. The Entry (Category) form is an unusable windows DOCX that tries to play on the windows media player.
Oh, Douglas. Much contest skill to learn, still there is. Yes.

 

[moon puppy]

Good luck!

 

[Rhino]

0714 Saturday Boattail 712 departs into the rising sun for points East........... 6 of 7 models will be entered.

Breakfast in Ottumwa, IA at the Riverside Family Restaurant. Service was brisk, portions were generous , drink service was speedy and our booth was comfy! 5-stars on Google Revue!


Arriving 1020 hrs, we find our contest registration is $10.00 for 3 entries with additional entries at $3.00 each. The Club raffle was not so unlike last years contest. Just a bit scanty with quite a few raffle kits coming from the Fleacon show. There were larger kits on another table under the "Super Raffle" heading. We spent our raffle $$ on the "Super Raffle" kit table. Regular raffle and super raffle tickets were drawn at the top of the hour.

We won a couple of nice prizes!
30 contestants entered 144 models. Walking around the venue it was clear that the number of vendors exceeded the number of contestants.
How about some model pictures?

 

[Rhino]

This is dear to me. A school bus and a funny car!





Lookie! Mark Johnson entered his vaunted and storied excellent '55 Cameo pick-up kit. Mark's 240Z build is here today as well.
The Eastern Iowa Model Contest and Vendor Show have lots of "Shinies".

Frank's HO scale slot cars are for disply only and attracted lots of attention. I prodded my friend to tell all interested parties his story about his newest scale model racing thrust, and he did!

It's a shame the Hawaiian Tropic car isn't a Lasagna (Laguna) Then Mel Tillis and Terry Bradshaw could ride together, just like in Cannonball Run.

 

[Rhino]

Angelique Vermilyea, Winston's daughter, was diligently painting away on a Fire Giant figure. I am informed the proper pronoun for a Fire Giant is "They". You can see by the scale of the other figure, a Fire Giant truly is giant! She also built the sinking of the Wasa Dutch sailing ship. I offered advice about sail materials and rigging, but I believe such fell on deaf ears.



There were a good cross section of model types.

This show's awards improved quite a lot over last year's ribbons!
I was honored to have my 1/700 US Brig Niagara recieve first place in the Watercraft Category. Joachim Lotz' Kilo class Sub was second place. The big surprise was to have the Anigrand 1/72 resin Moonbat receive first place in aircraft. I was placing awards for pictures when another surprise arrived. "Best Aircraft" award for the P-67B as well. With all the fine aircraft model builds on display, this is another honor to be sure! I am humbled by the appreciation of my mates!

This is the final contest of the McDonnell Moonbat's annual show circuit, so she rather went out with a bang!

If you find yourself interested in either of the super raffle prizes, sing out! Quantities are limited!
Get them before I list them on tlarmodels.com for most attractive pricing!

Thanks for playing model contest with me again!

 

[Rhino]

Tips for the hosting clubs:

I think it is off-putting to charge $3.00 each for entries over 3. Bump the regular entry fee to $12.00 and charge a buck a piece for extra entries. The $$ work out about the same, but entrants feel better about paying one dollar more per entry.

The best way a contest pays it's bills is through raffle ticket sales and vendor tables. Times are thin, and I know this is true, but soliciting quality raffle donations from hobby shops and the model community as a whole may improve ticket sales. "Super Raffle" prizes should be model kits that are bombastic and huge-ish. We spent half of what we usually do on the Eastern Iowa Model Contest and Vendor Show raffle. Vendor table sales appeared very successful!

The Liberty Veterans Center guys still have a huge stash of models to sell, but they are still priced at MSRP levels. Oh, how the vintage Monogram kits beckoned to me! I behaved myself. I did find a suitable aircraft carrier kit for an upcoming USS Kittyhawk honor model for a co-worker!

Printable registration forms in a PDF. format would be advantageous. I did mention this to our Blackhawk Model Building society friends. Evidently I wasn't the first one to express this view.

On-site food was provided by the Henry County Cattlemen. The show flyer said "Food truck". When I see "Food Truck" I imagine a much lower quality of lunch fare that was actually offered. You know, a "Roach Coach".
When any County Cattlemen grill beef, I eat it! Ribeye sandwiches were $9.00 each. Cheeseburgers and hot dogs were also available. The smell of grilling cow wafted about the venue. We might have had a much less glorious breakfast had we known The Cattlemen would be on hand.

The Awards Announcements were much improved this 3rd contest go-round. Awards were announced by model maker and model then first, second or third place, with only a few hiccups. I think Doug Kolkman may be trying to do too much for his contest. He seemed weary as the show came to a close. German subject names can be trying.
"I am just here for comedy relief" Doug said. "You're doing a fine job, Jar-Jar!" some smart Alek may have quipped.

The venue in Mount Pleasant is a nice place. It is a bit off the beaten path. I looked to see what "The Numbas" were for last year, but I didn't see where it went into my overview. This show was the same day as the U of I/ISU football game. Eastern Iowans LOVE their College Football!

 

[moon puppy]

I do like Angelique water technique, very Van Goghis....

Congrats on the Moon Bat win!

And man that's a hearty breakfast. Looks good!

 

[Rhino]

I do like Angelique water technique, very Van Goghis....

Congrats on the Moon Bat win!

And man that's a hearty breakfast. Looks good!

Breakfast was all we could have wished for! It was a very fine day for a car-ride and by now, I hope lil Doug has recovered from the razzing Frank and I gave him!

There's a rumor that this show may move to a more metropolitan venue. I do not traffic in rumors. I have my reputation to consider.