"At a fiddlers' contest, winning a prize sometimes involved more than just musical talent. A sense of showmanship was valuable. Even a mediocre player who caught the crowd in the right mood and got them clapping in time to the tune might walk off with a prize. Extra attention could be garnered by telling jokes, throwing in fancy bow strokes, or dancing a jig while playing."
"One fiddler pretended to be so inebriated that he had to be helped onto the stage by one friend, the fiddle then precariously propped in place by a second assistant. After a few false starts, and round of snickers by the the audience, the fiddler straightened up and ripped off a blazing hoedown--to bring down the house."
Farmhouse Fiddlers Music & Dance Traditions in the Rural Midwest - Philip Martin
"The problems of juging contest are often apparent and there will probably always be complaints by some contestants that they were judged unfairly, or that there was some 'understanding' between judge and a given contestant. For this reason identity of judges is sometimes secret and sometimes a musician is penalized for trying to contact judges. One of the most familar complaints is that contests are not judged by musicians. But on the whole the atmosphere is one of friendly competition."
