RE: GPC Future and Goals and Leadership -- CHALLENGE

I don't know if most growers realize that there is no meaningful GPC
standard for what it means to be "officially weighed" except that it be on a
"certified scale" with pumpkin only.  There are varying certification
standards from state to state (and presumably internationally as well) and
GPC doesn't even say WHEN, WHERE, HOW or to what standard the scales are to
be calibrated.

Even more to the point, there is NO mechanism or GPC guideline by which
concerns or challenges to the accuracy of a weight or set of weights is to
be resolved!  I find this rather incredible, given that the only reason this
body exists is to award the RESULTS that those scales report!

After an unsatisfactory local response to a weigh-off day scale accuracy
concern last October, I posed the following questions to a GPC steering
committee member:

SO, my questions are: 
1.  Does the GPC have guidelines/rules for dealing with participant concerns
about scale accuracy/precision, calibration/certification, mechanical
difficulties, repositioning, etc.?

2.  With regard to #1...If  "yes", what are these guidelines/rules?  How can
I get a copy?  And were my questions dealt with in accordance with them?

3.  With regard to #1...If "no", shouldn't the GPC have guidelines/rules for
dealing with weigh-off day concerns such as this?  Isn't the accuracy and
reproducibility of the scales used a weigh-off fundamental for declaring a
winner in an individual competition or in the international standings?

4.  With regard to #2...If my questions were not dealt with in accordance
with GPC guidelines, what can I now do about it?

I STILL HAVE GOTTEN NO RESPONSE TO THESE BASIC QUESTIONS!!  How can the GPC
"sanction" a weigh-off event with out dealing with these VERY FUNDAMENTAL
issues?

By this posting, I would like to CHALLENGE the GPC leadership to give REAL
meaning to the phrase "officially weighed" and establish uniform and
meaningful guidelines, including mechanisms for resolving
disputes/discrepancies/irregularities at sanctioned events.  

-- Chris
---------------------------------------
Chris Wilbers
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Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2005 07:43:43 EDT
From: Lubadub@aol.com
Subject: GPC Future and Goals and Leadership

I believe a lot of people have asked this question and I don't think any
answers have been received, so far, that make a lot of sense but hopefully
those answers will be forthcoming. I have asked the question, "What do
growers want  and what do they expect to get and what are they willing to
give to make it happen?" Most people seem to respond that they mostly just
want their pumpkin  "officially weighed." Most don't really see any need to
be contributing to the  process more than the time they spend growing their
pumpkins. This is true even  at the small club level. Look at where we are
now. We have a GPC which has new  by-laws and seems to be getting organized
and heading somewhere. 
Where is not  yet clear but it is early. The only disappointment I have so
far in the process  is that the officers are self appointed and the
membership has had no real say  in anything to this point. They are all good
people and are well meaning and so  hopefully this will be the start of an
organization with goals that meet the  needs of the growers. Only time will
answer that. There is an opportunity but  the needs of the growers must be
defined and then met. I feel it should be kept  as simple as possible if it
is to succeed. But then, who asked me?
 
In a message dated 4/20/2005 4:03:43 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
pumpkins-owner@hort.net writes:


Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 17:53:41 -0400
From: "Bob Attaway"  <attaboy@bellsouth.net>
Subject: GPC and WPC

With all due  respect to the folks who have spent lots of energy, time,
years and money  organizing these groups.
What does either organization do other than sanction weighoffs and  give
prizes to those giants they deem worthy. I understand the money side  of the
question but beyond that what other service do they render and how  much
money does it cost to get their blessing?

There has been questions  about color, Watermelons, Tall corn and others but
I am not aware of either  organization taking a position other than saying
no.

I ask this  question in light of the sport's new found popularity.  Large
Pumpins  are now being grown around the world.
How is either organzation responding to  this new challenge?

I have had this discussion with several other growers  and none has an
answer?

I ask this question only to be  educated.


Thanks:
Bob Attaway
End of pumpkins DIGEST V1 #276
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