William "Chopper" Young- 2007 J.P.'s World Invitational Oyster Shucking Champion

THE CONTEST -Format for 2007:

Watch as 18 of the world's best go head to head for the first pan-Atlantic shucking showdown ever held in North America. This will be the best collection of shucking talent ever assembled in North America. The Hillsborough River will be swollen with the tears of shattered shuckers, as only one will be able to claim ultimate victory.

The 2007 World Invitational Oyster Shucking Championship will be sponsored J.P.'s Shellfish, Eliot, Maine, USA

THE PRIZE:
First Place: $2,000
First Place: $2,000
» Right to use the 2007 JP's Shellfish World Invitational Oyster Shucking Championship presented by JP's Shellfish seal in place of business, etc.
» Winner and winner's business receives profile on the Festival website and link to the winner's place of business (if applicable) for the year 2007/2008
» Picture and name recognition on the 2008 Shellfish brochure and other marketing materials as deemed appropriate by Festival Marketing Director
» Included in all media releases, media relations, for the year of title
» Interview as defending champion with all media (print, tv, radio) present at the 2008 Shellfish Festival

Second Place: $500

Third Place: Gift Package


REGISTRATION:
This competition is by invitation and entry is limited. All interested individuals must apply by using this application form . The organizing committee will comfirm with selected participants. Invited pariticipants must sign in at the Festival Tent no later than Sunday, September 16th, 2007 at 2:00pm. The registration must be accompanied by a $10 reg. fee prior to 3:00pm. Only 18 participants to register will be allowed to participate. The 2006 Raspberry Point PEI Oyster Shucking Champion, the 2005 JP's Shellfish Eastern Canadian Champion, and any bonafide provincial champions from Easter Canada within the last 5 years and any international Champions will be invited to participate based on judge's approval. The 2006 Canadian oyster Shucking Champion will also be guaranteed entry to the Championship. The Committee reserves the right to grant special entry.

There will be spots guaranteed for the 1st and 2nd place winners from the Raspberry Point PEI Oyster Shucking Championship, winners from NS, NB Ontario and Western Canada. A qualifier may be manditory to fill remaining spots.


ACCOMMODATION:
One (1) night complimentary accommodation will be provided to off-Island Shuckers from Nova Scotia or New Brunswick upon review and acceptance of application by committee. Two (2) night complimentary accommodation will be provided to off-Island Shuckers from outside the Maritime Provinces upon review and acceptance of application by committee.  Once approved, all accommodation reservations will be made by Holiday Inn Express. Incidentals responsibility of visiting Shucker.


THE CHAMPIONSHIP:
The Championship event will take place on Sunday, September 16, 2007 at 3:15p.m.


VENUE:
The event will take place in the PEI International Shellfish Festival Tent, located at the Historic Charlottetown Waterfront in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada.


THE OYSTERS:
For the preliminary heats each contestant will receive 14 Choice Grade PEI oysters. Contestants will open and present only 12 oysters. For the final heat, which will consist of the top 3 shuckers from the primary heats, each contestant will secure 26 choice Grade PEI Oysters. Contestant will open and present on 24 oysters.

ATTIRE/DEMEANOR:
The contestant's attire and demeanor shall be in keeping with the occasion, representing themselves, their province, state, or country and any sponsoring organization to the best advantage.


THE EQUIPMENT:
The judges must approve handwear, knives, and any related equipment. Contestants may wear finger stalls or gloves and may employ towels and/or boards to hold the oysters in place. The contestant can carry one back-up shucking knife in case of breakage.


PRESENTATION:
Contestants will receive a platter of coarse salt at the beginning on which to present the shucked oysters.


JUDGES:
There shall be 3 judges, one of whom is the Chief Judge, and each shall have considerable experience and/or knowledge of half shell oyster service.


TIME KEEPING:
1) Each contestant will have a separate timekeeper. There will be one Chief timekeeper.

2) The contestant will poise his/her shucking knife at head height to indicate readiness.

3) At a signal by the Master of Ceremonies, all timekeepers simultaneously start their watches and all contestants start shucking.

4) When the contestant has completed shucking and has arranged the oysters to his/her satisfaction, he/she will either tap the table or raise both hands overhead and step back from the shucking table. The timekeeper will stop his watch immediately. The contestant may not touch the tray of oysters after he/she has signaled completion.

5) Each timekeeper reports his/her contestant to the Chief Timekeeper who records each contestant's time on each official score sheet.


SCORING/PENALTIES:
Each contestant's overall score will be a combination of shucking time, shucked appearance, presence of shell, grit, broken shell cup, meat cut, etc. Judges will add seconds to each contestant's shucking time according to the following schedule.

1) The following conditions render an oyster unpresentable and subject to the following penalties:
  » unpresented (less than 12 opened oysters on the completed platter) 30 sec/oyster
  » not presented upright or meat cut out of shell 10 sec/oyster
  » presented on flat shell 10 sec/oyster
  » presented with blood on oyster meat 30 sec/oyster
  » presented with a broken (in two pieces) undershell 10 sec/oyster.

2) Each oyster presented with shell, grit, mud, or other extraneous material incurs a penalty of 2 seconds.

3) Each oyster presented with the meat cut or mangled incurs a penalty of 2 seconds.

4) Each oyster incompletely severed from the shell incurs a penalty of 3 seconds per oyster. If more than 6 oysters are penalized in this manner, then the penalty per oyster increases to 10 seconds per oyster for infractions over 6.


TOTAL SCORING:
The judges provide the Chief Timekeeper with each contestant penalty scores and the Chief Timekeeper adds this number to the actual shucking time.


THE WINNER:
Total time (shucking time plus penalty times) for each contestant is tallied by the Chief Timekeeper and the scores given to the Master of Ceremonies to announce.

The winner is that contestant who has the lowest total seconds score and has not been disqualified.


DISQUALIFICATION:
Disqualification could result from a unanimous opinion of the judges and timekeepers that the contestant:
» Did not comply with the rules of the contest.
» Distracted a fellow competitor by vocal or physical interference during shucking heat.
» Committed a flagrant and unseemly impropriety during the progress of the competition.