2008
B.C. OPEN GOLD PANNING COMPETITION
RULES AND REGULATIONS
(Last Revised in 2007)
This contest is open to all gold panners in the world. There will be two
primary categories, youth and adult. Youth will be separated
into two competition categories based on age –Juniors- under
age 13 and Teenagers- ages 13 to under16. A Youth
who has won 3 First places on the Circuit will be moved to an Adult category,
deemed proper, as judged by 3 Professional panners from the Circuit and our
Head Judge.
Adult competition categories will be defined by experience
- Novice, Intermediate, and Expert. A final BC Open Competition
will be held on Sunday between the top 3 Novice, Intermediate and Expert adults
to determine the BC Open Gold Panning Champion. A BC Open Youth Champion will
also be named.
Saturday
As the gold, gravel and all other rules are identical for all competitors,
youth and adults will pan at the same time. Competitor's scores will
then be separated according to their respective category.
Youth– Juniors under 13 and Teenagers 13 to under 16 years old
will compete for day prizes. The top 3 winners in each category will receive
prizes. In addition, the score of each competitor will be combined with their
Sunday's score to determine best panner in the Youth competition.
Adults - The Novice and Intermediate elimination rounds will be held
on Saturday only, to determine the top 10 finalists of each
category.
There will be a Grudge Match competition for all Experts on Saturday
afternoon.
Sunday
Youth – Juniors under 13 and Teenagers 13 to under 16 years old will
again compete for day prizes. The top 3 winners in each category will receive
nugget prizes. In addition, the score of each competitor will be combined
with their Saturday's score to determine best Youth panner.
Adults - The top 10 from Novice and Intermediate eliminations and all Experts, will pan off for prizes in their individual category. The top three from the adult finals will compete in the B.C. Open competition to declare a B.C. Open Gold Panning Champion.
AWARDS
Youth - The three panners registering the highest scores in each of the two
youth categories will receive prizes for each days competition (prizes for
Saturday and nuggets for Sunday). In addition, a Nugget award will be presented
to the top competitor who has the highest combined score from Saturday and
Sunday.
Adult - Gold nugget awards will be presented to the panners in each of the three adult categories who record the highest score in the Sunday finals. In addition, the top three panners from the finals of each category (Novice, Intermediate and Expert) will then compete to determine the BC OPEN GOLD PANNING CHAMPION. The three panners who record the highest score in this, the BC OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP round will receive gold nugget awards. In addition, the winner will receive $100 in cash, and invitations to compete in the World Invitational Gold Panning Championships held in Taylor, BC; the Canadian National Competition in Barkerville; the Ft. Steele Championships and in the elimination’s for the International Gold Panning Championships in Edmonton, Alta.
CATEGORY DEFINITIONS - takes into consideration all winnings
on the Competitive Gold
Panning Circuit which includes Cherryville, Edmonton, Taylor, Barkerville,
Ft. Steele, Yukon, United States and others.
1. The youth categories are open to all persons under the
age of 16, regardless of experience. There are two youth categories, under
13 years and Teenagers13 - under 16 years. Or as deemed proper by a judging
panel.
2. Note: previous youth competitors who have reached the age of 16
will advance to the adult categories as follows
A. If contestant
has not placed, OR PLACED ONCE in any previous Youth event (Teenager -age
13 to 16) – move to novice.
B. If contestant placed two
or more times in any previous youth events (Teenagers13 to 16) –
their choice of intermediate or expert.
Once the choice is made and recorded, the decision is final for all competitions
and may not be changed.
3. The novice competition is open to those panners, 16 years of age or older who have limited or no panning experience. If you pan regularly or do clean-up for a mine, you should be in Intermediate.
4. The intermediate competition is open to panners, 16 years
of age or older with panning experience or who have placed first, second or
third in a previous novice competition. The committee asks your
co-operation in deciding for yourself the level of your experience.
5. The expert competition is open to any panner, 16 years of age or older who has placed twice in any Provincial, State or other recognized competition. Note: Any panner who has placed once in any Provincial, Territorial, State or other recognized competition, may enter either the intermediate or expert category. Once a competitor has elected to advance to the Expert category, his decision is irreversible.
6. Prior to a competitors first round of panning, the competition committee, chaired by the chief judge, has the sole right to review and reassign a competitor to an alternate category. The committee’s decision is final. If it is found that a competitor is in the wrong category after panning, they may also be moved.
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
1. A standard 14 inch metal gold pan bearing a number will be used. Only pans
supplied by the competition committee will be permitted.
2. The gravel for this contest will be selected from the banks of the Monashee
River and shall be thoroughly washed and screened. The gravel will consist
of equal amounts of sand and gravel (less than 2.5 cm) and will be placed
in unnumbered buckets. All buckets will contain similar quantities
of gravel.
3. Natural placer gold will be used. There will be 1 large piece (12 mesh), 4 medium sized flakes (16 - 18 mesh) and 10 small flakes (30-50 mesh). The medium and small flakes originate from Monashee Creek, and the large from the Klondike. PLEASE TAKE NOTE: All gold is thin flake and may float if not properly sunk to the bottom of the pan. Considerable variation will be apparent in the size of the small flakes. The gold will be randomly distributed throughout the gravel in the bucket.
COMPETITION RULES
1. When announced, the panners will select a bucket of gravel and proceed
to the panning trough corresponding to their number on the registration sheet.
The panner is responsible to ensure that the pan number corresponds to his
registration number and the panning tub number.
2. Both pan and bucket of gravel must be placed on the ground prior to the starting judge commencing the countdown.
3. The starting judge will ask the competitors to take their position. He will then commence a countdown from 3 to 1 (3-2-1-GO). On the word ‘GO’ panners will commence panning. (Note: panners may elect to pan only a portion of the bucket contents or pan the entire contents at one time.)
4. An eight-minute time limit will be allowed for panning in each round. As all competitors in the elimination rounds have the same time limit, all categories, including all youth, can pan at the same time.
5. Competitors must place their pans on the table with the pans located on the corresponding panning number prior to the expiration of the eight minute time limit. Please stand facing your pan with your hands at your sides. Do not move or turn, until all competitions have placed their pans on the tables. Hands must not touch the pan once the eight-minute time limit has elapsed. A 20 point penalty will be assessed any competitor whose hands have not left their pan on the table by the eight-minute time limit.
6. INTERFERENCE WITH OTHER COMPETITORS MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION.
7. The fastest time among two or more identical top scores will not be declared champion unless there is a tied score after the first round of pan-offs within a particular category (see Advancement to Finals).
JUDGING
1. Ten points will be awarded per flake, regardless of size, for a total possible
score of 150.
2. Only gold that is clearly visible to the judges will be counted. No attempt will be made to uncover or seek gold covered by sand. If, in the opinion of the judges, one flake may be partly covering another, the gold will be moved for verification.
3. Points will then be deducted for sands and gravels remaining in the competitor's pan. Up to a maximum of 9.9 points may be deducted. Points deducted will be predetermined by the judges and calculated by measuring the amounts of sand and gravel remaining. Gravel left in the bucket after time has been called will be assessed a penalty of 10 points per centimeter.
ADVANCEMENT TO FINALS AND BC OPEN
1. A maximum of ten panners in the Intermediate and Novice categories, plus
all Expert panners, will advance to the finals to determine the winners of
their respective categories.
2. A tie will be declared only when identical scores occur when determining:
a. The competitors
to advance to the finals of each category
b. The competitors to advance
into the finals of the BC Open
c. The placing (first,
second or third) of competitors in each of the finals and the BC Open.
A new contest (a pan-off) will be conducted between the tying panners. The
same material will be used as stated in rules 3 and 4 but the time limit will
be reduced to 4½ minutes. The rules will remain the same as stated
above.
If after the first round of a pan-off, there still remains a tie within
a category, a second pan-off will be held. The same material will be used
as stated in rules 3 and 4 but the competitor with the most gold showing,
in the fastest time will be declared the winner. Panning must be completed
with the pan placed on the judges' table within a 4 1/2 minute time limit.
Each panner WILL BE TIMED from the word 'GO' to the time hands are free from
the pan when placed on the table. Two minutes will be added to the competitors
time for each flake lost. NOTE: Deductions for sand will only be applied if
there is a tie in total time.
Should any contestant desire to register a complaint pertaining to any scope
of this contest, they should do so prior to the completion of the elimination
rounds. The point or points in question will be decided by a count in a show
of hands among participating finalist contestants only. The judges and organizers
only responsibility will be to adjust or maintain the rule in question according
to the preference of the majority.
Head Judges decision is final. He may defer to a Committee of 3 selected Professionals
for help.