<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><teasing><DIV>It's a well-kept secret (in some parts of the Kingdom, anyway) that there are these competitions called "Bardic Champion" that are held by each branch. Often the winner gets a spiffy title like "Titled Bard of Stargate" (or whatever). In Stargate and the Loch, the Bardic Champion gets just as nice a prize (in fact, the *same* main prize) as the Chivalric and Rapier champions. In some groups (Bordermarch comes to mind) the Bardic Champion very often gets *nicer* prizes, and more of them. :-)</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>I know it's a long shot, but I strongly suspect that "well-kept secret" is the "branch champions" to which Esther was referring.</DIV><DIV></teasing></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Seriously, if the branch bardic championships were treated as "preliminary rounds" for Eisteddfod, that would certainly change the dynamics of the run-up to Kingdom Bard. I don't know whether it would be better or worse, but it would certainly be different. It would unquestionably help to promote both the local and Kingdom bardic championships. It's an interesting thought.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>On the other hand, it would be another "barrier to entry" for Eisteddfod. Do we really need another one?</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Michael<DIV><BR><DIV><DIV>On Oct 31, 2006, at 5:27 AM, gail young wrote:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><DIV>I don't understand what you mean by "the branch champions".</DIV> <DIV>gwyneth<BR><BR><B><I>Esther <<A href="mailto:reese_esther@yahoo.com">reese_esther@yahoo.com</A>></I></B> wrote:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE class="replbq" style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid"> <DIV>A thought -- just a thought....</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>What if the Eisteffod was a bard off of the branch champions? It would both strengthen the competition for local titled bards, and in turn strengthen the Kingdom competition.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Thoughts?</DIV> <DIV><BR>Esther</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> </BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE><BR></DIV><BR></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>