Eight members travelled to Warwick to support our entry to the national PDI championships at Warwick. In 2024, we had had our best result ever, with a fifth place in the final, in which only the top eight clubs, after the first 2 rounds, are allowed to compete. The top eight clubs are given a pre-qualification to enter the following year and we approached the day, this year, with some excitement. Mike and Christine thought we had a decent bank of images, possibly even enough to achieve the top eight again (we would try), but chickens must never be counted and bridges must never be crossed before you reach them. Our only worry…our bank of 40 images was unbalanced, made up of almost 2/3 sports images, and there was no knowing what the judges’ might score well.
The first and second rounds comprise 8 images per club, no more than 2 per photographer and no more than 2 nature images. We achieved 98 points, which was a little disappointing, given you usually need over 100 to be in with a chance of making the top 8, so we were delighted to be lying in 4th position after Round 1.
Round 1 entry
Round 2 entry
After round 2, we had scored 98 again, Well, at least we were consistent.
(Note: “Watcher in the mist” is a creative image)
We had made it to the final !
Final Round Entry
Now the challenge really began. We were allowed to take forward up to 10 images from the first 2 rounds into the final, and must make up the remainder of the set of 20 images from the bank…no more than 4 per photographer and no more then 5 nature images.
This is our Final Round:
Results
Chorley and Rolls Royce were joint winners and very well done to them! We were delighted to come fourth with a total of 245 marks, jointly with Arden and so we have qualified again for next year!!!
Our unused images, as always, have been placed in a starter bank for next year and we shall be adding to that as the year progresses.
Congratulations
Well done Oldham PS and especially well done Jane Henthorn for being awarded our only top mark of 15 and a silver medal for “Brothers”
Andrea Wilson collected the medal for the club’s fourth place (though this year the top 7 went through as one club, sadly, had to be disqualified).
Also, on the day, (bottom 2 pictures), Christine and Mike were presented with the PAGB Trophies from the Colour and Monochrome Inter-federation Competitions, which the L&CPU won and for which they were selectors. For mono, the L&CPU and Scottish Federation were joint winners (Neil Smith of Carluke holding the mono trophy).
Note for members: Please log in to the PAGB CES system to see your own marks (or Mike has them).