2004 OYSTER SHUCKING REGISTRATION FORM


Official Entry Form
To The
1st Annual Emerald Coast Shuck Off
October 2, 2004

Preliminary rounds begin at 12:00 noon in the Bimini Bar


Name: _______________________________________________________________

Nickname: ____________________________________________________________

Mailing Address: _______________________________________________________

City: _____________________ State: ____________________ Zip code: __________

Phone#:____________________________ Cell#:____________________________

Email: _______________________________________________________________

RETURN ENTRY FORMS TO: COURTNEY LAIRD
> C/O AJ?S SEAFOOD AND OYSTER BAR
101 A MOUNTAIN DRIVE
DESTIN, FL 32541
850-837-1488
COURTNEY@AJS-DESTIN.COM
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I have read and understand the rules to the 1st Annual Emerald Coast Shuck Off. I also, hereby knowingly, freely and voluntarily waive any right or cause of action, of any kind whatsoever, arising as a result of such activity, from which any liability may or could accrue.
There is a $25.00 entry fee. Winner of the competition will win the pot of money collected from the entry fee as well as a pre-registered, sponsored position at the Nation Oyster Shucking Competition in Leonardstown, Maryland, October, 15th-17th 2004.
Contestants will need to bring their own supplies: proper knife, gloves, etc

Signature: _____________________________________ Date:___________________

**A signed copy of the entry form should be accompanied with a sign copy of the rules and procedures to qualify you as a participant**


OYSTER SHUCKING RULES AND PROCEDURES


Rules and Procedures
1st Annual Emerald Coast Shuck Off

A Grand prize is conferred upon the man or woman victor in the SHOW-DOWN finale. That individual is declared the Emerald Coast Champion and is further rewarded with an all-expense-paid trip for two (2) from Fort Walton Beach, Florida to Leonardstown, MD to compete as a representative of AJ's Seafood and Oyster Bar in the National Competition held on October 15-17, 2004.
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EQUIPMENT, PERFORMANCE, AND JUDGING:
1. Judges select all oysters and supervise the placing of 24 into numbered containers. Shuckers are assigned containers by lottery.
2. Each shucking station is identified by a conspicuously positioned number.
3. The Shucker removes the oyster from his/her container and arranges them for shucking. Shuckers may appeal to the Chief Judge any oyster considered of improper quality for the contest. At his discretion the Chief Judge may substitute another oyster taken form an additional container previously provided by the judges.
4. Shucking blocks are made available to those desiring them.
5. Shuckers may wear finger stalls or gloves, use their own knives and carry and extra knife for use in case the first breaks. ALL knives used must have been approved by the Chief Judge prior to the contest.
6. Each Shucker has a separate time-keeper.
7. The Shucker will poise his/her knife at head height to indicate readiness.
8. At a signal by the Chief Judge, previously demonstrated by him, simultaneously all time-keepers start their stop-watches and Shuckers their shucking.
9. Contestants place each oyster on an unbroken half shell and arrange all neatly on the coded tray provided. Oysters should be whole, uncut and free from the shell.
10. When a contestant has completed shucking and has arranged the oysters to his/her satisfaction, he/she will raise both hands overhead and step back from the shucking table. The time-keeper will stop his watch. When Shucker raises his/her hands, the time-keeper will step in between Shucker and the tray of oysters, and take charge of the tray of oysters. A Shucker may not touch the tray of oysters after he/she has signaled completion.
11. Timers will deliver the coded trays to the judges' table in such a manner that the judges will not be aware of whose tray they are judging.
12. a) AESTHETIC EMPHASIS. The zenith of an oyster is the pleasure of being eaten. The importance of the PRESENTATION is uppermost. An appetizing arrangement of a tray of shucked oysters is rewarded over a sloppy or butchered offering which reflects concern for speed of performance. The critical attention to appearance is one of the basic criteria of the Nationals in Maryland where chefs and restaurateurs are often the winning performers.
> b) PENALITES. Judges will add seconds to each contestant's shucking time according to the following penalty table:
> 1) An oyster not completely severed from its shell!!!!!! Add 3 secs.
2) An oyster presented in a broken shell!!!! Add 1 sec.
3) An oyster presented with grit, blood or other foreign substance on the flesh!!!!!!, .Add 3 secs.
4) A cut oyster!!!!!! Add 3 secs.
5) An oyster not placed properly on the shell!!!!! Add 2 secs.
6) A missing oyster!!!!!! Add 20 secs.
c) BONUS. Judges may (optionally) award a bonus reduction of ten (10) seconds as an award for a tray whose presentation is deemed outstanding.
13. Each time-keeper reports his contestant?s shucking time (in seconds) to the Head time-keeper-as do the judges, in turn, all penalty time. Head time-keeper dictates these to the Chief Clerk who records them on his official time sheet. Total time (shucking plus penalties) for each Shucker is them computer by the Chief Clerk and the Head Time-keeper and given the Contest Committee Chairman to announce and post on the public board. The winner in each heat is that contestant who had the lowest total seconds and had not been disqualified by the judges.
14. DISQUALIFICATION almost never occurs. However, disqualification could result from a majority opinion of the Timer and Chief Judge that a contestant
> a) intentionally touched his/her oysters or tray after having signaled completion;
b) distracted a fellow competitor by vocal or physical interference during the shucking heat;
c) committed a flagrant, unseemly or inexcusable impropriety during the progress of a shucking heat.
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I have read and understand all of the rules and procedures listed above.

Signed:_____________________________ Date:______________________

Printed Name:________________________ Email:_____________________


OYSTER SHUCKING PRESS RELEASE


Summary:

The Second Annual Emerald Coast Oyster Shuck Off is scheduled for October 2th, 2004 at AJ's Seafood and Oyster Bar presented by Guinness Beer.


Destin, FL, September 4, 2004- In celebration of the Destin Seafood Festival and the 55th Annual Destin Fishing Rodeo, The First Annual Emerald Coast Shuck Off has been scheduled for 12:00 noon on October 2nd, 2004 at AJ's Seafood and Oyster Bar. The event is sponsored by Guinness Beer.

Registration forms and rules can be picked up at AJ's Seafood and Oyster Bar located at 116 Highway 98 East, or at the 102.1 The Eagle studios located at 741 Highway 98 East, or by logging onto www.ajs-destin.com.

The registration fee is $25.00. Contestants are required to bring their own supplies which should include gloves, 2 knives, and any other equipment that will be needed. All equipment must be approved by the Chief Judge before the contest begins.

The victor of the show-down finale will be declared the Emerald Coast Champion. In which he/she will walk away with a cash prize and an all expense paid trip for two (2) to the National Oyster Shucking Contest held in Leonardstown, Maryland on October 15-17, 2004 where he/she will compete as a pre-registered contestant. The winner of the National Oyster Shucking Contest will compete in the international contest held in Galway, Ireland. There will also be prizes awarded for 2nd, and 3rd places and for the top winner in the women?s division.

Preliminary rounds will start at 12:00 noon on October 2th, 2004. Contestants will shuck 24 oysters pre-selected by the judges. Judges will evaluate the oysters based on performance, with an emphasis on aesthetics more so than speed. The importance of the presentation is the uppermost. An appetizing arrangement of a tray of shucked oysters is rewarded over a 'sloppy' or butchered offering which reflects concern for speed performance. The critical attention to appearance is one of the basic criteria of the National in Maryland.


For more information or to register for the First Annual Emerald Coast Shuck Off, please call Courtney Laird or Rachael Sweeney at 850-837-1488 or visit www.ajs-destin.com for a copy of the Rules and Procedures as well as a registration form.