The Fiddlers' Frolics is divided into five divisions and pays over $16,000.00 in prize money. The contest is open to acoustic instruments only and no more than four accompanists per fiddler. Decision of the judges will be final.

Types of Tunes: At the time of the contest, the judges will determine the number and types of tunes to be played, based upon the number of contestants and time available. Contestants should expect to play a breakdown and tune of choice, but, unless otherwise noted, cannot play the same tune twice during the contest. In addition to the general "breakdown" category, the judges have previously requested contestants to play waltzes, swing tunes, rags, hornpipes, reels, polkas and even a schottische. We do not require the contestants to combine tunes into a medley. There are no time limits per tune, and contestants are expected to play the tune completely. Beginning this year, no tunes are barred but cross tuning is not allowed.

Judges and Scoring: All divisions are judged by the same five judges, except the Senior Division which will have three judges. After each contestant has played each tune, the numeric score from each of the five judges is entered into a computer which throws out the high and low score and sums the three remaining scores. After the first round, the computer scores are used to determine the contestants to be called back for the next round. Rounds will continue until the judges are able to rank and pay contestants, as determined by aggregate scores, in accordance with the places set forth in Prize Money.

PRIZE MONEY

Senior Division
The Senior Division is open to Texan and out-of-state fiddlers aged 65 and over. This year the Senior Division will be held on Friday night April, 27th at 6:30 P.M.
The top ten places in the Senior Division will earn prize money, with 1st place earning $300.

Pee Wee Division (ages 10 and under)
The Pee Wee contest starts things off on Saturday morning and is open to the youngest Texan and out-of-state fiddlers. The top five winners earn prize money with number one taking home $150.

Forrest Craig Freshman Division (ages 15 and under)
This Division begins immediately after the Pee Wee Division on Saturday and is open to both Texans and out-of-state fiddlers.

The 1st place winner will receive a Forrest Craig Fiddle valued at over $2000. 2nd place finisher will receive a scholarship to Randy Elmoreís Fiddle Camp. If a contestant has already received a Forrest Craig Fiddle in a prior year, the 1st place finisher will receive $250.00 and a scholarship to Randy Elmore's Fiddle Camp, the 2nd place contestant will receive the fiddle but not the scholarship.

Gone to Texas

This Division begins immediately after the Forrest Craig Division and is open only to out of state fiddlers. A warm Texas welcome to our out-of-state competitors! Over $7,500 in prize money awarded to the top 20 contestants, with a First Prize of $1,400.
Our Gone to Texas division gets it name from the inscriptions left behind on abandoned cabins or on public records when early pioneers left other states for Texas. Those pioneers brought fiddling with them, but when they got here, they developed a new style, different from its roots in Appalachia, Ireland, and Scotland. You can see from the Prize Money that we expect top fiddlers from across the country to demonstrate just how far that Texas style has, in turn, spread beyond the borders of the Lone Star State. Gone to Texas will judge out-of-state fiddlers by the same standards as Texans, without time limits, allowing and expecting them to play tunes completely and in the true Texas character.

Guitar Accompanist Contest

The Guitar Contest will take place Sunday April 29th at 9:30 A.M. It is open to six string guitar backup pickers only. Fiddle contestants may not compete in the guitar contest.
No lead type of instrumentation is judged, this contest is to see who can back up a Fiddler the best.
Junior accompanists, 15 and under, will play with all contestants but will be ranked separately.

Texas State Championship Division

This portion of the contest will begin after the Hall of Fame Induction, at approximately 12:30 P.M. on Sunday April, 29th.
The Texas State Championship division is open only to Texas residents, those who hold a current drivers license or identification issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The first round of this division will reduce the number of entrants to twenty. We will then begin a new round, and cumulative scores will cut those twenty to ten. You will note that we will pay 11th through 20th the same amount of prize money, $125, which is an effort to reduce the need for callbacks; we will not break a tie in places 11 through 20. Then we will begin round three, and again, with cumulative scores, cut the top ten to three. Those three will then compete in the "Cliff & Velda Fryer Championship Playoff", a round robin, five tune playoff, which is not cumulatively scored, and will allow contestants to play tunes they have previously played.