I've had some fun entering shows, but precious little success. One of the most enjoyable aspects is getting tips and tricks from the near-OCD 'passionates' as Gavin terms them. It's amazing/pathetically sad (delete as you see fit) to see how some prepare their exhibits. A good judge at a local honey show i.e. sympathetic to the beginner and with a good sense of humour, makes for a very enjoyable evening. We had one show where all entries in the mead competition were rejected outright as being "industrial" (if I remember, none of the bottles had much in after the show closed ) and one where my - hopeless - attempt at a honey cake was returned with a small handwritten label in the bag that said "I wouldn't buy it, but I'd happily eat it".