Andrew Welch at Town Crier   Competitions

Photo credit: DD Photography

Competitions for Criers?  Oh yes!

In addition to their Civic, Charitable, Community, and Corporate duties, town criers have another C-word on their busy schedules: representing their community in Competitions!

Town Crier Competitions tend to fall into three general categories: Local invitationals, Guild-sponsored Provincials, and International invitationals.  The rules vary slightly, but for the most part, judges score criers based on four things:

  Deportment (Entrance and Exit)
  Projection/Clarity
  Cry Content
  Penalties (Word errors, vocal cracks, etc.)

These are not just a chance to bring some renown to your home town - they are also a very important time for town criers from all over the province/world to socialize together and learn a great deal from their colleagues.  Because of these gatherings, town criers continually hold themselves to a higher standard and raise the bar for each other.  Of course, competitions do also confer some bragging rights, and the Towns of Caledon and Erin have much to be proud of.  Here are some of Andrew's hard-won competition standings:
 

Muskoka Escapades Town Crier Competition (by video entry)  -  SECOND PLACE OVERALL
Christmas, 2021 - Bracebridge, Ontario

Due to the CoViD-19 pandemic, Ontario criers submitted their proclamations by digital video, to be evaluated by provincial judges.

Muskoka Escapades Town Crier Competition (by video entry)  -  FIRST PLACE OVERALL
Christmas, 2020 - Bracebridge, Ontario

Due to the CoViD-19 pandemic, criers (from across Canada, the U.S., and Australia) submitted their proclamations by digital video, to be evaluated by judges across Canada.

Ontario Guild of Town Criers - Provincial Championships  -  SECOND PLACE OVERALL
Dave Thomson Memorial Trophy for Most Humourous Cry (third time in a row)
01 June, 2019 - Cobourg & Grafton, Ontario

A more challenging competition for me, simply because personal commitments kept pushing back my writing time for the three proclamations required.  I was also vocally out of shape, and was surprised that I even did as well as I did.

Ontario Guild of Town Criers - Provincial Championships  -  FIRST PLACE OVERALL
Dave Thomson Memorial Trophy for Most Humourous Cry
28 July, 2018 - Amherst Island, Ontario

A lot of hard work went into this competition: three competition cries, each with a unique challenge, and all to be proclaimed in one day.  The first cry had a tired topic (Community Markets) - how to make it fresh?  The second cry required extensive research into the host community of Amherst Island.  The third cry I put into five limericks - painstaking to construct within the 125-word limit.  In the end, the judges, including such distinguished officials as Harold Redekopp, former Exec VP of CBC TV, awarded me first place in the first two and a tie for first in the third. 

Ontario Guild of Town Criers - Provincial Championships  -  GOLD MEDAL (Cry #3)
Dave Thomson Memorial Trophy for Most Humourous Cry, FOURTH PLACE OVERALL
16-18 June, 2017 - Markham, Ontario

Ontario Guild of Town Criers - Provincial Championships  -  FIRST PLACE OVERALL
21-22 May, 2016 - Perth, Ontario

I had to miss the 2015 Provincials due to a Red Cross deployment to assist in the Saskatchewan wildfire response.  I felt quite out of shape for this one, so when first place was announced, you could have knocked me over with a feathered hat...

A rare addition to this competition was a separate measurement of vocal volume.  I ranked third with a peak decibel measurement of 98.9.  Read article

Ontario Guild of Town Criers - Provincial Championships  -  FIFTH PLACE OVERALL
9-10 August, 2014 - Port Perry, Ontario

Despite the best care, I suffered a throat injury in the middle of this three-cry competition.  I didn't expect to come anywhere near as well as I did when all the scores were in.  Fortunately, the voice recovered, but it took days...

Marshville Heritage Festival Town Crier Competition  -  FIRST PLACE OVERALL
1 September, 2013 - Wainfleet, Ontario

My first overall competition win.  This prestigious gathering is unique, in that criers must create and deliver two additional proclamations on-the-spot for craft vendors - a very challenging twist!

Ingersoll Harvest Festival Annual Town Crier Competition  -  THIRD PLACE OVERALL
24 August, 2013 - Ingersoll, Ontario

This annual gathering is the oldest continuously running Town Crier's competition in North America.

World Invitational Town Crier Championships  -  AWARDED BEST AMBASSADOR
1-5 August, 2013 - Kingston, Ontario

Someone posted a video of me doing my favourite cry from this competition.  Enjoy!

Muskoka Escapades Town Crier Competition  -  SECOND PLACE OVERALL
14 July, 2013 - Bracebridge, Ontario

Ontario Guild of Town Criers - Provincial Championships  -  FIFTH PLACE OVERALL
22-23 June, 2013 - Thorold, Ontario

Ingersoll Harvest Festival Annual Town Crier Competition  -  THIRD PLACE OVERALL
25 August, 2012 - Ingersoll, Ontario

This annual gathering is the oldest continuously running Town Crier's competition in North America.

Queen's Diamond Jubilee Town Crier Competition  -  SECOND PLACE OVERALL
14 July, 2012 - Gravenhurst, Ontario

Town criers from all over Ontario, along with special guests from the United States and New Zealand, competed in a competition to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, as well as the 125th Anniversary of the Town Of Gravenhurst and the RMS Segwun.  Read Andrew's favourite cry from this competition (in its original form - the official entry had to be edited to not exceed 125 words).  - with inspiration thanks to Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Celebrate Barrie Festival Town Crier Competition  -  SECOND PLACE OVERALL
2 June, 2012 - Barrie, Ontario

This was Andrew's first Ontario Guild of Town Criers competition as a full member of the guild, competing against more than a dozen criers from across the province.

Ontario Guild of Town Criers - Provincial Championships  -  Not yet eligible to compete
13 August, 2011 - Brantford, Ontario

As this was before Andrew's first official appointment (by the Town of Caledon), he was not yet a member of the Guild and therefore ineligible to compete.  However, he was given the honour of delivering benchmark cries for the competition - the performances which set the standard for the judges to work from in evaluating the other criers.

Muskoka Escapades Town Crier Competition  -  FOURTH PLACE OVERALL
10 July, 2011 - Bracebridge, Ontario

This competition represented the first time that Andrew got to meet fellow Ontario criers, and the first time he had ever appeared in competition (with fewer than 10 apppearances under his belt!)  When the points were tallied, he was only one point behind the third place crier (out of 200 points).

   

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