2026 model contest entry status

[barad_dur]

Have you started working your kit entries for wonderfest 2026 model contest?

I definitely do not want to repeat 2025 where I was finishing one of my entries the last night before leaving for wonderfest,

I have a long list of potential kit bashes, but I am not sure yet how many and which ones I hope to finish for 2026 contest.

As of June 22 2026 my status is as follows :

1 kit bash in progress

[tay666]

Honestly, I think it is going to be months until I actually start painting again.
I am going to take the time to fully inventory every kit and replacement part I have in my stash and separate out what I no longer wish to keep.
I need to thin down the collection and refocus attention where I find the most joy.

My goal for next show is to bring a full compliment of 10 kits but I may change that if I end up doing some of my bigger pieces.

[barad_dur]

I hear you Trevor. I have been working on prioritizing my build list, and thinning down my collection as well.

Looking forward to watching your builds when you get the time.

[tay666]

Honestly, I am a bit afraid to find out exactly how many models I actually own.
I am hoping it is less than 1000 but I am not sure.

[Scooke123]

I have been slowly thinning my collection. I’ve cut loose a few I was hesitant to sell but I’m going to try to focus on a small amount of kits. I think there are many more I will be parting with in the coming months.
I’m going to concentrate on a dedicated display area for built ups.
Hopefully late fall, early winter I will start looking at something for the contest.

[bucketfoot-al]

Honestly, I am a bit afraid to find out exactly how many models I actually own.
I am hoping it is less than 1000 but I am not sure.

(Well, on the plus side, at least a lot of your models are "minis", so at least space is saved ... isn't it? So there is that. )

[barad_dur]

My 2026 Wonderfest model contest entry Status as of December 26, 2025

I am struggling to get my 2026 contest entries in-work and complete - I am still not even sure which kit-bashes I should bring !!

Current Status:

2 kits with modifications completed (well, mostly) and painting in progress (Sty-Allosaurus , Demon Predator with Hell Hounds)

3 kits with modifications in progress (Xeno-rex, Cyclops-Balrog, Zilla-don breaching )

1 kit not even started . This is a big dragon kit which will be a struggle to complete. I would have to quit on some of the ones above.

You can see Work-in-progress pics for the 5 in-progress kits noted above in the Kustomizers section of this clubhouse.

[tay666]

Well, so far, I have finished 3 kits since WF, but none of those are going to the show as of right now.
I have 2 others that still might be done this year, one of which I plan on taking.

So, at this point I am only looking at one entry.

[barad_dur]

Status as of 2026-01-01:

1 Completed (Sty-Allosaurus)

1 Painting in-progress (Demon Predator and Hell Hounds)

3 Modifications in-progress

[tay666]

I have one so far.

[jafo]

1 done and 2 in progress. Hope to have maybe 4 total. Time will tell.

[tay666]

I have no set goal this year.
Just whatever I finish that I think is worth taking with me.
I used to bring everything I finished, but now that my output has grown, I don't feel like packing them all up, and waiting in line multiple times to enter and retrieve them from the contest.
I still may bring my Heavy Metal crew, even though I know it's a bit sloppy in parts just because I still think it looks cool. But that will depend on what else I end up bringing.
So far it's just one dinosaur.

[barad_dur]

Thanks for sharing your status Jafo - Good luck !

Trevor, your approach makes sense !

I am still not sure which of my in-progress and planned kit bashes to really focus on for the contest.

[tay666]

Yeah, the older I get, the less I want to bother with stuff that used to not phase me a bit.
I remember making 3 trips to enter all my stuff.
But packing it all up for the trip. Unpacking it in my room. Prepping it for transport to the contest.
Actually taking it down and entering it. Then retrieving it. Packing it back up back in the room. Packing it in the car. Then unloading it at home and unpacking it.
It seems like a lot of work now. Time I could spend doing more fun things. Or just relaxing in general.

Don't get me wrong, I still love entering the contest. It still gets me excited.
I just don't feel the need to drag kits with me, that really don't excite me to show off now.
I used to finish so few, that I got excited about all of them. Now I am kind of cranking them out and enjoying the process, and the production, but not always executing to a high standard. Some kits are just meant to be fun and not to show off.

[jafo]

"I remember making 3 trips to enter all my stuff. "
This. Now I try for one container, what ever fits goes if possible. So much easier. The Friday night entry is a HUGE time savor.