I rarely judge at car shows despite the offers, but I was asked back for the second time to judge the Hamptons Concours organized by Rand Luxury in Bridgehampton Long Island this summer. It’s a Porsche and Ferrari show that is run by some good friends, Bradford, Andrew, and Glen, the Chief Judge.

The setting is in the famous beach town in Eastern Long Island, and I am lucky to have good friends to stay with for the weekend, so it’s a nice excuse to head out to the east end of Long Island.

photo J Sweeney

As with any car show, the entries were all spectacular, and choosing a winner is not as easy as it may seem. This show used what we call “French Judging” where judges are not necessarily judging a car on correct details, originality, or cleanliness, but more on an overall presentation of a car and ownership. From one perspective, this can seem easy by just awarding the judge’s favorite, but subjectivity can bring judges into conflict. After looking over about 9 Ferraris in our class, my team of three Judges conferred about our decision. We all agreed we could easily pick the top two or three cars in our class, but what could separate one from the crowd? The two cars left standing were a Platinum level Daytona, and this 550 Barchetta. You would think for someone who works on Vintage Ferraris, I would simply pick the Daytona, but I championed the Barchetta. Here were my reasons. The Barchetta was owned for about 7 years, and the owner drove the car to the show with his teenage son in the passenger seat. He seemed very knowledgeable about the car, and did some tasteful modifications to the car to make the driving experience more enjoyable. The car looked great, and I could really sense a pride of ownership. The Daytona belonged to the Glen, the chief judge, and although beautiful and deserving of another award, I asked myself would Glen appreciate another trophy as much as the owner of the Barchetta? I respectfully presented my thoughts to my fellow judges and also to Glen our boss, and luckily they all agreed.

I had a great time at the Concours, and know that at least one owner of a particular Barchetta went home happy and proud!