Just curious, has the US or Canada ever entered? It's at World Expo next year. Anyone wanna give it a shot? Just to participate? Maybe they'd let there be a team North America since we have to travel so far just to enter? Just throwing it out there...

I've never heard of it , what are the specifics ?

Here!

Maybe that's why the US doesn't participate?

More info here including the last results.

I just read the rules and I do not understand them. I can usually figure out babble fish translations but this just does not make a lot of sense to me.

So looking at the photos it looks like each team has to do a predetermined bust. A mounted figure. A standing 54mm foot figure. A fantasy figure, and a scratch built figure? Then they are judged as a group? is that how it works?

Yup, pretty much. It happens every year at a predetermined show and it's at the World Expos on those years. Each country is a team and it sounds like some of each team judge as well. Every team paints the same figures except for the scratch and this year the fantasy figure is completely open (no bigger than 75mm though).

There are no prizes. Basically, it's just for bragging rights.

planetFigure's trying to change that!

Not exactly a lot of people jumping up saying "I'll paint that one!"

Oh well, at least more people know about it now.

True, but My comment (I should have qualified better) was to convey that we here in the states are severely lacking the coordination with all the clubs and organizations to compile a list of:

Clubs and Organizations
Show Listings
Workshops (really need this one)
Outreaches to youth to get them involved

We see these activities, mentioned above, in our European counterparts but not so much here. I'd like us, planetFigure, to be the hub for collecting us all for just these kinds of things!

sounds cool, don't know if I'm good enough but I would paint something.

Quite true. Coordination is lacking and most of us are incredibly spread out geographically. If we do the above, maybe we can have a World Expo on this side of the pond again. If I can help, feel free to send me a PM.

I've already started on a small level by organizing painting days at the local hobby shop periodically (I try to do it once a month, but it doesn't always happen) with instruction available upon request. One of the kids (well, he's a teenager) and his Mom even came to the Chicago Show this year just to check it out. I'm also thinking of contacting some of the home schooling groups in the area to see if there would be an interest in some painting workshops or something like that (it's history and art, after all ).

Maybe a new topic should be opened on growing the hobby?

I'm not good enough.

The trick is finding enough people going to World Expo to take figures...and that requires organization that we are lacking, as Gordy mentioned.