What is the contest?

Are you new to the world of bell ringing and wondering what all this is about? Michael O’Hagan, previous secretary of the contest organising committee, explains things…

How does the contest work?

The contest is open to all centres of twelve-bell ringing – to date only teams from the UK have competed, though there’s reason to hope we may one day be joined by teams from further afield, as there are rings of twelve overseas too. These days far more teams enter than any judge could listen to in one day, so competing teams are divided across three eliminators, held in March, to compete for places in the Final in June. Competition is always challenging, though it’s often possible for the draw to result in an ‘eliminator of death’ that is particularly fierce! If (like Exeter this year) a team who normally competes is hosting the final, they’re offered a bye, meaning that there can be up to ten teams competing for the Trophy on the day. In the end, only one team can take it home!

What do the teams have to do?

All teams will be ringing the same test piece on the day. This defines the specific order that the bells must ring in, and is memorised by the ringers in the form of a ‘blue line’. As well as concentrating on this, each ringer will be working hard to listen to the rhythm and place their bell exactly where it should be each time it strikes. The test piece takes about 12 minutes and each bell will strike 252 times during that time – that gives 3,024 dings in total, and every one counts!

How is the contest judged?

Normally a team of three or four people make up the judging team. They will be listening intently to every team’s ringing, and following a printed copy of the test piece to highlight where blemishes and inaccuracies occur. Critically, the judges won’t know which team is ringing! In days gone by, judges would listen from broom cupboards or strategically-parked cars, but these days a live sound feed is broadcast to them from a microphone positioned in the belfry, which provides a much clearer sound. As well as listening for any gaps or clashes, the judges will also be interested in the general compass of the ringing and overall rhythm. A key development in recent years is the use of computer technology known as the Strikeometer. This analyses the ringing against a set of mathematical models and provides the judges with both high-level and granular statistics on the consistency and accuracy of each team’s ringing that they can use to aid their deliberations. The Strikeometer is particularly helpful when a large number of teams are competing, as it helps to ensure a consistent approach to marking the ringing throughout the day.

Is it really that serious?!

A bit! Ringers are a competitive bunch, and everyone who rings in the contest is determined to produce the best ringing the can on the day. Many will identify competing in ‘the 12-bell’ as one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of their life! Other teams and supporters will be listening from the churchyard and across the internet, forming their own opinions, so there’s a bit of pressure on the judges too – particularly if there are any close calls to make. But all this just adds to the excitement!

How do I find out more?

Have a look round the website, or come along on the day!

If you can’t make it to Exeter, don’t fear! You’ll be able to listen to all of the competition ringing, plus interviews with teams, supporters and contest organisers, in an uninterrupted live broadcast of the day by Matthew Tosh on YouTube. It's interactive coverage with listeners sending in messages from all over the world. So if you are listening, you'll be able to get in touch and share your thoughts about the ringing or send a team your good luck wishes. Full details will be provided during the broadcast. There will also be announcements on the contest webpage and social media throughout the day.