Grand Prix Las Vegas 2018

| Io Hughto

The project for Welcome to the Fold launched at Grand Prix Las Vegas 2017. It’s now a year later and our return to Las Vegas gives us five new judges to Welcome to the Fold!

Brandon Cox

  • Name: Brandon Cox
  • Level: Level 1
  • Location: Brownwood, Texas, United States of America
  • Region: USA – South
  • Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: July 1995
  • L1 Certification Date: October 14, 2017
  • Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: Playing and socializing with friends
  • Occupation: CNA
  • Random fact about yourself: I love to game and leaning new games
  • Why did you become a judge?: To help grow the local community
  • What excites you most about this event?: Meeting judges from other regions
  • What worries you most about this event?: Screwing up a call and ruining the event for a player
  • What are you hoping to learn at this event?: Ways to be a better judge
  • Who are your mentors?: Erin Leonard
  • What challenges have you faced or are you facing to become a better judge?: I’m from a very rural area so there aren’t a lot of opportunities to judge large events
  • How have you worked to overcome those challenges?: I do a lot of traveling, hitting as many events as I can
  • What is the best part about your local Magic community?: The players, we’ve got some great people, many of whom I consider friends
  • What is your favorite Magic memory?: Playing commander with some friends while having a couple of drinks

Joseph Dunlap

  • Name: Joseph Dunlap
  • Level: Level 1
  • Location: Brownwood, Texas, United States of America
  • Region: USA – South
  • Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: October 2007
  • L1 Certification Date: October 14, 2017
  • Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: Judging, and budget brews
  • Occupation: College music professor
  • Random fact about yourself: I have hosted two Magic podcasts in the past (Ten Minute Magic, Draw 4 Podcast) while working for Manaleak.com.
  • Why did you become a judge?: To grow the local community.
  • What excites you most about this event?: Getting to know so many accomplished judges and growing as a judge.
  • What worries you most about this event?: Part of me is worried I may become overwhelmed. This is not my first large event, and I have been assigned a judge buddy, so I am hopeful the weekend will go well.
  • What are you hoping to learn at this event?: With every event, I want to learn as much as I can about my role, how I fit into the big picture, etc. so one day I can be prepared to become a team lead in that area.
  • Who are your mentors?: Erin Leonard
  • What challenges have you faced or are you facing to become a better judge?: Living in a remote area of Texas has been a road block to my development as a judge and my knowledge of Competitive REL. I am grateful for these opportunities to overcome this disadvantage.
  • How have you worked to overcome those challenges?: I apply for any event, large or small, that I am able to travel to. With the exception of driving to Oklahoma City, most of my events are in central Texas within driving distance. GP Las Vegas is the first event I will be flying to.
  • What is the best part about your local Magic community?: The overall welcoming spirit and friendly competition.
  • What is your favorite Magic memory?: My first FNM was a Morningtide release draft. It was an amazing set and I enjoyed every second of getting crushed.

Holly Blue

  • Name: Holly Blue
  • Level: Level 1
  • Location: Seattle, Washington, United States of America
  • Region: USA – Northwest
  • Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: Late 2006
  • L1 Certification Date: March 11, 2018
  • Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: The queer community :3
  • Occupation: Musician, commentator, dj, content creator!
  • Random fact about yourself: I started college when I was 11 and graduated at 17 ^_^
  • What excites you most about this event?: I get to work coverage! I’ve been commentating and producing coverage for a while now and I really love that whole world.
  • What worries you most about this event?: I’m used to the production processes at mox right now so it might take some adjustment with cfb’s setup. I am also worried that I will be having to much fun to get enough sleep ;p
  • What are you hoping to learn at this event?: I’m really excited to learn about production, and also commentary, from professionals!and to get an opportunity to contribute firsthand and learn that way too!
  • Who are your mentors?: Henry Davis was a mentor running draft league together. John Torrez in competitive magic a bit as well. Addison helped introduce me to most of my new magic friends.
  • What is the best part about your local Magic community?: It’s so gay! The shop (literally on my block) by my house has gay and trans pride flags in the windows. I love meeting people who are there because they don’t have a lot of friends and being their friend!
  • What is your favorite Magic memory?: Being recognized by people at gp Seattle from coverage was the best! I even signed someone’s playmat :3

Jordan Schroeder

  • Name: Jordan Schroeder
  • Level: Level 1
  • Location: Boise, Idaho, United States of America
  • Region: USA – Northwest
  • Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: 2010
  • L1 Certification Date: October 8, 2017
  • Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: Always evolving
  • Occupation: Card Shop
  • Random fact about yourself: I eat grilled cheese with ketchup.
  • Why did you become a judge?: I like to uphold the integrity of the game and wanted to be someone people could rely on for information.
  • What excites you most about this event?: It’s my first!
  • What worries you most about this event?: It’s my first, lol.
  • What are you hoping to learn at this event?: How to be a better judge and how things are done on the GP level.
  • What challenges have you faced or are you facing to become a better judge?: Getting ready for my L2.
  • How have you worked to overcome those challenges?: Study and take judge calls.
  • What is the best part about your local Magic community?: They are pretty laid back and knowledgeable.

Riley Williams

  • Name: Riley Williams
  • Level: Level 2
  • Location: Bozeman, Montana, United States of America
  • Region: USA – Northwest
  • Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: October 2009
  • Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: Lightning bolt
  • Occupation: Student
  • Random fact about yourself: I’m not good at picking random facts
  • Why did you become a judge?: Initially I was interested in learning more about the rules, but then I became interested in a different way to experience magic.
  • What excites you most about this event?: I’m very excited to experience my first large magic event, and learn more while judging outside my comfort zone.
  • What are you hoping to learn at this event?: I am worried that I will be under prepared, and cause some one to have a bad or unsatisfying experience.
  • Who are your mentors?: Brook GD has helped me immensely, and I wouldn’t be where I am today in the judge program without him.
  • What is the best part about your local Magic community?: The fact that our community is small means we have the opportunity to be incredibly tight knit as well.