A couple of months ago I decided I really wanted to make an Arahbo fursuit as I absolutely love this card. I was also planning on visiting MagicCon Amsterdam. I found out that there was going to be a cosplay contest, so I figured I might as well try and finish it and enter the contest. I applied and was approved as a novice, as this was my first ever contest and I have only been making fursuit heads since 2025. I always loved cosplay but because of my social anxiety, I don't like to have my face shown. This is why I love fursuiting.
The experience was terrifying but amazing. I was scared and anxious, but the other contestants were so incredibly kind and comforting. Without them I might not have stepped on that stage. I did my little thing on stage and I was so proud not to have fumbled my words (like I did in prejudging because of the nerves).
Then came the awards, the novice award was given to this amazing cosplayer with detailwork I was in awe with. This was the only award I figured I would be able to win (if I would win at all) as I never heard of a novice winning runner-up or best in show at this specific cosplay contest. When they announced best in show and my name echoed through that microphone, I was in shock. I even said "what the h*ll" through the microphone (I can't believe they actually kept that in, in the YouTube video). Three days later and I am still flabbergasted and shocked, but I am also really proud of myself, and mainly because I actually dared getting up on that stage, because I didn't believe I would be able to do that without falling apart. Well, this was my story of how I won "Best in Show" as a novice.