They were just starting up with contests then. Nowadays, you see a lot of smaller communities hosting powwows. All of that has come about from the interest generated by the contest powwow. Because of the increased interest, Boyd sees the contest powwow as having a positive effect on the powwow in general. However, the grass dance has changed considerably since the advent of contest dancing.
Old style is slow and delivered.
You go through maybe twenty beats of the drum to deliver movement on each side. You move your shoulders first, then bring the movement down to your foot. Then you repeat the movements with the other side of your body. In the new style grass dance, everything is fast. Some guys look good but the top half of their bodies and shoulders are dead.