I assume they will not be stored cold. Here's what I do for competitions:
After fermentation has completed (3 weeks), I rack the beer to a keg and put it on CO2 in the fridge. Over the next 2-3 weeks, it carbonates and clears. If it's a style that calls for exceptional clarity, or a low-flocculating yeast, I'll hit it with some gelatin after the first couple of days in the fridge. The beer is now cold, clear, and carbonated.
The weekend before the competition deadline (deadlines always seem to be on a Friday or Saturday), I'll bottle up my entries using Biermuncher's bottling cane and stopper. I package everything up securely in a cardboard box lined with rigid Styrofoam, edges sealed with vapour-barrier tape like TuckTape, all contained in a garbage bag within the box to prevent leaks. The entry labels go in individual Ziplock sandwich bags, attached to the bottles with rubber bands (2 each, in case one breaks). Each bottle and entry are then individually wrapped in bubble wrap. The bottles are then packed in the Styrofoam container inside the box, empty space around the necks is packed with crumpled up newspaper to prevent the bottles from moving around. The bottles are still cold at this point. The whole box is then sealed up, labeled, and goes into my fridge until Monday.
On Monday, I take the box out of the fridge (note that the beer has been cold the entire time) and ship them. Thanks to the Styrofoam insulation inside the box and the good seal, the bottles will still be cool when they arrive at the competition. So even if they're allowed to warm up, it will only be for a day or two before the actual competition and judging that weekend, ensuring maximum possible freshness.
