You can generally enter any plant in a show, but you have to own a plant for at least 6 months, I think, for a cultural award, but flower quality awards really have nothing to do with the grower, it's just the plant's genetics.

I'll link to the show procedures manual for the Southwest Regional Orchid Grower's Association (SWROGA).

-Cj

Here is a link that might be useful: SWROGA procedures manual

Thanks for starting the new thread, Carolyn.

No fragrance contests at our orchid society. When the AOS show was here about 3 years ago, there weren't any, either, far as I know.

Last week, our orchid society had a 2-day display at the State Fair. Part of it involved judging plants that people entered. My buddy and I had dropped off 10 plants to add color to the display because in recent years, the number of blooming plants had been decreasing drastically. We didn't intend for our plants to be judged. After we left, society members decided to register and judge all plants, and the buddy and I won some ribbons.

Here are my answers to Arthur's questions in the earlier thread.

In our orchid society, it's customary to drape a ribbon around a leaf of the plant - blue for first place, red for second, and white for third. Each ribbon is about 6"x2" and has gold lettering:

FIRST
PLACE

[outline of State of MN w/ cyp inside]

ORCHID
SOCIETY
OF
MINNESOTA

Attached to the back of the ribbon is a small white tag with lines for the class to which the orchid belongs, the prize (none for this show), the person who received the award (the grower), the date, and the signature of the judge.

No $$ for winning at this show. You get to keep the ribbon.

As for judges, people who have a lot of experience judging Paphs or whatever at orchid society meetings typically judge those plants. Often, these folks show at AOS shows. Usually, less experienced members tag along so they can learn. This is a very low-key, informal affair. Lots of plants get ribbons.

In our orchid society, there's no rule about the length of time someone owns a plant. My first year as a member, I asked about that, too, and was told I could go out into the retail garden center, where we hold our meetings, buy an orchid plant, and enter for judging that day.

I don't know how it is for other societies or shows. My friend's plant that won 1st place had been purchased in bud from a commercial grower a couple of weeks before. Again, we were taking our plants to be used for color.

As for how long you should own a plant before showing it - dunno if shows and other societies have rules or guidelines. For me personally, it would be a minimum of one reblooming under my care.

Yes, how do others conduct shows?

Whitecat8

Whoops. wrong proceedures manual. And meanwhile, there isn't an online version of the show schedule! Damnit!

...

...oh, look! I found one!

http://www.houstonflowershow.com/

Click on Downloads on the left.

-Cj

We like the spike to be initiated after the person got the orchid. The rule actually is 6 month's ownership.

We have far too many (IMO) ribbon categories and in most groups there are few enough that almost all plants get ribbons. We argue over giving out all 3 places or skipping based on lack of quality.

Most shows here are judged by an outside panel of AOC Judges. That is because there is money involved. You only get a "ribbon" for winning champion orchid categories.
If you want lots of flowers for your show, you have to put up prize money.

Some shows are closed, others are open. Many shows are closed because of the actions of certain "super" growers in the past. They would arrive at your show with one or two plants, not do security or help in any way, and would walk away with the champion ribbon/sash and not be seen again till the next show.

Getting the number of classes right for a show is difficult. I looked at the HOS schedule and thought. WOW this is a big big show, but perhaps it has too many classes?

At the last show one plant in the Novice and Junior section was not judged because it was not in show condition, AND, no i have never, ever seen a Novice Grower win Champion Orchid of the show.

My OS doesn't judge plants for quality awards. Any plant can be displayed at our shows but only plants owned for >3 years are eligible for cultural awards. Section prizes are awarded. From memory, the 3 year rule applies for those also (except the photo comp of course).

Not quite sure if I'm addressing this topi quite as you intended Carolyn, but...

No money prizes at any show I've attended though some do have a "trophy" for best of show. All do 1st-3rd plae ribbons similar to what whitecat mentioned.

And like whitecat's area, you could walk over to a vender, buy a plant, and enter it into you display [though not for a cultural award.

Display-wise ...

For a vender to sell at the show they must have a display entered in the show. [OS's and venders are charged for the space their display occupies but no fee for the general public coming in to see the displays.]

If any 'critter' [scale, snail, etc] is found on a plant in the display, that plant and the entire display is disqualified from judging.

Only blooming plants allowed in displays are orchids. Even if you're just putting those broms in there to dress things up, they better not have their colorul bracts on them.

Paul,

You're right on! Great info, especially about the scale and critters. It makes total sense, but I hadn't really thought about that...

And I didn't know that sometimes vendors have to display in order to sell. I don't think that's so for GNYOS (my only show experience), because I'm pretty sure that there are vendors who do have a display.

Thanks! And thanks to all. Hmmm, next question...

Do Orchid Societies ever have internal, informal shows?

Carolyn
(who can't wait to join an OS once my yacht club responsibilities (Commodore) are over)

This is very strange, nearly every show in Australia has prize money and you only get a Sash or a Rosette if you win one of the Champion Classes. In 35 years of Orchid Growing i have never won Champion Orchid of the Show.

Big money too at a major show. You cannot eat a ribbon.

At the last local orchid society show (a very little show in a shopping centre) where i was Show Marshall. There were four Championship Rosettes and some 27 Classes where first was $10 and second $5.

The Brom thing... how come they are so special here and there? Apart from orchids the only flowering plant tolerated in a competitive display against other orchid societies is a Brom.

As for wiping a competitive display because someone finds a slug, a snail or a bug. Words fail me, i can think of all sorts of chicanery that could happen. Individual plants, sure, but a whole society display?

Arthur,

'Brom'...What did I miss? I don't know what this means.

Carolyn

Carolyn, Brom = Bromeliad. See the comment in Paul's post. Nearly every orchid grower around these parts has a few.

Well, no money for winning, but I tell you, they can cost money to have awarded! $35, last I had anythinbg awarded, to cover film processing and paperwork for a quality award.

-Cj

Big money too at a major show. You cannot eat a ribbon.

Of course you can, Arthur! They're very high in fiber don't you know? LOL!

At the last local orchid society show (a very little show in a shopping centre) where i was Show Marshall. There were four Championship Rosettes and some 27 Classes where first was $10 and second $5.

"Championship Rosette" = ? Ribbon?

The Brom thing... how come they are so special here and there? Apart from orchids the only flowering plant tolerated in a competitive display against other orchid societies is a Brom.

I'm guessing, and it is just a guess mind you, that it was decided upon to simplify matters. Thus avoiding this person or that one complaining about why that nonorchid and be used in bloom but this nonorchid cannot.

+As for wiping a competitive display because someone finds a slug, a snail or a bug. Words fail me, i can think of all sorts of chicanery that could happen. Individual plants, sure, but a whole society display?

[Quite the way to tick off one's fellow OS members if your plant does them all in.] There tends to be extra emphasis for those setting up to thoroughly double check plants during set up. I do remember on a couple of occasions when doing set up, finding an "inhabited" plant. Packed it back up to return to the owner. Recall one gentlemen in particular whose plants we always had to check. Not wholly his fault. He was an older gentleman and simply couldn't see the critters.

"Chicanery"? I think that w/o $ involved, there's less reason for the unscrupulous to resort to such underhanded behavior

Rosettes, ribbons with a round thing at the end. No prize money! Wonder how many entries i would get?

Here is a link that might be useful: Non competitive display

I think what people need to understand is that there are two parts to judging at a show. The first is what is termed ribbon judging. All plants maybe entered for ribbon judging, this is a beauty contest. They must be entered in the correct category. If there is AOS judging at the show -- and even if there isn't -- AOS judges, accredited, probabionary and students, form teams, you are assigned a team and usually a clerk or two. This is looked on as a learning experience for the clerks -- so they may with the team captains explanations and guidance be asked to make the selection, if the judges don't like it then we'll tell you so, and overrule the clerks, oh I can think of one clerk here that I think is as good as most judges. If you catch it in time you can even correct a wrongly entered plant. This is all done before the show starts. Ribbons and trophies are awarded, in fact I have an expensive one from a paph that's day it was. I have a blue vanda, not awardable that won its class 3 years in a row at the local show - then retired.

Next as the judges and clerks progress they make mental notes of plants they would like to see for AOS judging, I have seen plants pulled from vendors tables at big shows, one even awarded. Basic rule, they can be judged only once on that flowering, that is why you will see some plants marked not for AOS judging, or if it already has an award, the person doesn't want to pay if it gets one more point on this go round, and the current owner pays though they get no credit for it. After ribbon and display judging plants are marked- usually with paper dots or some such thing and the judges retreat to AOS judging. Plants are pulled from the displays and then debated over -- there are cultural awards but usually they are looked at for the standard FCC,AM and HCC, FCC is 90 pts plus AM 80-89and HCC 75-79, the plants are scored by each judge on the team and an average done. If you get an award and that clone has not been awarded before then you get to name it, such as "Lucky Chance" which was given to a vanda species won at a raffle, if there is no name, then you also can name it, that goes to the RHS, oh you pay, but I named a cross after my teenage son who didn't appreciate that he is recorded as an orchid. It used to be $35 if you got an award, they have recently changed it and you get a discount if you pay on line. If you get the award your plant's pic is taken, used to be you got a slide of it, again now they have gone digital, and a lovely certificate. After judging, plants are returned to the display. Plants maybe brought for AOS judging and not entered. They are generally set on the back tables.

SWOGA rules are a little different on show set up and have some other awards, but they are not AOS awards, which are the ones that make a plant maybe worth some money. AOS awards are sought after but there are some famous plants such as Phrag Eric Young 'Rocket Fire' that is a tremendous parent was not and never will be awarded, and I can think of some phals that are that way. When people are buying a plant, it helps if the parents are awarded you can look up the parent even.

There are also a number of judging centers, AOS list them on their web site, typically they meet once a month, they have lectures, raffles etc. While I am told it used to be very formal, they are trying to encourage the public, you may ask the chair if you can sit in on a judging -- not of your own plant -- and he will most likely try to assign you to a team whose leader or members are given to explanations. I know when we have visitors we bend over backwards, on our own we can be very perfunctory. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE EDUCATIONAL.

Insects -- ugh -- well we don't outright throw them out - for one bug -- but please you are subjecting everyone to your infestation. Insect damaged flowers are not judgable and that is what we are judging. Not the plant, unless you are trying for cultural -- then its out period -- how can we give you a cultural if a slug has obviously been there.

It took me awhile to figure out the rules and I still haven't got them all by a lot, the AOS has a rule book and guides, but the easiest way is to clerk a few shows or attend a judging center.

Oh all judges usually get is breakfast and at a big show lunch.

It always seemed strange to me that if you get an AOS award you pay. But it is still a great honor, and a chance to give an honor to someone by naming the clone or even cross after them.

Arthur, that was quite an impressive bunch of orchids in that non-competitive display.

: )

Just a little point that might confuse some newbies if they read Pamelaws extensive informative post.
You do not need to get an award to name an orchid, in fact, i named 36 of them last month. They were all unflowered seedlings issued to Society members for an orchid growing competition.
So......
Epi. Bees' Knees x Epi tampense 'WS#01'
Epi. Bees' Knees x Epi tampense 'WS#02'
and so up to 36. Not very romantic, but you need to know which plant is which.

Not sure if newbies will understand that there is show judging and award judging.
To get an award here you need at least 5 judges to point up the plant. So if you have a little show you might have one panel of 3 judges come and judge your plants and if they see something outstanding they might suggest that you take it to a judging centre where more judges are present.

There are little shows and those large scale affairs where there are lots of vendors, words like orchid fair, orchid extravaganza tend to apply to those.

Perhaps one reason that we can afford to pay prize money here is that the general population grows lots of orchids (mainly Cymbidiums and Australian Native ) as pot plants in their gardens. So at spring/winter shows there is no problem in selling orchids at an Orchid Society Sales Table.

I failed to specify that the name i was talking about is a clone name. Not the grex name of Epi. Bees' Knees x Epi. Tampense which as far as i know has not been named.