In the new Handbook (5th ed), there are two significant changes in how collections are to be judged. First, the new Handbook no longer says, ” . . . a collection is a good as its weakest bloom” (old Handbook p. 9-10). Second, with regard to staging, the new Handbook no longer states, “If all other factors are equal, the the judge may make the award in favor of the exhibit most effectively staged.”
In contrast to the old Handbook, the new Handbook’s first section in Chapter 9 – Judging (P. 89) is POSITIVE JUDGING. Two significant comments are found in the first paragraph: 1) “. . . judges should use a positive approach to judging and not focus on minutiae.”” 2) “Good judging is recognizing and rewarding quality, not just finding every tiny imperfection. Judge Carey Quinn set the standard for all of us who judge, or aspire, to judge daffodils when he said, “It is the responsibility of the Judge to award blue ribbons, not withhold them.”
Ted Snazelle
Judging Schools Chairman
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Ted,
101 Water Oaks Drive
Mississippi
Ted,
101 Water Oaks Drive
Mississippi
Ted Snazelle and ADS Judges,
At 08:06 PM 2/20/2008, Ted Snazelle wrote:
The previous editions of the ADS Handbook NEVER said " a collection is ONLY as good as its weakest bloom." Saying "a collection is as good as its weakest bloom," does not preclude a collection being better than its weakest bloom. It just precludes the collection being weaker than its weakest bloom. This is not a change in judging method for collections – it is a clarification of wording that unfortunately was commonly misinterpreted.
Clay Higgins
It concludes with “There are sevral ways of effectively staging a collection: the only attribute common to them all is that they should look balanced.”
I felt like cheering when I read it (I suspect Delia Bankhead of writing it). Common sense and artistic evaluation which covers a oft-debated subject.
Loyce McKenzie
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