humor or reality?

Daffnetters,
The Livermore Show initiated our Show season here in California. The show was very early, but I had many seedlings in bloom (mainly viridiflorus progeny), so was able to make numerous entries using them. I staged the collections (eg, 24 stems in 5 Divs, 12 stems (3+ Divs) in Divs 5-9, 5 American-bred, 5 Intermediates) using only seedlings – with some collections winning, others not. Though Harold Koopowitz & Marilynn Howe and Jon Kawaguchi exhibited their own Miniature seedlings, I was the only exhibitor exhibiting his/her own Standard seedlings.
As Judging Chair I was busy getting the judging completed in the classes and then getting the judges re-assembled to make the choices among the candidates brought forward for ADS Awards. When I announced it was time to select for Best Seedling by Originator from among the candidates brought forward, I looked for the entries brought forward and saw ONE seedling! Of the 50+ seedlings I had staged – the judges thought only one was thought worthy!
Well, at this point the judges reacted this and scurried back to the classes, bringing forward another 14 seedlings. We then proceeded in balloting, and the judges selected Best Seedling. The winner was the one I had hastily cut and entered at the last moment – because although informal in form, it was colorful (with white, green and orange) – what the public likes to see. In fact, when I saw this seedling’s first bloom, I discarded it and only after several years retrieved it from my brother’s garden to use it in breeding greenish daffodils. So of all the seedlings I proudly displayed at the show, the judges ignored them save one, and then selected as the best the one I had once discarded! Does sort of prevent one from getting a puffed ego about one’s accomplishments!
Bob

1 comment for “humor or reality?

  1. Now Bob, you have everyone wondering who the judges were – so they can make a balanced judgement between the merits of your seedlings and the competence of the judges!! :-) ;-) Just mischief making! Brian

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