Show Prep and Exhibiting

Exhibiting and Flower pointing

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This is my first and probably last article for daffnet but i feel have to comment on two articles, First the one about whether to N.A.S an exhibit because it is incorrectly named or in the wrong class it is better to encourage exhibitor than knock them down because if you do they will not come back so let’s encourage them.
My second article concerns multiboom judging and pointing does it matter whether you us a 100 points system or 10 as long as the end result is right because the only happy person is going to be the winner.
One last thought does size count (only to a woman so I’m told) size only Carry’s 20% of points so you need to get the other 80% right to score 9 and above.
By the way i judge not only Daff but other flowers and veg in the North of England at local shows and most of time get asked back so i must be doing some thing right
 Hope i have not affended any body.
Chris Bone    

3 comments for “Exhibiting and Flower pointing”

  1. 

    WONDERFUL comments this morning. Jim and Chris have good observations of the pictures we have been painting about ourselves and our hobby/obsessions AND our shows and WHY we put them on each year. ADS is just now beginning to get some third generation judges! While we still have second generation judges active, who were trained by the early masters, can you discuss how you see judging adapting to the next generation of judges and also how the flowers have evolved or changed?
     
    EACH area or region of the USA appears to interpret the “rules” slightly differently. There are some shows that are filled with the same exhibitors with 20, 30 or even 40 years of exhibiting and almost that many years of being a judge.
     
    Other shows are filled with blooms from a majority of exhibitors who are still learning what ALL of the different divisions and color codes are and WHERE on the entry card they should be written and don’t yet have a CLUE as to what class they are put in!
     
    In Texas, Rod Armstrong spends the entire morning explaining which blooms go in what class and WHY. Then ALL of the experienced daffodil growers go through the show and we end up moving dozens or MORE blooms and re-naming them or correcting color codes to get them in the right classes and of COURSE we end up judging and finding MORE blooms in the wrong classes that we try to correct BEFORE they have been judged.
     
    We have never taken our flowers or ourselves SERIOUSLY enough to have even THOUGHT of stuffing a ball of cotton into a daffodil cup or using the card board presses for flattening the petals and so OF COURSE we have NEVER had a need to carry around a MAGNET to check for steel wire pipe cleaners in our shows. (And Donna KNOWS I LOVE her but I REALLY want to get a photo of her checking stems with her magnet for a daffodil program some day:-)))
     
    Jim brings up the point about picking the BEST blooms in the show. When our families name happens to show up on the entry card on the head table I do NOT consider this “MY” bloom! But this award is actually being bestowed on the HYBRIDIZER who either was “lucky” or truly gifted in his or her daffodil breeding. It is THEIR dedication and patience and skill at growing these, multiplying them and being able to disperse these bulbs world wide that even ALLOW us to do the crazy things we do at these daffodil shows.
     
    Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant, Texas looking for 90*F or 34*C for digging bulbs today:-))

  2. Dear Keith,
    Your description of Texas shows remind me of the wonderful Amity Daffodil festival/ADS show that takes place each year in Oregon. It seems that everyone in the area brings a flower including seniors and children and they have such a good time. The elementary school gym is loaded with tables that are covered with flowers. The Oregon Daffodil Society members stage their flowers the evening before the show. As we work on our entries, grooming and staging, we take turns helping people with their 2 or 6 or 10 stems cut from their garden. We explain the rules, identify daffodils, show the boxwood, tubes and blocks, offer advice, select the correct entry areas and listen to stories. It’s their show, too. Maybe some of them will end up being Oregon Daffodil Society members.
    I’m one of those third generation judges. I was a newbie being helped at the show less then ten years ago. It’s fun to hear about shows where the members have been growing and showing daffodils for so long that the standards are really high. I can see how some of you would like those standards raised and more requirements added because you are such great competitors.
    The more rules you make the narrower and steeper the path becomes. Maybe this is not so good for the clubs with majorities of newer members. Personally I find the collection rules to be fine, but I’d also like any staging tips and suggestions that you want to give.

    Resepectfully, Deb in Newport Oregon, where the Pacific Ocean keeps the temperature low and the air moist. (50’s F. and drizzle)

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