Re: iris 101 (beginners class)

Beth:
	The information you seek is in the Judge's Handbook which can be
purchased thrugh the AIS Bulletin for under $15.00 It is so cheap and so
full of the official rules that judges have to take exams based on the 
info in there in order to become accredited.  ANYONE can buy the book.
	Even though the rules are very so that there's no subjectivity
there's a Point system to the judging.  All that so that the judge's opinion
is not based on LIKES and DISLIKES or recognizing a person's handwriting, or
even a particular cultivar or hybridizer.  
	But it happens all the time that judging is subjective and so the
opinion of people on this robin is extremely valuable IN ADDITION TO the
information in the handbook.  
	Judge's training is open to EVERYBODY whether or not you want to take
the exams to become accredited.  AS FAR AS I KNOW, you ALWAYS pass the exam.
The answers are given RIGHT AWAY and you correct your own test paper (remember
school?) Nobody carries a red pencil or gives you a score.  The judge giving
the exam simply reports that the potential judge took the exam and credit
is given by (who is the Judge's training chair of AIS??) and lickity split,
yer a judge.  The problem is in finding the judge's training classes.  Some
times that requires traveling. 
	Clarence Mahan is going to give a judge's training class in beardless
iris in July in Western New York.  This is valuable and hard to find!!
	So I'm not misleading anyone, several training classes have to be
taken and there are certain ones you must have.  It's a good idea to live
near (sort of like choosing your parents) an active club that has a lot of
judges and encourages new judges so that you can ask for the kinds of judge's
training you need.  The process takes probably three years.  Hey, that's less
than betting a Ph.D, but more than getting a Master's Degree!!  And judge's
must vote the AIS official Ballot each year, which means going to many many
many gardens to see blooms over and over and over and over again to compare
cultivars and growth and color and all sorts of things.
	ALL THIS HAS THE PURPOSE of being able to make recommendations of
cultivars that are good growers in your area.  The mission of AIS is to
educate the public (whatever you chose that public to be) on all aspects ofIRIS.
	And as a judge, you are often asked to travel to judge shows which is
a great way to see more iris and to meet more people.  There are just lots
of bennies .. AND IT"S FUN if it ain't fun, it ain't worth doin'.
CarolynSchaffner, Buffalo, NY
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