Re: SHOW: HIST: Eligibility for Best Specimen
- Subject: Re: SHOW: HIST: Eligibility for Best Specimen
- From: P* D*
- Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 23:11:17 -0600
From: "Perry Dyer" <pdyer@flash.net>
And, as Anner stated, the new handbook fortunately clarifies the statement
on C-69. The spirit of the statement is correct, but has often been
misconstrued. The key here is "all things being equal", go with the newer
variety. This is because we, through our shows, are supposed to be
educating the public (and hopefully, each other). USUALLY the fancy new
blue plicata with the incredible form, branching, and substance is an
"advancement" over the strappy, limp, snaky-stemmed plicata from 50 years
ago. But, by golly, if you POINT SCORE the two, against perfection for the
variety that they were registered as, and the Historic comes out ahead in
the end, the judge has an ethical obligation to award the Queen of Show to
the highest point score. I have found that point scoring has become a rare
thing in the newer judges. When I'm tutoring an apprentice at a show, one
thing we do, AFTER the show is judged and open to the public, is take 15
minutes and get them to point score those on the Queen's Table, to see how
we real-judges did. Sometimes it's enlightening; sometimes embarrassing.
Our clubs are just now getting the hang of the "Historic" section; some
shows still don't have one. But I think it's important, to show the grace
of the older ones that, frankly, some of the supersonic, decadently bubble
ruffled, cookie cutter varieties of today simply don't (can't) possess. It
also reminds us from whence we have come. And in a way, I think it pays
homage to the ancestors that produced what we have today.
And for a show stopper on the bench, I'll STILL take a Violet Harmony, Cup
Race, Piety, Stepping Out, Winter Olympics, or Joyce Terry ANY day over some
of the newer varieties.
Perry Dyer
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff and Carolyn Walters <jcwalters@bridgernet.com>
To: iris-talk@onelist.com <iris-talk@onelist.com>
Date: Tuesday, March 16, 1999 8:39 PM
Subject: [iris-talk] SHOW: HIST: Eligibility for Best Specimen
>From: "Jeff and Carolyn Walters" <jcwalters@bridgernet.com>
>
>Cindy Rust wrote:
>
>> >I have never understood why a historical iris
>> >cannot be considered for Queen (this has never stopped STEPPING OUT in
>our
>> >club!), but I DO NOT want to start another upset, so I am not asking,
>only
>> >stating!
>
>To which Perry Dyer responded:
>> Huh?
>
>Perry,
>
>Check out page C-69 of the 1985 AIS Judges Handbook, where you should find
>the following statement: "This does not suggest that only the latest
>introduction can qualify for the honor (of Best Specimen in Show), but an
>older variety of obviously outdated features should not be selected even if
>the entry is an excellent specimen of the variety."
>
>As Anner has already indicated in a follow-up posting, this language was
>altered to read in a less prohibitive sense in the new (1998) edition of
>the Judges' Handbook.
>
>Jeff Walters in northern Utah (USDA Zone 4/5, Sunset Zone 2)
>jcwalters@bridgernet.com
>
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