Re: SHOW: Tough judges
I don't say much on this list but I can agree with this and add my "well
said".
Vernon Brown, Lubbock, TX USA Zone 7
----- Original Message -----
From: John Bruce <jbruce@infinet.com>
To: <iris-talk@egroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2000 1:53 AM
Subject: Re: [iris-talk] SHOW: Tough judges
> When discussing judging, I think understanding the purpose
> of the show is important. I am new to showing, only having participated
> in 4 shows over the last 3 years. It is my understanding that a show's
> primary purpose is to increase public awareness of irises. A secondary
> purpose is to show the public examples of irises at their best. Finally,
> and least, it is to allow growers to proudly show what they grow within a
> spirit of friendly competition.
>
> For the public, we need to put our best foot forward.
>
> Anyone participating for the third reason should care enough to learn
basic
> grooming techniques and basic rules of the show. More is judged than just
> how a specimen stands up against perfection. A show judges the skill
> of the exhibitor in growing and displaying an iris. Just because a show
> lacks
> a lot of competitors or has a lot of new exhibitors isn't an excuse to
> ignore basics.
> Even a first time exhibitor should not surprised if a fall torn in
transit,
> a spent
> bloom left attached, or a mislabeled variety does not get a blue ribbon or
> is passed
> by the judge. Smaller mistakes that may result in a lesser ribbon should
be
> used
> as a learning experience for the next time. When the public sees a
> beautiful stalk
> get something less than a blue, it is a good opportunity to explain why it
> did not.
> No branching? Bloom fading and folding up? Silverado labeled as Dusky
> Challenger?
> Explaining this is how newbies can learn about irises, and the primary
goals
> of the
> show are achieved. If you have a lot of new exhibitors, have someone
> experienced put on
> a grooming clinic and mock judging at the meeting before the show.
>
> Should we let the public think that a stalk of Dusky Challenger with 3
buds
> and
> no branches because the weather was bad deserves a blue ribbon? No way!
> Should a judge overlook poor grooming just because no one did their
> homework?
> Again, no. On the other hand, acceptable grooming and not-so-great stalks
> due to
> weather-related issues deserve something better than a pass. Some
> recognition of
> the effort of the exhibitor needs to be there to encourage future
> participation. Shows
> have to be fun and rewarding if folks are to continue to participate.
> Judges who are
> too stingy to award an Honorable Mention for a specimen on which someone
has
> obviously made an effort on definitely do a disservice to the show. A
blue
> ribbon for
> a fine specimen that is well groomed but still not worthy of Best of Show
> does no harm.
> Still, it should be a good specimen with good grooming and presentation. I
> agree that the
> best possible course for judges who are deemed too harsh is probably to
get
> different judges the next time- but one needs to carefully consider if it
> was unnecessarily
> harsh.
>
> Judges have a fine line to walk between the standards they are required to
> maintain and keeping exhibitors interested in competing. I imagine the job
> to be quite
> daunting at times. I am grateful to the judges in our club for educating
> our members
> on grooming and showing. Thanks to their instruction, in the 4 shows we
> have been in
> we have always had at least 2 runner ups on the Queen's table. Watching
the
> winners
> has taught us about stalk selection--what to show or not show.
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> John Bruce jbruce@infinet.com
> SW Ohio, USDA Zone 5b, Sunset #35
> USA--Mid-Midwest
> AIS Region 6, SSI,HIPS,TBIS, SIGNA
> President, Miami Valley Iris Society
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>
>
>
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