Re: Judges' training, etc.

In a message dated 97-10-17 12:58:36 EDT, Maureen wrote:

<< I have seen exhibits disqualified as the judge determined it was not the
 right cultivar.  This would be easy to do.  When none of the judges are
 familiar with the cultivar, they may refer to the check lists.  The
 check lists may not say that pattern variations occur regularly.  This
 is why it is important for judges to be familiar with the growing
 patterns of as many cultivars as possible - either through growing them
 or regular visits to other gardens.
  >>
The point that I was trying to make at Judges Training, was for judges to be
aware of the instability of color pattern in the  splashed varieties  ....
some, if not all, can throw a nearly solid color bloom....either near pure
white or more commonly, near pure violet.    This is  NOT  okay.   Deduct
points for color and pattern variance.  I just want judges to be aware of
this and not too quickly mark the entry tag  WRONG NAME.  It is harsh to the
beginner exhibitor to have an entry in the iris show thrown out due to wrong
name.  It is gentler to say "wrong color" or "not characteristic color".
   "Wrong color"  will bring out questions which can be answered or
explained......"wrong name"  will bring out hostility which has to be tamed.
    Oh, these cultivars are not registered with notes of possible color
variance!  Because we all know, the bad things that plants or blossoms
do.......they wait and do it AFTER they have been registered and introduced
!!    

Ian noted:      >At Burlington, we saw JI photos of what I can only call
"unmade bed
irises".  No formal structure, no symmetry, just a mass of petals and
deformed standards, etc.  What are the rules to judge such a mess?<<

If you like the "mess", buy it.  If you don't like the mess...don't buy it !
  That is how the non-judge can vote for an iris.   If one thinks an iris is
a mess, and lacks grace and balance, don't vote for it as a judge.   A
judge's vote means that he/she is recommending that iris (bloom and plant
habits) to the public as one of the best of the newer introductions.

John Coble at Ensata.
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