AOS Judging

Slippertalk Orchid Forum

Help Support Slippertalk Orchid Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Mar 9, 2007
Messages
488
Reaction score
1
Location
Los Angeles, California
Okay, I'm confused, I've never really looked into judging before but I am trying to read up a bit and my understanding is that you can only get a plant judged at an AOS judging center, right, am I totally off the mark here? There is no actual judging at orchid shows then, because they compare the plants to a database? Is there anywhere online where I can read about the process, à la "Orchid Judging for Dummies" so I don't have to trouble you all with more inane questions?
 
There are judged orchid shows. Yes, they use databases, but laptops are portable:> I'm sure others have the same questions you do! Judging centers are listed on the AOS website. They usually meet once a month. And then there are judged shows.
 
Candace said:
There are judged orchid shows. Yes, they use databases, but laptops are portable:> I'm sure others have the same questions you do! Judging centers are listed on the AOS website. They usually meet once a month. And then there are judged shows.


And before laptops, there was Awards Quarterly.
 
Lots of shows are AOS judged. Just watch for the shows in your area. Usually the people who are putting on the show let people know if it is AOS judged or not. Also, your local orchid society will probably be a wealth of information regarding judged shows. Also, the AOS website, lists the judging centers. If there is one close to you, I strongly suggest paying a visit to it during monthly judging. If you go, just introduce yourself to some of the people there (probably mostly judges and students) and let them know that you are a visitor and would like to observe the judging process. They are pretty nice people. I have done that on many occassions and have sit in on many judgings. It's very informative. Sometimes the discussions of particular plants gets pretty 'lively.' Also, if you have a plant in bloom at the time of the judges meeting and you want them to look at it, take it along with you. They will help you get it registered. It may or may not get nominated, but there you are.

Good luck with all this.

Craig
 
Most of the shows in my area (Dayton (home), Cincinnati, Columbus) are AOS sanctioned. The orchids are (MAY be if deemed worthy) judged as are the displays. Displays only get trophies. For our recent show, our society had to provide a complete collection of Awards Quarterly, as well as any other reference materials available. Sander's lists, Orchid Wiz, and AOS's e Awards database were on hand.

The AOS sells a small book covering all the details of judging and a AOS sanctioned show. Its called the Handbook on Judging and Exhibition. The MAOC website (mid america orchid conference) also has a set of guidelines based on AOS criteria covering rules and regulations for AOS shows and judging. It is viewable and downloadable as a pdf.
 
Does anyone else think that judging is getting so demanding that eventually it will be almost impossible to improve the standard further to get an award?

I mean plants can only be improved so much can't they???
 
I don't know about that. Certain breeding lines are maxed out, I'm sure. But with 25,000+ species to work with, we will not run out of interesting things for a long time.

I think also that judging tends to reflect trends (or perhaps drive them). Now that complex paphs are becoming more popular, we are seeing more awards to them. Are they better than the best of 30 years ago? Some are. I don't think most are though. That might be a different rant. Along with the rant about certain southern judging regions and the crappy paphs that they keep awarding (I throw away plants that are better than some of the award slides I've seen in the last few months).
 
If you enter a plant in a display at an AOS show and the judges don't pull it for judging, it is considered "screened" and can't be considered for an AOS award on that same blooming. SO, if you have a plant in a show that you want judged, poke one of the judges and ask them what they think. If you want to learn about the process, let them know. If you're not sure, ask them for their honest opinion. Also, you can often carry a plant in to AOS judging that (in our region- Mid-America) is usually Saturday morning after ribbon judging. Let the judging chair know you want it entered for AOS judging and they'll see that it happens.
Yes, there's always room for improvement. Once one breeding line gets tapped out, improvement is the encouragement to try new things. Shoot, even the species (which in reality become hybrids over time) get better with each generation- look at Jason's Phrag. besseae 'Rob's Choice' ! Heck if that's the best besseae that will ever be, the next goal is cultural awards. Imagine that plant with ten spikes!

-Ernie
 
littlefrog said:
(I throw away plants that are better than some of the award slides I've seen in the last few months).
:rollhappy:
More awards of any plant will be made if people breed and grow for higher quality, to get higher flower counts, or better shape or color, etc. For example, look at besseae 'Rob's Choice'. Also as some older judges go out of the loop older crosses will be new to the judges and may make a rebound. :confused:
 
I think Ph. besseae 'Littlefrog Flame' is better than 'Rob's Choice'... I've seen them both in person, although the latter was probably not blooming to its potential as it had been recently divided. 'Rob's Choice' is a damn good breeder though (and beautiful, don't get me wrong), I haven't been able to get anything to take on the flame.

I might be a little biased...
 
smartie2000 said:
AOS judges do come to some shows:)
Unfortunately you have to get your plant to bloom at the right time! They come just once a year

I guess it depends how remote you are, or how willing you are to travel. Here in TN I have acess to about 5 or more regular shows within 4-5 hours of driving time, and they are kinda scattered throughout the spring and fall. The closest Judging center to me is Atlanta which is also about 4 hours away. The judges meet at the center once a month (in this case the 2nd Saturday of each month) . I think they don't meet in December??

Timing for slippers of phals should be pretty easy for these speces. But even with a local judging center its still a timing game for allot of species.
 
Bolero said:
Does anyone else think that judging is getting so demanding that eventually it will be almost impossible to improve the standard further to get an award?

I mean plants can only be improved so much can't they???

That's until they come up with a 8N roth:poke: :poke:

You do have a point Bolero for species and hybrids with a long history. I guess thats one of the attractions for breeders of hybrids, you can always come up with something new. And you can also see the impetus for discovering the next new species. But as the world shrinks the oppertunities to find the next kovachii decreases, and all the new species quality awards will go to weird micro pleurothalids.:evil:

Another outlet though are the cultural awards.
 
Interesting thread again. I make the point here again that there should never be a "max out" on a cross being awarded. I receive awards quarterly & look in disgust at some of the awards given ( hybrids mainly ) and wonder where judging is going. As was discussed at length in the thread of Paph Macarbe, if the plant is worthy of an award it should be given. If comparisons are made between crosses, about one third of the Cattleyas awarded in the USA should have been rejected as inferior enough to be even classed out as a showbench plant. If the theory of enough clones of a cross have been awarded then the next cross given an award of quality due the number of clones exhibited then that should nearly wipe out any chance of further plants of the cross being awarded. For what its worth for those with awards quarterly, have a look thru at the pics, the across the board consistancy is zero. As an observation, some judging groups are up to date and recognise quality where other groups are assessing orchids that were out of date 40 years ago, even as show bench plants.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top