Hi carsten, can you clarify the difference between GM (Gold Medal) and Gold medal (FCC Equivalent)? both are Gold medal, and this plant obviously received a Gold Medal (at least that's what is written on the tag)... it's a bit confusing!
It can be confusing. The D.O.G. judging commitee judges at shows (plants within exhibits and whole exhibits) and also at separate, monthly sessions we call table judging sessions.
In both cases the awards given are Bronze, Silver and Gold medals. The different categories are distinguished by an additional letter in brackets. This Woessner Favourite would have gotten a Gold medal at a show, the full award reads GM (Z)/DOG 2009, where (Z) reads "Zuechtung"= breeding. At a regular judging session it would have received a GM (H)/DOG 2009, where H is for hybrid (primary or at least one species parent). The value of these two Gold medals is somehow different, because the standards are different: at a show, the quality within the show is considered standard. I think that's just like the AOS ribbon judging, but we don't award 1st, 2nd, 3rd.
At table judging the judges are supposed to consider "World Standard", means to compare the presented flower with whatever they've seen anywhere in the world. Gold medals for flower quality at regular judgings are rare. I'd guess we've got a one per mille ratio for Gold medals vs. Bronze and Silver medals. That's the FCC equivalent.
Additionally, we don't award CCE's and CCM's, but rather Gold, Silver, Bronze medals with a tag (K) for culture.
The tag in Peters photo above is the provisorial award label, but if you turn your screen you'll see that the full award is already handwritten on the back of the label. The final certificate will also list the full award.
And Rick, the tag to the left is a Bronze medal tag.