# How do I enter plants into a show or get them judged?



## The Orchid Boy (Oct 8, 2012)

I've been wanting to enter some of my plants into a show or get them judged but I have no idea about the process or what do do to get them ready and I have a little bit of an idea about what makes a good flower. So could someone explain how toget a plant awarded, how to prepare it, ect.?

Thanks


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## NYEric (Oct 8, 2012)

Dont wait for a show, if you check the AOS website and look in the Judging Center area you can find out what the nearest centers are to you and when they meet. You can check AQ+ to see how your flower and plant compares to the AOS standard awards. The AOS level should be higher than the standard show plants entered. If you want to enter plants in a show there is usually a form online available on the Society/show website. you have to fillin the form and possibly an entry fee. Your plant should be in bloom for the show, properly labled and entered into the most appropriate category. It should be clean and no pests present.


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## The Orchid Boy (Oct 8, 2012)

Ok, thanks, I'll look into this. What is AQ+?


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## NYEric (Oct 8, 2012)

It is the plant info/photo record program that AOS uses to judge plants. Awards Quarterly +.


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## Candace (Oct 9, 2012)

Joining your local orchid society would be a great idea. You'll learn a lot by osmosis.


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## mormodes (Oct 9, 2012)

Looks like you are a vendor at the Greater Omaha Orchid Society events. Jim Pryzynsky may still be somehow part of that society. He'd be someone to contact about AOS judging however it appears the Greater Omaha society its self might not be an AOS affiliate. The Lincoln society is an affiliate and if they hold a show they'd have AOS judging. Otherwise you'd take any plants you're interested in getting judged to the judging center in... I'll have to look it up...


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## mormodes (Oct 9, 2012)

Yikes, can it really be teh Mid America center? The center chair is named Joe lankton and he lives in Omaha. His email address is on their webpage http://midamericajudgingcenter.org/


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## The Orchid Boy (Oct 10, 2012)

I'm not a vendor at the show. I'm jus quoting my favorite and only local vendor. I know Jim Pryzynsky is a society member.

I never thought a judging center would be that close!

I'd love to join the orchid society, but I live an hour and fifteen to thirty minutes away. I don't know if I'd be able to make all the meetings and such.


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## mormodes (Oct 10, 2012)

The Orchid Boy said:


> I'm not a vendor at the show. I'm jus quoting my favorite and only local vendor. I know Jim Pryzynsky is a society member.
> 
> I never thought a judging center would be that close!
> 
> I'd love to join the orchid society, but I live an hour and fifteen to thirty minutes away. I don't know if I'd be able to make all the meetings and such.



Oof, yeah, an hour or so away makes it tough. Well, at least now you know some names and location of the region and who to contact.


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## The Orchid Boy (Oct 14, 2012)

I have a sandrianum but I don't know the specific cross or parents because records were lost and got mixed up. Can this be judged or awarded? I'm assuming not...


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## cnycharles (Oct 14, 2012)

yes, you will enter is as paph sanderianum, no parents listed, no clonal name listed (it's name written on your tag and an entry form would read 'Paph sanderianum')

you don't have to make lots of meetings to be a member in a society; if you pay your dues, you will receive newsletters and once in a while meet with other members when you are able to go... and also enter a plant for judging when they have a show, if they have judging


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## The Orchid Boy (Oct 15, 2012)

That's good to know. Thanks.


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## Paphluvr (Nov 14, 2012)

The Orchid Boy said:


> Ok, thanks, I'll look into this. What is AQ+?



AQ+ is "Awards Quarterly", published by The American Orchid Society.


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## The Orchid Boy (Nov 16, 2012)

I have a Paph. sanderianum that I'd love to get judged when it blooms but the leaves a just a little rough. The tips of 2 leaves on the oldest growth are clipped off and the leaves on both the growths are just a little rough with a few nicks and things. Will the roughed up leaves count against it?


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## NYEric (Nov 16, 2012)

Probably.


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## likespaphs (Nov 16, 2012)

i know this is a radical suggestion, but you could cut off the flower spike and only bring that in to be judged


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## The Orchid Boy (Nov 16, 2012)

I know I could do this but the next time it flowers, I'd like to hybridize it with P. Sacagawea's Slippers and/or self pollinate it.


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## Leo Schordje (Nov 18, 2012)

First, definitely go to the Mid-American Judging Center website, get Joe Langton's email address and start a conversation with him. Or even call him, his phone number is on the website too. Joe is an old friend of mine, a good guy and quite knowledgeable in Paphs, Phals and all manner of orchids. Find out where in Omaha area he is. He used to have a part-time retail greenhouse, and he might still be selling orchids at shows and such. He would the the 'second' commercial grower in your area. I have not talked with him recently, but he is definitely a person worth getting to know. He used to have quite a nice collection of Paphs. So definitely get in touch with Joe and Karen. 

http://midamericajudgingcenter.org/Judges.html

Second, when showing an orchid for flower quality awards, the flower is the main thing to be considered. The condition of the leaves is not really supposed to figure into the points for flower quality. When your sanderianum is in bloom, the flower will be spectacular enough that the judges won't notice the nicks and dings on the leaves. The couple broken leaves are all older leaves, which is an understandable by product of owning an older plant of a species with brittle leaves. Yes, NYEric is right, when a plant is marginal, almost good enough for an HCC, if the foliage is great, you have a better chance of scoring higher and getting the award, but if the flower is good, the number of points the foliage condition will cost you won't be enough to prevent you from getting an award. IT MIGHT be the difference between an AM or and HCC, but I would be happy with either award. We won't talk about FCC, that is a holy grail that most of us never reach. 

@ NYEric and the others, I know how the nicks and dings he is talking about looked, and they are there, and he is right, they don't make a perfect presentation. I have seen many a multifloral species awarded with far worse foliage than what he has. His plant has some damage, but it is not an unusual amount of damage. I am not happy about the broken leaves, but he paid less for the plant because of them. By the time it blooms, he will have another new set of leaves, maybe even two, it will look more than good enough. 

When you take the plant out of the house, you need to be aware that the leaves of sanderianum are stiff and brittle. It is amazing how little it takes to crack a leaf. Be careful. 

But definitely get a hold of Joe. He's a great guy.


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## The Orchid Boy (Nov 19, 2012)

Thanks Leo, I'll definitely look into this.


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## eaborne (Nov 20, 2012)

The Orchid Boy said:


> I'd love to join the orchid society, but I live an hour and fifteen to thirty minutes away. I don't know if I'd be able to make all the meetings and such.



My nearest orchid society is the same distance away, about 1hr 15min. Most local societies only cost about +/- $20 per year, which is negligable considering the vast experience of the growers who regularly attend. I unfortunately don't make many meetings due to work, but the few I do make, I sure get to see some amazing orchids in bloom and talk with some expert growers. So even if you make one meeting it would be worth it. I highly suggest you ask to visit other member's greenhouses. I have seen and learned more by visiting than you could ever read about.


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## The Orchid Boy (Jan 4, 2013)

This site:http://midamericajudgingcenter.org/Calendar.html has a calendar for the Mid-America Judging center and for March 2 it says "Greater Omaha Orchid Society Show, 7:00 A.M.". So does this mean that they will be judging orchids before/at the local show?

For the 2012 Orchid Show info, there is a link to 2012 Show Invite, Exhibit Application, Information & Just the 2012 Show Exhibit Application. If I had a plant or two in bloom that I wanted to enter, how would I go about entering just 1 or 2 plants to get judged? Or do you have to have a whole exibit? I'd be doing it for fun and to get experience, and I could brag about my orchids in the show.


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## aquacorps (Jan 4, 2013)

Why do you want to get a plant judged? I went to judging a few years ago in San Francisco. It cured me of my love of orchids.


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## NYEric (Jan 4, 2013)

If you really think that you have an unusual or really well bloomed plant defiinitely take it for show ribbon judging but for AOS judging ... I have only had one plant I thought was worth judging and I got a reality check when I took it in. I have one now that if it blooms in time I may take in and another unusual plant but I definitely wont take them for AOS judging.


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## cnycharles (Jan 4, 2013)

The Orchid Boy said:


> This site:http://midamericajudgingcenter.org/Calendar.html has a calendar for the Mid-America Judging center and for March 2 it says "Greater Omaha Orchid Society Show, 7:00 AIf I had a plant or two in bloom that I wanted to enter, how would I go about entering just 1 or 2 plants to get judged? Or do you have to have a whole exibit? I'd be doing it for fun and to get experience, and I could brag about my orchids in the show.



I would contact the hosts of the show, and ask if you could drop off a plant or a few to be registered and included in their display. If they say no, then check to see what other public groups may be displaying and ask them. I don't think you have to have a plant in ribbon judging to have it aos judged (though maybe each club's rules are different), but you would still need to contact the show people to find out who you would get the plants to, to have it ribbon judged


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## Rick (Jan 4, 2013)

cnycharles said:


> I would contact the hosts of the show, and ask if you could drop off a plant or a few to be registered and included in their display. If they say no, then check to see what other public groups may be displaying and ask them. I don't think you have to have a plant in ribbon judging to have it aos judged (though maybe each club's rules are different), but you would still need to contact the show people to find out who you would get the plants to, to have it ribbon judged



I think you are right Charles.

Every society show (including Mid Americas of which my society has hosted twice)that I've been to has a table for un-affiliated plants. But on top of that, the local hosting society (especially since he is aquanted with the Nebraska folks) would probably be just fine about including his plants in the society display. Just give em a call.


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## SlipperFan (Jan 4, 2013)

Some societies have an "overflow table" for plants that don't make it into an exhibit. That might be an option.


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## SlipperKing (Jan 4, 2013)

When I first started taking plants in for judging I took everything in the greenhouse that was in bloom! (slippers only) I was more then once shooked by what got awarded and what got passed over. I would even take the same plant in year after year if I thought it was award quality and BINGO! they would award it. One other bit of info I need to mention, this group here in Houston rarely ever saw slipper orchids until I showed up. When I got started the paphs were mostly the bulldogs and everyone knew you can grow, let alone, bloom bulldog paphs in hot Texas so people didn't try. ( I didn't know any better)


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## goldenrose (Jan 9, 2013)

The Orchid Boy said:


> This site:http://midamericajudgingcenter.org/Calendar.html has a calendar for the Mid-America Judging center and for March 2 it says "Greater Omaha Orchid Society Show, 7:00 A.M.". So does this mean that they will be judging orchids before/at the local show?


Greater Omaha is hosting the Mid-America show in conjunction with theirs. Judging takes place before the show opens to the public so plants would need to be there & registered the day/night before.


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## Leo Schordje (Jan 10, 2013)

Hey, did you contact Joe Langton yet? He would have the answers. He is 'the guy'. I would email or call him, and also email or call the Omaha orchid society show chair and ask that person about putting your plants in the club display. 

And by contacting Joe, you can find out where his greenhouse is and go shopping. Think Paphs. Lots of Paphs and Phals.


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