Paph (Whitemoor x Ravenhunter)'SPL Orchid Loft'

[Ross]

Bob W., thank you for the information on the plant. Roy and everyone else, please continue the discussion, I find it very interesting.

How can regional differences in judging centers be accounted for? I know that Frank Smith is an excellent hybridizer and is probably a great person, but lately the Paph section of Awards Quarterly looks more like a Krull-Smith catalog. Is Mr. Smith really that far ahead of other hybrizers or is the judging of Paphs a little different there?

Just an update: After having the opportunity to visit Krull-Smith several times and meet Frank, 1. he is a great guy and 2. his plants are that good. He has, of course since sold his Paph collection to June's Orchid Estate.

 

[NYEric]

I think that AOS judging needs to take in the factors of foreign growers more. I don't know about foreign paphs but recently at the Mass Orchid regioinal session they were discussing current Phals from Asia and I remarked that judges must update their judging standard to account for the improvements of form and quantity thet the "oprchid farms" in Asia are presenting. Even if it takes a while for blooms/plants of such high quality to filter their way to regional judgings they eventually will and to award obviously inferior quality would be a disservice to the presenters.