Once again readers are confronted with Candace attempting to rain on someone else's parade. Apparently it irritates her that someone might purchase a plant and have it awarded although they didn't personally bloom it. Putting aside the fact that this is her own personal problem, and ignoring her rudeness in attempting to cast a shadow on someone else's moment in the sun, certain points must be raised in defense of this practice.
The distinction between floral quality and cultural awards must be recognized. An HCC, an AM or an FCC is granted to acknowledge the qualities inherent in the plant itself, and is in no way to be construed as a recognition of the exhibitor's skills as a grower. Exhibitors are granted cultural awards, plants receive quality awards. Exhibitors may take pride in recognizing the sort of qualities that the judges value, but that is the limit of the accomplishment. Nothing else is implied.
The judging process is a means of establishing the current state of the art of orchid breeding, and in the case of species it is accomplished through line- and selective breeding. Flawed though it may be (an entirely different debate), judging provides a permanent record of at least some of the best products of breeding programs throughout the world. To argue against exhibiting or awarding any superior plant is an argument in favor of limiting that record. Other than for personal reasons, it is hard to understand the rationale for advancing such an argument.
The implication here is that one should only submit plants for judging that they have personally bloomed. That would exclude plants that are boarded in a commercial greenhouse, since it is the operator of the greenhouse who actually grew and bloomed the plant. This might also be a source of irritation to Candace, but of course she can't know with any certainty exactly who grew any given plant. Perhaps she would be less irritated if the exhibitor simply lied and claimed to have grown the plant him- or herself.
Sadly, some of the best orchid clones don't survive their first blooming, due to a variety of factors, some of which are unrelated to the quality of the plant. Should such plants merely be consigned to oblivion in the name of some misguided principle? I don't think so.
Congratulations Tim and Kate!
Rick Barry
