| ORCHIDS OF THE YEAR 2003
Once
again it is with great pleasure that I announce the recipients of these
three prestigious AOC honours.
Voting
was required in two categories only, since the hybrid which has received
the honour was the only one to be accorded an FCC in 2003. There were six
nominations for the Award of Distinction of the Year and three for the
Orchid Species of the Year.
In
2003 there were a total of 176 awards granted by AOC Judges of the
Regional Panels; of these thirty nine were granted at the very successful
16th Australian Orchid
Conference, held in Adelaide in September 2003. It was decided that,
due to the number of awards granted and the need to allow South
Australian awards to be not ‘swamped’ by the awards granted at the
Conference, nominations for all three categories should be received
from the Conference Awards: this is to happen each Conference Year.
To
the AOC Judges in the seven Regional Panels I express the appreciation of
the AOC for the sterling work which you perform, often at very short
notice, as a service to orchid growers. Thankyou also is extended to the
Registrars of the Regional Panels; their record keeping and maintenance of
the AOC Judging Programme is very much appreciated.
It
is pleasing to note that we have winners from three different Regions this
year.
Colin
Jennings FAOC
AOC
Registrar General of Judging
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AOC
ORCHID HYBRID OF THE YEAR
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Masd.
Midas Touch 'Golden Dynasty'
FCC/AOC (2003)
Preston & Vivienne
Ling, Tasmania
AOC #3164
Preston
& Vivienne Ling, members of the Burnie Orchid Society, have once again
been granted the highest honour for a hybrid orchid. In May 2003 they
presented a magnificent pair of flowers of Masd.
Midas Touch ‘Golden Dynasty’ to a panel in Tasmania and were rewarded
with a First Class Certificate; points given were 85.0.
The
parents are Masd.
Copper Queen and Masd. falcata.
Comments on the award application form read: “A very well balanced
flower of exceptional substance and fine texture. A magnificent flower in
pristine condition.”
Congratulations
to Preston & Vivienne on presenting such a fine orchid and on being
rewarded in this way.
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AOC
ORCHID SPECIES OF THE YEAR |
Bulbophyllum graveolens ‘Canecutter’
AM/AOC (2003)
Warrick
Jarvis, Queensland
AOC
#3141 |
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Warrick
Jarvis, from the North Queensland Orchid Society, Cairns, presented a
“clean, well grown plant” to the Sub-Regional Panel in October 2003.
Carrying four inflorescences and a total of seventy one flowers, Bulbophyllum
graveolens ‘Canecutter’
received an AM with 81.5 points.
The
judges’ comments were: “Flowers of uniform shape and excellent colour.
Superior to a previously awarded plant in all aspects. Flower count higher
than usual. Very pleasing to the eye.”
Congratulations to Warrick on the
presentation of such a fine, well grown
orchid.
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AOC
AWARD OF DISTINCTION OF THE YEAR |
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Paph.
Starr Ruby ‘Tommy’
AD/AOC (2003)
P
& R Orchids, New South Wales
AOC
#3079
 The
six nominations this year gave the judges something to think about, with
three of the nominations receiving at least one “First” vote from a
Regional Panel. The outcome was that P & R Orchids’ plant of Paph. Starr Ruby ‘Tommy’ AD/AOC was the winner in this category.
P & R Orchids are based in Port Macquarie, NSW.
It
was probably the intense depth of colour which had an influence in the
final analysis. Of significance in the parentage is Paph. Vintner’s Treasure; well known for the number of wine-red
progeny it has produced. The other parent was the species Paphiopedilum
charlesworthii, also known for its contribution to redness.
Congratulations
Peter on receiving this recognition for such a strongly coloured orchid.
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