BCOS Show Table guidelines and eligibility requirements

Awards will be given for first, second and third place. Honorable Mention may also be awarded. Fewer than three plants in one of the categories does not automatically qualify them for first or second prize; it will be at the judges’ discretion to select the most appropriate award.

The judges may also award a plant for Best Grown if they feel the award appropriate. This award is not a required award for the meeting but is given at the judging team’s discretion. The award is encouraged for both Windowsill and Greenhouse growers. The award is not limited to a single plant but may be given to multiple plants.

Orchids will be judged in the following categories for both Windowsill and Greenhouse growers:

· Species

· Classic Cattleya

· Cattleya Alliance

· Cymbidiums

· Dendrobiums

· Pleurothallid Alliance

· Miniatures

· Oncidium Alliance

· Open

· Paphiopedilum and Phragmipedium Alliance

· Phalaenopsis and Doritis Alliance

· Vanda Alliance

Changes to the categories (additions/removals) are by member vote.

Judging slips must be filled in appropriately with the plant name and category. Members’ names must be on the reverse side for appropriate recognition.

No-Name plants (Lost Label) are acceptable on the showtable.

To be judged, an orchid must be in the member’s possession for at least three months. Having a plant judged that you have just purchased is considered bad form. You can however place the plant on the show table. Use the white forms that signify the plant is not to be judged. Bringing your recent acquisitions to a meeting is encouraged.

Any plant awarded a First Place is not eligible for repeat judging until three months have elapsed.

Plant category placement is the responsibility of the member. However, judges at their discretion may move an incorrectly placed plant into a more appropriate category. Plants may be shown for educational purposes but not judged, use the white plant slips to indicate this.

During the judging on any given evening, if the there is a large number of plants in one category, the judges may, at their discretion split a category to allow a greater number of plants to be awarded. Splitting the category can be based on, but not limited to:

· Size

· Type

· Genus

· Color

 

Points shall be awarded for show table plants as follows

1st place 4 points

2nd Place 3 points

3rd Place 2 points

HM 1 points

Best Grown 5 points

 

Definitions

Greenhouse Grower: The Greenhouse grower is a grower that has any plants from their collection in a greenhouse. A greenhouse is defined as a structure with a transparent roof that allows sunlight to pass for the purpose of growing plants.

Windowsill Grower: The Windowsill grower is a grower who does not grow their plants in a greenhouse. This may be, but is not limited to, a window using natural light, or artificial light as in a basement growing area.

Best Grown   A plant awarded as best grown exhibits a quality above that which is normally expected for the species/grex. The intent is to award the grower for outstanding culture. This is most often demonstrated as above normal flowering of the plant. Other considerations for this award may be:

· Amount of inflorescences on the plant

· Difficulty in culture

· Condition of plant

 

Species   The Species category includes all orchids that are species plants and specifically, not a hybrid. The exception to this would be the inclusion of natural hybrids. The category is designed to show those plants as they would appear in the wild excluding man made crosses.

Classic Cattleya   The Classic Cattleya includes all Cattleya hybrids that use C labiata as the basis for breeding. This category also includes the Cattleya species that have the labiata form, e.g. Cattleya mossiae, warneri, wascewiczii, mendellii, dowiana, trianae.

Cattleya Alliance   The Cattleya Alliance includes all other genre, hybrids and intergeneric hybrids within the sub-tribe Laeliinae that do not have C labiata in the breeding. This includes (but is not limited to: Cattleya, Laelia, Epidendrum, Encyclia, Brassavola, and Sophronitis.

Cymbidium   This category includes all cymbidiums whether species or hybrids.

Dendrobium  This category includes all dendrobiums whether species or hybrids.

Pleurothallid Alliance  The Pleurothallid Alliance includes genre, hybrids and intergeneric hybrids belonging to the sub-tribe Pleurothallidinae. It includes (but is not limited to) Masdevallia, Dracula, Pleurothallis, Restrepia, Lepanthes, Dryadella and Porroglossum.

Miniatures  This category includes all orchids whether species or hybrids that are less than 6” in height or width. The height of the plant is to be measured from the tip of the leaf (or the tallest part of the plant) to the surface of the medium or mount. The width is to be measured at the widest natural dimension of the foliage. The dimension is not to include the inflorescence or flower in the measurement. The intent is for the plant to be able to fit into a 6” cube excluding the medium and flowers/inflorescence.

Note: For plants with multiple growths, the measurement is to be applied to the largest single growth, not the entire plant. This is to accommodate specimen plants.

Oncidium Alliance  This category includes all genre, hybrids and intergeneric hybrids within the sub-tribe Oncidiinae. This includes (but not limited to) Oncidiums, Brassia, Cyrtochilum, Miltonia, Odontoglossum, Psychopsis, Tolumnia, and Trichocentrum.

Open  The Open Category is for plants that do not fit into any of the current show table categories. There is one exception to this. Species plants can compete in this category if they do not fit into any of the other categories. For example, Maxillaria tenuifolia could be entered into Open or Species categories as the exhibitor wishes because it will not fit into any other category. Cattleya walkeriana could be entered into the Species category but not in the Open category because it will also fit into the Cattleya Alliance. It must compete in the Species or Cattleya Alliance categories.

Paph and Phag Alliance  This category includes all paphiopedilums and phragmipediums whether species or hybrids.

Phal and Dtps Alliance  This category includes all Phalaenopsis whether species, hybrids or intergeneric hybrids.

Vanda Alliance  This category includes all plants within the Tribe Vandaeae whether species, hybrids or intergeneric hybrids excluding Phalaenopsis. It includes from the subtribe Aeridinae (but is not limited to) Aerides, Ascocentrum, Holcoglossum, Renanthera, Rhynchostylis, Trichoglottis, Vanda, and Vandopsis. It also includes from the subtribe Angraecinae (but is not limited to) Aerangis, Aeranthes, Angraecum, and Jumellea.