A show to remember (From Gazette Series)

A show to remember

SHOW Secretary Sue Bannister was pleased with the results of Slimbridge Horticultural Society's 2004 Spring Show at Slimbridge Village Hall on Saturday. It produced some admirable exhibits, some remarkable ones and no little controversy!.

In the section for under fives, well supported by the playgroup, Shannon Chappell ran out the winner.

The Webb girls cleaned up in the children's classes with Emily winning the five to nine years and Georgina the nine to 16 years. Their entries in every class were so good that the show secretary expects them to be repeating this result for a good few years to come.

There were 129 entries in the 12 daffodil classes. Godfrey Fryer won seven on these and went home with the Tom Goatman Cup for the most points in show and the Severndene Cup for the best exhibit in sections A and B with his vase of mixed narcissi and daffodils. With the help of his daughter and granddaughter he also found time to run a successful stall offering pelargoniums, fuchsias and a wide range of many other plants.

Regular exhibitors Sylvia Hatcliffe and club president Syd James both won trophies and were joined by a relatively new member, Norma Griffiths, who must be congratulated for putting so many exhibits on the benches.

There was an anxious time when with 15 minutes to go, Pat Frampton had not arrived with her cookery entries. Husband Bill got her to the hall just in time and she duly won four of the six cookery classes to take the cup.

The most interesting exhibit was the pineapple plant entered by Val and Gordon Scott.

Sylvia Pain was awarded the best exhibit in show for her simple, yet beautiful decoration of spring flower and foliage. Celia Morris won the two other floral decoration classes. Charlie Tarr cleaned up in the word competition with a superb 146 words.

Presenting the trophies Doreen Hobbs, a vice-president of the club, complimented everyone on a very successful show.

The controversy was sparked when John Howes, judging the flower sections, declined to award ten place cards. The huge entry in the daffodil classes is largely due to his efforts over the years. When he came to Slimbridge for the first time to give a talk on growing and showing daffodils there were probably no more than 46 entries in the Spring Show.

Mr Howes is a widely respected judge at village and town shows and also judges at the RHS Malvern Spring Show. He is a Member of the Guild of Judges which agrees the full complement of children's awards should be given, plus as many highly commended cards as the show secretary has available, to provide maximum encouragement.

But a judge may take the view it is unfair to award a prize, first, second or third to an entry below the standard expected - unfair to exhibitors in more competitive classes, whose entries would only score the same points as those the judge wants to down-rate, when it comes to totalling points for a trophy for all classes in that section.

The Guild of Judges is not wholly agreed on what action to take so it is left to individual judges to make his or her own decision.

Mr Howes did pay members a compliment in that he recognised the show is now of some standing.

However, it is a club of mixed abilities and the chairman Peter Ballard says to anyone exhibiting for the first time who felt he or she deserved a card and did not get one: "I am sorry but we accept the judge's decision as final and hope you have gained knowledge by your entry and will try again.

"To the more experienced exhibitors, let's ask ourselves is it just possible that John Howes was right?

"I am sure I haven't ended the controversy. I may have enflamed it but hope I have presented both sides fairly".