"The Edgleys" wrote in message
...
Dear Experts,

Here are a couple of general show related questions. If you have a system
that really works well, I would like to know.

1) Does anyone have a computer program that handles show entries well? I
envision something that would allow us to print sheets of all plants in a
class by grower category to use for ribbon judging - not AOS. It would
also
be helpful to be able to sort the winners of the classes for trophy
consideration.

The short answer is no. No one has a program that works well for ribbon
judging.

Everyone *THINKS* they have a program that works well for ribbon judging but
in reality none actually work as well as the old fashioned binders.

Why?

Because people will be people.

Exhibitors do not fill out their entry paperwork in advance. You may as well
ask them if they flossed that day. Everyone intends to, but no one except a
few anal retentive ******s actually do.

Small exhibitors gripe that their short list of plant entries get stuck
behind Large exhibitors with a long run of entries. Causing delays. Causing
people to gripe. Causing your show personel to look bad even if they are
bending over backward to help everyone and getting no thanks for it.
Allowing smartalecks to utter 'witty bon mots' at the expense of your
society volunteers. Like: "What jerk thought of that idea?"

Therefore there is a backlog of people waiting for plant entry tags, and
they have to run to get them on the plants before closing.

Additionally just about every program I've seen requires plant entry to be
spelled out - Brassolaeliocattleya instead of Blc. - and lord help you if
you spell it WRONG!! Therefore data gets input in error and/or clerks have
to run and chase down the exhibitor (who is already ****ed off), and/or
clerks figure they'll 'just wait' till the exhibitor comes back to check on
their run, only to find out the clerk didn't know how to spell
brassolaeliocattleya and so they are even further behind than they thought
they were. They really should have flossed too.

So for the 3 seconds it saves one person (juging chair) to 'find out' what
trophies are, you've ****ed off every exhibitor and every volunteer in your
show.

Pretty cool, eh?

Instead, put a sheet of paper (remember paper?) with all the trophies and
rules for selecting trophies on it in the front of your binders and have a
the clerk remember to fill it out as they go along. Note the word CLERK.
Have your clerks trained, and all else falls into place. If your clerks are
dorks, then anything you do will be a joke anyway.



2) Do your "Exhibition Rules" contain a provision that stipulates how
long
an exhibitor must own a plant that is shown for ribbon and trophy
consideration? Do your rules stipulate that the plant must have been
grown
and flowered by the exhibitor in order for ribbon and trophy eligibility?


Yes. Ours state that a person must have owned their plant for 6 months
before being considered for ribbon judging. We do not have cops, but if it
gets out that a person did that they will be thought of as a jerk by the
club in general.

Ours also state that a vendor has to put in an exhibit, but that exhibit
does not have to be entered for judging. Else there would be no 'show' and
it would be nothing but a 'sale'.

Ours also states that diseased or infected plants may not be exhibited and
WILL BE REMOVED from the show. This is especially important in AOS judged
shows since the AOS is no longer enforcing that commonly accepted but
generally unwritten rule. They are trying to figure out what 'pest' and
'disease' means legally, and what consititutes 'infection'. They are also
consulting with Bill Clinton as to the proper definition of 'is'. So, to
prevent the classic finger pointing ('I thought it was against your rules'
'No *I* thought it was against *yours*...' )have it spelled out in your
shows rules if you ever want anyone to ever show their pristine plants in
your show again. It hard enough on the plants to be exhibited in a show.
Lord knows you don't want them coming back with aphids, scale or mealies
too.

Oh yeah, and have fun too!

K Barrett