Thanks, Bart. Absolutely more IBCers should enter! It has
always been a wonder to me that so few people enter the competitions.
(I would have loved to do this, but I was disqualified because I have
been on the BCI board.) I think one problem is that a lot of people
wait to the last minute to photograph, waiting for peak viewing after
the spring flush of growth, and they wind up procrastinating past the
deadlines. Your odds of winning are vastly improved over the Powerball
or other lotteries! ;-)
There is no entry fee for any of these, and the prizes are nice,
not at all inconsequential.
I won't clutter up the list with all the entry requirements.
Instead, I will direct you to the BCI website's Index to Contests and
Awards at http://bonsai-bci.com/contests.htm. Complete rules and entry
forms can be downloaded there.
I would like to point out that the Ben Oki International Design
Award (or BOIDA) has significant rule changes to better insure that
entrants are considered beginners (not just amateur) by their peers.
This is defined as having done bonsai for five years or less and having
this certified by your local club president. And while a nice
professional looking photo can't hurt in trying to impress the judges,
only a single photo will do.
Award Certré International only requires BCI membership and
having the entry bonsai in your possession for at least three years.
Judgment of all submissions is based on the most outstanding bonsai pot
selection, matching pot harmoniously to its tree.
The Ismail Saleh Award allows almost anyone to enter (except
judges and BCI board members) and has similar requirements to Award
Certré International except for the emphasis on container selection.
Alan Walker
http://bonsai-bci.com http://LCBSBonsai.org

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Lewis"
Looking at my latest BCI magazine, I thought that, in general, the
winner trees for the Ben Oki and Award Certe International were, as a
whole, less than sterling for 2003. The Ismail Saleh award, on the
other hand, had a couple of very nice winners -- and they only had 26
entries. (These are, of course, solely my OWN opinions.) The other two
award announcements didn't mention the number of entries, but I seem to
recall a plea for entries for both the Oki and Award Certe' late in the
contest period because they had so few.
I wonder, are three concurrent annual award programs too many?
Should all or a couple of them be combined?
Or should more IBCers enter. ;-)

-----Original Message-----
From: Bart Thomas
Jim & all.
There was a change in the rules for the Ben Oki to encourage entries by
those relatively new to bonsai, rather than a contest among pros and
semi-pros.
I think this is effective in 2004. Yes, more IBCers should enter.
Alan Walker can give you the details.

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