Elpaninaro wrote:
Once a plant is in front of an AOS judging team, there is usually discussion of
the plant after which the team votes whether to score the plant. Majority
rules, and if the plant is scored there is a series of strict rules for how to
average and tabulate scores, and what to do in the event that the point spread
between judges is too large. This is all pretty well figured out and you will
usually not see a lot of drama unless a plant is a borderline FCC/AM. That is
when things can get interesting- especially since an FCC requires further
evaluation beyond the vote of one team!
All that is accurate enough, but there is no requirement (at least
in the AOS Judging rules) that an FCC has to be voted on by more than
one team. A legal team (of the proper size and composition) can give
any quality award they want.
(In case you do not know, an FCC is 90-100 points on the judging scale. There
are usually 10-20 of these each year out of thousands of plants judged.)
You don't see many. I've seen some CCE (90-100 point cultural
awards), but I've never been on a team that gave an FCC in over 12 years
of observing and judging... Plenty of high AMs.
That last point is important. It is very difficult to get a high award on a
white Phalaenopsis any more because that breeding has reached a peak where
improvements are incremental at best. However, in a new breeding line a flower
can achieve a very high award and still not be of the same overall quality and
form as a top white Phal that gets nothing.
Absolutely. If the judges have an excellent idea of what to expect,
it is difficult to exceed their expectations. I've seen thousands of
white phalaenopsis, so it would take something truely extraordinary to
press my buttons. That said, we've awarded several white phals in the
last couple years in our center, there are still improvements being made.
Time is vital. Best case of this is the highest FCC score ever granted- several
decades ago to a Vanda Rothschildiana. The plant got a 98 point FCC. I am not
aware of this score having ever been exceeded since.
I didn't see the 98 pt FCC in Wildcatt when I was looking, but this
is an excellent point. The highest FCCs I could find were to Paph.
armeniacum. Because it was yellow, I presume. Those FCC awards given
to the first couple plants exhibited are not at all impressive compared
to even the most average Paph. armeniacum today.
Most people are reasonable and there to have fun. But every show will have at
least one colorful tale when you take that many educated and opinionated
people, ship half of them out of town and keep them up until 2 in the morning
Some shows have several tales... *grin*
Rob
--
Rob's Rules:
http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit
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