Right on Rob, I love your "Random ramblings" & "Rob's rules"!
You say it's your last day of work, are you going on vacation or
are you retiring?
Also what is the name of the Phrag that was given 80 points?
--
Cheers Wendy

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Rob Halgren wrote:
Gene Schurg wrote:

My point of this thread is that I would expect that a plant awarded
an FCC from the RHS (or other group) should also score very high by
other organizations. At least that is what I thought until this
discussion. I find it interesting that a search of your files only
yielded a short list of plants with FCCs from both organizations.

It appears that a plant with an FCC from AOS may not get equal
consideration by the RHS and vice versa.


Hmmm. Ok, I'll give my personal opinion as a probationary AOS
judge here. They can kick me out if I'm wrong... *grin* In my
opinion, it is not worthwhile to give a plant the same quality award
from the AOS and the RHS simultaneously. The purpose of the award
system is to acknowledge superior plants for purposes of advancing
the horticultural desirability of orchids. In other words, plants
with awards are more desirable than plants without awards, and the
award designation helps the public select better plants, and helps
the breeder select better crosses. Probably most importantly,
although it shouldn't be, it is a system for financially rewarding
the grower of the awarded plant.
What does all that mean? It means as a breeder and plantsman, I
know that Paph. Winston Churchill 'Redoubtable' FCC/RHS is a damn fine
specimen of paphly beauty. I don't even need to see the picture, and
pictures lie anyway. I can purchase this plant and be assured that it
is of high quality. I can breed with this plant and presume that the
progeny will have a higher probability of being 'successful' than if I
use the Winston Churchill "Joe Schmoe" clone that I picked up off the
raffle table (although "Indomitable" is a more successful parent, if I
recall correctly). Does it supercede my own aesthetic reasoning? It
shouldn't. If my "Joe Schmoe" clone is nicer in some respect (color,
shape, etc) than some FCC or AM plant, then it is my choice to use
it, I just can't be assured that the plant buying public will be as
apt to purchase my cross. Their loss, and mine, if I'm a commercial
grower.
Anyway, an FCC/RHS or an FCC/AOS is pretty much the same in my
book. The plants would be equally valuable. I don't see much point
in giving an AOS award to an RHS awarded plant. It just makes the
exhibitor pay another 35 dollars. It is quite another thing to
promote an AM/RHS to an FCC/AOS (or vice versa, I suppose). That is
a higher ranked award, and makes the plant correspondingly more
valuable. I am in favor of promoting awards when that is merited. We just
did that on a Phrag a few weeks ago (78pt HCC/AOS promoted to
something well over 80 points AM).

Random ramblings on my last day of work...

Rob