Why wouldn't you want to give the same level AOS award to the plant? That
would put the plant in the AOS judging system, so that it could be used for
future comparison when considering other awards for the species/grex. Are
the RHS awards looked at by AOS judges when they are scoring a plant? I
didn't think that was the case. If someone didn't put XX/RHS on the tag,
would you even know it was an RHS awarded plant when you were looking at it
on the judging table?

If someone brings a plant to a monthly judging session, then your "It would
cost them another $35 dollars" argument wouldn't apply at all. If an
exhibitor in a show doesn't want to pay $35, they can simply mark their
plant "Not for AOS Judging". I know many judges are reluctant to do
something like upgrading an 80 point AM/AOS to an 85 point AM/AOS because
they don't think there's any point, and I kinda agree with them there.
Witholding an award from a plant because it has an award from a judging
organization in another country doesn't make any sense at all.

-danny

"Rob Halgren" wrote in message
...
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

--
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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