Spring Show 2016

01 November 2016

Spring Orchid Show Results

A kaleidoscope of colours and the heady fragrance of Australian Native Orchids en masse greeted visitors to the Bega Civic Centre as the Sapphire Coast Orchid Club presented its annual Spring Orchid Show on the 22nd and 23rd September. It"s an exceptional flowering year for our Aussie natives, and they made a truly spectacular display, complemented by a very good variety of exotic genera including Cymbidiums, Cattleyas and Masdevallias. The display was of a high quality and attracted many positive comments from both the judges and visitors alike.

All the classes were very well contested. Michael Wood from Kalaru has established himself as the master Australian Native grower, all of his plants being of very high quality and beautifully presented. His outstanding Dendrobium speciosum ‘Peninsula Princess’ x grandiflorum "Berangi Gold", with 11 long, arching racemes of yellow flowers so impressed the judges that it was awarded with four championships, Champion Australian Native or Native Hybrid, Champion Species Orchid, Champion Seedling Other than Cymbidium and Grand Champion of the Show.

Bobby and Muriel Bell from Eden have long set the standard when it comes to Cymbidiums, and they once again had a very successful show. Their eye-catching orange Cymbidium Foxfire Amber Dural was awarded Champion Cymbidium 90mm and Over, their Cymbidium Radiant Ruby "Dark Lady", carrying 7 racemes of deep red flowers, won Champion Cymbidium 60mm to 90mm, and their charming Cymbidium Dorothy Stockstill ‘Forgotten Fruits’ with 17 racemes of dainty red flowers cascading all around the pot, was awarded Champion Cymbidium Under 60 mm.

Michael and Bobby and Muriel couldn"t be separated and were joint winners of the overall pointscore and shared the Maurine Cochrane trophy. Well done and congratulations.

Rounding off the cymbidium classes, Austin Legler from Pambula won Champion Cymbidium Seedling with his pretty, pendulous Cymbidium Mary Green ‘Cafe Late’.

Ulli Cliff from Bega loves her Cattleyas, and her beautiful Cookara Tropical Snowflake "The Bells", carrying 5 racemes of white flowers with a pink blush, was judged Champion Laeliinae Alliance. Ulli also won Champion Vandaceous Orchid with her Papilionanthe vandarum, but it was her charming little slipper orchid Paph Raisin Jack which carried away Champion Paphiopedilum and Reserve Champion of the Show, proving that size doesn"t always matter.

Champion Specimen went to Margaret Wong from Mallacoota for her giant Dendrobium gracilicaule. With too many flowers to count this beautiful specimen took two men to get on the bench!

Graham Gray from Eden was also amongst the winners with his beautiful red Masdevallia Falcata "Donna" being awarded Champion Orchid Any Other Genera.

Merle Danvers from Bega won Champion Novice for her beautifully grown and presented Wdwa (Zga Kiwi ‘Aussie Stripes’ x Zga Dynamite ‘Starburst’). Merle also won Champion Fern & Foliage. Well done Merle.

Champion Floral Art once again went to Helen Fraser for her beautiful imaginative arrangement featuring cymbidium flowers.

Congratulations to all winners and exhibitors and thank you to all who helped make this show such a wonderful success.

Sapphire Coast Orchid Club would like to thank our principal sponsors Bendigo Bank Bega branch supported by our long time sponsors Southern Farm Supplies of Bega, for their generous support of our show.

© 2016 Ulli Cliff