Ain't that a kick in the...pants! So I have to ask, were you given a set of rules or judging guidelines before either event? Something that stated how the results would be judged? Or is everyone flying blind, so to speak?
We were not... And as you see with the comparison between the two.
Last years and this years, it really is up to what the judges decide. Only
problem with this is that obviously it just puts it into their hands as to what
they decide, and how they decide. I am very sure they are all competent and
know what they are doing. I have full confidence in them personally and feel
whole heartily that everyone of them takes this job very seriously.
Obviously there are going to be variations between the way they personally
view doing bonsai and what is of the most importance. There are as I mentioned
in my thread going to be regional differences, where ways of doing certain things
are more the norm, and others not so much, which I am sure is going to hold some
weight with the judges, especially seeing that often they are the one's actually teaching
these techniques.
But to answer your question we as participants are not given a set of actual rules
as to what and how they will be judge. The Judges I know are given a checklist, that
they go through and rate each tree by, where it ask certain questions like how is the
wiring, foliage padding, etc. and they fill out a number value as well as any personal
comment to pass along to us as to how we might improve. At the end these are tallied
up and the results are given. It is all kinda loose and would be very easy for a judge to
perhaps if they wanted to vote with a outside interests in mind I am sure...
However, I would hate to think that anyone would actually do this, and in all honesty,
I don't think anyone really would. I think that most take this with great pride, and it
really is an honor. I personally believe now having done it twice... that how and why the
winners are chosen has a lot more to do with the regional thing I had mentioned earlier.
That the judges are probably more opt to vote higher on ways they are used to seeing
things being done. And are probably more opt to vote lower on ways things are done that
they are not used to...
Now with that said... Smoke is correct that is quite clear to everyone involved, by this I
mean contestants, organizers, judges, public, etc. that main intention is to finish the tree.
That day. And really unless one is injured or as I was last year having to take care of more
important matters, there really is enough time to finish the tree for the most part. And if
one manages their time correctly, there should have been no reason why the others didn't
end up with similar finished trees as I did. The whole goal is to really show the overall picture
of the tree. They want to see some deadwood, jins/sharis, some nice branch placement, fine
wiring, overall composition. negative space, shape of the tree, and padding, etc.
They know that one is not going to be able to necessarily get all these to perfection within
the time allotted, but instead want to see that one is capable of doing overall rather than just perfection
in one area.
I don't know if you were looking for a different answer here, or if I answer and supplied you
with what you were wanting to know. I know you and Smoke are going back n forth here, but
sadly I got to agree with him. Sorry.
I am not agreeing with him just because he likes what I did, and I am sure he is not saying
what he saying just because he likes me
But, what is being missed here and on my discussion,
is that the contest is clearly meant to be about the whole package. Everyone is commenting on
my fine wiring, and missed the whole point that I too created a shari, had plenty of jins... I
did quite a bit of major branch movement, using both guy wires, "v" notching, as well as wiring.
I fine wired all except one small branch that really was to small to wire, I developed pads through
out the whole tree, I sat and trimmed each and every one as I went along as well as removed all
foliage hanging below each and every one of them, I developed a nice fully shaped apex, and the
list goes on and on. The only thing I didn't do was use raffia. Carving is nice, but on a juniper, one
can easily pull and splinter jins and sharis.
So, I gotta go really with Smoke here and say that I should have won in all honesty mainly due
to the fact that I actually did each and everyone of these things and I had the most well rounded
tree which demonstrated that I knew how to do each and every one of the things that normally
one would want to see from a new, up and coming talent, Not to mention proper time management
within the confines of the contest. Which clearly showed I was well aware of exactly how long each
process took and where to devote the most time. Why I did not win... is clearly
a mystery to me... Clearly I guess the judges just viewed it differently.
