The Australian Native Bonsai Awards of 2012 have concluded, the judges score sheets have been compiled and the People’s Choice voting has taken place.
There were less entries in this years awards but the overall standard of trees was high. There were however, excellent trees submitted that scored lower than they should due to poor presentation. It's a real shame! The bonsai photographed with stands, accents, non-distracting backgrounds or shadows, good lighting etc present so much better and therefore scored higher in the areas of 'image' and 'presentation'. They simply look better!
The Australian Native Bonsai Awards will be held again in the first half of 2013 so I encourage you all to start now in preparing your trees for next year. If you don't yet have any Aussie natives in your collection, why not get some.
Our Judges Andrew Ward, Peter Adams and John Marsh have independently graded the entries by point scoring based on Horticulture (which is very hard to judge from pictures), Artistic features (their individual opinion of the aesthetics) as well as design, total image and presentation (pretty much everything else to do with creating and showing bonsai). The combination of differing experiences, countries of origin, taste and ideals has hopefully created a pretty balanced and objective outcome. The scoring has been added together then averaged and we now have clear awardees in each category.
'Awardees, not winners?' you might ask. Everyone who entered is a 'winner' by helping to raise the profile of our art and awareness of the high quality native material we have to work with. There were however trees that stood out in the pictures and 'shined on the day'.
To recap the prizes, the awardees in each category will receive;
Australian Native Bonsai Awards
1st - Carbon steel set of Japanese made bonsai tools in a suede tool roll ($250.00 RRP), A hand drawn sketch of your winning bonsai by Peter Adams (Valued at $150.00) and a certificate.
2nd - Janet Selby limited edition AusBonsai bonsai pot, A signed copy of Bonsai With Australian Native Plants by Dorothy and Vita Koreshoff and certificate
3rd - 42 Mice handmade shohin bonsai pot and certificate
Australian Native Bonsai in training awards
Stock of less than 12 months in training and isn't required to be in a bonsai pot
1st - A custom design program of a possible future design of your winning prebonsai by Peter Adams (Valued at $200.00), A signed copy of Bonsai With Australian Native Plants by Dorothy and Vita Koreshoff and certificate
2nd - Janet Selby limited edition AusBonsai bonsai pot and certificate
3rd - 42 Mice handmade accent pot and certificate
I am extremely pleased and honoured to announce the awardees of this year’s Australian Native Bonsai Awards are. . .
Australian Native Bonsai Award
1st Place: 2nd Place: 3rd Place: Australian Native Bonsai in Training awards
1st Place: 2nd Place: 3rd Place: Australian Native Bonsai Award submissions were also judged by the AusBonsai members for the People’s Choice award. The recipient of this award will receive a Janet Selby limited edition AusBonsai bonsai pot and a certificate.
I am pleased to announce that the recipient of the People’s Choice award, with a majority vote of 25.62% goes to...
I'll save on postage seeing as 3 awards and prizes are going to the Pup household
A big CONGRATULATIONS to the awardees in each category and to everyone who took the time to submit!
Thank you very much John, Peter and Andrew for your time in judging the awards. I really appreciate your assistance guys!
If anyone has ideas or suggestions on ways to enhance the future Australian Native Bonsai Awards, please feel free to post them in this thread or send me a PM if you prefer.
Best regards,
Steven
very deserving winners and well done to the other winners. 
She has asked me to thank all participants, and the judges and Steven.
