Show on the Gold Coast

[Bush bunny]

Umm, sour grapes. The whole point is everyone had a chance to go, if they were prepared for the cost involved.

[Bougy Fan]

Sorry bush bunny I disagree. The $800 gives you accommodation as well as 3 day registration. Access to the international demonstrators as well as food. "Getting in for nothing" is only to have a look at the trees displayed and support the traders who may have traveeled a long way. For some people perhaps the only opportunity to view trees such as Grant's banksia. If it has been customary at every previous convention then why would it be different at this one ?

[DavidWilloughby]

Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't it a BCI convention hosted by the AABC ?

The cost is inconsequential, for the knowledge one could gain at such an event is priceless.

EDITED for syntax and grammar.

[Bush bunny]

OK, Everyone has different opinions, but take it up next time with the organizers before hand. I believe from what I have read, they did tell beforehand, no one but registered participants could be allowed in. Fair enough?

[Pup]

Sorry bush bunny I disagree. The $800 gives you accommodation as well as 3 day registration. Access to the international demonstrators as well as food. "Getting in for nothing" is only to have a look at the trees displayed and support the traders who may have traveeled a long way. For some people perhaps the only opportunity to view trees such as Grant's banksia. If it has been customary at every previous convention then why would it be different at this one ?

$ 800-00 is fine, but another 1200 for air fares so mrs pup and myself could go, is a bit hard for pensioners we did not go because of such.

But if I had lived over there I would have gone. I do believe the opportunity to promote Bonsai with in Australia has been missed. There are many members of clubs in QLD that would have gone to see the show, but with tight finances could not afford the $ 800-00
Just my honest opinion .
Pup

[Bougy Fan]

My point exactly Pup - this year has been terrible for me running my own business with a depressed economy. Hopefully next time around the convention will be in Brisbane and I won't have to pay accommodation costs.

[kcpoole]

I believe from what I have read, they did tell beforehand, no one but registered participants could be allowed in.?

Who did they tell and how?
fropm what I understand it was not on any of the publications or the websites as far as I know, and this year, the event replaced this years AABC with no indication before of the policy not to allow walk ins.

In fact this thread osted by PeterW, Specifically asks for trees to be submitted for the display, but yet does not mention the policy.
viewtopic.php?f=25&t=17226&p=177250&hilit=+aabc#p177250

the language used indicates that
A/ it is the AABC Convention which also happens to be hosting the BCI for this year
B/ that there will be a display of trees on Show ( where the public is always previousely been allowed and encouraged).

Sorry to disagree, but when the rules change on the day, without giving everyone that may be interested an opportunity to discuss then that is just unfair


Someone mentioned upthread, that the reason that the Display and Trade areas were not open was that they are in the same room as the convention was.
When one checks the BCI website about the event it states that the Convention, Sales area, and Display are in different rooms.

The Convention will be hosted in the
QT Ballroom with all meals served in the
Pipeline Room. The Sunset Room and
Lounge will host an exhibition of Australia’s
premiere Bonsai and Suiseki. A retail area
will be hosted in the Long Beach Room.

I do not know the hotel layout, but usually that means the individual events can be held in different rooms at the same time.

Ken

[John Henry]

I would say the rules were made up as they went along, at the end of the day its obvious the powers to be made the wrong choice of venue

[Bush bunny]

Ken, read Hashimoko's post on 22nd August. That's where I got the info from.

Cheers

Pat

[Gerard]

The Convention was jointly hosted 50/50 AABC BCI
(I have no connection with the organizing committee) But I did speak about the issue at length.
I know that 3+ years went into the planning, I know that enabling access to the general public was always their desire but this venue did not allow.
Another venue?
A marquis on the tennis court?
Were given serious consideration.
Add $10,000 to the cost
Spread over approximately 500 visitors
= $20 per head for visitors
Many would say $20 is reasonable but I can imagine the outrage some would even accuse them of being elitist

The AABC committee is short of contributors, the same people year after year giving their time for the bonsai community, I know they need help but I certainly do not have the time so I will not put up my hand. I will however tell them that I see the effort and hard work offering my appreciation and congratulations.

[DavidWilloughby]

I can see and appreciate both sides of the coin. Yes, you can call me "Switzerland" as I will sit on the fence.

These days, OH&S governs pretty much everything we do, be that in a work place environment, through to exhibitions and events. The fact that there were that many registered attendees at the convention, being a larger event than normal with it being a BCI event hosted by the AABC, it wouldn't have been hard to work out that the numbers this year would have been considerably larger than if it were just an AABC convention (I say that with the utmost respect and am not dissing it one iota). It would have been a hard decision to make, but it seems that the venue took that decision out of the hands of the organisers due to numbers, although if one is paying good money to see international and top local demonstrators, I can see it is fair enough to make the display and sales areas available only to registered convention attendees.

The flip side to that is that it kind of contradicts the whole edict of the AABC, the governing body of Bonsai in this country putting limitations on accessibility to a supposed "World Class" event on our shores, people are well within their right to feel aggrieved over it. For those that couldn't make the whole event, or even a full day but had time to call in to view the trees, I too would feel a little hard done by. For some it would have been the first chance to see such an event, but only to be denied at the door would have been gutting.

I myself was rather vocal last year that the AABC don't get the demonstrations, workshops and display filmed and then distributed to each "Affiliate Bonsai Club" in Australia on DVD, in a way to help expand and promote Bonsai in this country. For me that would do wonders and extend the reach to especially those who couldn't attend in person. I have since been told of some possible reasons why this isn't happening, but I still stand by what I originally said.

I can understand where everyone is coming from and the frustrations associated with it, there are some interesting points raised. For me, my viewing angle on it is that I feel that we do need to showcase our talent, the "crème de la crème" of Australian Bonsai and especially on a global stage, which this convention was. It wasn't a typical AABC convention, the AABC were the hosts of a BCI convention, correct me if I am wrong, but that is how I interpreted it.

As far as the sharing of knowledge, I can agree in part, but I do feel that perhaps its slightly off the mark just a bit. The reason I say that, I will try to explain. "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't teach it to drink...", you can have the best teacher in the world, but it doesn't mean much if you the student don't apply yourself accordingly. Those who are at the top end of Australian Bonsai are those who have put the years and perseverance in to get to that level, it doesn't happen overnight. They are also the ones who schedule their yearly calender around these events, I don't think there is anything wrong with that. In fact I applaud those who do because they are then the ones who bring back the knowledge they learn back to clubs and groups they belong to which has the lead on affect, I would love to have been there this year myself, but through no one elses fault other than my own I couldn't go. I have yet to get to an AABC convention, but when things change, I will ensure I am one of the early ones to register.

Also, is it really fair to hold Queensland Bonsai accountable for something that to me seems to have been out of their control. There is a "Tall Poppy" syndrome in the Australian Bonsai scene that I can see, anyone who has done anything decent is picked apart by the rest of the community, not in full, but there are always parts that seem to be jealous of others. That causes a lot of issues and angst, instead of feeling jealous, I think it would be better to use that as motivation to raise our own personal bars, to get to a level where we then can create trees that are of a top class standard.

I honestly think that the emphasis is and always should be on the individual, you and me and the next person, as you can do your best to cater for many, but there will always be someone who feels otherwise.

I do enjoy a healthy discussion.


Cheers

David

p.s It isn't out of the realm of possibilities that the above "War and Peace" Vols 1,2 & 3 is met with a tl:dr LOL

[kcpoole]

Ken, read Hashimoko's post on 22nd August. That's where I got the info from.

Cheers

Pat

@ 5:28 pm on the day before does not constitute advance notice of a changed policy to me.

Ken

[Marie Hewartson]

The Gold Coast is a major tourist venue, and the AABC and BCI lost the chance of showing some wonderful trees and promoting Bonsai.
As a Trader, I was realy worried about no general public access, fortunately my work was well recieved by the Conference delegates and I sold well. But I do know there were other trade tables that felt the impact of the missing general public.

Marie Hewartson

[Jason]

snip

OH&S ruins all the fun

Well said though

For me, I can also see both sides of it, but in the end think that it is a massive oppurtunity missed. I'm all about growing the art in the country, and think everything should have been done to get the general public access to the exhibition.

That being said, I don't know what the full story is either, as I'm sure they would not have made the decision lightly

[Bougy Fan]

It would be nice to hear from the AABC about this or any other matter. I think there have been some very valid points raised that will hopefully be considered for the next convention in Brisbane.