AusBonsai

This was the first time I have ever 'judged' bonsai. I've had experience being an official at major archery tournaments, judged debating and a few other activities but nothing compared to this. I have to admit, ranking such high calibre entries that have been painstakingly crafted over many years by friends and artists who I look up to was much harder than I ever anticipated.

One aspect of the judging that I really struggled with was trying to see the best in a bonsai that was not displayed particularly well. While overlooking the photography skills (or lack thereof), presentation did weigh heavily in my mind. To me, the bonsai photographed with stands, accents, non-distracting backgrounds or shadows, good lighting etc did present much better and therefor scored higher in the areas of 'image' and 'presentation'. They simply look better! I'd really like to emphasise how important the finishing touches are in providing the optimum viewing experience. While photography is not judged, it can greatly improve the presentation. If you feel you need some tips, please review our photographing bonsai section.

The Australian Native Bonsai Awards will be an annual event so I encourage you all to start now in preparing yours for next year. If you don't yet have any Aussie natives in your collection, why not get some and start training them now for category 2 (less than 12 months in training) .

With each entry, I have tried my utmost to remain impartial and judge as fairly as I could. Together with Grant Bowie and Roger Hnatiuk we have graded the entries by point scoring based on Horticulture (very hard to judge from pictures), Artistic features (our 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 our differing experiences, taste and ideals has hopefully created a pretty balanced and objective outcome. Our 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 3 in each category that stood out in the pictures and 'shined on the day'.

I am extremely pleased and honoured to announce the awaredees of this years Australian Native Bonsai Awards are. . .

[Imagine the sound of a drum roll please]

Category 1. Best Native Bonsai

1st place: Pup, Melaleuca rhaphiophylla 2


2nd place: Denise, Acacia howittii


3rd place: Pup, Babingtonia virgata


The adjudicating was so close for category 1 that we must also mention some highly commended artists. In no particular order these are; PeterH E nicholii, Will_IslandBonsai wooly tea tree, Pegasus6262 Melaleuca Revolution Gold and Paul Od Melaleuca rhaphiophylla.

Category 2. New Stock Awards

1st place: Pup, Melaleuca cuticularis 2nd place: Jamie, Clerodendrum inerme 3rd place: Jan, Leptospermum (4)

Category 3. Newcomers Encouragement Award

1st place: Deemon, Callistemon Captain Cook 2nd place: Dayne: Ficus eugenoides banyan 3rd place: Glenda, Melaleuca linarifolia

A big CONGRATULATIONS to the awardees in each category and to everyone who submitted such excellent material!

Thanks also to Grant and Roger for their time in judging the awards. Each bonsai takes around 7 minutes to correctly fill in the score sheets and due to the amount of entries, this equates to a lot of time. I really appreciate your assistance guys!

In my opinion, the real winner of the AusBonsai Australian Native Bonsai Awards is AUSTRALIAN BONSAI.

Best regards,
Steven

Congratulations to all the entrants/winners in the comp .A fantastic and well deserved result for the Awardee's .Look forward to the next Native Comp in 2011.Cheers and happy Bonsai . Ian .Alpineart

Congratulations to all the awardees! Lots of work and artistry has been acknowledged in a very public way.

I would also like to encourage the other contenders to try again next year. There were many wonderful and innovative bonsai in the competition that with another years work and refinement could easily make a podium finish.

Also take note of Stevens advice; everything is taken into account in a competition of this type so do all you can to refine and display your trees to the utmost.

Thats my last word.

Thanks to everyone who partook.

Grant

Yes, well done everyone, and congratulations to all the winners! Just terrific to see the variety in species and styles coming out of the woodwork! Some beaut Aussie plants crafted in northern hemisphere styles, and lots also that I could imagine seeing out in the bush.....true Aussie bonsai in my book! I think the real value of this competition (apart from the wonderful promotion of Australian plants as bonsai) was to inspire individuals to post their creations, and thus to inspire us all! It's terrific to see how many bonsai enthusiasts are dabbling with our indigenous species.

And congrats Pup....your Babingtonia virgata which came in at number three was my absolute favourite...an exquisitely presented piece, one I could imagine seeing in the wild, but with the subtlest touch of extra trimming that reminded one of more traditional bonsai. You've set a very high bar here, but even so I suspect that next years comp. will feature many many more plants!

Thanks Steven and Judges also....time consuming but rewarding I hope!

To recap the prizes, the awardees in each category will receive;

Category 1 -
Best native bonsai
1st - Professional Grade set of Japanese made bonsai tools in a suede tool roll ($350.00 RRP) and certificate
2nd - Pat Kennedy limited edition AusBonsai.com bonsai pot, Bonsai Focus magazine and certificate
3rd - Pat Kennedy limited edition AusBonsai.com bonsai pot and certificate

Category 2 -
New stock awards (Stock must be less than 12 months in training)
1st - Custom made for your bonsai, a one of a kind Pat Kennedy bonsai pot and certificate
2nd - Bonsai Focus magazine and certificate
3rd - Certificate

Category 3 -
Newcomer encouragement award (For bonsaists with less than 1 year experience)
1st - Pat Kennedy limited edition AusBonsai.com bonsai pot and certificate
2nd - Bonsai Focus magazine and certificate
3rd - Certificate

I will be in touch with you shortly to get details of where to send your goodies.

Regards,
Steven

I must admit I am really surprised to have won, with the standard of this comp I would have been happy to have got the third alone. There were some really high class
entries next year should be an absolute ripper.

Thank you for the honour guys I do appreciate it and I will encourage you all to try that native. Look at the Exotics of the northern hemisphere natives to there area.

Why not our tree's for our area.

Thanks to the judges for what you have seen in my tree's.

Thanks to my Mother Father Sue the pup and all of yous guys out there in AusBonsai land. A verry very happy Pup

Excellent comp and congrats to all the participants....I think you're all winners!!!
And thankyou Steven for thinking my pots good enough as prizes in such company....I'm looking forward to getting your instructions Pup...lots of detail please

Cheers, Pat

Great comp and well done to the winners

Congratulations all

Go Ausbonsai

Congratulations to you all for the huge effort undertaken to be part of this. It was great that it brought out some trees and people we had not yet seen. I hope we will continue to read and see more from these people and others. well done to the winners and runners up in all categories!