Loyalty also from our visitors - so many familiar faces we see coming back year after year and not many members missed out on visiting the show either, bringing friends and family along too. However, one of our committee members somehow managed to book her family holiday to include this weekend!!
Prize winning exhibitors ranged from 84 to 14 years in age - how many shows can vouch for that! Young Adam Bailey was particularly proud of his winning triphylla, Bornemann's Beste, affectionately known as his 'big beauty', which also gained Best Triphylla in Show award. No lack of confidence either as he keeps improving. "Dave better be watching out" someone said jokingly and the reply was a determined "You're right there". Watch this space!!
The nearest challenger to our reigning champion for quite a number of years now, David Edmond, however proved to be Stewart Walker, who too has made a tremendous impact in such a short time. A very close challenge in fact, for the first time in quite a few years now, 52 to 48 points, and a bit too close for comfort for David, keeping him on his toes and an exciting contest to look forward to next year!!
Like all David's plants, Stewart entries also ooze quality. He picked up a collection of awards, including the Best in Show for his wonderfully trained fan of Lottie Hobbie. Exquisite! Wonderful condition with healthy foliage and an abundance of dainty blooms beautifully spread all over the plant. Quite unusual for an encliandra to scoop the Best in Show award, it usually is a bigger exhibit such as a basket, a massive triphylla or a standard, but this fan was undoubtedly a very deserved winner - it was a truly outstanding exhibit.
Stewart's fan proved such a fantastic talking point as did the exhibits in the newly introduced Bonsai class and not surprisingly the BFS bonsai leaflets on bonsai growing sold out on the first day of the show!
There was a steady influx of people throughout the two days of the show, with more than 700 visiting, culminating with the presentation on Sunday afternoon.
Proceedings started with the introduction by President Franklin Waring who reminded us that shows like ours don't just happen but require a lot of preparations. The committee had started work since September, with the changes implemented in the show schedule, the designing, printing and distributions of the show stationary, posters and leaflets and all the work involved in setting up - the 'heavy gang' once again doing terrific job and hopefully being there again to dismantle it all. Thanks were also expresses in this respect to Filey Allotments Association for the loan of the tables etc. and to Jewson for the transport. All helpers were thanked too from the 'refreshment committee' and all those manning stalls to the stewards and indeed all those bringing plants and the judges too. Though not wanting to name individuals, Franklin felt one exception had to be made for our secretary Christine Bramley for overseeing and collating it all so well.
It was so nice to see one of our founder members and past President, Robert Poyner, accompanied by his wife Edna, presenting the awards. And how fitting that amongst the winning plants one of his own hybrids, Scarborough Seasprite, featured prominently! He expressed his delight at being back to present the awards, it was like coming home! Though he recognised quite a few of the faces, only a few of the fuchsias, so many new varieties having made such an impact in the last decade. He went on to say that "it was a delightful, wonderful show as it is each year I have come along". He also complimented the Society on the magnificent display of silverware (a trophy for each of our 37 classes, plus a dozen special awards!) and thanked everyone for bringing their plants along to make it all possible.
A great show coming to a fitting end with the delighted recipients treasuring their trophies and a final word of thanks to all concerned from our secretary, Christine Bramley. All members, exhibitors, volunteer helpers and supporting visitors with friends and family in tow played their part and deserve our thanks. Well done to all.