Wirral Bonsai Society: Wirral Bonsai Show 2012 #1

Hi Everyone

This was the week-end that we were all looking forward too since last year as it was our Annual Members Bonsai and Accent Plants Show at Gordales the Award Winning Garden Center here in the Wirral and by ALL accounts and the feedback we have had it has been Fabulous, Fantastic ,Fan-dabi-dozi or even Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
It all started with the preparations on the Thursday and Friday 30th and 31st of August and Arthur and Stan were busy scrubbing and hosing the display area while The 3 Musketeers Sean, Steve and Maker of the Display Benches and Assemble Co-ordinate Dave Y arrived after collecting the units from North Wales, on the Thursday Soon more members arrived during the morning and afternoon when lots of hard works was achieved followed on Friday with dressing all the Display Benches, organizing what was going were , making sure everything was just right for the arrival of members trees later in the afternoon Once all was in pristine condition the Bonsai Trees Accents Plants and Tables were married up to compliment each other as one unit it was time to head home before the Actual Show

The first of September was here at last and everything that the members worked hard to achieve was accomplished and it look Brilliant in my opinion.
Soon the public started to arrived and it was great to see a Special Gentleman Mr Kevin Bailey and Moderator for the Internet Bonsai Chat Forum the IBC, all went well with lots of ohhh's and aaaaa's look at that look at this and finally Mr Steve Tolley head Judge for the Event and a MASTER Of the Bonsai Four Dimensional Art Supremo, arrived with a huge grin and smile on his face which was worth a gold medal in anybodies language as he was more than impressed on his first sight of the complete Show Area

As time went past with plenty of toing and frong with his trusted notebook making notes and trying to decide .

It was tension for some members and in the end we all had our minds settled when Mr Tolley took center stage with his results and made what we could say was the best ever show that W-B-S has delivered in the 10 years that the society has been holding its Members only Annual Show at this Outstanding Venue Gordales the Award Winning Garden Center here in the Wirral

During his selection MrTolley spoke about the members ,the society as a whole and praised us all for outstanding achievement and pre-selected 15 various Bonsai Trees for next years THE BEST OF BRITAIN in May 2013.

The Honours were giving out and went as follows

Best Shohin == Pontentilla Owner Tony F

Best Chuhin == Escallonia Owner Ian W

Best BroadLeaf == Acer Palmatum "Inaba Shidare" Discetum , Approx 45 years of Age

( Documented ) and known as Skippy and was Rescued from a SKIP = DUMPSTER = GARDEN REFUSE WASTE CONTAINER what ever you like to call them, in 1985 and Sean D became the Custodian of Skippy in 2011

Best Conifer & Best in Show == Owner Tony F

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Tony was head and shoulders above us all for his achievement as Tony F collected an almost clean sweep of Awards by being presented with 6 Awards with Ian ,Bill G and Sean collecting the rest So a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Tony from us all you deserved all that came your way

Can you repeat this in 2013!!!!! only time will tell

On the Sunday many members were at the GGC bright and early for a Sunday to make sure that the Standard was the same as on Saturday and it was a busy time and steady flow people coming to look at all the tees , stopping admiring ,picking thier favourite and buying raffle tickets for the wonderful selection of prizes that was available to win We had a great Bonsai Tree as first prize and a local couple Damien and Patricia are now the owners of the tree whilst another couple won Bonsai group

During the day we had The Northwest Heat for the 2013 European Bonsai Association New Talent Competition which was a nice bonus for everyone and the final 2 contenders for this and such GREAT GUYS , Bry from the V-o-C-B-S and Mikey P from Leeds

Also there were 3 Distinguished Gentlemen Mr M Hughes , Most recently, he and his wife put on the first “Best of British Bonsai” event in Birmingham, which took place in April, 2009. They are now both involved in planning the second such event, to take place in April 2011.and more Best of British Bonsai in Future years to come more info can be found at

http://www.fobbsbonsai.co.uk/chair.htm

Mr Andy Dolman from Walsall one of the nicest gents you will ever meet and Judge of the
New Talent Competition along with our own Chairman Ian .W.

and the one and only Mr Tony Tickle who was responsible for organising The Northwest Heat for the 2013 European Bonsai Association New Talent Competition, the competition, the Heats and lots lots more a task he is extremely willing and capable of succeeding in doing everything he turns his mind and hand to.

More info about Mr T.T. can be found here at his Great website for all Bonsai Enthusiast and you will not be disappointed : http://yamadoriforsale.com/

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The Chairman's Award's === Scots Pine === Tony F

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Chairman's Certificate of Merit To

Tony F ===Shohin Juniper

Tony F === Chuhin Yew

Bill G. == Hinoki Raft Cypress

Sean D. == Acer Palmatum Deshojo

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Voted Best Tree By the Public and Awarded The Dave Mitchell Trophy By Lindsay Beautiful Daughter of Dave M.

Bill G. == Hinoki Raft Cypress

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Over the Two days of the show it was exciting and a steady flow of people of all ages and on the final day on Sunday it was down to Ian W to give his view and expressed his gratitude to all members for sich a wonderful performance during the build up and the show itself but still encouraging us all to keep improving as we MUST NOT let the standards Drop also a Massive Thank-you to the owners of the GGC Mr and Mrs Nicholson.Johnathan ,Karen,Becky and ALL Staff for their kind hospitality welcoming W-B-S into their Award Winning Center here in the Wirral

We like to thank and hope Everyone who attended our show enjoyed and liked what was on display and spread the word and good news about Wirral Bonsai Society and other Great Bonsai Societies here in the Northwest and in North Wales and inviting you all back to Gordale's Garden Center for we will be BACK in 2013 and if all goes well with a big and better display of Bonsai Trees and Accent plants even tho I personally believe this years show will will take some beating but this is what we are ALL aiming to achieve

More images of our W-B-S Annual members show will be on Face book

http://www.facebook.com/theweelad

Take Care and look after each other and all your Bonsai Trees