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VICTORIAN ORCHIDS OF THE YEAR 2002 by Brian Milligan

The Victorian Orchid of the Year competition was introduced by the Orchid Societies Council of Victoria (OSCOV) in 1992. Photographs of all orchids that have received OSCOV awards in the current year are considered, together with any others submitted by Victorian growers. Success in this competition relies not only on growing an orchid of award quality but also on taking photographs of a similar standard. The Victorian Orchid Judging Panel meets each February, first to select the winners in the various categories and then to decide the Victorian Orchid of the Year.

Victorian Orchid of the Year for 2002 was Catasetum Delightful ‘Pauline’ AM/OSCOV, grown by Fred and Margaret Stewart. It also won the Victorian Any Other Hybrid of the Year category (sponsored by the North East Melbourne Orchid Society). Fred and Margaret will receive an OSCOV Gold Medal, the OSCOV Perpetual Trophy (an original Syd Monkhouse painting of Rossioglossumgrande) and a framed photographic print of their orchid (courtesy of Castle Creek Orchids). They will be presented at a dinner held in conjunction with the OSCOV show at Collectors’ Corner in August.

The Victorian Cultural Certificate of the Year was won by Howard Tozer of Barker’s Creek with a magnificent specimen plant of Maccraithea cuthbertsonii ‘Arcoona Park’ CC/OSCOV. Howard will receive a silver medal and the OSCOV-sponsored Gunter Haar memorial trophy (a large framed photographic print of his orchid) at the presentation dinner in August.

The winners of all other categories will receive a framed photographic print of their orchid and an OSCOV medallion at the above dinner. The Australian Native Species of the Year (sponsored by the Yarra Valley Orchid Society) was Dendrobium bigibbum var. compactum ‘Eddy’ HCC/OSCOV, grown by Ken Eddy of Leongatha. Australian Native Hybrid of the Year (sponsored by the Mornington Peninsula Orchid Society) was Sarcochilus Yvette ‘Jake’s Pride’ HCC/OSCOV, grown by Rosemary and George Ingram. They also won the trophy for the Victorian Award of Distinction of the Year (sponsored by the Melbourne Western Orchid Society) with Sarcochilus Heidi ‘Daniel’ AD/OSCOV.

The Victorian Cattleya of the Year (sponsored by the Mid-Murray Orchid Club) was the exceptionally large-flowered novelty Laeliocattleya Mini Purple ‘Clare’ AM/OSCOV, grown by Richard Salvado. The Victorian Cymbidium of the Year, Kimberley Winter ‘Tee Pee’AM/OSCOV (grown by Terry Poulton), receives the J. Jezierski Award sponsored by C. Kowslowski. The Victorian Paphiopedilum of the Year (sponsored by the Ballarat Orchid Society) was won (yet again) by Andrew Francis and John Martin of Castle Creek Orchids, this time with the exhibition-type Paphiopedilum Memoria Barbara Francis ‘John’ HCC/OSCOV.

Victorian Masdevallia of the Year (sponsored by the Warrnambool and District Orchid Society) was Masdevallia Bright Spice ‘Kingston’ HCC/OSCOV, grown by Bill and Jan Miles of Kingston. Bill and Jan also won the Award of Quality of the Year (sponsored by the Ringwood Orchid Society) with a group of six fine seedlings of Paphiopedilum Raisin Candy. Wilsonara Ursula Isler CC/OSCOV, grown by G. and L. Shrubsole, was Victorian Odontoglossum of the Year (sponsored by the Bendigo Orchid Club).

Victorian Species Orchid of the Year (sponsored by the Orchid Species Society of Victoria) was Odontoglossum laeve ‘Rex’ HCC/OSCOV, grown by Brian and Lorraine Milligan. Ten species orchids were granted quality awards by the Judging Panel during the year, a reflection of the ever-growing popularity of species orchids in Victoria. The Victorian Seedling of the Year (sponsored by Atlantis Orchids as the Harold and Florence Coker Award), chosen from 20 contenders, was Phragmipedium Don Wimber ‘Oneall’ HCC/OSCOV, grown by David Keanelly.