Amateur New Talent Competition 2012

The latest heat of the FoBBS Amateur New Talent Competition took place on Sunday, 25th March. This heat would determine who would represent the United Kingdom at the forthcoming European Bonsai Association (EBA) final being held in May at Ljubljana on Slovenia. Due to the short period of time between the last EBA event of 2011 and this years’ convention, it was possible to have only the one heat in order to decide a UK representative.

There were three contestants, comprising David Cheshire from the Midlands, Karl Couch from South Wales and Steve Frost from Sussex. All worked on virtually identical Chinese junipers, and the standard of the material produced was of a high standard. At the end, the judges, Reg Bolton and Malcolm Hughes were both in agreement that the bonsai produced by Karl Couch was the winning tree, based most notably upon the positioning of the branches, movement and balance of the overall tree, and the standard of the wiring. Congratulations go to Karl and our thanks and appreciation to all three candidates for their efforts.

Karl will be attending the New Talent final in Ljubljana in May, supported in the trip financially by FoBBS.

After the Ljubljana Convention, we are fortunate in having a longer period between EBA events, the 2013 Convention, to include the New Talent Final, being held in Audincourt, France over the weekend of the 29th – 31st March. In the lead-up to this event, it is hoped the three or possibly four heats can be held in different parts of the UK in order that FoBBS can once again send a representative to compete against other European finalists.
For those interested in participating in the UK heats, please contact the Amateur New Talent co-ordinator, Peter Fielding on 029 207 07605 or e-mail at peterfielding1@hotmail.co.uk

Carl Couch

Carl Couch working

Carl with judges

Competitors

David Cheshire working

David Cheshire

Steve Frost working

Federation of British Bonsai Societies – Roll of Honour This year, two members were put forward by the FoBBS Committee to be listed on the Federation Roll of Honour for their work and dedication to bonsai in the United Kingdom. Tony Allen, for his long-term roll as Chairman of the Friends of the National Bonsai Collection and for fund raising for the National Collection while Kim Turton has for many years been secretary of the National Bonsai Collection as well as the organiser of the annual Bonsai Boot Sale.

World Bonsai Friendship Federation – Distinguished Contribution Award for Services to  Bonsai Last November, at the WBFF and ASPAC Takamatsu Convention, Kath Hughes from the UK and Luigi Crespi from Italy became the first ever recipients of this award for their international services to bonsai. The recipients were presented with their awards at the WBFF Annual General Meeting, Kath receiving hers from Naemi Iwasaki, wife of the late Daizo Iwasaki, and Luigi receiving his from Mr. Hu, President of WBFF.

WBFF Photo Contest 2012/13

Dear  Friends

Back in January I sent out notification of the WBFF World Photo Contest 2012/13.

With the onset of spring and the coming back to life of our trees, I would like to again bring this contest to the forefront of your minds. I have received the letter below from Solita Rosade, organiser of this event, and ask you to read and give serious thought to the tree that you will enter.

Please find the entry form here (Word version), here (pdf version) and regulations here; I will receive your entries as soon as you they are complete.

Should you require a poster for your club - please click here

Regards

Kath Hughes 
(Regional Co-ordinator)

Dear Bonsai Friends from around the world

The World Bonsai Friendship Federation announces the beginning of the 2013 WBFF World Bonsai Photo Contest. The Contest is in memory of the WBFF founder, Saburo Kato. The WBFF photo contest originated in 1999 and was initially organized by Tom Shigemitsu, International Director to WBFF and supported by the Nippon Bonsai Association in cooperation with JAL.

The contest begins immediately and submissions will be accepted by your regional coordinator until 1 September 2012

Please note we in Europe need to receive your photos by 31 July as they have to be judged by the Euopean judges before sending the selected ones on to the WBFF panel. European panel – Marc Noelanders and Reg Bolton.

Two trophies will be awarded to the for the grand prize winner: the “Saburo Kato Memorial Bonsai Trophy” which the winner will be awarded to keep, and a large rotating trophy with his/her name engraved on it which will remain with the winner until the next WBFF contest is held. The awards will be presented at the World Bonsai Convention in China in 2013.

In addition to the grand prize winner, 5 runner up entries will be selected, and 25 additional as “Exceptional”. Each of these 30 entries will also receive special awards. 169 additional entries will each receive “Honorable Mention Entry Certificates”.  Thus, 200 trees selected by the judges, representing all 9 regions of WBFF, entered in the contest will receive formal recognition. Photographs of these 200 bonsai entries will be exhibited during WBFF 2013, and a permanent record of the contest entries and winners will be available in full color book which will be available for order at WBFF 2013 and subsequently on the WBFF website.

The “WBFF 2013 Bonsai Photo Contest” will be conducted primarily via the internet.  Entry forms and additional information will be available of the websites of each of the 9 world regions of WBFF, and the main WBFF Website as well.  Entries submitted to each regional coordinator will be collated and judged following the submission deadline of September 1, 2012.  Each region is then permitted to forward up to 50 world class bonsai entries representing their region for the final judging in the fall of 2012.   A schedule for submission and judging is provided below.

WBFF strongly desires and encourages participation from bonsai lovers from the entire world.  The success of this important contest requires and counts on your full support.

Solita D. T. Rosade
WBFF Chairperson Emeritus