An excellent Exhibition, blessed by superb weather. Bonsai World goes from strength to strength. Sussex Bonsai Group did a first class job in staging this Show; they may have had hurdles to jump at the start of their planning, suffering from the sad loss of Ray Ward, the prime mover for this event. However they more than made up for the lost time to produce the best show yet; the standard has improved each time and now reaches a truly international level. A very good variety of trees and displays with many excellent individual and society displays with the new innovation of a display of suiseki from the newly formed British Suiseki Society.

There were some very well deserved awards, with a choice that must have made judging very difficult. The judging was done by German Gomez, Peter Warren and Ian Cuppleditch; presentations were made by Ken Norman, President of the Sussex Bonsai Group. If there was to be any criticism to be given and hopefully this will be taken in the helpful way it is intended, some of the societies were too anxious to please their members and in some cases overcrowded their stands using trees they perhaps would been better to have waited a little longer to develop.

There are many thanks to be made following this highly successful weekend. First and foremost, to Andrew Ford and his team from Sussex Bonsai group with manpower and help also from Crawley Bonsai Society. Next to the demonstrators, Kevin Willson, German Gomez, Paul Finch and Amnon Paldi, who willingly and freely gave of their times and skills to ensure the success of this event.

Thanks the go to the traders for their support, the sponsors for their financial support, to FoBBS and Mark and Ming Moreland for the loan of their backdrops and signs and of course to all the exhibitors, without whose support there could not be a show at all.

Exhibition area as seen from above with the Sussex Bonsai Group display as a central feature

Part of the trade area

Sussex Bonsai Group tokonoma display

‘Best in Show’ – Taxus baccata	‘Best Large Tree’: Blackthorn
‘Best Group Planting’: Zelcova serrata	‘Best Shohin Display’: Juniperus chinensis
‘Best Society Display’
Prize winners: David Green, Sutton Bonsai Society and Chrissie Leigh-Walker
Kevin Willson at work
		German Gomez’s demonstration tree.

The Prize Winners
1. ‘Best in Show’: David Green	5. ‘Best Group Planting’: Ken & Ann Norman
2. ‘Best Society Display’: Sutton Bonsai Society	6. ‘Best Shohin’: John Armitage
3. ‘Best Individual Display’: Chrissie Leigh-Walker	7. ‘Best Mame: Les Storey
4. ‘Best Large Tree’: John Pitt	8. ‘Best Suiseki: Amnon Paldi