I need to post a thread with the Wichita early show held last weekend. We had a lot of entries for an early show.
I took 8 and entered 7, and for the first time, didn't damage any on the trip there. The iris that I selected at the last minute, as an afterthought, ended up winning best of show! It only had one bloom open, but it was a perfect bloom. It hardly needed any grooming. We were short a few helpers, so I was recruited to clerk. Clerking involves walking with the judges as they rate each entry, and marking the tags, laying out the ribbons. I've been through judges' training, but I'm not a current iris judge. I knew that I had to stay absolutely quiet through the judging process, but believe me it was super hard to keep a straight face when they selected my iris as Queen of Show! I didn't tell the judges until 30 minutes later.
I learned more clerking than I had in all the judging classes, not that the classes were missing anything. It was FUN!
I will definitely be entering more in the main show on Mother's Day. We have 3 shows, but I'll miss the 3rd because it's during the National meeting, and for the first time, I get to go!!!!!
