Stirling Show in Dunblane 2009

[Carol Shaw]

Just a reminder that this is happening on Saturday... I know Sandy Leven would love to see the benches groaning with plants

[Maggi Young]

Yes indeed.... the Stirling Show is of course.... HELD IN DUNBLANE!!
"STIRLING" SHOW IN DUNBLANE
21st March 12.00 noon to 4.15 pm
SHOW SECRETARY: Mr Sandy Leven
2 Leighton Court, Dunblane, Perthshire, FK15 0ED
Telephone 01786 824064 (sandy.leven@btinternet.com)
**NEW VENUE**: Victoria Hall, Station Road, Dunblane
LOCATION: Opposite the Railway Station
ENTRIES: To Show Secretary by Thursday before the show. Late entries accepted until one hour before judging.
STAGING: 7.00 - 8.00 pm, Friday before the show and 8.30 - 10.00 am, Saturday
JUDGING: Begins at 10.15 am
TWICE-YEARLY PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION:
New rules: entries to classes 1-5 as detailed at the beginning of the Show Section of the Yearbook. Details from Cathy Caudwell, Tel: 01828 686709
RHS JOINT ROCK GARDEN PLANT COMMITTEE will meet at 12.00 noon.
Plants for consideration must be registered by 11.00 am.
TROPHIES & PRIZES
Ben Ledi Trophy best European plant, Section I
Institute of Quarrying Quaich best non-European plant, Section I
Carnegie Dunfermline Trust Trophy most points, Section I
Fife County Trophy most points, Section II
Spiller Trophy best Primula
Alpine Garden Society - Ulster Group Quaich Class 20
Special prize: £10 best plant in Section II from a first-time exhibitor at an SRGC show. New exhibitors, please ask for special stickers when you enter.
PLEASE NOTE THAT
THE SHOW WILL BE HELD IN DUNBLANE
 

[Carol Shaw]

Yes indeed.... the Stirling Show is of course.... HELD IN DUNBLANE!!
 

Of course - where else would it be held- Stirling 

[Carol Shaw]

Well we've put our entries in, when I spoke to Jean last night she said I was the third person to call her. For Sandy's sake I hope a good few more folk have phoned by now! There is nothing a Show Secretary dreads more than empty benches... overflowing ones they can cope with even if it does mean juggling things around 

[Maggi Young]

I've heard from a very tired Jean Wyllie that the Dunblane show was lovely.... the benches were groaning with the weight of the plants 
 Secret Squirrel  (Cyril Lafong) won the Forrest Medal but Jean was so busy all day with the catering that she did not get a chance to find out which plant he won it with 
I suspect most of those helping with the catering might be in the same sad position .... I know it is something we  work at consciously here in Aberdeen to make sure that those kind folk working their tails off in the kitchen get a decent chance to see the show.

I believe the Wyllie daughters were helping out, too, and the grand children ..... given that only one Wyllie Girl is still a member of SRGC, that's pretty good of them, I reckon. I know there are a good gang of kind helpers there, but more hands always make lighter work.
 Unless you are directly involved in the running of a show it is hard to comprehend the actual level of work needed to make the day go well. My hat is off to those like the Stirling Group who have more than one show a year..... I can only feel faint at the though of the likes of David Hoare in England who has £ on his plate!! 


 I hope that some of those with cameras will have some pix for us in the next few days 

Another caller told me AD had his camera but then his computer is not letting him log on!! 

[ChrisB]

Well said Maggi!  Our Hexham Show, next weekend, is at the sports hall, and they have their own catering staff so on one has to do that duty.  The autumn show, however, is in Ponteland and a small, but it has to be said, happy group of volunteers run the kitchen and even do soup!  Its a lot of work that's for sure and time for these people to take a bow for all they do to make the shows go so well.  Wish I could have gone to Dunblane, but not possible, so I do hope someone took some photos for us.

[Carol Shaw]

Jean, daughters and 4 grandchildren worked there fingers to the bone producing food for all the folk at the Show plus an extremely yummy judges lunch, no David & I weren't judging but we had done all the adding up of points etc. and the Seedy wifie decided we should eat too!

I have not seen the benches at Stirling so full in many a year and the number of times that plants were moved before judging began reminded me of Julia's first year as show secretary of the Perth Show when some plants were moved four times!

David and I had a wonderful day, did not get one photo but there were plenty of keen photographers there so I'm sure there will be pix soon.

[Maggi Young]

More news in from Dunblane...... Cyril pretty much won everything!!  Thing is, he is such a nice chap and his plants so good, nobody grudges his level of success!
 Forrest Medal plant was a pot of Tecophilaea cycanocrocus var. leichtlinii, I think.
Jim Sutherland  ( of Ardfearn Nursery by Inverness) got a Certificate of merit with a fine pan of the New Zealander, Ranunculus crithmifolius ... no more word as yet about other Certificate of Merit winners......

[Carol Shaw]

More news in from Dunblane. no more word as yet about other Certificate of Merit winners......

Mostly Squirrel - damned if I can remember the one other person who got!

RGBE got a Gold Medal for their display of plants as did Sandy Leven for his Srping flowering bulbs. In both cases they were superb exhibits.

Come on you lot with the cameras get the pix posted!

[Maggi Young]

Well said Maggi!  Our Hexham Show, next weekend, is at the sports hall, and they have their own catering staff so on one has to do that duty.  The autumn show, however, is in Ponteland and a small, but it has to be said, happy group of volunteers run the kitchen and even do soup!  Its a lot of work that's for sure and time for these people to take a bow for all they do to make the shows go so well.  Wish I could have gone to Dunblane, but not possible, so I do hope someone took some photos for us.

..... But there have been Judges' Lunches at Hexham to rival any good restaurant, for some years, Christine..... thanks to the Newton Family 

[Hristo]

Please can I second the motion for folks to post pics from the Stirling at Dunblane show!
There are many compensations to changing climate when it comes to growing bulbs/alpines etc, but one of the biggest misses is Spring time when one can spend a happy couple of months doing the SRGC / AGS shows. The pleasure of seeing such well grown plants and the excitement of finding something you always wanted fron the members stand or a nursery stand! Ahhhh when I am rich (  )I shall back to the uk for a month and do the circuit...happy dreams.....

[David Shaw]

Whilst Cyril may have taken most of the silverware, the exhibitor with most points in Section 1 was Watt Russell and Stan da Prato was a very, and I mean very, close second.
If we don't get any pictures soon I can start naming and shaming forumusts who were there with cameras!!!!!

[Maggi Young]

Excellent news about the close competition from Watt and Stan .....they'll be happy today!

[Carol Shaw]

Excellent news about the close competition from Watt and Stan .....they'll be happy today!

They were both pretty happy yesterday  As were the Bainbridges!

[ChrisB]

Well, Maggi, I'm sure the food is great, but of course one has to be a judge to make such adjudications..... His butcher's shop is well known in these parts!  Mind you, I got a very, very nice steak pie at the butchers in Dunblane the other week!