Advice and Rules for Judges

GENERAL JUDGING OF PRIMULAS

(Instructions specifically for judges, adopted 1985 by the APS Board.)

  • Read the Schedule carefully

Have a copy of Point Score.  Scoring used only when plants are in close competition.

  • POINT SCORE: 85-100 = blue ribbon; 80-85 = red; 70-80 = white
  • Look for substance, texture, floriferousness, a well-balanced plant, pleasing to the eye.  Foliage should be healthy, free from disease, pests, and not over-fertilized.
  • Maximum three plants of the same color to a class, unless schedule states otherwise.
  • Pots with exposed tags to be corrected before judging.
  • Look for clean clay or plastic pots.  Take off five (5) points for a dirty pot.
  • Plants that are known to be easy to grow still deserve your best judging and may still win a trophy.
  • Judging one’s own plants should be avoided whenever possible.
  • If a plant needs to be turned or moved, ask a clerk to do this.  Do not touch any part of the plant yourself.
  • There is to be no re-judging after a set of judges have judged the show.
  • If a major fault is discovered before judging is complete, a plant may be re-judged by a majority of judges.
  • Once a plant is placed on the trophy table it must remain there.  A majority panel of judges pick the trophy winners.
  • Bamford Trophy: Only edged show auriculas are eligible.
  • Stakes are allowed on show auriculas only.  Stakes should be small, neat and inconspicuous.  No cotton.  Stake to be below the umbel.
  • Exhibition plants to show one umbel; others may be tied down out of sight, with the exception of Gold Lace.
  • Exhibition plants to be judged on majority of pips, not just one pip.
  • Many species are appearing in our shows, some of which are unknown to the judges.  Carefully judge the entire plant.
  • A plant must have been in its owner’s possession for at least six (6) months prior to the show.
  • When several plants are in close competition and the scores tie, some additional characteristics to be observed are: rose crown, most unusual color, greatest depth of color, most beautiful or unusual eye, fragrance, floriferousness, strength of stem, condition of umbel, most perfect foliage.
  • Remember that a primula show is not a standard show. All plants are judged on their own merit.
  • Companion plants – do not compete for best plant in show.
  • Fasciated stem: deduct ten (10) points

It was established that after participating in a judging training class and passing a written examination, a junior judge would become an accredited judge after serving three years or five shows as a junior judge.