Designer of the Year Competition 2021
Combining with the Horticultural Society for the DOY Exhibition brought benefits to both organisations
Our DOY was on the weekend 12th to 14th November, an extremely wet and horrible weekend. The Area was invited by the Hutt Horticulture Society to join with the Rose Society, and the Bonsai group at their annual Summer Show.
We met at the event centre and organised where our designs would be best placed. We chose the entire length of the basketball court and approximately three metres out. The one disappointment was the background being mid-blue pull-down screens that divided the two courts. You could see through them when the lights were on at the other side, where the Rose Society and the Bonsai society had competition and sales tables.
I was the Convenor with Leigh Tierney as Head Steward. We campaigned very hard and finished with 20 entrants from the six clubs in the Wellington Area: 10 Juniors and 5 each in Intermediate and Senior. The title was ‘Fire and Ice’ for each class. The Juniors did it as a tabletop to be displayed on a plinth. The Intermediates provided their own staging and the Seniors’ designs were to be from the floor.
Monetary prizes were given for the three places in each class as well as for the specialty awards. There were also trophies for first placegetters.
The areas were marked out early afternoon on Friday 12th and the designers could come in on either late afternoon on Friday or early Saturday morning for up to three hours only. The Judging team arrived at midday on Saturday and the Show was open to the public on Saturday afternoon and Sunday.
The Judging team consisted of Mary McKay, Florence Carmichael and Imogene Keenan (FASNZ teacher). Florence Carmichael was asked for a comment on the event, and she said she was impressed with the number of entries and the amount of interest from Juniors. All competitors executed the title well and she was delighted with the standard of work. It is important to note the Senior winner and the runner up were divided by one point only. Florence commented about the surprising number of visitors given the weather on that weekend.
The prizegiving took place on Sunday prior to pack out.
The Horticulture Society has asked us to return in 2022 as our designs create a huge amount of interest. Although there is no DOY planned for 2022, the Area is considering a smaller event to keep up the interest from our membership.
Results
Senior Section
1st and Designer of the Year 2021 and Best Use of Leaves Award – Dorothy Gibbs, Whitby Club
2nd and DOY Runner Up – Sharron Vaney, Whitby Club
3rd – Colleen Aamodt, Upper Hutt Club
Intermediate Section
1st and Most Creative Award – Jenny Cohen, Kapiti Club
2nd Debbie Nguon, Johnsonville Club
3rd Helen Cross, Johnsonville Club
Junior Section
1st Sandra Sandoval, Karori Club
2nd and Best Use of Colour Award – Carolyn Wardle, Lower Hutt Club
3rd Raewyn Kitchingman, Lower Hutt Club
Designer of the Year Competition 2018
A well-named Show Stopper of an Exhibition
The Designer of the Year Competition for the Wellington Area was held over the weekend of the 10th and 11th November, in conjunction with the Rose Society’s Competition at the new Exhibition and Conference Centre in Lower Hutt. All Clubs in Wellington Area were invited to enter.
The theme was “Show Stopper”, with the requirement to include roses.
There were 17 entries from the six clubs in our area, and we had sections for Juniors, Intermediates and Seniors as well as the DOY. All the designs were colourful, creative and interesting interpretations of the theme.
The overall winner of the DOY was Sharron Thorpe (Whitby Club). Her design was definitely a show stopper of hot pinks and lime greens. We all loved the WOW factor.
Helen Potter (Kapiti Club) was the runner up, and she also won the Best Use of Leaves Award.
Pauline Bulman (Upper Hutt Club) came third and also won the Most Creative Design Award.
Pauline Tuck won the Senior Section.
