JUDGING COMMITTEE 

PURPOSE:

To judge cymbidiums, paphiopedilums and phragmipediums at places and times in accordance with the standards and regulations established in the by-laws of The Cymbidium Society of America, Inc. 

COMPOSITION and QUALIFICATIONS: 

1. An Awards Chairman, who shall be appointed by the Awards Committee and serve an indefinite term.



2. The Awards Committee shall appoint a Regional Judging Chairman, and an Assistant Regional Judging Chairman for each geographic area, i.e. Los Angeles, Orange County, Santa Barbara, Golden Gate, Japan and New Zealand. Each shall serve an indefinite term.



3. The Awards Committee appoints accredited Judges.



4. All Entry Clerks and Form Clerks shall be appointed by the Regional Judging Chairman in his geographic area, Los Angeles, Orange County, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, New Zealand, Japan, etc.



5. Associate Judges are selected from Clerks who have served 3 or more years at judging sessions and have shown definite qualifications for becoming an Accredited Judge. In some cases, an eye test for normal color vision may be required. The correct reading of a numbered color wheel may fulfill this requirement i.e. pseudo-isochromatic plate of the American Optical Company, in the presence of a Regional Judging Chairman.



6. In addition, an outstandingly qualified person may be proposed by the Regional Judging Chairman in his area to the status of Associate Judge. The Awards Committee must approve this action.



7. All Associate Judges who aspire to become Accredited Judges shall be appointed by the Awards Committee and should have completed the following requirements:



1. Should have served 3 or more years as an Associate Judge.
2. Should have judged and submitted scores on 30 or more plants.
3. Should have attended two-thirds or the Judging seminars.
4. Should have attended 20 or more Judging sessions.
5. If at any time during the probationary period his performance is not satisfactory, he may be removed by the Awards Committee.
 

8. In rare instances an Associate Judge may become eligible for appointment as an Accredited Judge after a minimum of two years, but three years is highly recommended. This is done in order to provide flexibility, to shorten the Associate period in the unusual instance when an individual’s background, knowledge and experience uniquely qualify him for consideration.



9. Senior Judges: the Awards Committee may confer this honorary status upon an Accredited Judge upon recommendation. To qualify for this status an individual should have given 15 years of consistent service as an Accredited Judge. Adequate reasons must exist to justify his transfer to senior status after which he will no longer be expected to fulfill the annual judging requirements of all Accredited Judges. A Senior Judge should continue to participate in judging. A request for change to the status of Senior Judge must be submitted, in writing, together with reason to the Awards Committee for their approval.



10. Emeritus Judge: After twenty years of outstanding service, a Judge may apply for Emeritus status subject to the approval of the Awards Committee. He will no longer be expected to fulfill the annual judging requirements of all Accredited Judges. Emeritus status is reserved for those Judges who have given additional service beyond that of judging. He is encouraged to judge at any session.



11. All Judges and Regular Clerks must be members in good standing, with the Cymbidium Society of America, Inc. and with at least one branch.

DUTIES of the CHAIRMAN of AWARDS: 

1. To call and preside at a meeting of the Awards Committee during the break in the Cymbidium Judging calendar i.e. in July or March or at other times as deemed necessary. This Committee is to consist of the Regional Judging Chairman and Assistant Regional Judging Chairman of each of the Branches, representing each of the aforementioned geographic areas, for the purpose of:



1. Reviewing the qualifications of Clerks.
2. Reviewing the qualifications of Associate Judges.
3. Reviewing the performance of Accredited Judges.
4. Discussing new breeding trends and determining if they have been given adequate recognition.
5. Setting up the seminars and study sessions for the judging personnel for the coming year.
6. Passing upon the qualifications if a Judge for Emeritus or senior status.


2. To maintain, as nearly as possible, a complete file of slides of all historical awards, not to be loaned out; and to maintain a current complete set of digital images of awards; to distribute the current digital images of awards to the Regional Chairman of Judging for each of the aforementioned geographical areas. Regional slides may be loaned for a short period, and digital images may be distributed, but only for the purpose of educational seminars or lectures.



3. To maintain an adequate quantity of all supplies for use in judging.



4. To have complete charge of all trophies, including the selection of winners, and be responsible to see that trophies are properly engraved for the winners and supply this information to the official journal of the Cymbidium Society of America, Inc.
 

5. To make an annual report in writing with recommendations for presentations to the Board of Directors at their September meeting, and to make such special reports as deemed necessary.

DUTIES OF THE CHAIRMAN OF JUDGING COMMITTEE: 

1. To preside at all regional judging meetings.



2. To assign three or more Judges to each plant approved for point scoring.



3. To assign the duties of the Clerks.



4. To check and record the scores of all Judges.



5. To advise the Awards Chairman of awards given within two weeks after each judging session.



6. To keep a record of awards with the individual score of each Judge, to remain for three years the results of judging of any plant receiving an award.



7. To request a review of the score of any Judge whenever in the Regional Judging Chairman’s opinion there has been a possibility of error, or when the average score of the judging team is very close to that required for an award. To appoint at his discretion, another Judge or Judges, whenever there is a marked difference among the scores of the judging team, or whenever in his opinion justice so requires.



8. To enforce all rules and regulations on judging.



9. To receive from any exhibitor any request for reconsideration of any judging result and to use his judgment as to whether there should be a review.



10. To supply the Editor of the official journal of the Cymbidium Society of America, Inc. and the Chairman of the Awards Committee a description with the necessary details on all plants which have received an award, and to keep copies of such data for the Judging Committee record. This record shall include sepal and petal width, number of flowers, and the overall width of the flower, as well as stem length on paphiopedilums. This information together with a publication quality digital image of no less than six mega-pixels in size must be provided to the Chairman of the awards committee within two weeks of the judging event.



11. To be present at the meeting in other orchid societies or shows for the purpose of presiding at judging sessions conducted by the Society when requested by the Awards Committee or Awards Chairman.



12. To promote independence of decision by all Judges, and not to reveal or discuss any Judge's decision to other than members of the Judging Committee.



13. To call special meetings of Judges, including at least one Judging Seminar each year.



14. To arrange judging classes.



15. To assign duties and keep records of all Associate Judges.  To utilize Associate Judges in conjunction with the regular judging teams in order to compare their respective judging scores.



16. To review attendance and performance records of all judges to be submitted for review at the Awards Committee July meeting.

DUTIES OF ASSISTANT TO CHAIRMAN OF JUDGING COMMITTEE: 

To take over the duties of the Chairman during the absence of the Chairman, to assist the Chairman during any periods of judging, and to attend all judging classes and forums as requested by the Chairman. 

DUTIES OF AN ACCREDITED JUDGE: 

1. To attend at least five judging sessions and one seminar annually unless excused by the Judging Chairman.  To be available for judging at Cymbidium meetings and Shows.  To attend Judging Seminars.  If a Judge does not meet attendance requirements he/she will be dropped.



2. To adhere to all rules and regulations of the Society in connection with all judging.



3. To refrain from judging any plant or flowers in which he may have any present or prospective ownership.



4. To refrain from discussion of judging results with other than members of the Judging Committee.



5. To disqualify himself at any judging event where it is questionable as to whether he will render fair and impartial judgment.



6. To request, in writing, retirement whenever he may feel unable to maintain reasonable and prompt attendance at judging sessions, or for other reasons he may have.



7. To refrain from judging a plant or flower unless assigned by the Judging Chairman.

DUTIES OF AN ASSOCIATE JUDGE: 

1. To adhere to all rules and regulations which apply to Judges.  Although Associate Judges are required to participate in a minumum of five judging sessions and one seminar annually, they are expected, in addition, to attend as many of the judging sessions at their home centers as possible.



2. To attend regular meetings and all judging classes of the Cymbidium Society of America, Inc.



3. To perform the duties assigned by the Judging Chairman.

DUTIES OF CLERKS: 

To operate under the direction of the Chairman in the performance of duties including the acceptance of plants to be judged and the checking, preparation and maintenance of necessary records and supplies.  Clerks will not participate in judging or the assignment of Judges. 

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Last Modified: February 28, 2009