Ed Elslager Seedling Competition Rules

Rules for the Seedling Competition

(Please enter only plants of distinction)

1. Exhibitors must be a member of The American Hosta Society, the Michigan Hosta Society, or the Ed Elslager Hybridizing Society.
2. Exhibitors must indicate on the convention Registration Form the total number of plants entered, with a maximum of 8 seedlings total which can be allocated to any class(s) of the exhibitor’s choice.
3. The LAST day to enter seedling photographs is June 28, 2021. Please note that the competition is limited to 200 entries, so we may reach the limit before the June 28^th deadline. Enter early!
4. Exhibitors will submit two photographs (of the highest pixel and quality available) of each seedling – one showing the clump and a second showing the leaf. These photographs should be of landscape orientation and will be displayed on the site as 800 pixels wide by 600 pixels tall. Smaller images will be rejected.
   
   The plants must be in a black nursery pot or be grown in the garden. It is strongly REQUESTED that a black background (cloth or posterboard) accompanied with a ruler (yardstick) be included in the submitted photographs. In a virtual competition such as this, these ‘tools’ are necessary for judging. No plant enhancements (additional cloth draping of foreground, stake support, foreign substances, taping, etc.) are allowed for photography purposes. We know some of you are excellent photographers and can beautifully stage your plants. However, we want the attendees to judge the hybridizer’s results and minimize the photographic artistry.
5. Photographs of the seedlings may be entered upon submission of the convention Registration Form with the accompanying fee. Please use the separate Seedling Entry Form for your submissions. Submission of photographs and entry form can occur any time after convention registration begins and before the June 28, 2021 deadline.
6. Photographs submitted are NOT to be altered in any manner, honor system in place.
7. All plants must be grown from seed by the exhibitor himself/herself.
8. Only unregistered, unnamed seedlings are eligible.
9. No sports or plant mutations are allowed.
10. A minimum of two divisions, all of an identical type, is required with each entry except for two categories: 
    Class 8 – First Year Seedlings, and Class 6 – Splashed or irregular variegation.
    Bloom  scapes may be removed or left intact at the discretion of the exhibitor.
11. A maximum of 200 plants will be exhibited and judged. The Ed Elslager committee reserves the right to reduce the number of entries per exhibitor (to less than 8 per exhibitor) if the entry total exceeds 200, or to cut off further entries (please enter early).

Classes	Description
Class 1	Green (all shades)
Class 2	Blue (all shades)
Class 3	Gold (all shades)
Class 4	Variegated with lighter margin (all shades)
Class 5	Variegated with lighter center (all shades)
Class 6	Splashed or irregular variegation ( includes misting )
Class 7	Red Petioles ( includes extending into the leaf )
Class 8	First Year Seedlings  (sowed  after Nov. 1, 2020 )

Competition Judging

Judges of the Ed Elslager Hybridizing Society Competition 2021 will use the following scoring system:

Point Scoring for all Classes (Clump size does not apply to Class 8)

Category	Points
Distinction	60
Color and Pattern	15
Form	15
Condition	5
Clump size (includes number of divisions)	5
TOTAL	100

Since each plant in this division is a unique entry, the judges will evaluate each plant on the above point system. Please note the number of points for distinction.

The Judging Team will be comprised of three members of the Ed Elslager Hybridizing Society and, for the neutrality of this competition, shall be non-competing hybridizers.

Awards

Two awards will be presented for each Class: one for each class will be given by the judges, and the other by convention attendees.

People’s Choice Award – Voted upon by convention attendees.

Best of Show Award – Selected by the Judges.

To enter, complete the Seedling Entry Form. Please follow the instructions carefully. If you have questions concerning the seedling contest, email Seedling@ahs2021.org.