Placement & Clerking At-a-Glance
Helping to Make Your Rose Show Successful
By Kitty Belendez
Placement Staff and Judge's Clerks are two very important workers at a rose show. Here are some tips for these workers to perform their best.
PLACEMENT STAFF
These are the people who place the exhibitors' rose specimens in their proper locations at the rose show.
- Review the rose show schedule and floor plan in advance to familiarize yourself with the rose show and how it is laid out.
- Meet the Chairman of Placement on the show floor by 7:00 A.M.
- Never touch a rose bloom -- even to smell it, because your nose could bruise the bloom.
- Never assume where a rose goes just by looking at the bloom. You must read every entry tag to see in which Class Number each rose is to be placed.
- Make sure every rose is placed in the proper Class Number, with entry tag closed, and the bloom facing forward.
- Never touch or move any rose in a "Challenge Class."
- Alphabetize all Classes, except "Challenge Classes."
- Exhibitors may place their own "Challenge Class" entries. (This year exhibitors may place any of their entries, with assistance from placement.)
- Carefully carry only one vase in each hand.
- A tray may be used for carrying several vases of miniature roses, but NEVER for the big roses because they are sure to topple over.
- If a rose name or class number are not on the tag, the entry is not to be placed, and you should return it the placement entry table or to the exhibitor if you happen to see them (but don't waste time searching for them).
- Rose exhibitors may not rearrange other exhibitors' entries in any class.
- A polite caution will prevent people from touching the rose entries.
- The last half-hour before close of entries, 9:15 to 9:45 A.M., will be the most hectic as rose exhibitors rush to get all of their roses entered.
- Entries close promptly at 9:30 A.M., no exceptions.
- After entries close, double-check that all roses have been placed in the proper place and are properly alphabetized (except challenge classes).
- All roses must be in their proper places and ready for judging by 10:00 A.M.
CLERKS
These are the people who assist the judges by affixing ribbons to the roses.
- Wear short sleeved shirts to prevent knocking over rose entries when clerking.
- Learn the show floor plan so that you may assist your judges in locating their assigned sections.
- Stay with your rose judges at all times, except when they are voting for Queen.
- If you run low of ribbons or stickers, notify the Chair of Clerks.
- Never speak to the rose judges unless spoken to.
- If using ribbons, pull the string of the ribbon through the hole in the upper right hand corner of the tag, not in the hole at the bottom that is punched by the judge.
- If using stickers, affix the sticker on the bottom section of the entry tag.
- Refrain from talking with others while clerking.
- Stay out of the way of the judges at all times.
- Notify a "Runner" to bring trophy winners up to the trophy recording table.
- Do not leave the show floor until released by your rose judges.
Reprinted from "Rose Ecstasy," bulletin of the Santa Clarita Valley Rose Society, Kitty Belendez, Editor.
© Copyright Kitty Belendez. All rights reserved.
