Attention breeders and growers: Looking for a way to get feedback on your newest or best varieties? The Society of American Florists’ 139th annual convention has just what you need.
The Outstanding Variety Competition, held in conjunction with SAF Miami 2024 Aug. 6-9, offers breeders and growers from around the world an opportunity to showcase their best varieties and gather feedback from convention attendees and judges.
Judges score each entry based on color and commercial appeal, stem and foliage, bloom form and size, and overall presentation. The judging panel, which includes three retailers, three growers and three wholesalers, evaluates specific categories of flowers and foliage, and the highest scored variety in each category entry wins “Best in Class.” From this elite group, judges choose their Best in Show winner.
This year’s competition also features “Breeder’s Alley” a special section for breeders to display new varieties that are either not commercially available or not widely commercially available.
To see last year’s ‘Best in Show,’ ‘Best in Class,’ and blue ribbon winners, read “Abundant ‘Amistad’” in the 2023 November/December issue of Floral Management.
The early bird deadline to enter the Outstanding Varieties Competition is July 1. No entries are accepted after July 15.
Amanda Jedlinsky is the senior director of content and communications for the Society of American Florists.
