Becoming a Judge and Judging a Flower Show

Qualifications for Judging

Judging Levels

1. Prospective Student Judge (Entering the GCV Judging Program)
   • Contact Flower Shows Committee Chair indicating interest in becoming an artistic judge.
   • The prospective judge must be a member of a GCV club.
   • It is the responsibility of the prospective judge to serve as a clerk or runner for a GCV show prior to entering the judging program. To do so, she will need to communicate with the chair of a scheduled GCV show as outlined on the GCV website.
   • The prospective judge must have access to a Flower Shows Handbook.
2. Student Judge 
   • With approval of the Flower Shows Committee Chair, the prospective judge is entered into the judging program.
   • She attends one GCV Artistic Flower Arranging School, workshop or other learning session approved by the FSC.
   • She passes one GCV exam based on the GCV Flower Shows Handbook and other material supplied by the GCV Judges Chairman prior to the exam date. The exam will include point scoring. The Student Judge must attain a passing grade of 70 points or more.
   • She serves as a Student Judge at a GCV Flower Show (as an observer of the show process).
   • She exhibits in two GCV Flower Shows or Flower Arranging School or Workshops. The Flower Shows Chairman will have a list of approved events.
3. Accredited Judge
   • The fulfillment of the student judge requirements.
   • Pass an exam based on elements and principles of design. (Study materials are supplied by the Flower Shows Judges Chair) The exam is given in September at the Flower Arranging School and in March at the Flower Arranging Workshop or anytime designated by the FSC Chair.
   • Attend three Flower Arranging Schools, Workshops or other approved lecture sessions within a five year time period.
   • Complete three student judging opportunities for observation of the judging process within a five year period.
   • The final Judges exam prior to accreditation is a timed open-book exam on styles of flower arranging, given in September at Flower Arranging School and in March at the Flower Arranging Workshop, using the GCV Flower Shows Handbook.
   • The above requirements are to be completed within a five year time period.
   • In case of personal or immediate family illness, an extension may be granted by the GCV Judges Chairman as it relates to the fulfillment of requirements.
4. Senior Judge
   • After at least fifteen years of continuous service as an Accredited Judge, a Judge acquires Senior Status.
   • Senior Judges are exempt from exams.
   • Senior Judges must be willing to keep up-to-date with changes in the Flower Shows Handbook and always be alert to current trends in floral design.
   • Other Requirements to Maintain Accredited Judge Status apply, with the exception of the exam.

Requirements to Maintain Accredited Judge Status

1. Attend two GCV Flower Arranging Schools, Workshops, or other learning sessions approved by the FSC.
2. Pass one timed, open-book exam on the Flower Shows Handbook and other materials presented by the GCV Judges Chair prior to the exam. The exam will include point scoring.*
3. Judge in at least two GCV Shows. A Judge should accept invitations to judge whenever possible.
4. Enter at least two GCV Flower Shows in an individual class.  Inter Club arrangements are entered in the name of the GCV Club. They do not meet the requirement of maintaining a judge’s status even if the judge is the only person to develop the design.
5. In case of personal or immediate family illness, an extension may be granted by the GCV Judges Chairman as it relates to the fulfillment of requirements.
6. Send to the Flower Shows Judges Chair yearly, information regarding the requirements above for maintaining accredited judge status. A form is provided on the web site. *
7. Requirements are based on a 5-year time period.

Reinstatement of Lapsed Accredited Judge

1. A Judge is considered “lapsed” if she has not maintained her Accredited Judge requirements.
2. She may apply to the GCV Flower Shows Chair for reinstatement.
3. She must attend a Flower Arranging School or Workshop and pass a timed, open-book exam which includes point-scoring and enter an individual class in a GCV Flower show-all within a period of one year.
4. Any Judge lapsed longer than 5 years loses all Judging status.

Judging a Flower Show

1. A GCV Judge serves by invitation of the Flower Show host club. She acknowledges invitations promptly and serves if possible.
2. A GCV Artistic Judge may not invite a guest for the evening cocktail/dinner party prior to the show. (This is because of expense to the host club.)
3. The GCV Judge is responsible for studying the schedule prior to the show. If she has questions concerning the schedule they should be directed to the GCV Judges Chairman.
4. An assignment sheet for judging the show will be sent to the GCV Judges by the GCV Judges Chairman.
5. A Judges Meeting will be held prior to Judging the show in order to clarify any design questions. If unable to attend the meeting, the GCV Judges Chairman must be promptly notified.
6. Do not visit the show floor prior to Judging. If exhibiting horticulture specimens, arrangements may be made to have them placed for you.
7. Arrive promptly at the appointed time and place so as not to delay the judging process.
8. A Judge does NOT disqualify an exhibit; that is the responsibility of the Passing Committee, whose decision is final.
9. A Judge NEVER touches an exhibit. (If a problem arises, consult the GCV Flower Shows Committee Chairman.)
10. An exhibit is judged as it appears at the time of judging.
11. Unless otherwise instructed, the exhibit is judged from the front of the arrangement, from a distance of 3 feet.
12. All Arrangements receive comment cards which should be brief, constructive and always start with a positive statement
13. Each class should receive the following ribbons: one Blue (90-100 points), one Red (80-89 points, one Yellow (70-79 points).The judges may award as many White ribbons as they feel warrant the points (60-69 points).
14. After consultation with the GCV FS Chairman and the GCV Judges Chairman, ribbons may be withheld where point-scoring denies requisite points for a given ribbon. However, every effort should be made to award all ribbons.
15. Artistic Judges MAY NOT exhibit in artistic classes in a show which they are judging. They MAY enter the horticulture classes with the understanding that someone else may need to place the exhibits in order that the artistic judge not appear on the show floor prior to judging.
16. After all classes are judged, the Judges vote on the following awards:
    • Quad-Blue/Best Inter club (Only Blue ribbons are considered.)
    • Tri-Color/ Best In Show by an individual (Only Blue ribbons are considered)
    • Novice Award: the entry stub will be marked with an “N for Novice” at the time of registration. The award does not require winning any particular ribbon.
    • Most Creative design that follows the rules of its class; it need not be a ribbon winner and the candidates may come from different classes, not including Inter Club. 
17. All Judges stay on the floor until they are released by the Flower Shows Chairman.

Artistic Point-Scoring For All Designs