Author Topic: Showing onions  (Read 1397 times)

Plot22

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Showing onions
« on: August 13, 2018, 15:06:02 »
I have had an allotment for about 10 years now and I have ups and downs like anyone else but generally have produced enough to feed my family with some to spare. This year my onions have done exceptionally well and I was thinking of exhibiting in the local council show in September. I have looked at YouTube and read about how to prepare the onions but I do not know how to actually exhibit them. Do I put them on a plate or on a plate with silver sand like shallots or just on the bench. I do not suppose for one minute that I will get anywhere but I would like to give it ago. Any advice would be most welcome.

Tee Gee

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Re: Showing onions
« Reply #1 on: August 13, 2018, 16:45:35 »
OK Plot see if this helps!

Its 20 years since I last exhibited anything so I dug out some of my "show props"

The key thing in exhibiting is read the schedule carefully failure to do so can result in disqualification or to put it into the vernacular NAS'd which means Not as Schedule.

In Pic 1 I have shown some of my props Top left is for showing "One Onion" and consists of a black board with a ring on it which when the Onion is sat on it, it does not roll about.

An alternative to this method is to place a piece of black cloth (I preferred velvet) over the ring then sit the onion on the ring.

Again in Pic 1 are three rings where one is 1" high, the next 1½" high and the third 2" high  so in a "Three onion class" you cover the rings with the black cloth then lay out your Onions in a "Terraced" fashion.

With a Five Onion class use three rings by 2" high and two rings 1" high if you are staging the 3 at the back and two at the front. If staging two at the back and three at the front  use 2 by2" rings at the back and 3by1" at the front.

With Onions in say the 8oz class display the onions on a plate filled with silver sand.

I hope this helps and let me be the first to wish you luck!




Plot22

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Re: Showing onions
« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2018, 06:58:15 »
Thanks Tee Gee that information and the photographs are really useful

lezelle

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Re: Showing onions
« Reply #3 on: August 15, 2018, 09:02:48 »
Hi Ya, I found it interesting what TeeGee put. He uses tape reels. I hadn't seen that before but I have seen the use of those rubber dog rings for standing the onions on covered with black material. I see now how it's done. You want to a recce at a show and see what the lay out is and get a few tips. You could when they are setting up but don't get to nosey and close as I know some are very protective and secretive. Good Luck from me as well.

Tee Gee

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Re: Showing onions
« Reply #4 on: August 15, 2018, 09:28:06 »
Quote
He uses tape reels.

They are not tape reels although I can see where you are coming from.

They are actually pieces of rainwater falll pipe cut to varying lengths(height)

When using props it is always best to hide them as much as you can,after all it is th produce you are exhibiting not the props, and you never want to distract the judge's attention.

I have seen people disqualified for misuse of props,some schedules will state if you can use props or not, and if so what you can use!

You might be aware that when exhibiting flowers such as Chrysants,Dahlias And Gladioli exhibitors pack the vase with paper to hold the stems in the best position possible.

I have seen a guy get disqualified because he did not hide what he was doing. To explain; one of the rules is; you are not allowed to use any form of support above the rim of the vase and what he inadvertently did was leave a corner of the paper he had used sticking above the rim. And as the paper was a form of support he broke the rules and was NAS'd.

That's why I mentioned read your schedule very carefully as you can bet the judge will have done.

OK the rules at a local show may not be as stringent but rules are rules and some judges will take them to their limit! So you have been warned!

 

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