BONSAI PERSON OF THE YEAR 2009 - OFFICIAL!!

After consultation with the other Moderators, I am delighted to announce that we are making official the wonderful idea started by Dorothy on the Off-Topic Banter forum board. Here's how it works:

Dorothy and I are the official organisers on behalf of the Moderator team. We invite you now to make your nominations for Bonsai Person of the Year 2009 in the categories outlined shortly. The nominee should have profoundly contributed to the bonsai community in 2009. It does not need to be a prominent person - unsung heroes are as valid as those who are in the limelight.

• Nominations must come from members of the IBC only.
  
• A member can only nominate one person in each category.
  
• Nominations already made will automatically be taken forward
  
• Nominations can be made up til midnight on December 31st 2009 (UK time)
  

Please note that a nomination is different from a vote. The voting will work as follows:- after the cut-off time for nominations, we will use the Poll system on the forum for members to cast their votes.

• The system will only allow you to vote for one nominee in each category.
  
• Voting will finish at midnight on January 4th 2010 (again UK time).
  
• The winners will be announced on January 6th. (so as the Christmas decorations come down, the IBC bonsai awards will go up)
  

Categories for Nominations are:

Category 1 Bonsai Person of 2009 for an outstanding contribution - North and South America
Category 2 Bonsai Person of 2009 for an outstanding contribution - Europe & Africa
Category 3 Bonsai Person of 2009 for an outstanding contribution - Asia and Pacific
Category 4 Bonsai Person of 2009 for an outstanding contribution - Globally
Category 5 Bonsai Person of 2009 for an outstanding contribution to the IBC forum


Nominations already received and carried forward are:

Group 1 Bill Valavanis, Martha Goff, Jim Smith, John Geanangel, Arthur Joura
Group 2 Tony Tickle, Marc Noelanders, Kath and Malcolm Hughes, Rob Atikinson, Gerwyn Reynolds
Andy Pearson Morten Albek
Group 3 Lindsay Farr
Group 4 Mario Komsta, Bill Valavanis, Lindsay Farr, Marc Noelanders
Group 5 Kevin Bailey


Please make any further nominations on this thread. Remember the cut-off date for nominations is midnight on Dec 31st.
Also - do feel free to ask any questions or for clarification of anything.


While this event (prefer that word to competition) is official and reasonably formal (trophies will be presented to the winners), let's try to make it display the sense of humour and the good-naturedness for which this forum has become renowned. Or as the referee used to say at the start of a UK wrestling bout - no spitting, biting or scratching.

Go for it.

I would like to nominate Charles Ceronio here from South-Africa.

He is promoting African trees as bonsai everywhere he goes, but more important is his groundlevel work promoting the art of bonsai.

He is also the author of Bonsai Styles of the World, the most comprehensive guide to consult if you need information on styling.

Lennard

I'd like to nominate my good friend Tony Tickle.

I met Tony through the IBC at the beginning of this year..Within the space of two weeks I had worked on a lovely little Yamadori Yew from by Tony's collected stock. ( which I now own ) had a wonderful collecting trip up " the hill " . Visited Willowbog and met many great artist form around the UK..What an introduction to a fantastic Art...And of course there's always BURRS..Tony is always willing to help and advise us beginners .A man whose generosity knows no bounds.And ,like myself he's as daft as a brush.

I vote for all the members of this forum.

Ni dieu, ni maitre!

#4 Walter Pall

Morten Albek
My field is the shohin tree , so i think he is the best

Thanks for all the nominations - the voting stations are now open on individual threads.

Please note that Lindsay Farr wins bonsai person of 2009 - Asia and Pacific and Kev Bailey is the official bonsai person of 2009 as far as this forum goes. Well done to them.



You've got until midnight on 4 th January to vote.