Reg Bolton and Terry Adams

This year’s show was another success with over 400 visitors and over 100 bonsai trees on display as individual exhibits or part of a club display or shohin or mame display. The show also had a wide range of traders and purchases of bonsai and associated sundries seem to be selling well on the day.

Swindon Club Members manning the entry table

A big thank you to all who helped with the show on the day, it takes a lot of time and effort prior to the show organizing everything as well as on the day to ensure things run as smoothly as they can. Year on year we continue to learn and improve how we organise and run the show and a huge thanks to our Chairman Paul Bowerbank for his efforts throughout the year to bring everything and everyone together year on year. Can’t believe it has been running for 17 years, and long may it continue.

View of the main exhibition hall

Thank you also to the Grange Leisure Centre for their support and for letting us hire their facilities to host our event and the school for the use of their car park which we couldn’t do without.

Les Storey’s Mame display

Without the exhibitors though we wouldn’t have a show so thank you to everyone who does bonsai as a hobby and is prepared to bring your bonsai trees to our show whether you are club members or invited guests it makes the show.

Awards at our show

Award winner at our show

1.Best Overall Display (sponsor John Pitt) –  John Pitt
2.Best Deciduous Tree (sponsor John Pitt) – Jim Butterworth
3.Best Evergreen Tree (sponsor John Pitt)- John Pitt
4.Besh Chuhin Tree (sponsor John Pitt) – Mark & Ritta Cooper
5.Best Shohin Display (sponsor John Pitt) – Andy Jordan
6.Best Mame Display (sponsor John Pitt) – Ritta Cooper
7.Best Club Display (sponsor John Pitt) – Aka Matsu
8.Best Accent (sponsor John Trott) – John Pitt
9.Best Tree/Pot Combo (sponsor Walsall Ceramics) – John Pitt
10.Arihato Award (sponsor Kit Bowns) – Beryl Thorpe

Busy in the traders room

Traders at our show

  • Windybank
  • David Jones of Walsall Studio Ceramics
  • Lee Verhorevoort Bonsai
  • John Trott of Mendip Bonsai Studios
  • Chris Thomas
  • Corin Tomlinson Greenwood Bonsai Studio
  • Dan Butler of Wood & Clay
  • Tony Remington Studio
  • Dan Barton of Esoteric Pots
  • David Sampson of Fine Japanese Suiseki
  • Gordon Duffett
  • Simon Haddon of Suteki
  • Mark Kennerley of Green Dragon Bonsai
  • Graham Simpson of Dragonfly Bonsai pots
Andy, Andy and Ian discussing the judging

Judges at our show

  • Andy Jordan
  • Andrew Hardman 
  • Bill Baker
  • John Brocklehurst 
  • Mark Cooper 
  • Ritta Cooper 
  • Robert Stewart
  • Steve McKee
View of some of the club displays

Clubs and Societies at out show

  • Bristol Bonsai Society
  • Ashfield Bonsai Society
  • Phoenix Bonsai Society
  • Warminster Bonsai Society
  • Splinter Bonsai Group
  • Newbury Bonsai Society
  • Aka Matsu School of Bonsai
  • Solent Bonsai Society
  • Surrey Heath Bonsai Society
  • Glynderi Bonsai Society
Raffle time with Paul Bowerbank

Thank you to everyone who bought raffle tickets at our show and also a massive thank you to all those donated raffle prizes. 

Royal British Legion Commemorative pot

Hopefully you also bought your tickets for the Royal British Legion Pot, designed and supplied by Andy Pearson and Simon Haddon. If not there will be other opportunities this year before the draw to do so.

Andy Jordan and Ian Stewardson

Also don’t miss our show for next year, the date is already booked in for Sunday 23rd February 2020 so look forward to seeing you there. Also many more posts to follow with the details of the trees and winners so keep an eye out for more posts over the next few weeks.