10 reasons..

        This post is just my opinion on entering orchid in competition based on the situation in my country, Malaysia..I don't know about other country..maybe they are the same or maybe they are not..here it goes..

        

         Entering orchid competition/shows In my opinion is a must for orchid hardcore, like me. As far as I can see there's a good reasons why I want to enter such competition..Of course, not every orchidist will agree with me. Some, don't feel the need to do it, and if you ask them they have their own reasons. Some of the excuses, like they don't have time to bring in their plants, Don't know how to enter the competition/shows, feeling afraid or in doubt that their plants is not good enough..or the most unfortunate one is that, they want to but there's no local orchid society around..

         For my part, when there's a competition/shows, I don't want to see a good flowering orchid plants of mine sitting quietly in my garden  and soon watching the flowers wilt with the passing of time..such a waste..This is even sad if it is you and you alone who appreciate orchid. Orchid needs to be shared and loved by many..

         Pos kali ini hanya nak memperkatakan tentang pendapat saya mengenai pertandingan orkid berdasarkan situasi di Malaysia..Tak tahulah dengan negara lain, mungkin sama dan mungkin juga tak..

         Pada pendapat saya memasuki satu-satu pertandingan orkid adalah satu kemestian bagi peminat orkid tegar..Banyak kebaikan yang boleh kita dapat..Tapi mesti ada yang tidak setuju dengan pandangan saya, biasalah tu..Bagi yang tak suka atau tak setuju mereka ada alasan masing-masing..masuk pertandingan ini bukan satu yang penting..Antara alasan yang saya biasa dengar ialah tak ada masa nak datang bawa pokok, ada juga yang tak tau macam mana nak masuk bertanding, lagi ada yang rasa pokok orkid mereka tak setanding dengan peserta lain..Tapi yang paling malang ialah tiada kelab/persatuan orkid di negeri/tempat mereka walaupun mereka ingin nak cuba masuk bertanding..

         Bagi saya la, bila ada pertandingan orkid, seboleh-bolehnya tak mau la tengok orkid tu kat rumah saja, lepas tu layu..sungguh merugikan..Lagi sedih kalau di rumah tu kita saja yang minat orkid..Kecantikan orkid perlu dikongsi dan dinikmati oleh semua..

My reasons that I can think of are..antara alasan saya ialah..

1. Easy Money.. : ) - (For ordinary orchidist like me..to the super rich ones this reason may not apply..lol ) Usually in my country, cash was given for each winning plants. The amount depends on the sponsors from organizers be it from government or privates..For big shows, means that lasts for 1 or 2 weeks, usually the prizes are more. You can get your money back, from the 'investment' you've made when you bought the winning plants...at least you make your orchids profitable rather than just the 'orchid growing satisfaction'..You got both ! Of course, you don't make a living with the winning prize, cause this is a seasonal events and the unpredictability nature and orchid flowering..Actually, showing your support to the orchid society by entering your plants in competition is more important. With the  winning money you can use it to buy new plants, fertilizers or any other orchid related materials..less pressure on your wallet..

1. Duit  : ) - ( untuk peminat orkid yang biasa macam saya ni lah..yang kaya raya tu mungkin alasan ni tak leh pakai..) masuk bertanding ni selalu hadiahnya duit..Siapa tak mau duit? Kalau 'show' besar besar la jumlahnya, yang penting pokok orkid kita dibawa masuk bertanding sikit banyak mesti lekat dapat hadiah punya..Kalau nasib baik lagi dapat la modal kita beli pokok tu balik. Duit tu juga boleh beli pokok baru tak pun barangan lain untuk kegunaan penanaman orkid..Tapi sebenarnya yang penting ialah kita datang memberikan sokongan kepada persatuan yang telah susah payah menganjurkan pertandingan orkid..kuranglah sikit 'tekanan' kepada poket kita tu..

2. Friends - It is here in the orchids shows that you can meet other orchidist, getting to know other people with the same interest, different races, backgrounds and making a lifelong friendship..

2. Kawan  - Memang kalau kita masuk bertanding kita akan kenal banyak orang,, dari pelbagai bangsa dan latarbelakang. Tak rugi pun.. mungkin ada yang boleh menjadi sahabat baik seumur hidup..

3. Knowledge - Tips and orchid growing methods are different from one to another, so you can learn by watching and chit-chatting with other orchidist about orchid culture, there are always someone who likes to share their experiences..and you also can gain more info about orchid species and hybrids especially their names and crossings..it helps a lot ..

3. Ilmu pengetahuan -  Cara penanaman orkid ni sebenarnya tak sama bagi setiap orang, kita boleh belajar dengan melihat bagaimana orang lain menanam pokok orkid mereka, tak pun boleh sembang-sembang selalunya mesti ada yang sudi nak kongsi petua dan tips-tips yang boleh kita cuba..Lagi satu kita boleh tahu nama, kacukan orkid yang dipertandingkan..

4. Showing orchid growing skill - By giving the best care that they can provide, you can see magnificent plants or specimen size plants on competition that shows the owner growing skills. This is not something that you can achieve in a short amount of time but with love, patience and experience. Even better if it is your plant..if a person says 'wow' that's worth all the time and effort..You'll some sort of giving other orchidist some inspiration to be a better orchid grower especially to new hobbyist.

4.Tunjukkan kemahiran menanam orkid - Untuk mendapatkan pokok orkid ditanam menjadi spesimen bukannya mudah..Kena ada pengalaman, usaha dan kesabaran..Kalau ada orang berkata 'wow' kat pokok kita, segala usaha kita selama ini untuk menanam pokok tu berbaloi dengan tenaga dan masa yang kita habiskan untuk menjaga pokok tersebut..Sedikit sebanyak ia memberi inspirasi kepada orang lain untuk menjadi peminat orkid yang lebih baik.

5. Generate public interest - Flower power..Growing orchid is an old hobby, since the Victorian era, during that time orchids are the luxury items..Nowadays everybody can afford to buy one. Orchid competition do attract large crowds certainly with a hope that it can 'recruit' a new hobbyist, 'refreshed' the old ones and keep peoples interest and appreciation of the flower.

5. Tarik minat orang ramai - Kehebatan bunga..menanam orkid ini adalah salah satu hobi yang boleh saya kata 'antik' sejak zaman Victoria di England orkid telah popular ke seluruh dunia.. Pertandingan orkid menarik minat ramai orang, dengan cara ini ia boleh menarik penggemar baru dan mengembangkan lagi apresiasi orang ramai terhadap orkid..

6. Getting new plants - This is one of the place where you can get good quality plants. Either from orchid vendors or other orchidist..It is where all the hardcore ones get together and display their orchids. Don't be afraid, just ask if you like certain plants, the owner might have more of it, or you can have cuttings with or without charge (if you are lucky). If they refuse, well.. better luck next time..

6. Mendapatkan pokok baru - Pada masa pertandingan ini la kita boleh melihat dan mendapatkan orkid yang berkualiti..sama ada dari peserta pertandingan ataupun di jualan gerai..Kalau nak dapatkan dari peserta pertandingan kena lah berani tanya kalau nasib baik dapat free 'cutting', nak bayar pun boleh harga ikut 'owner' lah..kalau dia setuju nak jual..kalau tak cuba lain kali...

7. Business opportunity- Meeting people sometimes accidentally opens you to generate orchid related business, usually it started small like selling 1 or 2 plants, but who knows, soon it might be your main source of income..or may be not just orchids but other things too..

7. Peluang perniagaan - Berjumpa dengan orang ramai pada masa ini kadang-kadang boleh membuka peluang bisnes tak kira la kecil ke besar ke..kadang-kadang yang kecil tu jadi besar..tak kira la pasal orkid atau benda lain semua ada kemungkinan..

8. Going to new places- Sometimes orchids competition/shows was held at certain places that you haven't been yet. This is one of the way to discover new venues and new surroundings..maybe there's more to the place that hold your interest in future..

8. Pergi ke tempat baru - Pertandingan orkid ni boleh diadakan di merata tempat, Kalau tempat yang tak pernah pi tu, masa ni lah nak 'explore', mungkin ada sesuatu yang lain yang boleh menarik minat kita pada tempat tu di kemudian hari..

9. See what others have -In competition, usually you can see many types of orchid. Competitors usually brought whatever plants that currently in flower that they have. Not just local orchids but sometimes plants from other continents that can be grown here in your country..there are certain orchids species or hybrids that you might have not yet seen..and you wants it.. and the fun part is that the 'hunts' begins for that particular orchid..lol..

9. Tengok apa yang orang lain ada - dalam pertandingan, ni lah masanya kita nak tengok pokok apa yang orang lain ada..selalunya yang pelik-pelik tu yang menarik perhatian atau pun yang tak pernah dilihat.kena pulak pokok yang kita mau, ha masa ni nak mula 'memburu' pokok tu..!

10. Spending your time wisely- well other than just sit at home sleeping or do nothing, why not go out and have 'fun' in orchid competition, there are lots of things that you can discover (and of course some of the 'discovery' is involving your money..lol) but as long you get the plants you like, all will be fine..you can sleep peacefully..

10. Menggunakan masa secara berfaedah- daripada duduk tak buat apa di rumah, orkid ada tanam, apa kata pi masuk bertanding, banyak benda yang kita boleh jumpa dan semestinya ada yang melibatkan duit..he..he..Tetapi bila dah dapat pokok yang kita nak tu, semuanya dah tak jadi hal..bolehlah tidur lena..

        So to all orchidist, the first step to enter a competition/shows is by joining your local orchid club, Usually, you've got to pay a subscription fees per year but its totally cheap..they will inform you about orchids competition/shows from time to time..but if you have your reason not to, well.. what can I do..you decide..

        Jadi untuk semua, kalau rasa nak masuk 'gelanggang' langkah pertamanya ialah masuklah Persatuan/Kelab orkid yang terdekat..Adalah bayaran sikit, tak luak pun akaun bank tu..nanti ahli akan diberitahu tentang pertandingan orkid dari semasa ke semasa..tapi kalau tak minat jugak nak masuk bertanding ikut suka..apa saya boleh buat..





Just as a flower which seems beautiful and has color but no perfume, 
so are the fruitless words of the man who speaks them but does them not.
- John Dewey