Iris Competition Newcomers

 by Sylvain Ruaud

All those who are interested in irises have noticed that in recent years the results of the competitions held in Europe have given pride of place to varieties developed by native hybridizers. This is a new phenomenon and marks a fundamental evolution of the iris world. Indeed, we were used to all competitions being won by American or Australian varieties. This was true since the end of the Second World War and the resumption of trade. At first, there was only the Florence competition in Europe, which soon reached a reputation of excellence. Every year it was the occasion for hybridizers from all over the world to measure themselves against others. 

At the beginning, American varieties reigned supreme, while European breeders were still recovering from the world war and were learning about hybridization on the job. These were only western breeders, British, French, and Italian, few in number and aware of the delay accumulated by their seedlings since the end of the 1930s. This is revealed in the list of winners of the Florin d'Or. The competition started in 1957, and the first European variety to be crowned was 'Rosso Fiorentino' (Specht, N.R.) in 1973! And the following ones were 'Libon' (W. Smid, N. R.) in 1985 then 'Ikar' (A. Volfovitch-Moler, 1995) in 1995, of which it is however excessive to speak about European iris because it is originating from Uzbekistan!  From this moment the successes of European varieties became frequent: nine in twenty years (with a clear Italian supremacy: one counts six Italian varieties among these nine winners). 

'Rosso Fiorentino'

'Libon'

'Ikar'

In Germany, in a competition that is less demanding and judged by a popular jury instead of a professional one, the success of American varieties is obvious, but this is explained by the formal beauty of the varieties presented, which always meets with success in front of a jury that is less sensitive to horticultural qualities. In France, out of eight competitions in almost half a century, there have been only two American victories, which tends to confirm the above assumption! However, in general, European varieties manage to hold their own against irises from America or Australia. In Italy, native varieties, which are always numerous to compete in their own country, have won seven times in twenty years (1999/2018) (1), in France, European varieties have won seven times out of nine, despite a strong external representation (2). In other countries, this analysis is not possible because a competition reserved for local varieties is held at the same time as the international contest.
 
These competitions, which allow local breeders to measure themselves against their colleagues from all over the world and to measure the progress they are making, has brought to the forefront a certain number of newcomers who we can expect to equal or even surpass their elders in the next few years. In France, three new hybridizers have made themselves known. They are Stéphane Boivin, Nicolas Bourdillon and Martin Balland. The first one shone for the first time at the FRANCIRIS© competition in 2015 with 'Aime Bay' (2015). The second was the star of the 2019 competition with 'Beauté de Sologne' (2020). As for the third, he triumphed at the 2019 contest with 'My Red Drums' (2016) and in 2022 'Sylvain Ruaud' (2018) received two secondary awards. Outside of France we can talk about (among others): Pia Altenhofer in Germany, and Simone Luconi, in Italy. 

'Sylvain Ruaud'

The first, who lives in Neuendettelsau, near Nuremberg, in Bavaria, began by distinguishing herself by giving her irises names that do not evoke any reality: they are made up of an assembly of letters. It is a bit to onomastics what abstraction is to painting! But if that were all there was to it, we would not leave the realm of anecdote! The talent of this person is revealed in the success of her results and also in the fact that she is not satisfied with operating in one category of iris. On the contrary, she is interested in all bearded irises, from the smallest to the largest, and her results are brilliant everywhere. She obviously has a particular liking for light brown tones, very fashionable it is true, but my favorite is certainly 'Cattalomak' (2016), delicate purplish pink. She was noticed at the Florence competition, among others with her 'Humpogroll' (2021), rich descendant of 'Zlatovlaska' (Anton Mego, 2009). Let's wait for the continuation of her work.

The second of the selected newcomers is Simone Luconi, who lives in the southeast of Tuscany, in the town of Cortona. He has only registered seven varieties so far, six of which were noticed at the competition in Florence! That is to say that this new breeder must be taken into consideration. We will certainly hear about him in the years to come. To illustrate this opinion, let us appreciate the photo of 'Mimmamaria' (2021) or 'Kalsifer' (2021).
 
These are only two examples of the arrival of new hybridizers in the small European world of irises. Because they are rather numerous. In France in particular, but perhaps even more so in Italy where they do not hesitate to send to Florence their numerous novelties like 'Guarda l'Oceano' by Angelo Bolchi (2022). But the phenomenon is expanding and is manifesting itself in several other European countries, in some of which there were no breeders until now.
 
(1)
1999 'Settimo Cielo' (Valeria Romoli, 1999)
2006 'Recondita Armonia' (Mauro Bertuzzi, 2007)
2010 'Ale Viola' (Stefano Gigli, Not registered.)
2012 'Cheyenne my Dog' (Roberto Marucchi, 2013)
2013 'Vento di Maggio' (Augusto Bianco, 2011)
2018 'Anima Cara' (Angelo Garanzini, 2018)
 
(2)
2000 'Samsara' (Lawrence Ransom, 1997)
2003 'Belle de Nuit' (Richard Cayeux, 1999)
2007 'Solovinyaia Noc' (Nina Miroshnichenko)
2015 'Barbe Noire' (Richard Cayeux, 2012)
2017 'Chachar' (Zdenek Seidl, 2013)
2019 'My Red Drums' (Martin Balland, 2016)
2022 'Nad Oblaky' (Zdenek Seidl, 2019)