American Iris Society

The 2012 AIS Dykes Medal winner, the TB iris Florentine Silk hybridized by Keith Keppel of Oregon.
Florentine Silk (Keppel 2005) R. 2004, description; TB, Sdlg. 99-116A, height 40", bloom season mid to late.
Previous AIS Awards: HM 2007, AM 2009, Wister Medal 2011. Peach pink standards, wide and ruffled lavender falls with 1/4" rosier band. On sporadic summer rebloom the band may blend inwards reminiscent of watered silk. Peach orange beards with white base are frosted blue at the ends and carrot red in the throat, well-branched.

The purpose of posting the proposed AIS Awards Ballot online is to give people (AIS judges and hybridizers) the chance to review the listing and provide input before the official AIS Awards Ballot is finalized and sent out for voting.

Any questions or comments should be sent to the AIS Awards Chair:
Gerry Snyder, 225 Sky Line Drive, Sedona, AZ 86336
phone: 928-282-5867 e-mail: voteirises@gmail.com

This ballot may not be used for official voting.
Only the official AIS Awards Ballot mailed to the AIS Judges may be used for voting.
All AIS accredited Judges are required to vote the Ballot. Only accredited judges may vote the ballot. The Judges are evaluating the performance of those irises seen growing in the GARDEN, not in shows or photos.

All iris that are registered and first introduced (offered for sale) in North America are included in the Honorable Mention (HM) categories of each classification. Bearded iris are placed on the ballot the second year after introduction; beardless irises are placed on the ballot the third year after introduction. They remain eligible for the award and on the ballot for three years or until they are awarded the HM. One year after an iris is awarded the HM it is placed in the Award of Merit (AM) category, where they remain for up to three years. One year after an iris is awarded the AM it is placed on the ballot under their respective Special Medal award sections, remaining for up to three years. Winners in the Medal categories that were originated in North America move up the following year to compete for the Dykes Medal, the American Iris Society’s highest award. Candidates remain eligible for the Dykes medal for up to three years.

Each year AIS accredited judges vote for a variety of awards for irises. Currently, official garden awards for the American Iris Society have been established for the following 15 classifications of irises:

Full information on the various medal and award winners from recent years are provided in the annual listings below.

Dykes Memorial Medal: First awarded in 1927, the Dykes Medal is the highest award of the AIS. Awarded to no more than one iris per year. Irises are eligible as a Dykes Medal candidate for three years following the winning of a classification medal. Only AIS registered judges may vote.

Medals: Each year there are medals awarded to irises of each specific classification type. This is the top award for each AIS iris classification type. Irises are eligible as a candidate for a medal the second year after they receive an Award of Merit (AM). One medal for each classification is given each year (except for the very popular tall bearded which awards 3 Wister Medals each year). Again, only AIS registered judges may vote. The following list details the different medals for the various iris classification types.

*Note: History info+winners list for each medal are a continual work in progress. All of the medal histories are in place below, balance of information updates follow ASAP as time allows and when the annual new medal winners listings are collected/supplied/made available. (CH November 2012)

Medal Name	Iris classification type	History info+winners
Dykes Memorial Medal:	All	History+winners
John C. Wister Medal:	Tall Bearded (TB)	History+winners
Caparne-Welch Medal:	Miniature Dwarf Bearded (MDB)	History+winners
Cook-Douglas Medal:	Standard Dwarf Bearded (SDB)	History+winners
Hans and Jacob Sass Medal:	Intermediate Bearded (IB)	History+winners
Williamson-White Medal:	Miniature Tall Bearded (MTB)	History+winners
Knowlton Medal:	Border Bearded (BB)	History+winners
C. G. White Medal:	Aril (A)	History+winners
William Mohr Medal:	ArilBred (AB)	History+winners
Sydney B. Mitchell Medal:	Pacific Coast Native (PCN)	History+winners
W. A. Payne Medal:	Japanese (JI)	History+winners
Mary Swords Deballion Medal:	Louisianas (LA)	History+winners
Morgan-Wood Medal:	Siberian (SIB)	History+winners
Eric Nies Medal:	Spurias (SPU)	History+winners
Founders of SIGNA Medal:	Species (SPEC)	History+winners
Randolph-Perry Medal:	Species Cross (SPEC-X)	History+winners

Award of Merit (AM) awards are given to irises from each classification each year. Any iris is eligible the second year after previously winning an Honorable Mention (HM). Only AIS registered judges may vote.

Honorable Mention (HM) awards are awarded each year to irises of each classification. Registered bearded irises are eligible the second year after introduction. Registered beardless irises are eligible the third year after introduction. Only AIS registered judges may vote.

High Commendation (HC) awards are reserved for seedling irises, viewed in the garden by AIS judges, under seedling number or registered name, which have not been introduced into commerce yet. Any seedling of any established classification that receives five votes is granted an HC award. Only AIS registered judges may vote.

There are also a couple of popularity awards. These awards are primarily voted on by AIS members (not necessarily AIS judges). These are voted on at AIS national and regional conventions and by symposium ballot. These awards include the President's Cup, the Franklin Cook Memorial Cup and the Ben R. Hager Cup. Every year at the AIS national convention, registered attendees (regardless of whether they are members of AIS) vote for irises to determine these awards.

The President's Cup
The President’s Cup is awarded annually during the American Iris Society’s national convention.

Eligibility is restricted to introduced irises originated within the host region for that year’s national convention or originated by a hybridizer whose garden is included on the convention’s official garden tour, regardless of its location. Irises must have been seen growing and in bloom in the convention’s official tour gardens, but need not be official guest irises. Each registrant may vote for one variety and the President’s Cup is awarded to the iris with the largest number of votes.

The Franklin Cook Memorial Cup
The Franklin Cook Memorial Cup is awarded annually during the American Iris Society’s national convention.

All introduced irises seen growing and in bloom in the official tour gardens of the convention are eligible for consideration for the Franklin Cook Memorial Cup, except irises originated within the host region for that year’s national convention by a hybridizer whose garden is included on the official garden tour, regardless of its location. The irises considered need not be official convention guest irises. Each registrant may vote for only one variety and the Franklin Cook Memorial Cup is awarded to the iris receiving the greatest number of votes.

This award was established by Dr. Franklin Cook during his time as AIS president in 1947 and was originally known as the President’s Cup. Then in 1952, it was renamed the Franklin Cook Memorial Cup. From 1947 through 1965, there were no restrictions concerning the geographical origination of irises eligible for the Franklin Cook Memorial Cup until 1966 when the current President’s Cup was established and first awarded.

Presidents Cup and Franklin Cook Cup winners listing (PDF file 122K)

The Ben R. Hager Cup
The Ben R. Hager Cup, first awarded in 2007, is awarded annually during the American Iris Society's annual convention.

All introduced median irises (SDB, IB, MTB and BB) seen growing and in bloom in the official tour gardens of the convention are eligible. Irises considered need not be official convention guest irises. Each registrant may vote for one median iris variety and the Ben R. Hager Cup is awarded to the median iris receiving the largest number of votes.

The award is named for Ben Hager of California who was one of the premier hybridizers in the American Iris Society and had the distinction of winning the top awards in every category that was possible at the time. Ben Hager was known primarily as a hybridizer of bearded irises, but worked with many of the different iris categories. Most iris growers identify him with his famous award-winning pinks, VANITY and BEVERLY SILLS, which make the tall bearded popularity poll each year. Recent winners of the Ben R. Hager Cup are shown below:

2007 DIVIDING LINE MTB (Charles Bunnell)
2008 CROW'S FEET BB (Paul Black)
2009 DIVIDING LINE MTB (Charles Bunnell)
2010 three-way tie: DALLAS MAHAN MTB (Clarence Mahan) / RUFFLED RASCAL BB (Francis Rogers) / SURVIVOR MTB (Lynda Miller)
2011 DAZZLING IB (Paul Black)

Fred and Barbara Walther Cup
Awarded annually by The American Iris Society to the originator of the iris variety that received the greatest number of votes in the Honorable Mention (HM) award balloting, regardless of classification. All classifications of irises are eligible. Only AIS registered judges may vote.

1996 FEATURE ATTRACTION TB (Schreiner)
1997 FANCY WOMAN TB (Keith Keppel)
1998 PROTOCOL IB (Keith Keppel)
1999 DIABOLIQUE TB (Schreiner)
2000 MIDNIGHT OIL TB (Keith Keppel)
2001 STARWOMAN, IB (Marky Smith)
2002 HAPPENSTANCE TB (Keith Keppel)
2003 DELIRIUM IB (Marky Smith)
2004 CAT’S EYE SDB (Paul Black)
2005 PAUL BLACK TB (Tom Johnson)
2006 DECADENCE TB (Barry Blyth)
2007 FLORENTINE SILK TB (Keith Keppel)
2008 BLUEBEARD’S GHOST SDB (Paul Black)
2009 BUNDLE OF LOVE BB (Paul Black)
2010 EYE OF THE TIGER SDB (Paul Black)
2011 STAR IN THE NIGHT IB (Paul Black)