The show results from the spring national in Shreveport are in [click here] and the immediate big story is that Satish & Vijaya Prabhu of Columbia, SC won seven - count 'em SEVEN - national trophies. Hastening to the record books to determine if this is a record, I report that it is, indeed, a record - the most ever won by one exhibitor or team at a single national show.
The previous record was six by Dr. Tommy Cairns and Luis Desamero of Studio City, CA at the spring convention in San Diego in 2004. Tommy and Luis also won five at the spring convention in 2008 in Denver, a feat matching the five won by Cal & Barbara Hayes at the spring convention in 1998 in Albuquerque:
The seven national trophies won by the Prabhus represent a diversified group. It includes the hybrid teas, with the Herb Swim Memorial Trophy that calls for five and the New Zealand Kiwi Award, which calls for four plus two floribunda sprays. The group also includes both trophies for miniature roses, the Jan Shivers National Miniature Trophy and the Dee Bennett Memorial Trophy, and both trophies for Old Garden Roses, the Joseph J. Kern Trophy and the Dorothy C. Stemler Memorial Trophy. Then, for good measure they added the only trophy for shrubs, the Dr. Griffith Buck National Memorial Trophy.
Evidently having at least one floribunda spray left over, they also won the floribunda spray queen of show with 'Miss Ada'.
The seven trophies increase the total number of national trophies won by the Prabhus to 39, which moves them into second place all-time, trailing Tommy and Luis, who have 52, and ahead of the legendary Harold Weaver, who won 34 during his extraordinary exhibiting career.