Sydney Stamp Show 2011

JURY REPORT

The jury team consisted of twenty-two members plus six apprentices. In addition to the Australian members there were accord judges from New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden and Kuwait.

The Organising Committee of Sydney Stamp Expo 2011 have 728 frames of exhibits, in a fine and comfortable venue. The exhibits comprise an exceptional array diverse philatelic material, and the commissioners are to be congratulated on their efforts. In particular, the accord system ensures we see exhibits of a number of subjects which we would not normally, providing greater interest to collectors and challenges to the jury. A new Modern Traditional Experimental Class was trialled and attracted two entries. This class will be available at the Australia 2013 International Exhibition.

I sincerely thank all jury members for their hard work and careful deliberations, and the harmonious manner in which the work was completed. Special thanks go to my Jury Secretary Ian McMahon, and to Ed Wolf who operated the Showman computer software without which Australian juries would have much more work. I would also like to thank the Organising Committee for all the facilities provided for the smooth operation of the jury. Just as important are all the volunteers who mounted all the exhibits in good time to enable the jury to make an early start.

The final medal tallies were Large Gold 12, Gold 22, Large Vermeil 18, Vermeil 35, Large Silver 16, Silver 7, and Silver-Bronze 2. There were two Gold, 2 Large Silver and one Silver-Bronze in the Youth Class. Congratulations to all the exhibitors. The Organising Committee provided a large number of special prizes to award the efforts of the exhibitors, and thanks are due to the donors of these.

This exhibition also saw the introduction of an Australian Championship Class for exhibits which have previously won FIP or FIAP Gold or Large Gold medals. This class was judged by an independent jury.

Due to the Christchurch tragedy in New Zealand, two local collectors were unable to deliver their entries (Nos. 55 and 68). There were also five exhibits not judged and out of competition due to the entrant being on the jury team (these consist mostly of exhibits entered by the apprentices) - Nos. 19, 64, 70, 88 and

103.

There were four exhibits which the jury transferred to new classes: No. 44 Postal History to Postal History 2c, No. 67 Postal History 2c to Open, No. 78 Aerophilately to Postal History, and No. 113 Open to Traditional.

Geoff Kellow, RDP, MAP, APR, FRPSL Chairman of the Jury