Just got back from our annual gruelling, but ultimately rewarding, trip to Belgium for the Noelanders Trophy. Too many years have passed by with us visiting this event but it never ceases to surprise in one way or another. This year the buzz around the trade was a maudlin one bought on by the dramatic increase in the number of traders attending (96 in the end I heard). Everyone feared the worst, after all there is only so much pie to go around and with more mouths to feed everyone is going to get less. As it turned out one or two did indeed lose their shirts. However thanks to our faithful and loyal customers, a few good prices, some new products and a dash of hard work and good luck we were a cats whisker away from a record year. SINCERE THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO CONTINUES TO SUPPORT US! It’s quite humbling in a way but then we do work harder than anyone else in this business and are not here just to make a quick buck and so I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise when we do well but, at the end of the day, we know folk have a choice and are supremely grateful that so many of you continue to support us. Thank you!
We were so busy over the weekend I barely got chance to walk around. However early Sunday morning before anyone was about I got ten minutes to nip around the show benches. I do not know who won what but did take a few snaps of trees I personally liked so, in no particular order, here are those snaps.
G.
Got the washing out 🙂
My other personal favourite. Creativity of the highest order!
Privet supplied by us a couple of years ago.
My own personal favourite in the show.
Graham,
It was great to see you in Noelanders. I agree it was a great event.
I am delighted that you had a good show and it was financially viable. Your expert knowledge and passion for Bonsai coupled with great products shoukd always shine through. It’s great to see companies like yours continuing to explore new ways of doing things and bringing great products at great prices to help every enthusiast.
I spoke to many who admired the tree you picked as your favourite, from the conversations I had in front of the tree it was clearly a “people’s choice”.
The privet is very impressive too, I love it when people create amazing trees from your stunning yamadori.
I hope to see you again soon. There was no way I could lose my shirt ! 🙂
Simon
That was ‘some’ shirt. Next year I want to see a MUCH louder one!
Great photos. Thank you
Yes,there were about 80 traders this year at the Noelanders Trophy, but the pie
Was much bigger this year! Much more visitors than the previous edition.
The bonsai association Belguim has once again upgrade their organisation, they care also for the comfort of the visitors,so increasing the staf at the entrance they managed to avoid that visitors had to queue for long time at the entrance.
Moreover there was, as for the previous edition a non foto policy. Only editors of bonsai magazines and Bonsai Empire got a press card allowing them to take
Fotos in the exhibition hall. Magazines sponsor the event by free advertising.
The non fotography rule was indicated on all our advertising material plus at the entrance of the exhibition hall and on the benches.Aperently the sing were not big enough.The organizers expect the visitors to respect the rules.Some bloggers who respected the rules complain that others didn’t.
Hi thank you for posting the pictures, really enjoyed browsing, only wish I could go to such an event but……………….,
What great trees–thank you Graham for all your contributions to bonsai over the years.
very Nice trees tanks For the photo s
Ridiculous that Nolanders have a photography ban there is no way I’m going to travel all the way to Belgium and not be able to take photos! It is so short sighted to think you can just sell a few magazines and expensive show books and that will allow the show to expand, or even retain its privileged premier position, as most people will be attracted to the show by the trees they see in blogs like yours. If the Kokofu has even decided to allow photography then I cannot believe the Nolanders can justify their policy especially as there are ever more large European bonsai shows. Thanks Graham for bending the rules and fantastic privet.
Phil
No bending of the rules intended. I walked into the show hall at 8am Sunday (show was closed to public) and everyone (not press) was taking photos. I assumed it was Ok.
I do agree with you in general. More people look at this blog than buy bonsai magazines and there are blogs out there way more popular than my little affair.
However when the show is open to the public and the hall is packed everyone taking photos is very annoying and in my opinion detracts from the enjoyment of the show so i am firmly on the fence here.
G.
It is so short sighted to criticize the ban of taking pictures at the Noelanders Trophy. The main reason for this policy was to allow the visitors to enjoy the beauty of Bonsai without being disturbed by photographers.
This year, the Noelanders Trophy welcomed about 3.500 visitors. Imagine that only 5% of them wanted to take pictures. That would be 175 photographers for 135 Bonsai. If each photographer would need just 1 hour to take his/her pictures, and 1 hour would not be enough, can you imagine the pictures, mainly on rush hours?
Should we dissatisfy over 3.000 Bonsai lovers by allowing some photographers to enjoy photographing Bonsai?
People calling our book ‘expensive’ did never edit anything similar in limited quantity. The Bonsai Association is not making profit on this book. It takes a lot of time (and money) to realise the book, which in the meantime has become a collector’s item. Realising this book is only possible because some people of the board are putting a lot of effort in it, for free.
Thanks to the exhibitors, the traders, the demonstrators we invite, a lot of volunteers and all those visitors from Europe and beoyond, the Noelanders Trophy has become a leading Bonsai exhibition in Europe, which I would not want to miss! next year, the Noelanders Trophy will grow again because we will host the EBA Congress at the same time.
Case closed.
Christian Vos