The RUTH V. BLENIS AWARD

Ruth V. Blenis was a regional Vice President of AIS and President of the Empire State Iris Society in the 1950’s.  Under her guidance the Empire State Iris Society By-Laws were adopted and the tradition of annual Regional meetings was established. She worked tirelessly to organize the American Iris Society Convention in Syracuse, New York in 1958. 

For these accomplishments and her many years of devotion to the iris, Dr. Irwin A. Conroe  proposed a Ruth V. Blenis Award to be given to the iris and exhibitor winning the Best of Show award at an official ESIS show.  From 1969 to 1995 the award was given to the iris winning Best of Show. In 1995 the award was converted to a Tall Bearded iris award to conform to award rotation guidelines established by the Board of Directors of ESIS.  In October of 2000 the Board of Directors voted to grant the award to AIS Region 2.

The tall-bearded iris must take a Best of Section Award and then Best of Show Award to qualify for the Ruth V. Blenis Award.  The Blenis award is a Paul Revere style, engraved, silver-plated bowl presented at the Region 2 Fall Banquet.

List of Winning Iris and exhibitors:

YEAR            AFFILIATE           EXHIBITOR                            CULTIVAR_     __  _
1969            Rochester              Lillian Gristwood                   Stepping Out
1970                           No shows held
1971            CNYIS                   Robert & Frances Breth        Stepping Out
1972           Long Island            Phyllis Zezelic                      Warbler
1973            Rochester              Isabella Carmer                    Moonprint
1974            CNYIS                   Albert deGroat                      Fond Wish
1975            Rochester              Albert deGroat                     Warm Gold
1976            Rochester              Charles Thomas                          Most Precious
1977                                 No shows held
1978               NSW                            Dr. Edward Valentine                  Ewen
1979                Rochester                  Lynn Carmer                                Moonprint

1980            CNYIS                   Mr. & Mrs. John Munro         Neptune’s Pool

1981           NSW                      Gregory Schifferle                 Stop Sign

1982                           No shows held
1983                           No shows held
1984            NSW                     Dr. Edward Valentine            Sunrise Sunset
1985            Rochester             Gregory Schifferli                 Song of Norway
1986            CNYIS                   Maggie Lou Smith                  Ego
1987            NSW                      Anna Rettig                           Sterling Prince
1988            CNYIS                  John & Helen Schueler          Warbler
1989           NSW                      Wendy Roller                        Whoop Em’ Up
1990            CNYIS                   James & Lillian Gristwood   Stepping Out
1991           NSW                      Kathleen Guest                     Extravagant
1992            CNYIS                   Wendy Roller                       Vanity
1993            STIS                      Mary Stiefel                          Afternoon Delight
1994            NSW                     James Burke                        Roy Davidson
1996            CHIS                     Kathryn Mohr                      Sindjkha
1997            STIS                      Dorothy Fingerhood             Orange Slices
1998            WNYIS                  Donna Schifferli                   Winter’s Tale
1999            CNYIS                    Bob Keup                             Anna Mae Babson
2000                                          Bruce Baird                          Jesse’s Song
2001            WNYIS                   Gregory Schifferli                Angels in Flight
2002            CHIS                     Bob Keup                             Rhages
2003            STIS                      Frank Sorbello                     San Juan Silver
2004            AFIDS                    Paul Johnson                       Navajo Blanket
2005            HVIDS                   Ella & Jerry Murphy            In Your Dreams
2006            CNYIS                   Teresa Kelly                        Exactitude
2007            STIS                      Dorothy Stiefel                   Vanity

2008            WNYIS                   David Baehre                      Into the Night

2009            HVIDS                    Ella Murphy                         Diversion

2010            WNYIS                   Judy Tucholski-Zon            Ola Kala

2011            WNYIS                   David Baehre                      Wishful Thinking


Note: NSW is Niagara South West the forerunner of WNYIS.