Report by Mr. Vito Di Venere

In the wonderful setting of the Santa Quitera Fair enclosure in Lorca (Spain) , organized by the Spanish Association of Bonsai (AEB) and Suiseki (AES) has taken place the XXV EBA-ESA Convention.

The event, under the high patronage of King Juan Carlos I, King of Spain, and of the Authorities of the Murcia Region  has taken place from 6th to 8th March in the wide pavillons of the Santa Quitera Fair jointly with the other important Exhibition   "Expoflor Lorca 2009", the biennal fair of Cut Flowers and of Ornamental Plants of the Murcia Region and has seen an extraordinary participation of enthusiastic public of visitors during the three days of the event.

As far as Suiseki are concerned the ESA exhibition has been smartly prepared in a wide stand reserved to the display of the wonderful suiseki belonging to the collections of the ESA members coming from Spain, Italy, Germany and Ceka Republic  with national stones but also with Chinese and Japanese origin which have involved and intrigued the careful public of visitors from all the Region and from the participating Countries.

In another special and wide stand has also been displayed a secon very interesting exhibition of Suiseki reserved to the members of the Spanish Association of Suiseki.

During the event the enthusiasts of suiseki could assist to special  lectures made respectively by Spanish  members Mr. Jesus Quintas, Mrs. Pilar Guillen and Mrs. Teresa Aquillera. There have been also interesting demos of Ikebana compositions (Mr.Mickiko Iwakura) and Kusamono (Mrs. Rosa Bonet).

On Saturday evening , during the appreciated and tasty Gala dinner in the ample and inviting dining rooms of the "Jardin de Lorca Hotel" has taken place the awarding of Bonsai and Suiseki  in exhibition. To this purpose it is necessary to evidence that the Organizers have decided to assign the awards of suiseki according to the votes freely expressed by all participating exhibitors to whom a specific form had been provided to express their preferences. Same procedure has been followed as far as the Spanish exhibition of suiseki reserved to members is concerned.

The awardings of the exhibition reserved to ESA members have resulted :

The Italian ESA members Mr. Marino Nikpal and Mr. Vito Di Venere  have displayed respectively :

In the suiseki exhibition reserved to the members of Spanish Association Suiseki (AES) the 1st Prize: Expoflor 2009 Trophy jointly with a money award of 600,00 € and the Expoflor Diploma has been assigned  to the "Mountain Stone" - Place of Origin Korea  of Mrs. Chiara Padrini (Italy), which was already admired in  last September  in Saint Vincent (Italy),  during the BCI-IBS 2008 Exhibition.

To conclude, of this event we cannot but preserving a very good memory and be glad with the Spanish organizing friends for their commitment and for the well deserved success of visitors.
Finally I point out that next EBA-ESA 2010 Congress has been assigned to Switzerland and will take place in Zurig.