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The Sylvia Cup reminds me of a reality TV show:
Cindy Anderson, AIFD
Samie Bailey
Janet Black, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Craig Boetger, NAFD, NMF
James Daniels
Robert De Bellis, AIFD, PFCI
Brita Edlbauer, AIFD, FSMD
Oralia Espinoza, AIFD, TMF
Cathy Grim, AIFD
Connie LeBlanc, LMF
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Greg Lum, AIFD
Mandy Majerik, AIFD, PFCI
J Ross Railey
Philip Rice, CCF
Jeffrey Rohr
Frida Sveningsson
Dirk van Leenen
Tonja VanderVeen, AIFD, MCF
Katherine Zhang, AIFD
Linda Zoerb, AAF
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120 minutes…
25 top designers…
A beautiful, warm destination…
A mystery assignment…
Only one will win the grand prize….
But the fact is, there's a lot of drama and intrigue that goes along with the floral industry's longest running, live, national annual floral design competition.
 The 42nd Annual Sylvia Cup Design Competition is set for September during SAF's 125th Annual Convention in Phoenix, and designers are lining up to be part of the action.
Among them are recent winners of state contests, including:
- Samie Bailey, a designer with The Flower Studio in Austin Texas, is the First Runner Up in the Texas State Florists' Association's 2009 Texas Cup. Samie is sponsored by the TSFA.
- Craig Boetger, NAFD, NMF, the head floral designer at Bakers in Omaha, NE, has competed in the 2007 Sylvia Cup, won First Place in the Nebraska Florists Society's 2009 Premier Competition, and is sponsored by the NFS and underwritten by Teleflora.
- Brita Edlbauer, AIFD, FSMD, owner of Floral Art Swww.springgardenflowershop.comtudio in Orlando and Florida State Florists’ Association’s 2009 Designer of the Year.
- Philip Rice, CCF, owner of Philip Rice Designs in Folsom, Calif., and the California State Floral Association’s 2008 Designer of the Year. Philip is sponsored by the CSFA.
- Tonja VanderVeen, AIFD, MCF, owner of Designing Dreams LLC in Grand Rapids, Mich., and Michigan Floral Association’s 2009 Designer of the Year. Tonja is sponsored by the MFA and underwritten by Teleflora.
- A spot is reserved for the winner of the upcoming design contest held by the Arkansas Florists Association.
 Others competed in last year’s Sylvia Cup, and are coming back for more:
- Cindy Anderson, AIFD, a designer in Colorado Springs, Colo., won the 2008 Colorado Cup, is the 2008 Colorado Floral Designer of the Year and won second place in the 2005 Sylvia Cup.
- Janet Black, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, owner of Designs Florist & Interiors in Bethel, Maine, and Maine State Florists’ and Growers’ Association’s 2006 Design of the Year.
- Oralia Espinoza, AIFD, TMF, is the president, Spring Garden Flower Shop in San Antonio, Texas.
- Connie LeBlanc, LMF, owner of Hearts Desire Florist in Houma, La., won second place in the Louisiana State Florists Association’s 2008 Louisiana Cup.
- Katherine Zhang, AIFD, partner at Flower House Design Studio in Millbrae, Calif., and CSFA’s 2007 Designer of the Year.
- Linda Zoerb, AAF, president of La Crosse Floral in Lacrosse, Wis., won honorable mention in the 2007 Sylvia Cup, and first place in the 2007 OFA Design Contest.
 Two contestants placed in design contests overseas:
- Frida Sveningsson, CEO of Fru Flora & Fröken Form in Tiburon, Calif., has placed in floral design contests in Stockholm in 2007 and 2002, and her work is featured in three International Floral Art, which are yearbooks with the goal as described by Amazon.com to “document the world's most original and innovative floral art.”
- Dirk van Leenen, owner of Roses Galore in Mesa, Ariz., holds a doctorate degree in horticulture, won medals in floral design contests in the late ’70s in Amsterdam, Paris and London, and wrote Resistance on a Bicycle in which he shares his story of growing up in the Netherlands during World War II and his family hiding an average of 20 Jews under the floor of their home.
Others have placed in competitions here in the states:
- Robert De Bellis, AIFD, PFCI, lead designer at World Class Flowers in Egg Harbor City, N.J., has been named Designer of the Year by Teleflora and placed in FTD's Designer of the Year contest in the mid ’90s.
- Greg Lum, AIFD, designer at Flower House Design Studio in San Francisco, has won several local design trophies.
- Mandy Majerik, AIFD, PFCI, owner of HotHouse Design Studio in Birmingham, Ala., won the Alabama State Florists’ Association’s 2006 Tabletop Competition and the 2006 Southern Retail Bridal Bouquet competition.
- J Ross Railey is the owner of J Ross The Florist in Decatur, AL, won first place in ASFA’s Bridal Bouquet Competition and is the 2007 ASFA Designer of the Year.
They’re joined by some designers who are new to the competition scene:
These designers have an exciting challenge.
We give each contestant the exact same product assortment — the exact same bunch of fresh flowers and exact same hards goods. They find out at the competition what they have to make.
Last year, contestants had to create a hand-tied bouquet, centerpiece for a 60” round table and a creative wristlet adornment. Coby Neal, AIFD, PFCI, owner of The Flower Studio in Austin, Texas won the grand prize.
Pictures of the amazing designs and the contestants in action are posted on Facebook and www.safnow.org.
You can even see part of the competition on this Youtube video posted by John Klingel, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, director of the South Florida Center for Floral Studies in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Along with the genius and creativity of the contestants, the Sylvia Cup is possible thanks to generous support from its sponsor and prize-money provider.
Rio Grande from Rio Roses is sponsoring the contest, and Smithers-Oasis is providing the grand prize winner with $2,500, and two honorable mentions each receive $250.
In addition, Rio Roses is providing much of the fresh flowers for the competition, while Smithers-Oasis is contributing much of the hardgoods.
This is Rio Roses’ first year sponsoring the competition, and Smithers-Oasis’ third year providing the prize money. Welcome Rio Roses to the Sylvia Cup family, and thank you Smithers-Oasis for your continued partnership.
The Sylvia Cup Design Competition is coordinated by SAF’s Professional Floral Communicators – International and takes place on Sept. 24 at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass in Phoenix as part of SAF’s 125th Annual Convention.
Hurry! There are only a few spots available to compete in the Sylvia Cup. Click here to download the Entry Form and Competition Details.
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