Page 32 - BSAM 2016 Q4

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April/May/June 2017
Noelanders Trophy XVII&I EBA & ESA Convention
2017
By Gudrun Benz, Germany
TPhotos by Willy Evenepoel, courtesy Bonsai Association Belgium
wo important international bonsai and suiseki events were held in one place at the same time – Noelanders Trophy XVIII and EBA & ESA Convention in Genk, Belgium from 3rd to 5th February 2017. e Bonsai Association Belgium (BAB) invited the European Bonsai Association and the European
Suiseki Association to hold their convention together with the Noelanders Trophy, which is known as one of Europe’s biggest and most prestigious event of its kind. e location, the Limburghal in the city centre of Genk, o ered enough space for the exhibition of all three organizations and a large trader area. ere were about 100 bonsai from 17 di erent European countries at the Noelanders Trophy, and in addition about 100 bonsai of 15 member countries of EBA as well as 27 suiseki of ESA members on exhibit. Most bonsai came from Spain, Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands. As the previous years the bonsai were displayed in rows with generous room between them, allowing visitors to move freely and view the exhibits, even from a distance.
A catalogue of all exhibits will be published in April or May 2017. e photographing and set up of the exhibits began on ursday before the event and ended at 17 h on Friday because the opening ceremony was scheduled one hour later the same evening. Speeches of EBA president Reginald Bolton, ESA Vice President Vito Di Venere, a representative of the Japanese Embassy to the Kingdom of Belgium, and the new FBBC (Federation of Belgium Bonsai Clubs) president Christian Vos, were sup- ported by Taiko drummers and followed with a reception with champagne and canapé. A preview of the exhibition was also possible at this time.