Monday, February 14, 2011

Gardener told not to enter village show for 'being too good'

It is the ultimate accolade for a keen vegetable grower – a 73-year-old has been told not enter his village gardening competition because he is too good.

David Stirzaker has been asked by the organisers of the North Cadbury and District Horticultural Society, in Somerset, not to exhibit his produce at its annual show, because his impressive record at the event is discouraging others from taking part.



Mr Stirzaker – who has won 12 cups at the show in just four years, for his prize-winning carrots, parsnips and tomatoes – has pledged to take the matter to the Royal Horticultural Society. "This is my hobby and I have been supporting their show for four years. I find the request very insulting – it is a competition so I would have thought it is down to other growers to try harder if they want to beat me," he said.

"I want nothing more to do with the society. I won't be showing there again and I have told them that they can come and collect their trophies." The society said a "request" had been made to Mr Stirzaker.

3 comments:

L said...

God... The attitude of entitlement is mind-blowing. Knock out the main competition so other people can win prizes that they don't actually deserve?

WTF is going on in people's heads these days?

Insolitus said...

It's unfair to discriminate against him just because he's so much better than anybody else, but I can also understand the other side. If other people don't want to participate anymore since they feel they have no chance and there's no point in taking part, soon there won't be any competition.

andiscandis said...

Wouldn't it have been more diplomatic to ask him if he'd like to be a competition judge? He'd have been given an honor while making it impossible for him to compete.