The XVII U.B.I. Congress

by Mrs. Daniela Schifano

Vieste, 19th-21st April 2013

Linked to Vieste Bonsai Trophy 2013, the Seventeenth U.B.I. National Congress took place in Vieste. Its members were welcomed by the typical, warm, enthusiastic reception of the South. An impeccable organization was provided by the home clubs: the Daunia Bonsai Club of Foggia and the First Heaven of Acquaviva delle Fonti di Bari, from the choice of the venue to the Congress parallel proposals. The environs of Vieste offer many sightseeing opportunities, from the beauty of the sea to religious and cultural evidence, to botanical rarities represented by spontaneous endemic orchids of Gargano, to the natural ones like the Umbra Forest. The two clubs offered Congress participants and their companions many free excursions to discover their territory which met the needs of many. Not only Congress but bonsai fans did certainly not get bored: a rich market, demonstrations of master Mr. Taiga Urushibata and above all more than 80 bonsai on display. Even the suiseki were manifold just 16, therefore for admission to the coveted U.B.I. 2013 catalogue, a selection was necessary. It limited the admissions to catalogue to 10 suiseki and 80 bonsai.
Single judge for suiseki was Mrs. Luciana Queirolo who also awarded the AIAS plaque and the IBS plaque and with her usual helpfulness on Sunday afternoon she motivated awards and exclusions. Mr. Massimo Bandera awarded the B.C.I.plaque to a not entitled to catalogue stone.


The suiseki hall	The olive tree by Mrs. Laura Monni, admitted to the catalogue	A view of the room reserved for bonsai

My first time in the Gargano promontory was exciting and full of discoveries: sunny days, charming postcard places (like the Cala of San Felice in the cover photo), but also ancient olive groves, farms, "trabucchi" , old fishing platforms, coastal towers, evidence of traditional human activities linked to land and sea in an indissoluble way.

And then the natural environment. I borrow the words of the poet Giuseppe Ungaretti:
"The Gargano is the most varied mountain you can imagine. It has the Umbra Forest in its heart with beech trees and turkey trees with a height of 50 metres and a trunk of an armful of 5 metres and the age of Methuselah, with fir trees, maple trees, yews; with an exuberance, a colour, the idea that the seasons were enchanted by evening time with deer, hares, foxes running away from between your feet with every warble, whine, chirping of birds ... »
I remember that Gargano has been as protected natural area since 1991. As I am a lover of italian orchids, it was an important opportunity for me to see for the first time the endemic species of this area, thanks to the guidance of Mr. Roberto Dirodi who led us with enthusiasm on a walk in areas rich in discoveries in the north of Vieste, between Moline and Porticello.
(In the photo, the still working "trabucco " of Moline).


A casual but exciting discovery: probably an Albino specimen of Ophrys sphegodes. Its recognition is still in place.		Ophrys sphegodes subsp. garganica		Ophrys lutea

My work as an amateur photographer was made difficult by black wallpapers chosen by the organizers, especially penalizing for the stones. Therefore I apologize for the quality of the images. The event official photographer Mr. Franco Cautillo, exploited just the black background to his advantage and with a clever play of light created a personal vision of bonsai on display which seem to be lit by dramatic flashes of light like in a thunderstorm night. Herewith I mention his full report of the exhibition:
http://www.francocautillo.com/foto/?id=814
and I take the opportunity of thanking him for his patience and readiness with which he gave answer to my curiosity as a .... "reporter".

		But ... as I was interested to see the performance of the stones in a picture with this lighting technique, he photographed for me two suiseki in display. (Kindly provided by Mr. Franco Cautillo)

Now I leave space to the stones, winning and not, which participated in this event. But allow me a last personal remark: as always, from these pages, I thank all those who contributed to the realization of my display: Mr. Fabrizio Buccini for daiza, Mr. Sergio Biagi who created the table with his usual professionalism and spirit of cooperation, the Japanese painter Mrs. Shoko Okumura who made the tanzaku on the theme of Fuji and spring, Mr. Felice Colombari and my son Gianluca, in the role of trusted couriers!

The suiseki in display

U.B.I. Suiseki Award 2013
Mr. Angelo Attinà
"Landscape"
Liguria
(Admitted to Catalogue)