NSW Rose Championships

At the 2012 NSW Royal Agricultural Society Rose Show Mark McGuire swept all before him winning a record twenty of the thirty-four ribbons on offer. In the NSW Championships Mark set a record that won’t be broken in a hurry by winning the four major prizes these being the NSW Rose Championship, NSW Autumn Championship, NSW Miniature Championship and NSW Grand Champion Unit as well as four taking the champion ribbons for four of the remaining six champion ribbons available. One of NSW leading exhibitors for many years Mark’s success was not surprising to fellow rosarians although it was well above his expectations.

With 350 bushes made up 80 different varieties on his suburban block at Billong Ave Neutral Bay Mark’s garden was acclaimed as a Garden of Excellence by North Sydney Council in 2000. As the garden is situated in his front yard and on the footpath (with the permission of the council) it can be viewed by the general public simply by driving up his street.

In recent years Mark’s signature rose has been the magnificent Dr Bruce Chapman miniature Joyce Abounding that has won numerous Miniature Champion ribbons and was the first Australian bred miniature to win a grand champion ribbon at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

When asked about his success on the show bench Mark said, “ Passion, time, control of pests and diseases along with the Neutrog products Sudden Impact and Seamungus are what enables me to consistently put prize winning blooms on the show bench.”

Mark’s activities are not limited to being an exhibitor as he is the Rose Society of NSW Chairman of Judges and a member of the Rose Society of NSW State Counci

John after setting the record for the number of championship ribbons in 2011 which Mark broke this year we only won one ribbon this being the champion Australian bred with the George Dawson Imp.This being the worst we have done in the last 10yrs at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. I feel our fall from dominance related directly to me being bed ridden for just on two months prior to the shows which meant I didn't prepare our roses for the shows. (actually I got out of bed to go to WA) This happens and you have to take the good with the bad.On saying bad it only related results as the three days at the Royal were very enjoyable with social interaction with fellow members and the show itself.
With respect to Mark's garden I do have some photos however they don't do it justice. I will take more photos the next time I visit Mark and post them on the site.

In NSW we have an extremely progressive President and, has through her efforts and example removed most of the over competitiveness in NSW Shows. Also some years back she set up a mentoring program for new exhibitors and as a result this has spread to the regional rose societies and as a result there are many new exhibitors being developed that in the not to distant future will be able to compete with the likes of Mark McGuire etc. These days she runs exhibitors and judges work shops which are quite informative. Not like a number of the other states NSW doesn't have a small number of dominant exhibitors but rather at least seven that can compete at the highest level with anyone of them capable of taking out championship ribbons.