PBE Board Announces “Directors’ Choice Award”

In the hours just before the judging period for the 2024 Pacific Bonsai Expo, we received a request to change the category of one of the entries, a coast redwood. Due to a clerical error on our part (on my part!) stemming from this change, the redwood, which received top marks for its category, didn’t get recorded as the winner.

Because it’s not clear which category the tree belongs in – the category in which the tree was entered or the requested category that matched the tree’s size (it had grown significantly since the submission period) – and because not all judging sheets were updated to properly note the change in category, we’ve decided to recognize Display 53, a coast redwood by Jeremiah Lee, with a Directors’ Choice Award, an award that’s equal in every way with the category awards presented at the event.

We apologize for the error and are taking steps to prevent such a mistake from happening in the future (we’re looking to simplify the award reporting process and create a process for handling last-minute changes to submissions). A trophy is on the way!

Eight years ago I happened to take a photo of the tree. It came from Bob Shimon of Mendocino Coast Bonsai and was purchased at a Bay Island Bonsai exhibit. I thought Jeremiah had found a great tree.

Coast redwood, May, 2016

Jeremiah working on his redwood

Fast forward eight years and the tree was selected for display at the 2nd Pacific Bonsai Expo.

Coast redwood as displayed at the 2024 Pacific Bonsai Expo
(Photo by Aaron Kupferman)

Jeremiah, with help from Peter Tea, had done great work on the tree! Please join us in congratulating Jeremiah for a job well done on this awesome coast redwood.

This full list of award winners at the 2024 Pacific Bonsai Expo are:

Best In Show (sponsored by the Golden State Bonsai Federation)

• Display 6, Anonymous, Cryptomeria

Best Shohin (sponsored by Joshua Roth)

• Display 74, Janet Nelson

Best Medium Display (sponsored by the San Diego Bonsai Club)

• Display 61, Jeffrey Stern, Shimpaku and Corkbark elm

Large Broadleaf Evergreen (sponsored by PT Bonsai)

• Display 29, Mike Pistello, Coast live oak

Large Conifer (sponsored by PT Bonsai)

• Display 34, Christopher Rumery, Shimpaku

Large Deciduous (sponsored by PT Bonsai)

• Display 33, Jeffrey Stern, Korean hornbeam

Directors’ Choice Award (sponsored by the Pacific Bonsai Expo)

• Display 53, Jeremiah Lee, Coast Redwood

Extra-Large Broadleaf Evergreen (sponsored by Joshua Roth)

• Display 2, Tony Henninger and Ron Koh, Satsuki azalea ‘Kozan’

Extra-Large Conifer (sponsored by Kimura Bonsai Nursery)

• Display 8, Scott Elser, Coast Douglas Fir

Extra-Large Deciduous (sponsored by Mats Hagstrom M.D.)

• Display 5, Jeffrey Stern, Japanese maple

These awards represent eight category awards, the Directors’ Choice award, and the best in show winner determined by the judging panel (45 of the 54 exhibitors who opted to participate in judging the show).

You can view the complete scores at the link below:

• 2024 Pacific Bonsai Expo Scores

More updates from the event coming soon!