Award of Merit (AM) awards are given to irises from each classification each year. Any iris is eligible the second year after previously winning an Honorable Mention (HM). Only AIS registered judges may vote.

Honorable Mention (HM) awards are awarded each year to irises of each classification. Registered bearded irises are eligible the second year after introduction. Registered beardless irises are eligible the third year after introduction. Only AIS registered judges may vote.

High Commendation (HC) awards are reserved for seedling irises, viewed in the garden by AIS judges, under seedling number or registered name, which have not been introduced into commerce yet. Any seedling of any established classification that receives five votes is granted an HC award. Only AIS registered judges may vote.

Popularity Awards

There are also a number of popularity awards. These awards are primarily voted on by AIS members (not necessarily AIS judges) at the annual AIS Convention. These awards include the President’s Cup, the Franklin Cook Memorial Cup, and the Ben R. Hager Cup. Every year at the AIS national convention, registered attendees (regardless of whether they are members of AIS) vote for irises to determine these awards. Additionally there is the Fred and Barbara Walther Cup determined by the AIS Awards Honorable Mention (HM) award balloting (AIS Judges only). The Lloyd Zurbrigg-Clarence Mahan Seedling Cup is provided for the best seedling viewed at the annual AIS Convention, voted by convention attendees.

The President’s Cup
The President’s Cup is awarded annually during the American Iris Society’s national convention. Best in AIS Region iris.

Eligibility is restricted to introduced irises originated within the host AIS Region for that year’s national convention or originated by a hybridizer whose garden is included on the convention’s official garden tour, regardless of its location. Irises must have been seen growing and in bloom in the convention’s official tour gardens, but need not be official guest irises. Each registrant may vote for one variety and the President’s Cup is awarded to the iris with the largest number of votes.

2024 ‘Columbia Deep Water’ (Chad Harris 2013, JI)/convention: Portland, Oregon
2023 ‘Decked Out’ (Tom Burseen 2015, TB)/convention: Dallas, Texas

The Franklin Cook Memorial Cup
The Franklin Cook Memorial Cup is awarded annually during the American Iris Society’s national convention. Best out of AIS Region iris.

All introduced irises seen growing and in bloom in the official tour gardens of the convention are eligible for consideration for the Franklin Cook Memorial Cup, except irises originated within the host AIS Region for that year’s national convention by a hybridizer whose garden is included on the official garden tour, regardless of its location. The irises considered need not be official convention guest irises. Each registrant may vote for only one variety and the Franklin Cook Memorial Cup is awarded to the iris receiving the greatest number of votes.

This award was established by Dr. Franklin Cook during his time as AIS president in 1947 and was originally known as the President’s Cup. Then in 1952, it was renamed the Franklin Cook Memorial Cup. From 1947 through 1965, there were no restrictions concerning the geographical origination of irises eligible for the Franklin Cook Memorial Cup until 1966 when the current President’s Cup was established and first awarded.

Presidents Cup and Franklin Cook Cup winners listing  (PDF file 98K)

The Ben R. Hager Cup
The Ben R. Hager Cup, first awarded in 2007, is awarded annually during the American Iris Society’s annual convention. Best Median iris.

All introduced median irises (SDB, IB, MTB and BB) seen growing and in bloom in the official tour gardens of the convention are eligible. Irises considered need not be official convention guest irises. Each registrant may vote for one median iris variety and the Ben R. Hager Cup is awarded to the median iris receiving the largest number of votes.

The award is named for Ben Hager of California who was one of the premier hybridizers in the American Iris Society and had the distinction of winning the top awards in every category that was possible at the time. Ben Hager was known primarily as a hybridizer of bearded irises, but worked with many of the different iris categories. Most iris growers identify him with his famous award-winning pinks, VANITY and BEVERLY SILLS, which make the tall bearded popularity poll each year. The winners of the Ben R. Hager Cup are shown below:

2024 No award
2023 ‘Blushing Fairy’ IB (Hooker Nichols)/convention: Dallas, Texas
2022 ‘Black Comedy’ IB (Paul Black)/convention: Las Cruces, New Mexico
2021 No convention
2020 No convention
2019 ‘Black Comedy’ IB (Paul Black)/convention: San Ramon, California
2018 No award
2017 ‘Chocolate Fountain’ MTB (Kenneth Fisher)/convention: Des Moines, Iowa
2016 ‘Moose Tracks’ MTB (Lynda Miller) /convention: Newark, New Jersey
2015 ‘Moose Tracks’ MTB (Lynda Miller) /convention: Portland, Oregon
2014 two-way tie: ‘Bahama Blues’ IB (Michael Sutton), ‘Bottled Sunshine’ IB (Hooker Nichols) /convention: Dallas, Texas
2013 Boy Genius BB (Joe Ghio)/convention: Dallas, Texas
2012 Man’s Best Friend IB (Paul Black) /convention: Ontario, California
2011 Dazzling IB (Paul Black) /convention: Victoria, British Columbia
2010 three-way tie: Dallas Mahan MTB (Clarence Mahan), Ruffled Rascal BB (Francis Rogers), Survivor MTB (Lynda Miller) /convention: Madison, Wisconsin
2009 Dividing Line MTB (Charles Bunnell) / convention: Kansas City, Missouri
2008 Crow’s Feet BB (Paul Black) / convention: Austin, Texas
2007 Dividing Line MTB (Charles Bunnell) / convention: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Fred and Barbara Walther Cup
Awarded annually by The American Iris Society to the originator of the iris variety that received the greatest number of votes in the Honorable Mention (HM) award balloting, regardless of classification. All classifications of irises are eligible. Only AIS registered judges may vote for this award.

2024 ‘Dare To Be Different’ (Thomas Johnson, TB)
2023 ‘Rosy Celebration’ (Richard Tasco, AB (OGB))
2022 Bright And Shining Star  (Paul Black, TB)
2021 Alabama Blue Fin (Jill Copeland, SPX)
2021 Alaia (Thomas Johnson, SDB)
2021 Woody Woodpecker (Thomas Johnson, SDB)
2021 Acadian Sky (Joseph Musacchia, LA)
2019 Perry Dyer (Paul Black, AB (OGB-))
2018 Black Lipstick (Keith Keppel, TB)
2017 Moose Tracks (Lynda Miller, MTB)
2016 Good Morning Sunshine (Thomas Johnson, TB)
2015 Desert Snow (Paul Black, AB)
2014 Holiday in Mexico (Riley Probst, MTB)
2013 JUDY JUDY JUDY (Robert Hollingworth, SIB)
2012 GINGER TWIST (Schafer and Sacks, SIB)
2011 STAR IN THE NIGHT (Paul Black, IB)
2010 EYE OF THE TIGER (Paul Black, SDB)
2009 BUNDLE OF LOVE (Paul Black, BB)
2008 BLUEBEARD’S GHOST (Paul Black, SDB )
2007 FLORENTINE SILK (Keith Keppel, TB)
2006 DECADENCE (Barry Blyth, TB)
2005 PAUL BLACK (Tom Johnson, TB)
2004 CAT’S EYE (Paul Black, SDB)
2003 DELIRIUM IB (Marky Smith)
2002 HAPPENSTANCE (Keith Keppel, TB)
2001 STARWOMAN, (Marky Smith, IB)
2000 MIDNIGHT OIL (Keith Keppel, TB)
1999 DIABOLIQUE (Schreiner, TB)
1998 PROTOCOL (Keith Keppel, IB)
1997 FANCY WOMAN (Keith Keppel, TB)
1996 FEATURE ATTRACTION (Schreiner, TB)

Gerald Richardson Award Best Integrated Privately Maintained Planting

This award is given for the best integrated privately maintained planting at an AIS Convention garden as designated in the convention booklet. The award is given annually to a privately maintained host garden based on popular vote of convention attendees. An integrated garden is defined as a garden bed composed of iris and companion plants that displays the iris to their best effect as a landscape plant. The award was established at the Spring 2017 board meeting.

2023 Mike & Ellen Reed Garden, Farmers Branch, Texas

Lloyd Zurbrigg-Clarence Mahan Seedling Cup

This award is provided for the best iris seedling viewed at the annual AIS Convention, voted by attendees. Presented by AIS Region 4 in honor of two of its distinguished members; Lloyd Zurbrigg, a noted hybridizer of reblooming irises and Clarence Mahan, a hybridizer and a past president of the AIS. It was first awarded in 2014 at the Dallas, Texas AIS Convention. Notably different from other AIS awards, the recipent retains the award as a new award cup is donated each year.

2024 09JL3 (Chad Harris, JI)/convention: Portland, Oregon
2023 19A116i (Ava Toth, IB)/convention: Dallas, Texas
2022 SK17-1 (Steve Kelly, TB)/convention: Las Cruces, New Mexico
2019 Nichols 1978  (Hooker Nichols, TB)/convention: San Ramon, California
2018 Dufrene 4-22-14 LA (Cindy Dufrne, LA)
2017 ADG 11-02-04 (Howard Dash, AB)/convention: Des Moines, Iowa
2016 Seedling 2013-1 (Bonnie J. Nichols, TB)/convention: Newark, New Jersey
2015 Royston Rubies (Adam Cordes, TB)/convention: Portland, Oregon
2014 Seedling 08-6-10 (A. Pyburn, TB)/convention: Dallas, Texas

Awards Ballot Information

Due to COVID-19 there was no Awards Ballot in 2020.  Because of this, in 2021 there were twice as many winners.

This is a very unfortunate situation for all—hybridizers, commercial gardens, judges, and the iris-buying public. But with travel restrictions in place many judges were not able to make any garden visits whatsoever, and the AIS Board of Directors felt that it had no choice but to cancel.

In setting up the ballot for upcoming years, the goal will be to try to give every iris the same chance of winning an award that it would have had if there had been a vote in 2020. Iris in each class and award level will still be on the ballot for three years, just as before. For Honorable Mention and Award of Merit, 10% of the candidates will still win, just as before. This means that four years of introductions will be on the HM ballot for a few years. Details for the complete intended scheme for the ballot are given in the PDF linked below, but here is a small example: in the 2021 ballot the HM candidates will be bearded iris introduced in 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016; and beardless iris introduced in 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015.

The complete plan for the ballot is available here:  2021 Ballot Considerations.

When available, the 2021 proposed ballot will be posted here.  The purpose of posting the proposed AIS Awards Ballot online is to give people (AIS judges and hybridizers) the chance to review the listing and provide input before the official AIS Awards Ballot is finalized and sent out for voting.

Any questions or comments should be sent to the AIS Awards Chair:
Michael Reed  e-mail:
phone: 214-418-3208  e-mail: 

This ballot may not be used for official voting. Only the final version of the Official AIS Awards Ballot provided to the AIS Judges may be used for voting. See instructions below.

INSTRUCTIONS
Failure to vote the Official Ballot in a timely manner for two consecutive years results in automatic
disqualification as an AIS judge. If for any reason it is not possible for you to vote this year, state so on the ballot and return the ballot by the deadline to the Awards Chair: Michael Reed

ONLINE VOTING INSTRUCTIONS:
Detailed instructions will be on the voting website at www.voteirises.org by May 1. If
you voted online last year or submitted an e-mail address on your paper ballot, an e-mail will be sent to that address when the system is available. Please go to the website and give it a try. We are available for you, if help is needed, but the system is easy and error-free! You may enter the voting system multiple times, tweaking votes or completing different sections. You may even have a copy of your votes emailed to you!

PAPER BALLOT INSTRUCTIONS:
1. The ballot must be postmarked no later than August 1, 2021, to be counted. If it is postmarked by August 1 but received after August 10 the votes will not count, but you will receive credit for having voted. There is no special deadline for Japanese irises.
2. You must provide your name, address, e-mail, and region. Please sign and date.
3. Mark your ballot clearly by either of two methods: use a contrasting color (blue, red, green, purple) ink pen and place an X clearly beside the name of the iris or use a Highlighter to highlight the iris name. Do not use a pencil! Make your votes obvious and easy to find!
4. Enter the total number of votes cast in a category in the BOX beside the name of the category. Do not exceed the total number of votes allowed in each category, which is indicated in each section. If you exceed this number, your votes in that section will not be counted. You may always vote for fewer than the maximum and skip a category with which you are unfamiliar or do not have an opinion.
5. If you choose to skip a category, please put a 0 in the box.
6. Add correct postage to the pre-addressed return envelope. Postmark by deadline!
The award winners will be posted on the AIS website, www.irises.org , as soon as tabulation is
completed, and published in the October Bulletin.

All AIS accredited Judges are required to vote the Ballot. Only accredited judges may vote the ballot. The Judges are evaluating the performance of those irises seen growing in the GARDEN, not in shows or photos.

All iris that are registered and first introduced (offered for sale) in North America are included in the Honorable Mention (HM) categories of each classification. Bearded iris are placed on the ballot the second year after introduction; beardless irises are placed on the ballot the third year after introduction. They remain eligible for the award and on the ballot for three years or until they are awarded the HM. One year after an iris is awarded the HM it is placed in the Award of Merit (AM) category, where they remain for up to three years. One year after an iris is awarded the AM it is placed on the ballot under their respective Special Medal award sections, remaining for up to three years. Winners in the Medal categories that were originated in North America move up the following year to compete for the Dykes Medal, the American Iris Society’s highest award. Candidates remain eligible for the Dykes medal for up to three years.