Noelanders Trophy 2012 - Demo by Ryan Neil

When you follow the demonstration from Ryan Neil you don’t wonder why Marc Noelanders invited him again this year. All the demonstrators ware good, but Ryan Neil had this additional energy, this additional knowledge, wide point of view and the ability to bring this over to the public.

When you listen to his explanations and answers about the philosophy of bonsai, the techniques, the design, the trees,....you maybe start to understand why it took him 6 years of studying bonsai art by Kimura and why hi committed his life to bonsai. His knowledge, the amazing deep understanding of this knowledge and his wide perspective and way of looking at bonsai as a way of life are simply amazing. 

Very wide and complex, but with perfect sense and basic simplicity, at the same time.

The second day Ryan Neil and his two assistants made an additional demo on another Pinus Mugo. 

Matija Triglav and Ryan Neil

Matija Triglav

Noelanders Trophy 2012 - Demo by Jorge Campos

Jorge Campos form Spain and his team made a demo on a very interesting Juniperus. I could not follow his demonstration, but on the second day I had the opportunity to talk with him and he explained me, that the current design is developed to the stage which will allow that the apex will develop faster. After that he will shorten the branches and make the crown more compact.

Definitely a great approach that, even on such an important exhibition as Noelanders Trophy, hi is not willing to sacrifice the optimal development of the trees, for the price of a nicer appealing in short-term at the end of the demo.

Noelanders Trophy 2012 - Demo by William N. Valavanis

William N. Valavanis, owner and founder of the International Bonsai Arboretum in Rochester, New York, has been involved with bonsai for 40 years. In addition to being a bonsai artist and teacher, Mr. Valavanis is also publisher of International BONSAI magazine; an independent publication he began twenty-five years ago (and still going strong).

Mr. Valavanis and his assistant showed the public two demos. On the first day they worked on a Pine.

William N. Valavanis 

After the demo

On the second day William N. Valavanis and his assistant worked on a Juniperus Sabina.

Noelanders Trophy 2012 - Demo by Mauro Stemberger

Mauro Stemberger works as an Architect and Bonsai artist. At the age of 14 he got fascinated about Bonsai Art and started his passion with the local Bonsai club Feltre. After that he learned from important bonsai masters like Hotsumi Terakawa , Marc Noelander , Horst Crekler , Edoardo Rossi , Salvatore Liporace, Alfiero Suardi and Enrico Savini. In 2005 he founded the Italian Bonsai Dream workshop place with a group of enthusiast to work and enjoy bonsai art 360°.

Mauro made a demonstration on a nice Juniperus Sabina. 

Juniperus Sabina - before the demo

Assistant from Mauro Stemberger

Juniperus after the demo

Noelanders Trophy 2012 - Demo by Vaclav Novak

Vaclav Novak (CZ) is a well-known bonsai artist with a long bonsai history which started back in 1982 at a lecture from Mr. Hideo Kato from Japan. Now he is the one who is sharing his knowledge, making demonstrations and spreading the inspiration for new bonsai artists around Europe.


At this year’s Noelanders Trophy he made two demos, but unfortunately I only managed to see his work on the second day when he was working at a Juniperus Sabina.

Vaclav Novak and his assistant analyzing the starting material

The position of the tree was changed 

Vaclav Novak 

Vaclav Novak working on final details

End result of the demonstration
Juniperus Sabina styled by Vaclav Novak

Noelanders Trophy 2012 - part II

After the long drive home the head is a bit more organized but still it is hard to process all the impressions form the Noelanders Trophy exhibition. All this great trees, all demos and the discussions with my colleagues about bonsai made this weekend unforgettable.

Of course it’s fair to show the awarded trees first.

Noelanders Trophy 2012 Winner - Juniperus by Luis Vallejo

Nomination - Pinus Sylvestris
by David Benavente

Nomination - Salix Babilonica - Simon Temblett

Nomination - Abies Picea - Nicola Crivelli

Nomination - Carpinus Turczaninovii
by German Gomez

Nomination - Fagus Sylvatica by David Barlow

But it would be unfair not to show all the other great trees from the exhibition. Looking at them its obvious that the judges had a really  hard job picking the best six  trees from this huge competition.

Taxus - Mauro Stemberger

Pinus Densiflora - Mario Komsta

Juniperus chinesis Itoigawa - Mauro Stemberger

Olea Europaea Sylvestris
Gabriel Romero Aguade

Juniperus Chinesis - Nicola Crivelli

Juniperus Sabina - Vaclav Novak

Juniperus chinesis Itoigawa - Andrea Melloni

Querkus Rubra - Mauro Stemberger

Acer Buergerianum - Jorg Derlien

Acer Palmatum - Xavier Dreux

Pinus Mugo - Christian Vos

Ulmus Procera - Reg Bolton

Pistacia Lentiscus - Andrija Zokic & Marija Hajdic

Acer Sieboldianum - Udo Fischer

Taxus Cuspidata - Josef Valuch

Carpinus Betulus - Ralf Beckers

Kiwiboom (Actinidia Arguta) - Joel Pouzet

Picea Glehni - David Hannah

Taxus Baccata - Richard Chambers

Cretaegus monogyna - Hans Van Meer

Artificial replica

I think there are no additional words needed to describe this exhibition, next to the photos of the trees maybe only this two photos complete the story.