The show attracted 63 exhibits and over 100 people on both days, including an award-winning entry from Trish and Alan Pleitner of Wahgunyah for Best Orchid as Open Exhibitor and Best Species.
“There were orchids endemic to the mediterranean region, south and central America and Asia as well of Australian native orchids,” Mr Pleitner, who is Murray Valley Orchid Club President, said.
In the Open Section, seven club members entered a total of 49 exhibits, with two Albury/Wodonga Members entering 17 exhibits. In the Novice Section four club members entered a total of 14 exhibits including nine exhibits by a Wangaratta member.
People came from Hastings, Melbourne, Warrnambool, Carrum Downs, Echuca, Canberra, Myrtleford, Moe, S.A. Gippsland, Finley, Rosebud, Gold Coast, Foster, as well as the local area.
Show organisers were pleased with the exhibits in view of “the trying conditions leading to the show” and the numbers of admirers.
“Four people who became members of the Murray Valley Orchid Club (MVOC) over the weekend, were obviously impressed with the show,” Mr Pleitner said.
A former top cop, a premiership footballer, a stalwart for his Wahgunyah community, Indigo Shire’s 2020 Citizen of the year and a love of orchids for several decades is Alan Pleitner.
After a police career of 36 years, retiring as Detective Superintendent in 1998, the 81-year-old has played in four premiership teams, as a centre-half-forward at Williamstown (VFA), two at Echuca (Bendigo League) and Doncaster (Eastern District League).
His introduction to orchids began in 1957 when given some orchids and really stepped up in 1980 when a talk was given by a North Melbourne Football Club committeeman Ken Carter about diseases in plants.
Contributing articles to orchid publications and lectures on the cultivation of orchids have been pastimes. For decades, he has been on the Australian Orchid Council judging panel and held executive positions on committees.
Alan would have preferred not to be in the limelight with stories about himself in the newspaper. But big contributors to the community must be formally recognised and The Free Press pursued this story!
