Autumn is upon us, which means a few things: the weather is getting cooler, the pond season is winding down, and the deadline to enter the 2019 Water Artisans of the Year contest is looming.
The annual independently evaluated competition, which is now in its fourth year, serves as a level playing field for the industry’s waterscape contractors to showcase their most impressive projects of the year, regardless of the brand of products they use. POND Trade magazine is accepting contest entries through its website until Nov. 30, 2019.
“This has become one of the most exciting times of the year for us,” said Lora Lee Gelles, publisher of POND Trade magazine. “We can’t wait to see what’s in store for all of our readers!”
In order to be eligible, a project must have been completed between Nov. 1, 2018 and Nov. 1, 2019 and fit into one of five categories.
- Does your project blend in seamlessly with the surrounding environment? The Most Naturalistic category is for man-made waterscapes that appear to have always existed in its current location.
- The Best Pondless category, which is set aside for water features that do not involve the presence of a pond, is back for the fourth consecutive year.
- New for 2019, the Ponds Revisited category is dedicated to older pondscapes that have withstood the test of time and retained — or even enhanced — its original beauty. (Note: The completion date requirement is waived for this category.)
- The Best Water Feature Under $15,000 provides a platform for features that gave your customer the best bang for their buck without a heavy price tag.
- Returning from last year, the Best Waterscape/Hardscape Combo category celebrates the blending of land and water elements in aquatic art.
Contractors are encouraged to enter as many different projects as they would like; however, submitting the same project in more than one category is not allowed. Each entry costs $25, payable to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Winners and runners-up will be selected by our “Supreme Stream Court,” a blind judging panel that includes experts across the water-feature industry. For 2019, the judges are Mike Garcia (Enviroscape L.A.), Dan Put (Put’s Ponds and Gardens), Gregg Sawyer (Sawyer Waterscaping), Randy Stewart (Pondliner), Max Taylor (Magnolia Ponds and Water Gardens), Kent Wallace (Living Water Solutions) and Jeff Weemhoff (Atlantic Water Gardens). Winners will be featured in the March/April 2020 issue of POND Trade magazine.
To apply, click here. Act fast, because the submission deadline is quickly approaching — Nov. 30, 2019!
