SOCIETY FOR LOUISIANA IRISES — Mary Swords DeBaillion Awards — 1948 to present
The highest award an Louisiana iris could receive from 1948 until 1985 was the Mary Swords DeBaillon Award. During that period, SLI was an independent unit with no affiliation whatsoever with the American Iris Society (AIS). SLI became a Cooperating Organization of AIS in 1986 and in 2012 became a section of AIS. After 1986 the “award” was discontinued and replaced with the Mary Swords DeBallion Medal, the highest award exclusively for Louisiana Iris. The MEDAL is a part of the AIS award system and is awarded to the eligible Louisiana iris receiving the most votes on the official AIS judges’ ballot conducted each year. All AIS medalists, including the DeBaillon medalist, are eligible for the Dykes Medal, the highest award presented by AIS. So far, the AIS Dykes has been awarded mainly to Tall Bearded irises and no Louisiana iris has ever won the Dykes award.
Listed by Year, Cultivar and Hybridizer/Collector
1948 MARY S. DEBAILLION – C. Dormon (Collected)
1949 BAYOU SUNSET – MacMillan
1950 CADDO – Trichel
1951 CHERRY BOUNCE – Nelson
1952 ROYAL GEM – S. Smith
1953 VIOLET RAY – C. Dormon
1954 SAUCY MINX – C. Dormon
1955 THE KAHN – C. Dormon
1956 WOOD VIOLET – R. Dormon
1957 BLUE CHIP – S. Smith
1958 WHEELHORSE – C. Dormon
1959 HER HIGHNESS – Livingston (Collected)
1960 AMETHYST STAR – DuBose
1961 LOUISE ARNY – Arny
1962 DIXIE DUSK – Matthews
1963 NEW OFFERING – C. Davis
1964 W.B. MacMILIAN – Conger
1965 FRANCES ELIZABETH – Rix
1966 G.W. HOLLEYMAN – R. Holleyman
1967 DIXIE DEB – Chowning
1968 BLACK WIDOW – MacMillan
1969 KATHERINE L. CORNAY – Arny
1970 MARIE CAILLET – Conger
1971 DELTA KING – Hager
1972 ILA NUNN – Arny
1973 MRS. IRA NELSON – Arny
1974 CLYDE REDMOND – Arny
1975 CHARLIE’S MICHELE – Arny
1976 EOLIAN – Arny
1977 MARY DUNN – Hager
1978 (No Award – Tie between F.A.C. McCULLA – Arny and SHRIMP CREOLE – Ghio)
1979 THIS I LOVE – Chowning
1980 ANN CHOWNING – Chowning
1981 BRYCE LEIGH – Chowning
1982 CLARA GOULA – Arny
1983 EASTER TIDE – Arny
1984 MONUMENT – Dunn
1985 (No Award)
1986 ANN CHOWING – Chowning
1987 CLARA GOULA – Arny
1988 EASTER TIDE – Arny
1989 BLACK GAMECOCK – Chowning
1990 ACADIAN MISS – Arny
1991 RHETT – Dunn
1992 BAJAZZO – M. Dunn
1993 FRANK CHOWNING – Rowlan
1994 JERI – Bertinot
1995 KAY NELSON – Granger
1996 PROFESSOR JIM – Mertzweiller
1997 VOODOO MAGIC – Rowlan
1998 BAYOU MYSTIQUE – M. Dunn
1999 PROFESSOR NEIL – Mertzweiller
2000 CAJUN SUNRISE – Mertzweiller
2001 PRALINE FESTIVAL – Haymon
2002 EXTRAORDINAIRE – M. Dunn
2003 (No Award)
2004 HOT AND SPICY – Heather Pryor
2005 RED VELVET ELVIS – Kevin Vaughn
2006 PEACHES IN WINE – H. Pryor
2007 MY FRIEND DICK – Richard Butler by MD Faith
2008 GREAT WHITE HOPE – Dorman Haymon
2009 HENRY ROWLAN – M. D. Faith
2010 NIGHT THUNDER – Richard Morgan
2011 RASPBERRY RILLA – Rilla Hickerson
2012 GINNY’S CHOICE – Wayland Rudkin
2013 JAMES FAITH – M. D. Faith
2014 EDNA CLAUNCH – Harry Wolford
2015 SEMINOLE SUNRISE – Harry Wolford
2016 BLUE MOUNTAIN MIST – Bernard Pryor
2017 OUR FRIEND DICK – Ron Killingsworth
2018 DEJA VOODOO – Patrick O’Connor
2019 DARK DUDE – Ron Betzer
2019 LEMON ZEST – Kevin Vaughn
2019 MICHIGAN BELLE – Jill Copeland
2020 – No Awards Given due to Covid 19
2021 Two Awards given to make up for lack of awards in 2020
2021 – WHEN PIGS FLY – Patrick O’Connor
2021 – ROOSTER – Ron Betzer
2022 – WATERMELON WIZAARD – Hooker Nichols
