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---++ Eric Nies Medal

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<p align='left'>The Eric Nies Medal is the highest American Iris Society award given strictly to a [[Spu.WebHome][spuria Iris]]. The Eric Nies Medal is actually a plaque. Legend has it that Ben Hager, who had won almost every medal possible, complained that they all went into a drawer and the he wished he had something to hang on his wall. The Spuria Society fulfilled his dream.</p> <p align='left'>History By Clarence Mahan.............................related links; [[InfoAwards][Awards]]; [[InfoEricNiesMedalEligible2015][2015 Eric Nies Medal Candidates]].</p> <p align='left'>This medal is restricted to spuria (SPU) irises. It is named in honor of Eric Nies (1884-1952).</p>

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<p align='left'>Eric Nies was born in Saugatuck, Michigan, the son of Dutch immigrants. He graduated with a BS degree from Michigan State College, where he was a star pitcher on the baseball team. In 1913, he and his wife Grace moved to Los Angeles, California, where he taught high school botany and agriculture for many years. He was a man who was praised for his beautiful singing voice, his wit and his charm.</p> <p align='left'>Soon after Nies moved to California, he became interested in irises of all types. He obtained his first spuria irises from Jennett Dean, who operated one of the first iris specialist nurseries in the U.S. Spurias were his special interest. His first cross was with [[Spec.SpecOrientalis][ _I. orientalis_ ]] with [[Spu.SpuMonspur]['Monspur']]. He interbred seedlings from this cross, and in the second generation there was a virtual explosion of color: blue, lavender, brown, bronze and cream. Some of these early cultivars, the forerunners of great advances in spuria irises, are [[Spu.SpuBronzspur]['Bronzspur']], [[Spu.SpuSaugatuck]['Saugatuck']], and [[Spu.SpuAzureDawn]['Azure Dawn']].</p>

Even during his lifetime, Nies was recognized as the foremost breeder of spuria irises in the world. Marion Walker took over his seedlings and breeding lines after he died in 1952. One of the Nies cultivars introduced by Walker is [[Spu.SpuDriftwood]['Driftwood']], which is chocolate-brown with a gold flush. It won the Nies Award in 1959.

*List of Eric Nies Medal winners - Spuria (SPU) Irises:*
| | [[Spu.SpuHotChili]['Hot Chili']]<br />2023 - J. T. Aitken<br /><img alt='' height='150' src='%PUBURL%//Spu/SpuHotChili/hotchili01.jpg' width='150' /> | [[Spu.SpuOdeToAToad]['Ode To A Toad']]<br />2022 - Brad Kaperek<br /><img alt='' height='150' src='%PUBURL%//Spu/SpuOdeToAToad/odetoatoad03.jpg' width='150' /> | [[Spu.SpuIbexIbis]['Ibex Ibis']]<br />2021 - Brad Kasperek<br /><img alt='' height='150' src='%PUBURL%//Spu/SpuIbexIbis/SPUibexibisAIS15.JPG' width='146' /> |||
| [[Spu.SpuSteelyDon]['Steely Don']]<br />2021 - J. T. Aitken<br /><img alt='' height='150' src='%PUBURL%//Spu/SpuSteelyDon/STEELYDON01.JPG' width='161' /> | [[Spu.SpuRedWarClouds]['Red War Clouds']]<br />2019 - Lee Walker<br /><img alt='' height='150' src='%PUBURL%//Spu/SpuRedWarClouds/RedWarClouds01.jpg' width='168' /> | [[Spu.SpuLemonChiffonPie]['Lemon Chiffon Pie']]<br />2018 - Anna & David Cadd<br /><img alt='' height='150' src='%PUBURL%//Spu/SpuLemonChiffonPie/LemonChiffonPie_by_JanLauritzen.jpg' width='144' />  | [[Spu.SpuLineDancing]['Line Dancing'<br />]]2017 - B. Charles Jenkins<br />by Comanche Acres<br /><img alt='' height='150' src='%PUBURL%//Spu/SpuLineDancing/linedancing01.jpg' width='150' /> |||
| [[Spu.SpuCastorRiver]['Castor River']]<br />2016 - David Niswonger<br /><img alt='' height='150' src='%PUBURL%//Spu/SpuCastorRiver/castorriver2.jpg' width='150' /> | [[Spu.SpuMissouriMorning]['Missouri Morning']]<br />2015 - David Niswonger<br /><img alt='' height='150' src='%PUBURL%//Spu/SpuMissouriMorning/missourimorning2.jpg' width='150' /> | [[Spu/SpuGoldenDucat]['Golden Ducat']]<br />2014  Anna & David Cadd<br /><img align='bottom' alt='Golden Ducat' height='150' src='%PUBURL%//Spu/SpuGoldenDucat/GoldenDucat_by_JanLauritzen_2.jpg' vspace='4' width='150' />  | [[Spu.SpuMissouriOrchid]['Missouri Orchid']]<br />2013 - David Niswonger<br /><img align='bottom' alt='Missouri Orchid' height='150' hspace='4' src='%PUBURL%/images/Spu/SpuMissouriOrchid/1/Missouri_Orchid3smaller.jpg' vspace='4' width='150' /> |||
| [[Spu.SpuSolarFusion]['Solar Fusion']]<br />2012 - Lee Walker<br /><img align='bottom' alt='Solar Fusion' height='140' src='%PUBURL%/images/Spu/SpuSolarFusion/1/SolarFusion_by_JanLauritzen.jpg' vspace='4' width='140' /> | [[Spu.SpuSpeedingStar]['Speeding Star']]<br />2011 - Anna & David Cadd<br /><img align='bottom' alt='Speeding Star' height='140' src='%PUBURL%//Spu/SpuSpeedingStar/SPEEDINGSTAR01.JPG' vspace='4' width='140' /> | [[Spu.SpuMissouriDreamland]['Missouri Dreamland']]<br />2010 - David Niswonger<br /><img align='bottom' alt='MissouriDreamland' height='150' src='%PUBURL%/Spu/SpuMissouriDreamland/Missouri_Dreamland.jpg' vspace='4' width='140' /> | [[Spu.SpuMissouriAutumn]['Missouri Autumn']]<br />2009 - David Niswonger<br /><img align='bottom' alt='MisouriAutumn' height='150' src='%PUBURL%/Spu/SpuMissouriAutumn/missouri_autumn--Aitken.jpg' vspace='4' width='140' /> |||
| [[Spu.SpuElfinSunshine]['Elfin Sunshine']]<br />2008 - Charles Jenkins<br /><img align='bottom' alt='ElfinSunshine' height='150' src='%PUBURL%/Spu/SpuElfinSunshine/elfinsunshineSPISPU08.jpg' vspace='4' width='140' /> | [[Spu.SpuMissouriOrange]['Missouri Orange']]<br />2007 - David Niswonger<br /><img align='bottom' alt='MissouriOrange' height='150' src='%PUBURL%/Spu/SpuMissouriOrange/Missouri_Orange_smaller.jpg' vspace='4' width='128' /> | [[Spu.SpuAdriaticBlue]['Adriatic Blue']]<br />2006 - David Niswonger<br /><img align='bottom' alt='AdriaticBlue' height='150' src='%PUBURL%/Spu/SpuAdriaticBlue/AdriaticBlueedited_edited-6.jpg' vspace='4' width='140' /> | [[Spu.SpuMissouriIronOre]['Missouri Iron Ore']]<br />2005 - David Niswonger<br /><img align='bottom' alt='MissouriIronOre' height='150' src='%PUBURL%/Spu/SpuMissouriIronOre/missouri_iron_ore---aitken.jpg' vspace='4' width='140' /> |||
| [[Spu.SpuMissouriRainbows]['Missouri Rainbows']]<br />2004 - David Niswonger<br /><img align='bottom' alt='MissouriRainbows' height='150' src='%PUBURL%/Spu/SpuMissouriRainbows/missouri_rainbow--aitken.jpg' vspace='4' width='140' /> | [[Spu.SpuMissouriSunset]['Missouri Sunset']]<br />2003 - David Niswonger<br /><img align='bottom' alt='MissouriSunset' height='150' src='%PUBURL%/Spu/SpuMissouriSunset/Missouri_Sunset_smaller.jpg' vspace='4' width='140' /> | [[Spu.SpuSunriseInMissouri]['Sunrise In Missouri']]<br />2002 - David Niswonger<br /><img align='bottom' alt='SunriseInMissouri' height='150' src='%PUBURL%/Spu/SpuSunriseInMissouri/Sunrise_in_Missouri_allthingsiris.jpg' vspace='4' width='140' /> | [[Spu.SpuMissouriSprings]['Missouri Springs']]<br />2001 - David Niswonger<br /><img align='bottom' alt='Missouri Springs' height='150' src='%PUBURL%/Spu/SpuMissouriSprings/missouri_springs_-_may_14_04_001_eaves_crp.jpg' vspace='4' width='140' /> |||
| [[Spu.SpuIlaRemembered]['Ila Remembered']]<br />2000 - Ben Hager<br /><img align='bottom' alt='IlaRemembered' height='150' src='%PUBURL%/Spu/SpuIlaRemembered/Ila_Remembered--Robert_Dickow_reduced.jpg' vspace='4' width='140' /> | [[Spu.SpuSultansSash]['Sultan's Sash']]<br />1999 - David Niswonger<br /><img align='bottom' alt='SultansSash' height='150' src='%PUBURL%/Spu/SpuSultansSash/sultan_sash--aitken.jpg' vspace='4' width='140' /> | [[Spu.SpuMissouriRivers]['Missouri Rivers']]<br />1998 - David Niswonger<br /><img align='bottom' alt='MissouriSunset' height='150' src='%PUBURL%/Spu/SpuMissouriRivers/Missouri_Rivers-Niswonger.jpg' vspace='4' width='140' /> | [[Spu.SpuCountessZeppelin]['Countess Zeppelin']]<br />1997 - Ben Hager<br /><img align='bottom' alt='Countess Zeppelin' height='150' src='%PUBURL%/Spu/SpuCountessZeppelin/Countess_Zeppelin.jpg' vspace='4' width='140' /> |||
| [[Spu.SpuChocolateFudge]['Chocolate Fudge']]<br />1996 - David Niswonger<br /><img align='bottom' alt='Chocolate Fudge' height='150' src='%PUBURL%/Spu/SpuChocolateFudge/Chocolate_Fudge_modra_edited.jpg' vspace='4' width='140' /> | [[Spu.SpuCinnamonStick]['Cinnamon Stick']]<br />1995 - David Niswonger<br /><img align='bottom' alt='Cinnamon Stick' height='150' src='%PUBURL%/Spu/SpuCinnamonStick/cinnomonstick08SPIspu.jpg' vspace='4' width='140' /> | [[Spu.SpuSonOfSun]['Son Of Sun']]<br />1994 - Floyd Wickenkamp<br /><img align='bottom' alt='Son Of Sun' height='150' src='%PUBURL%/Spu/SpuSonOfSun/Son_of_Sun_Niswonger_photo.jpg' vspace='4' width='140' /> | [[Spu.SpuBettyCooper]['Betty Cooper']]<br />1993 - Eleanor !McCown<br /><img align='bottom' alt='Betty Cooper' height='150' src='%PUBURL%/Spu/SpuBettyCooper/Betty_Cooper.jpg' vspace='4' width='140' /> |||
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*List of Eric Nies Award winners - Spuria (SPU) Irises:*

In 1993 the first Eric Nies Medal was awarded, Previously the Eric Nies Award was equivalent to an Award of Merit. Note that most classifications within the AIS Awards System began with Award of Merit (AM) equivalent Awards, later elevated to Medal status. At this transition, previous Award winners from a specified period of time re-competed for the higher Medal honors. Thus there are some duplicate entries (*) .

| 1992 - [[Spu.SpuDressCircle]['Dress Circle']] - B. Hager | 1991 - [[Spu.SpuHighlineCoral]['Highline Coral']] - E. !McCown | 1990 - [[Spu.SpuCinnamonStick]['Cinnamon Stick']] (*) - D. Niswonger |
| 1989 - [[Spu.SpuDestination]['Destination']] - B. Hager | 1988 - [[Spu.SpuJaniceChesnik]['Janice Chesnik']] - E. !McCown | 1987 - [[Spu.SpuSonOfSun]['Son Of Sun']] (*) - F. Wickenkamp |
| 1986 - [[Spu.SpuBettyCooper]['Betty Cooper']] (*) - E. !McCown | 1985 - [[Spu.SpuImperialGold]['Imperial Gold']] - E. !McCown | 1984 - [[Spu.SpuAdobeSunset]['Adobe Sunset']] - E. !McCown |
| 1983 - [[Spu.SpuHighlineHoney]['Highline Honey']] - E. !McCown | 1982 - [[Spu.SpuFergysPoetry]['Fergy's Poetry']] - W. Ferguson | 1981 - [[Spu.SpuImperialRuby]['Imperial Ruby']] - E. !McCown |
| 1980 - [[Spu.SpuButteredChocolate]['Buttered Chocolate']] - D. Niswonger | 1979 - [[Spu.SpuIlaCrawford]['Ila Crawford']] - B. Hager | 1978 - [[Spu.SpuClarkeCosgrove]['Clarke Cosgrove']] - B. Hager |
| 1977 - [[Spu.SpuProverb]['Proverb']] - W. Ferguson | 1976 - [[Spu.SpuFortyCarats]['Forty Carats']] - W. Ferguson | 1975 - [[Spu.SpuImperialBronze]['Imperial Bronze']] - E. !McCown |
| 1974 - [[Spu.SpuMarilynHolloway]['Marilyn Holloway']] - B. Hager | 1973 - [[Spu.SpuArchieOwen]['Archie Owen']] - B. Hager | 1972 - [[Spu.SpuPortOfCall]['Port Of Call']] - B. Hager |
| 1971 - [[Spu.SpuHighlineLavender]['Highline Lavender']] - E. !McCown | 1970 - [[Spu.SpuBaritone]['Baritone']] - W. Ferguson | 1969 - [[Spu.SpuConnoisseur]['Connoisseur']] - B. Hager |
| 1968 - [[Spu.SpuDawnCandle]['Dawn Candle']] - W. Ferguson | 1967 - [[Spu.SpuElixir]['Elixir']] - B. Hager | 1966 - [[Spu.SpuWakerobin]['Wakerobin']] - W. Ferguson |
| 1965 - [[Spu.SpuMorningtide]['Morningtide']] - Walker | 1964 - [[Spu.SpuThrushSong]['Thrush Song']] - W. Ferguson | 1963 - [[Spu.SpuGoldenLady]['Golden Lady']] - R. Combs |
| 1962 - [[Spu.SpuCherokeeChief]['Cherokee Chief']] - E. Nies | 1961 - [[Spu.SpuDutchDefiance]['Dutch Defiance']] - E. Nies | 1960 - [[Spu.SpuLarkSong]['Lark Song']] - E. Nies |
| 1959 - [[Spu.SpuDriftwood]['Driftwood']] - Walker | 1958 - [[Spu.SpuWhiteHeron]['White Heron']] - Milliken | 1957 - [[Spu.SpuSunnyDay]['Sunny Day']] - H. Sass |
| 1956 - [[Spu.SpuWadiZemZem]['Wadi Zem-Zem']] - Milliken |||
%COMMENT{ type="bottom"}%
---

-- Main.RPries - 2009-10-14
   * 'Missouri Autumn' Terry Aitken photo:
   * -- Main.AlainFranco - 19 Jan 2012
I	Attachment	Action	Size	Date	Who	Comment
jpg	Eric_Nies_Award_crp.jpg	manage	47 K	01 Sep 2010 - 12:36	UnknownUser	Pries photo
jpg	Eric_Nies_small_edited-3.jpg	manage	17 K	27 Dec 2009 - 20:12	UnknownUser
jpg	missouri_autumn--Aitken.jpg	manage	41 K	14 Oct 2009 - 12:51	UnknownUser	'Missouri Autumn' Terry Aitken photo
Topic revision: r43 - 18 Aug 2023, WayneMesser
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