Difference: InfoMedalSass (r36 vs. r35)

The Hans and Jacob Sass Medal

History by Clarence Mahan ..................................................related links; Awards; 2015 Hans and Jacob Sass Medal Candidates.

This medal is restricted to intermediate bearded (IB) irises. It is named in honor of Hans Sass (1868-1949) and Jacob Sass (1872-1945).

Hans and Jacob Sass were born in Alt Duvenstedt, Germany and immigrated to the United States with their parents in 1884. They settled on a farm in Nebraska, and were interested in breeding garden flowers at an early age. They bred irises, peonies, daylilies, lilacs, gladiolus, lilies and other garden plants. When they became charter members of the AIS, they had been breeding irises for more than a decade. Their irises were famous for being strong growers because they used 'Amas' and I. trojana as tetraploid stud irises instead of the tender I. mesopotamica and I. cypriana.

The two brothers were very close and shared ideas on hybridizing as well as seedling pollen. When someone complimented Jacob on one of his seedlings, he would say: "Wait until you see what Hans has!" If you praised one of Hans's seedlings, he would say: "Wait until you see what Jake has!" They each introduced scores of irises, and what irises! Two of Hans Sass's irises won the Dykes Medal: 'Rameses' in 1932, and 'Prairie Sunset' in 1943. Likewise, two of Jacob Sass's irises won the Dykes Medal: 'The Red Douglas' in 1941, and 'Ola Kala' in 1948. Hans was the first to introduce true reblooming cultivars, the tall bearded 'Autumn King' and the intermediate bearded ' Autumn Queen', in 1926.

Both of the Sass brothers bred all types of irises that would grow in Nebraska, but their early fame as hybridizers came for their work producing intermediate bearded irises. Crossing dwarf irises with tall bearded irises, they were the first American breeders to develop many new colors and forms in the intermediate class. They saw the great advantage of intermediate bearded irises on the windy prairie, and the value of a type of iris that filled out the bloom season between the early dwarf irises and the later tall bearded irises.

The Sass brothers were two of the world's greatest plant breeders. Their irises won many awards and are to be found throughout the pedigrees of nearly all the modern tall bearded irises in our gardens. A number of their peony introductions are still considered outstanding cultivars, including Jacob's 'Nebraska' and Hans's 'Elsa Sass', 'Hans P. Sass', and 'Sea Shell'.

List of Hans & Jacob Sass Medal winners - Intermediate Bearded (IB) Irises:

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. They are designated with an (A) beside the date on which they won the AM-equivalent, and an (M) on Medal status.

'Cat In The Hat'   2018 - Paul Black	'Red Hot Chili'   2017 - Michael Sutton	'Star In The Night'   2016 - Paul Black	'Man's Best Friend' 'Leave The Light On' 2015 2019 - Paul Black Riley Probst
'Dazzling' 'Cat In The Hat' 2014 2018 - Paul Black	'Rimaround' 'Red Hot Chili' 2013 2017 - J. Terry Michael Sutton Aitken	'Nickel' 'Star In The Night' 2012 2016 - Paul Black	'Garnet Slippers' 'Man's Best Friend' 2011 2015 - Keith Keppel Paul Black
2010 - 'Dazzling''Ruby Slippers' 2014 - K. Keppel Paul Black	2009 - 'Rimaround''Devil May Care' 2013 - P. Black J. Terry Aitken	2008 - 'Nickel''Ming' 2012 - M. Smith Paul Black	'Garnet Slippers' 2011 - Keith Keppel
2007 2010 - 'Delirium' 'Ruby Slippers' - M. Smith K. Keppel	2006 2009 - 'Midsummer Night's Dream' 'Devil May Care' - Lowell P. Black	2005 2008 - 'Starwoman' 'Ming' - M. Smith
2004 2007 - 'Gnu 'Delirium' Rayz' - B. Kasperek M. Smith	2003 2006 - 'Bottled Sunshine' 'Midsummer Night's Dream' - H. Lowell Nichols	2002 2005 - 'Protocol' 'Starwoman' - K. Keppel M. Smith
2001 2004 - 'Maui Gold' 'Gnu Rayz' - T. Aitken B. Kasperek	2000 2003 - 'Dark Waters' 'Bottled Sunshine' - T. Aitken H. Nichols	1999 2002 - 'Prince 'Protocol' of Burgundy' - D. Niswonger K. Keppel
1998 2001 - 'Cee Jay' 'Maui Gold' - C. Lankow T. Aitken	1997 2000 - 'Hot Spice' 'Dark Waters' - T. Aitken	1996 1999 - 'Lemon Pop' 'Prince of Burgundy' - L. Lauer D. Niswonger
1995 1998 - 'Blue Eyed 'Cee Jay' Blond' - A. Ensminger C. Lankow	1994 1997 - 'Ask Alma' 'Hot Spice' - C. Lankow T. Aitken	1993 1996 - 'Maui Moonlight' 'Lemon Pop' - T. Aitken L. Lauer
1992 1995 - 'Hot Fudge' 'Blue Eyed Blond' - B. Hager A. Ensminger	1991 1994 - 'Butter Pecan' 'Ask Alma' - B. Hager C. Lankow	1990 1993 - 'Hellcat' 'Maui Moonlight' - T. Aitken
1989 1992 - 'Honey Glazed' 'Hot Fudge' - D. Niswonger B. Hager	1988 1991 - 'Oklahoma Bandit' 'Butter Pecan' - H. Nichols B. Hager	1987 1990 - 'Az 'Hellcat' Ap' - A. Ensminger T. Aitken
1986 1989 - 'Rare Edition' 'Honey Glazed' - J. Gatty D. Niswonger	1985 1988 - 'Silent Strings' 'Oklahoma Bandit' - P. Dyer H. Nichols	1984 1987 - 'Shampoo' 'Az Ap' - V. Messick A. Ensminger
1983 1986 - 'Peachy Face' 'Rare Edition' - B. Jones J. Gatty	1982 1985 - 'Pink Kitten' 'Silent Strings' - V. Wood P. Dyer	1981 1984 - 'Raspberry 'Shampoo' Blush' - M. Hamblen V. Messick
1980 1983 - 'Appleblossom Pink' 'Peachy Face' - J. Boushay B. Jones	1979 1982 - 'Swizzle' 'Pink Kitten' B. Hager - V. Wood	1978 1981 - 'Voila' 'Raspberry Blush' - J. Gatty M. Hamblen
1977 1980 - 'Vamp' 'Appleblossom Pink' - J. Gatty Boushay	1976 1979 - 'Sea 'Swizzle' Patrol' - C. B. Hager Palmer	1975 1978 - 'Butterscotch 'Voila' Frills' - M. Hamblen J. Gatty
1974 1977 - 'Little 'Vamp' Bit Blue' - G. Plough J. Gatty	1973 1976 - 'Lemon Flurry' 'Sea Patrol' T. Muhlestein - C. Palmer	1972 1975 - 'June Prom' 'Butterscotch Frills' - A. Brown M. Hamblen
1971 1974 - 'Sing Again' 'Little Bit Blue' - G. Plough	1970 1973 - 'Drummer Boy' 'Lemon Flurry' - Schreiner T. Muhlestein	1969 1972 - 'Lime Ripples' 'June Prom' - A. Brown
1968 1971 - (M) 'Moonchild' 'Sing Again' - T. Craig G. Plough	1967 1970 - (M) 'Lillipinkput' 'Drummer Boy' - G. Schreiner Douglas	1966 1969 - (M) 'Kiss Me 'Lime Ripples' Kate' - P. Cook A. Brown
1965 1968 - (M) 'Cutie' 'Moonchild' - Schreiner T. Craig	1964 1967 - (A) (M) 'Lillipinkput' - G. Douglas	1963 1966 - (M) 'Cloud Fluff' 'Kiss Me Kate' - W. Greenlee P. Cook
1962 1965 - 'Blue 'Cutie' Asterisk' - W. Schreiner Greenlee	1961 1964 - (A) 'Moonchild' 'Lillipinkput' - T. Craig G. Douglas	1960 1963 - (A) 'Kiss Me 'Cloud Fluff' Kate' - P. Cook W. Greenlee
1962 - 'Blue Asterisk' - W. Greenlee	1961 - (A) 'Moonchild' - T. Craig	1960 - (A) 'Kiss Me Kate' - P. Cook

-- Main.RPries - 2009-12-24

I	Attachment	Action	Size	Date	Who	Comment
jpg	HansPeterSassAIS116January1950-1.jpg	manage	25 K	26 Aug 2010 - 16:08	UnknownUser	AIS slide