doha • About 12,000 people visited the Qafco Flower and Vegetable Show 2007 held at the Al Banush Club in Mesaeed on Friday, which is said to be a record turnout in the history of this annual event.

The show attracted 400 competitors, including amateurs, professionals, hotels and schools. Some 4000 exhibits were on display, in 133 categories and occupying a space of 4,000 square meters with the addition of a tent exclusively for live competition.

The contests included vegetable and fruit carving, ice and butter carving for professionals and hotels and various types of flower arrangement competitions for nurseries, flower shops and professionals, besides schools.

Most thrilling were the live contests in ice carving, vegetable carving and flower arrangement competitions. They were performed live in front of the public, who watched the huge masses of ice and water melons and pumpkins, as the graceful and sometimes violent strokes of the artists’ chisels turned them into eye catching sculptures of fish, falcons and swans. Professional participants from Doha’s major hotels and clubs and amateurs took part in the contest.

The prizes included trophies, rosettes and gift vouchers to in each category of the show. Other special prizes are also assigned to the winners in the live competitions and for the Overall winner, Queen of the Show, Talent of the Day and Rose of the Day. The prizes include air tickets to different destination in Europe, Asia and Middle East.

Ravi and Peelu Khanna won the first prize while the second prize in the over all award for amateurs went to Arnganayaki G Kumar. The third prize was bagged by Taniya Nweeta Malhotra.

In the professional category, Mecure Grand Htel was the over all winner. The second prize in this category went to Ramada Hotel while Felix Marte won the third prize.

The Queen of the Show for amateurs was bagged by Vasantha Chandrasekhar while the Queen of the Show for Professionals was won by Torpicana Flowers.

In the schools section, MES Indian School won the first prize while the second prize went to the Ieal Indian School.The Pakistan Education Centre won the third position.

In the Live Competition Section, Donato Canto won the first prize for vegetable carving for professionals and the second prize went to Sathya Seelan from Ramada. Thusitha Bandara from Ritz-Carlton Doha won the third prize.

The first prize for ice carving went to Donato Canto. The Ramada Hotel and S Hititiarachchi from Ramada won the second and third prizes respectively.

Preethika Krishnamurthy from the Ideal Indian School won the first prize for Live Drawing Competition for students, Rucha Atul Raje from Birla Public School came second and Sheikha Ali Al Jaber from Al Rifaa Primary School bagged the third position.

The opening ceremony ealier in the day was attended by Abdullah H Salatt Qafco Chairman, Dr Werner Soyez, Qafco Deputy Managing Director, Hamed Al Marwani Qafco Industrial Relations Manager and Chairman of the Organising Committee, and host of other officials and dignitaries.

source : www.thepeninsulaqatar.com