Annual Turtle and Tortoise Show 2010

The 36th Annual Turtle and Tortoise Show, June 12, 2010

Best In Show
Brian Blecher, pictured right with daughter, Alexandra, displays Best In Show trophy for their breeding group of flat-shelled spider tortoises (Pyxis planicauda), awarded by Show Judge Bill McCord for a species especially difficult to keep and breed. Photo by Anita Salzberg

Photos from the Show
See slide shows by the following photographers:

Judging

Awarding of ribbons is based not only on the quality of the animal (configuration and form, uniqueness, and rarity of species) but also upon ownership responsibility (length of ownership, general health and physical condition, and apparent quality of husbandry). Significant credit is also given when animals have been successfully captive bred. When it becomes apparent more than one animal in a person’s collection has benefited from high quality of husbandry, the group (a breeding pair and offspring, or long-term captives in good health) is recognized accordingly. These are designated as a “breeding group” or “husbandry group” below.

Turtle Names

The common names of turtles and tortoises vary widely by country and region. To maintain consistency, John Iverson’s scheme of common names (A Revised Checklist with Distribution Maps of the Turtles of the World) has been followed both below and in the captions for the slide show photos. Therefore, a number of familiar names many of us use informally have been partly altered or replaced. See the following informal common names and the equivalent Iverson common names below:

Burmese brown tortoise (Manouria emys) = Asian brown tortoise
Chinese box turtle (Cuora flavomarginata) = Yellow-margined box turtle
Flat-tailed tortoise (Pyxis planicauda) = Flat-shelled spider tortoise
Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca graeca) = Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoise
Russian tortoise (Testudo [Agrionemys] horsfieldii) = Central Asian tortoise
Sulcata (Centrochelys sulcata) = African spurred tortoise

First Place — Blue Ribbon Winners

Bob Seaver — Breeding group of yellow-margined box turtles (Cuora flavomarginata), first runner-up

Frank Schneider — Breeding group of Central Asian tortoises (Testudo [Agrionemys] horsfieldii), second runner-up

Brian Blecher — Husbandry group: 1 Central American wood turtle (Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima manni) and 2 twist-necked turtles (Platemys platycephala )

Christopher Cho — Husbandry group: Black-breasted leaf turtle (Geoemyda spengleri), yellow-margined box turtle (Cuora flavomarginata), and African pancake tortoise (Malacohersus tornieri)

Frances Ferraro — Barbour’s map turtle (Graptemys barbouri)

Frankie Fischer — Husbandry group: 3 red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans)

Diane P. Greene — Husbandry group: 4 Home’s hinge-back tortoises (Kinixys homeana) and 1 Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca graeca) and 1 Asia Minor spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca ibera)

Matt Hybel — Pair of Asian brown tortoises (Manouria emys)

Matt Hybel — Snapping turtle group: 2 alligator snapping turtles (Macrochelys temminckii) and 1 Florida snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina osceola)

Michael Li — Husbandry group: Burmese star tortoise (Geochelone platynota), Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans), and western leopard tortoise (Gechelone p. pardalis)

Second Place — Red Ribbon Winners

Judith Barber — Western painted turtle (Chrysemys picta belli)

Rhea Greenberg — Yellow-margined box turtle (Cuora flavomarginata)

Allen P.W. Karen — Husbandry group: 3 Central Asian tortoises (Testudo [Agrionemys] horsefieldii)

Kay Martin — Pair: yellow-margined box turtles (Cuora flavomarginata)

Sara Ramos — Husbandry group: 2 red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) and 2 yellow-footed tortoises (Geochelone [Chelonoidis] denticulata)

Barbara Reader — Cooter (Pseudemys sp.)

Frank Schneider — Husbandry group: big-headed turtle (Platysternon megacephalum), common spider tortoise (Pyxis arachnoides), eastern leopard tortoise (Geochelone pardalis babcocki), and Home’s hinge-back tortoise (Kinixys homeana)

Michael Sherwin — Husbandry group: Asian leaf turtle (Cyclemys dentata), Malayan box turtle (Cuora amboinensis), red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), and yellow-margined box turtle (Cuora flavomarginata)

Lee R. Tucker — Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)

Gary Weiler — Husbandry group of red-footed tortoises (Geochelone [Chelonoidis] carbonaria)

Third Place — White Ribbon Winners

Josephine Arnold — Husbandry group: 2 red-eared sliders (Tracemys scripta elegans) and 1 Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca graeca)

Lesley Brunelle — Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)

Kelsey Cartelli — Husbandry group: 2 central Asian tortoises (Testudo [Agrionemys] horsefieldii) and 1 Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni)

Nicholas Caruso — Husbandry group: Asian brown tortoise (Manouria emys), incised wood turtle (Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima incisa), and alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminickii),

Frances Ferraro — Three-lined box turtle (Cuora trifasciata)

Sheri Greenspan — Central Asian tortoise (Testudo [Agrionemys] horsfieldii)

Matt Hybel — Husbandry group: 1 Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni) and 1 yellow-margined box turtle (Cuora flavomarginata)

Kay Martin — Husbandry group: 2 red-cheeked mud turtles (Kinosternon scorpioides cruentatum), 1 red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), and 3 red-footed tortoises (Geochelone [Chelonoidis] carbonaria)

Chris Santoro — Common (Florida) cooter (Pseudemys f. floridana)

Frank Schneider — Husbandry group: 1 eastern leopard tortoise (Geochelone pardalis babcocki), 1 Matamata turtle (Chelus fimbriatus), 3 African pancake tortoises (Malacochersus tornieri), and 2 Reeves’ turtles (Chinemys reevesii)