Blue Ribbon or Blue Ribbon Award can mean:
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Blue Ribbon or Blue Ribbon Award can mean:
| This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. |
In symbolism, blue ribbon is a term used to describe something of high quality. The usage came from The Blue Riband, a prize awarded for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by passenger liners—and prior to that from Cordon Bleu which referred to the blue ribbon worn by a particular order of knights.
The spelling blue ribband is still encountered in most English-speaking countries, but in the United States, the term was altered to blue ribbon, and ribbons of this color came to be awarded for first place in certain athletic or other competitive endeavours (such as county and state fairs). It also may be applied to distinguished members of a group or commission who have convened to address a situation or problem; the usual usage is "blue ribbon commission" or "blue ribbon panel."
The French for the term is 'Cordon Bleu' which is also used in English-speaking countries.
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In some fair competitions in the U.S., particularly 4-H and FFA livestock and horticultural events, blue ribbons may be awarded to any project or exhibit which meets or exceeds all of a competition's judging criteria. In Canada blue ribbons are awarded to second place, with red ribbons awarded to first.
The project may not necessarily be the first place finisher, however. In such cases, a purple ribbon may given to the champion and second-place (or reserve) champion.
Awards are generally given according to the following scale (USA)
(Canada)
Blue ribbons have been used as awareness ribbons for numerous different causes. Notable examples:
In the U.S.A., a Blue Ribbon Campaign against child abuse originated in the spring of 1989 when Bonnie Finney of Virginia tied a blue ribbon to her car antenna, as tribute to her three year old grandson, Michael Bubba Dickinson, who died at the hands of his abusive father. The blue color of the ribbon symbolizes the color of bruises.
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