Gateway to the Americas International Floral Design Competition

The gateway to the Americas Cup is an International Floral Design Competition founded in 1996 and since organized by Gus and Deborah de la Flor. This event is brought to life to promote the art of floral design, education, and camaraderie within the floral community throughout the Americas.

Gateway to the Americas Cup  

After doing floral presentations and teaching in North, Central & South America, Deborah and Gus fell in love with the beautiful florists in these countries and knew they should do something to bring the love of the floral industry together. Gateway to the Americas was born in 1996.

Hitomi Gilliam, Brenna Quan, and Deborah De La Flor

Dates and Program

The best and the brightest floral artists are selected for entry into this competition to represent their respective countries.

This floral design competition will take place from 22nd to 24th of July during the convention of FSFA (Florida State Florist Association). In Orlando, Florida, near Disney World, it runs over three days of intense competition covering five different categories of design. Each category/task is timed, all competitors must complete the design within a time frame.

Aniko Kovaks

Our Floral Designers

Deborah herself competed in this competition in 1999: FTD (Florists’ Transworld Delivery) borrowed and ran the cup from Las Vegas, and that gave her the possibility to do so. 

Deborah: 

"The competitors are judged on their extreme skills, creativity as well as all principles and elements of floral design. We are extremely proud of all the great floral talents who have competed over the years in our gateway competition. Several of our winners have gone on to compete in the Interflora World Cup, and became icons in the floral industry. Ivan Moreno (Colombia), Tanus Saab (Brazil), Jacob McCall AIFD (USA), Leopoldo Gomez (Mexico), Paul Jaras AIFD (Canada), and even myself. We hope to continue this trend."  

A very special thanks to the extremely talented Varito Vasquez for creating the Gateway to the Americas logo! 

Hall of Fame…  Past Champions

                                                       
WINNER                                             COUNTRY                                    HOST CITY

MARY PATTON                                  USA                                               FORT LAUDERDALE, FL  1996

IVAN MORENO                                  COLOMBIA                                   ORLANDO, FL                   

DEBORAH DE LA FLOR aifd             USA                                              LAS VEGAS, NV                1999

TANUS SAAB                                     BRAZIL                                         CANCUN, MEXICO

LEONARDO BIONE                           BRAZIL                                         HOLAMBRA BRAZIL         2011

JACOB MCCALL aifd *                       USA                                              HOLAMBRA BRAZIL         2011

BROOKE RAULERSON aifd              USA                                              FORT LAUDERDALE, FL   2014

JULIANA HAMES                               BRAZIL                                         VANCOUVER, BC              2016

BROOKE RAULERSON aifd*               USA                                             VANCOUVER, BC              2016

BRENNA QUAN aifd *                        CANADA                                        VANCOUVER, BC              2016

LEOPOLDO GOMEZ                          MEXICO                                        ORLANDO, FL                   2018

JENNY THOMASSON aifd *               USA                                               ORLANDO, FL                   2018

PAUL JARAS aifd*                              CANADA                                        ORLANDO, FL                   2018

*First or Second Runner up

"Embrace"

Deborah: 

"I'm really looking forward to this year's Gateway to the Americas that will take place during "Embrace", the convention from FSFA International. I'm really proud. I love what I do and I do what I love. Happy me."

Florida State Florist Association Annual Convention “Embrace”

FSFA INTERNATIONAL & “Gateway to the Americas International Floral Design Competition”

July 22-24th2022

Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek

14100 Bonnet Creek Resort Lane

Orlando, Fl 32821

407-597-3600

For Hotel Reservations go to floridastatefloristsassociaton.com 

Questions: Deborah De La Flor 954-684-2398

                  Gus De La Flor 954-914-9681

                   [email protected]