Hi Richard. I'd tried to respond, but the conection seemed to "go away" somehow, or other. Well, I'd grew 'Honky Tonk Blues, 'Bllue Suede Shoes', 'Victoria Falls', Mary Francis', & others, etc.. as they were mainly self ( or basic solid color blues &, or purples, in any case.) by which to compare it with... I think it actually held first place, as a very well liked, accepted, & admired iris, & a favorite among, so many others, for such a very long time.. Perhaps, it is considered a sort of perfectly balanced flower, in many respects...
Maybe, there is just exactly as you mentioned, a sort of human face mathematical equivalent, to what we may all consider to be the nearly prefect equation, of what may defined as beautiful, along with those familiar faces , among them, being Marilyn Monroe, 'LIz Taylor, or Farah Fawcett & the likes, long considered to be quite attractive & the ''Dusky Challenger' just so happened to fit that bill, perfectly, in the Iris world..
Sort of having an Universal appeal, like Shakespeare's plays, by being recognized as outstanding, in the field...having been voted into top position & holding it, for such a long time. I can't really even compare it to a political election, whatsoever !
It certainly didn't get campaign finance funds raised, for it, to try & help it win.
Not even a "bathing beauty' contest in a swimsuit, which that competition, even seems to have been done away with, these days. Forbid it, there be any body exposure to admire in the way of shape, much less, any "shaming", going on , about it ! You'd think we'd gone back retro to Victorian era, with no leg exposure, being "proper", at all. Maybe 'Titan's Glory', ought to have outdone, it, one year or another, long ago....
Because, if you compare it to some of what is produced these days, it just doesn't nearly, look anything like what is newer, by far. It could just be an all time "Classic" as with cars, which some are favored, perhaps, like a Ford "Mustang" & if you have a look, at some of what was produced from it, then maybe again that was why the newer models went "Retro" & simply modernized...So, perhaps what was produced from it, was what was considered also..
Sure, there are plenty of newer Iris, with much more updated appearance & overall beauty, to the flowers, as I don't doubt that for a single moment. Perhaps, one day, enough will cast their votes & change the list a little faster, & end up eventually making things a little more modern & updated, these days. By voting for something else, you may see one, day, it is no longer in first place, but will probably stay on that list for quite some years to come.
