Definitely specimen size. Some put on awesome displays covering themselves with flowers. If you want divisions that's also the way to go. If you have a plant with 50 PBs, you can take a division of it anytime and the plant looks the same. I have a L superbiens that is big enough to be awkward. The last 2 years I have taken off the leads after bloom and either sold or traded them. The plant promptly grows a new lead in the same place.

Nick

I do not think the answer to this question is YES/No. Depends on the Cattleya and whether or not you are interested in growing "specimen plants". Also, is your particular Cattleya a suitable candidate.

For example, at the last society meeting one grower exhibited a plant of Epicat. Burdekin Honey that was covered in a mass of flowers. This is an orchid that readily makes multiple leads and there is a very short stem between each smallish pseudobulb. Not a huge plant.

Some Cattleyas will tend to grow in a straight line and if you want to make a specimen plant you have to do a lot of cutting of the Rhizome, not in the spirit of the things.