The show committee were extremely pleased with the increase in entry by 13% from last year and that could be attributed largely to the return to the earlier September show date of week 39. The show had a total entry of 2148 encompassing 9 pairs, 12 teams and for the first time 45 Colour Budgerigars were present. The benched figure also increased to a total of 1660 together with an increase in the number of exhibitors to 164. All this is positive for the show committee to stage this wonderful event for its members. The array of 98 trophies to be presented, the super Fanciers Raffle and the Auction of Promises are just contributors to that great atmosphere; further enhanced by the Gala Dinner on Saturday evening and the many trade stands present.
It was a great team effort and once again I take my hat off and say THANK YOU AND WELL DONE to the Club Show Committee and its hard working stewards and helpers for putting this magnificent show for our society and the fancy as a whole. A great team indeed, led by Dave Hislop; well done. There was a great atmosphere about the show which was enjoyed by all who turned up from our island and from across the waters. The Club Show Committee were very pleased to see fanciers from Australia, Belgium, Eire, France, Holland, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, South Africa, USA, also not forgetting our friends from Northern Ireland attending this international event.
We extend our congratulations to all the winners but especially to the novice partnership of mother & son Sandra & James Gillan who won the supreme award with an adult Cobalt cock. Ironically back in 1992, another novice partnership, Mike & Kate Richmond, won BIS with a young Cobalt cock and to my surprise they were present at the show after such a long absence.
This year’s show was judged by the Society’s President Beverley Hutt and she was supported by Bob Allen, Ghalib & Janice Al-Nasser, Ken Brockwell, Robert Campbell, John Cosby, John Lees, Gren & Pat Norris, John Punchard, Adrian Richards, Garry Warren, Don Rowell and our overseas judge from Texas, U.S.A. Dewayne Weldon. They had some super birds placed in front of them to judge.
The supreme winner was a magnificent cobalt cock with good frontal rise and depth of mask and staged in good condition and was the winner of the best any age in show for the novice mother & son partnership of Sandra & James Gillan. This bird initially won the best any age in show award on a 10:3:2 vote then went on to beat the best young bird in show, another quality cobalt cock of good length and width benched by Geoff Corser, for best in show on 14:1 vote. The young bird award was a close win on an 8:7 vote. The best opposite sex any age award, on a 4:3 vote, went to David Fisher & Gary Shepherdson with a cinnamon grey hen of good size that stood well and showed herself to the best advantage. The award for best young bird opposite sex went to a lovely grey green hen of good head quality and blow for Richard & Michael Miller on a 5:2 vote. The final award for best opposite sex in show went to the adult cinnamon hen on a 12:3 vote.
The champion section was as strong as ever taking 53% of the entry from the 5 sections and 50% of the number of exhibitors, and claiming 42 out of the 56 challenge certificates on offer.
Heading an entry of 461 in the champion any age section was a large feathered cinnamon grey cock with good width of head benched by Rene Heylen from Belgium. This bird was staged in good condition for the amount of feathering that it had. The cinnamon grey hen of Fisher & Shepherdson that won best opposite sex in show was second best. Chris & Mary Snell benched a grey cock in third place that had good stance benched in good feather condition and was steady on the perch.
Geoff Corser headed the strong champion young bird section with an entry of 453 with his cobalt cock that won him the best young bird in show award. This bird was staged in immaculate condition and showed to perfection. The Fisher & Shepherdson Partnership had a super quality white grey cock in second place that previously had 7 votes for the best young bird in show. It possessed wonderful blow and was a great showman. A powerful grey cock from the Miller’s stud was third with good width across the shoulders.
Jim & Carol Huxley headed the 134 entry in the intermediate any age section with a dominant pied grey cock of good size and pied marking that stood well while being judged. Terence Price was second with a large stylish spangle grey cock of good width of head and shoulder. Another large spangle light green cock from Steve & Bill Squires was third with good spangle marking and wide shoulders.
Steve & Bill Squires came to the fore with a long quality well spotted skyblue cock to beat the 126 entry in the intermediate young bird section. Terence Price was second again with a grey green hen with good width of head. Jim & Carol Huxley were third with a well spotted grey cock.
Heading the novice any age section with an entry of 77 was the supreme best in show winner of Sandra & James Gillan. Peter Ward benched a cinnamon grey green cock of good width and depth of mask in second place. This was followed in third place by a long opaline cinnamon grey green cock with good blow from the partnership of Ian Heptinstall & Joseph Wheeler.
David & Chris White headed the 73 entries in the novice young bird section with a cinnamon grey hen that was staged in good condition with good width of head. A grey cock from the Heptinstall & Wheeler Partnership was second with good head quality. Mitch Newsome was third with an opaline grey hen staged in good condition.
Neil Holt headed the beginner any age section of 145 with a stylish cobalt cock of good width of head and staged in good condition. John Sawyer was second with a quality light green cock of good length but not in the same condition as the winner. A nice spangle grey cock benched by Martyn Campbell was third best.
John Sawyer headed the 147 beginner young birds with a super steady lutino hen of good condition and colour that won the challenge certificate before. Jody & Darryl Faram were second with a stylish grey green cock but not in perfect show condition. A light green cock of good colour bred by John Kilkenny was third.
There was an increase in the junior exhibitors from 7 last year to 11 this year competing and that is a positive sign for our hobby. Heading the 69 entries in the any age section was Tia Kinninmonth-Wicks with her grey yellow cock of good length and large spots. Olivia Edwards was second with a long spangle green cock followed by Amy Catterall’s dominant pied blue hen.
Callum Wood headed the 44 young bird section with a typy grey cock staged in excellent condition. Jordan Butcher was second with a long double factor spangle yellow hen. In third place was Mackenzie Hubbuck with a good size opaline cinnamon grey hen.
The entries in the pair class increased from 4 to 9 this year and the class was won by Dean Jukes. There were 6 entries in the team class of four which was won by Rene Heylen and 6 entries in the team class of six which was won by Chris & Mary Snell and the best team overall was that of Rene Heylen.
For the first time two classes for colour budgerigars were provided and this attracted a good entry of 45 birds from 5 exhibitors. Martyn Pate won both classes with a cobalt hen and yellow-wing dark green cock.
Best of colour any age: T. Price, light green, spangle blue; G & A Moore, dark green; A & G Adams, skyblue; S & J Gillan, cobalt; J. D. Davis, grey green; C & M Snell, grey; J & D Lindsay, opaline green; Fisher & Shepherdson, opaline grey green, cinnamon green, opaline cinnamon green, any other colour; E. Littlehales, opaline blue; F, C & J McGovern, opaline grey; R. Heylen, cinnamon blue; D. Page, opaline cinnamon blue; G. R. Wincomb, lutino; Freakley & Ainley, albino; D. Guppy, yellow-wing; T. Kinninmonth-Wicks, whitewing; A. Miller, crest; S & B Squires, spangle green; J & C Huxley, double factor spangle; J. Nevin, dominant pied; A & C Lockwood, recessive pied; R & M Miller, yellowface; R. Day, rare variety; D. Norman, clearbody. Certificates of Merit: P. Ward, novice; N. Holt, beginner, T. Kinninmonth-Wicks, junior.
Best of colour young bird: P. D. White, light green; J & D Faram, dark green, opaline green; D. Page, skyblue, opaline cinnamon blue; G. Corser, cobalt; F, C & J McGovern, grey green; R & M Miller, grey, yellowface; C & M Snell, opaline grey green; S & B Squires, opaline blue; R. Warrender, opaline grey; K. Humphries, cinnamon green; R. Heylen, cinnamon blue; T & A Luke, opaline cinnamon green; J. Sawyer, lutino; Freakley & Ainley, albino; M & D Walker, yellow-wing; D. Guppy, whitewing; M. Anzara, crest; A & D Woan, spangle green; J & C Huxley, spangle blue; Widdowson & Wilson, double factor spangle; G. N. Turner, dominant pied; A & C Lockwood, recessive pied; D. A. Mullee, rare variety; M & M Chapman, clearbody; Fisher & Shepherdson, any other colour. Certificates of Merit: D & C White, novice; J & D Faram, beginner, C. Wood, junior.