SOMERSET BUDGERIGAR SOCIETY

 

GOLD PATRONAGE OPEN SHOW

 

Bridgwater Sports and Social Club 5^th September 2010

 

Somerset BS put on another well run, exhibitor-friendly show this year, only marred by the unusually low entry – nearly 200 less than the previous year.  This has been the case with most of the West Country shows and the opinion of many of the organisers and exhibitors is that the decline was largely due to the number of BS classes being reduced.  The feeling is that times are hard enough without this additional handicap.  The clubs need help to keep the numbers high and retain their patronage status.  A large proportion of the income from a show comes from entry fees and any decrease in this makes it more difficult for a show to be financially viable.

 

On the morning of the Somerset Show exhibitors from far and wide arrived, many in time to help with the erection of the staging.  As Somerset is a small club nowadays the wonderful support from surrounding counties, in particular Cornwall, Worcester and Bristol, was vital and very much appreciated.  Many exhibitors and visitors commented on the friendly atmosphere, good organisation and wonderful catering.  An added attraction to exhibitors was a generous prize fund made possible by fund-raising by Tim Potter and at the annual Barbeque at Brian Sweeting’s house.  There were generous cash prizes on offer for all section winners and major award winners with additional cash specials and show cages for Somerset members. The club is indebted to the following sponsors:  Bill Major (Cage manufacturer); Mel John (Vydex Corporation); Simon Carr (Carr’s Natural Products) and Roy Aplin who donated a signed sketch for the stewards’ raffle.

 

In the kitchen Sheila Chubb excelled once again, providing superb breakfasts and lunches for just about every exhibitor.  We owe a massive vote of thanks to our joint presidents for growing, preparing and providing us all with super lunches.  Most of the exhibitors stayed and helped run the show during the morning.  During the afternoon, Paul and Stuart Griffin together with new member Meryl Higgs, worked tirelessly in the kitchen to provide beverages and cakes for the hungry exhibitors and visitors.  The delicious cakes which had been donated by members and their wives, proved very popular as always.

 

As has become the tradition at Somerset shows, a wealth of visitors came to the show in the afternoon who had not actually exhibited themselves.  It has become an event where you are able to meet old friends, make new ones, and enjoy the ‘budgie talk’.

 

Best in Show and Best Any Age was won by a spangle grey cock exhibited by Brian Sweeting, a beautiful clean and very stylish bird.  Best Opposite Sex Any Age in Show was awarded to the popular Bristol partnership Lewis and Sperring.  Tom and Mike benched a super cinnamon light green hen, a very big bird in wonderful condition and a worthy winner of this major award.  Best Young Bird in Show and Best Beginner Young Bird was a very powerful young opaline cinnamon yellow face hen benched by Barry Lowe.  This bird should help Barry, who has recently returned to our wonderful hobby after a break of over 30 years, take his very good stud to even greater heights.  Best Opposite Sex Young Bird and Best Champion Young Bird was won by a very big and bold light green cock exhibited by Bob Allen, another well deserved award for a man who gives so much to the hobby both nationally and in our region. 

 

Following Brian’s spangle grey cock in the Champion Any Age line up was Roger Long’s excellent cinnamon grey cock, third and fourth places also went to Brian with a cinnamon light green cock and his well known grey green cock which won Best Young Bird at the BS Club Show in 2008.  In the Young Bird section, as mentioned above, Bob Allen’s light green cock headed the line up followed very closely by Roger Long’s super cinnamon grey hen.  Brian was in 3^rd place with a very big, well-marked spangle grey cock.

 

In the Intermediate Section, Pete Collins’s long journey from the Midlands paid high dividends as he took both major awards.  His very typey cinnamon cock took the Any Age award and his young grey green cinnamon cock won the Young Bird top prize. Steve Bailey also made a long journey from Hampshire and was rewarded with 2^nd place in the Any Age section with his very good sky blue cock as well as 2^nd place in the Young Bird line-up with his stylish grey cock.  Pete Smith from Swindon made it into 3^rd place in the any age line up with his opaline cinnamon cock, a big bird with plenty of substance. Adrian Duck, a regular supporter of Somerset BS, was awarded 3rd place in the young bird section with an excellent young sky blue hen.

 

Richard Hooper completed a double in the Novice section, winning both major awards - in both cases with spangle sky blue cocks.  Richard is building a fine stud around his spangle family.  He also took 2^nd place with a very nice opaline green cock.  Third place was awarded to Terry Kellow with a very stylish yellow face cock. Rod Cleaver took 2^nd and 3^rd places in the Young Bird line-up with a very smart cinnamon cock followed by a light green cock.  This bird stood very well whilst being judged.

 

It turned out to be a day of many doubles when Barry Lowe took both major awards in the Beginner Section.  His Best Young Bird in Show winner was at the head of the Young Bird line up and his cinnamon cock took the top spot in the Any Age section.  Barry also took both 3rd places with an excellent any age light green cock and a cinnamon hen in the Young Bird line up respectively.  Steve Bennett who journeyed up from Cornwall was rewarded with 2^nd place in both line ups with his very powerful cinnamon green cock in the Any Age section and a charming cinnamon sky blue hen in the Young Bird line up.

 

In the Junior Section, Tom Salem from Torbay had a very successful day.  His spangle hen took top spot in the Any Age section followed by Somerset’s own, Sean Hedaux, with his very smart light green cock.  Third spot went a newcomer to Somerset, James Cragg who benched a very nice dominant pied cock.  James also won Best Junior Young Bird with another dominant pied grey cock.  This young bird had won the pied Challenge Certificate earlier in the day and, just to rub salt in the wounds of many senior breeders, Tom Salem also won a Challenge Certificate with his 2^nd placed spangle green hen.  Sean Hedaux took third place together with the Junior Certificate of Merit with another of his light greens.

 

It was very interesting to find that no less than 11 Challenge Certificates were awarded to competitors from outside of the Champion section by our judges Roger Carr, Jeff Attwood, Maurice Roberts, Gary Warren, Dave Wall and Dominic Avo. They all reported that they had a super day and we would like to thank them all for doing a grand job for us. 

 

It is a great pity that we fell well short of the magic figure to keep us on track to retain our gold patronage status as we only benched 545, over 130 below our benched figure last year.  However, let’s hope that next year we can get back above that magic figure of 650 benched and retain our Gold patronage status which is so important to a club in an area of England where so few exhibition breeders live.

 

The committee would like to thank Danny and Duncan Smith at our HQ for their help and support throughout the year.  We are very fortunate to have such accommodating proprietors who also allow us to keep our container on site which is not only very convenient but saves us the cost of storing the staging etc elsewhere.

 

If you came to the Somerset Show, we thank you for your support and hope you enjoyed the day.  If you didn’t come this year, perhaps you would like to put 4^th September in your diary for next year.  You will be made very welcome that’s for sure.