THE 13th Show of the Specialist & Rare Variety Open Show proved to be an unlucky one for the show organisers with a drastic drop in entry by 40% to 1043 and the loss of 52 exhibitors from last year. Many factors contributed to this drop; the European Cup Final, moving venue, unable to open on Saturday night and the bad breeding season experienced by many fanciers who were still breeding with their quality birds. Nevertheless this was a great shock to the organising committee who work hard every year to stage this successful event.

The Budgerigar Society continued their support to the Specialist Societies by granting a special patronage with graded A challenge certificates in both the adult and young bird sections. The six specialist societies, the ten area societies and Budgerigar World gave special support, for which the committee extend their gratitude. The committee felt the loss of Trill's financial sponsorship but were extremely grateful to Geoff Capes who donated 13 bags of Buckton seed to the BOC young birds, junior young bird and the raffle. Grateful thanks are also extended to those generous fanciers who donated birds for the draw.

Apart from our regular fanciers from Scotland and Wales, who travelled over 800 miles to be with us, we also had the pleasure of overseas visitors from Belgium, Germany, Holland and the U.S.A.

Our Guest of Honour this year was Don Ashby, President of the Midland BA, whom we were delighted to welcome to present trophies to the respective winners.

Next year's show will be staged on 30^th June & 1st July 2001 (week 26).

Our variety suffered with the drop in entry like all other varieties to 138, making it still the second highest after the Lutinos. Barry Wild judged the Spangles and awarded the best any age and best Spangle in Show to Gren & Pat Norris' superb Double-factor Spangle White cock of tremendous length and frontal rise and of good colour. The show organisers Ghalib & Janice Al-Nasser were second with their Spangle Grey cock of good width of face and deep mask. It was the partnership line up when C. & D. Jones occupied third place with a quality Spangle Dark Green cock of good size. A Spangle Dark Green hen of good variety marking was best opposite sex in this section for C. Thorne.

Jerry Donovan, renowned for his Lutinos, occupied the first two places in the young bird section. His C.C. winner was a Spangle Grey Green cock showing a square face with good back skull and real spangle spots. This was followed by his Spangle Opaline Skyblue cock, which was in good condition and well prepared but lacking the power of the first. W. & H. Bien, from the novice section, were third with a Spangle Grey Green cock of good quality but which needs time to mature. The best opposite sex and young Double Factor Spangle was a White hen from the Donovan stud. 

 Challenge Certificate Winners