The Spangled Budgerigar Breeders’ Association
SPANGLE WINNERS - SPECIALIST & RARE VARIETY OPEN SHOW - 2007
reported by Janice Al-Nasser, Publicity Officer

This year’s show, the 19th Show of the Specialist & Rare Variety Open Show, was certainly not a wash out, although many surrounding areas were flooded. As always, this show had a terrific atmosphere and there was a real buzz to the weekend from comments received by exhibitors and visitors. The show received a drop in total entry to 896 of which a total of 664 birds were benched from 75 exhibitors.

There is a lot to say for the old two-day shows (this show is classified as a day & half show) as the atmosphere on the Sunday was vibrant with plenty of time for all fanciers, exhibitors and visitors to socialise and view the quality exhibits in comfort.

Once again the show received great sponsorship which is an important part of the survival of this national event and our sincere thanks and gratitude are extended to Brown & Hutt for sponsoring 50% cost of all the open rosettes for the show; also to Les & Pat Martin who sponsored the cost of all the ceramic awards to the judges and Best of Colours, which are much appreciated and sought after by exhibitors. The B.S. President Janice Al-Nasser donated a quality bird for the most benched birds in the beginner section, which once again was won by M.J. Peel. Ghalib & Janice Al-Nasser sponsored the show with the cost of printing the coloured covers for the schedules and catalogues. B.S. chairman Grant Findlay & B.S. secretary Dave Whittaker sponsored the cost of printing the schedules. Financial sponsorship came from Mick Anzara who donated £50 towards the raffle prizes, with further financial sponsorship received from Geoff Capes and Jan Hill. Warren Wilson, CEO of the Budgerigar Rare & Specialist Exhibitors of Australasia (BRASEA), sent a wonderful package awarding the top BRASEA patronage to the show with 4 coloured paintings, 24 major rosettes for the BOC winners and many other rosettes for variety winners, with all the judges receiving a lovely pen. Other sponsorship came from Norman & June Cox, Sue & Rod Clarke, Dave Moss and Gren & Pat Norris. The following fanciers were generous with their donation of birds for the raffle; Cheatley & Alcorn, Jerry Donovan, Malcolm & Pam Freemantle, Guppy & Barnes, Pete Holiday, Cliff & Darren Jones, Gren & Pat Norris, Cy Thorne, Thorpe & Stanley and Rick Watts.

The Show Committee extends its sincere gratitude and appreciation to all the above sponsors as well as the Budgerigar Society, the six specialist societies with their patronage, those who donated prizes to the raffles, the ten area societies and Budgerigar World who all gave splendid support in granting their highest patronage to the show. Gratitude is also extended to all the workers, exhibitors and donors for making this year’s show another great success.

Apart from our regular fanciers from Scotland and Wales, who travel long distances to be with us, we also had the pleasure of our regular overseas visitors from Holland & Germany and on this occasion from Belgium as well.

Sunday afternoon was the time for trophy presentation and on this occasion the Guest of Honour was Janice Al-Nasser, B.S. President, who presented the 44 trophies together with the paintings donated by BRASEA to the winning exhibitors.

As in previous years at this show, partnerships did well in gaining 13 of the 24 CC’s on offer and 22 of the CC’s were awarded to the champion section.

Next year's show will be staged on 28^th & 29^th June (week 26).

Spangle Green Series The Spangle Greens suffered a drop in entry from last year to 73 for Grant Findlay, B.S. Chairman, to judge. Best Spangle green and best Spangle in show went to Gren & Pat Norris who benched a lovely Spangle Dark Green cock displaying good head quality and nice blow with good Spangle bulls-eye spots. It was marred only by slight grizzling in the head. Cy Thorne’s good coloured Double Factor Spangle Yellow cock, staged in excellent condition, was second best. T & A Wilson were third with a well-balanced Spangle Dark Green cock. George Booth had a solid Spangle Dark Green hen of quality as the best opposite sex any age. Andy Thorpe and Les & Doreen Stanley staged a lovely Double Factor Spangle Yellow hen to win the award and also best spangle young bird in show. This long hen was staged in superb condition and was impressive to judge. The partnership was third with a Double Factor Spangle Yellow cock, which had similar features to the winning hen. Splitting the two was Jerry Donovan’s Spangle Light Green cock with good type and backskull.

* indicates a non-SBBA member