The BSG Brabant & Limburg Open show

Geoff Tuplin and I judged the show in Belgium last Saturday, and then judged the Norwich & Norfolk show on Sunday, quite a trip to say the least.

The Belgium show was won by Andre Goossens, who also took the awards for the Best Any Age in show, Best Young bird in show, Best Opposite sex Young bird in show and Best Opposite sex in show. The winner of the other Major award for Best Opposite sex Any Age went to Heylen Partnership.

Best in show & Best young bird
Spangle grey cock.

Best Young bird in show
Cinnamon Sky hen

Best Any Age in show
Cinnamon Light Green Cock

Best Opposite sex Any age
Cinnamon Light Green Hen

Torbay B&FBS Show

My budgie partner and I were invited to judge the Torbay Silver patronage show over the weekend, and what a great event it turned out to be even though the show hall was a little restrictiveat times, it appeared to be bulging at the seams with birds and exhibitors. If this show gets any more popular the Committee will seriously have to consider looking for a larger venue. The standard of the birds throughout the sections were outstanding and it was a pleasure to be able to judge some of them, my only issues was the space restriction when judging, making it difficult for me to access the birds properly, also the light was not great. Having said that we were made most welcome and treated exceptionally well from start to finish.

The major winning exhibits were staged in excellent condition, with the Best in show award going to Brian Sweeting's wonderful Grey Green cock, a real show man just like his owner.

Brian with his Best in show.

Best Young bird in show went to Roger Long's Cinnamon hen, Roger was also awarded Best Opposite sex Young bird with his Spangle cock.

Roger & Kath Long

Intermediate Any Age was awarded to C. Williams and the Intermediate Young bird award went to. P. Huntley.

In the Novice section I was pleased to see Darren Snell do very well by taking both Novice Any Age and Young Bird, no wonder he had a smile on his face all Sunday afternoon.

Darren Snell

Barry Lowe took both Beginner sections, also winning the Light Green Challenge certificate with his excellently staged Light Green cock.

Ronnie Biggs

The Junior section was dominated by Tom Salem, I was so pleased to see Tom do so well after his poor breeding season, I am sure he feels much better about his birds now than he did earlier in the year.

Nice one Tom.

All in all a very good day, rounded off by a BBQ at the lovely home of Sue and Barry Lowe. The woman chatted all night, I wonder where the Guy's were? Oh Yes, admiring Barry's budgerigars.
Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit.


Jeff Attwood & Ian discussing budgies


Barry inspecting a nest box.


I would like to thank Sue & Barry on behalf of myself and my partners for your wonderful hospitality, but get some bloody tea bags in before our next visit. Please pass on our thanks to your Committee and Members for a very pleasant judging experience and a lovely weekend.

Chris Snell visits Leicester BS

Chris Snell of the C&M Snell partnership from Great Grimsby gave a very interesting and diverse talk to twenty plus members at Leicester BS. Chris described his early days in the hobby when he was in partnership with his late Father Arthur, and how they specialised in Light Greens, he also talked about their Supreme award at the BS World show in the mid-eighties.

Chris in action
When asked how the hobby could attract more members he gave an outline to change the hobby completely in as much as he feels the calender for events should change. Chris thinks the BS rings should be available in October and breeding should commence at this time, this would allow young birds to be available for showing in April, moving the show season to April through to July culminating with the BS World show at the end of the show season. A questions and answer session followed after a short break in which he was joined by Geoff Tuplin from Hull, a variety of topic's were covered in this session which was most informative.

Well entertained members
All in all a very enjoyable evening, I really must make the effort to attend more club meetings.

Dewsbury win

I am very pleased to announce that the FA1 team had a great result at the Dewsbury BS Open show today being awarded Best in show with our Cinnamon Spangle grey cock and Best Opposite sex young bird in show with our Dominant Pied grey hen.

Best in show




Best Opposite sex Young Bird in show

The weekend heralded the eagerly awaited Budgerigar Society Convention at the Royal Clifton hotel in Southport, this venue was used four years ago for the previous Convention and was a great success, this years event was no different.

Royal Clifton Hotel


Southport Attractions



The function was very well attended by all walks of the fancy from older fanciers to the newest of newest a six month old baby.

I was one of the lecturers at this event as I was four years before, a real honour to be asked back again, even more of an honour to be a joint speaker with one of my budgie hero's Jeff Attwood, probably the best budgie speaker the World has ever seen. I enjoyed our presentation and from the feedback we have received since so did the watching audience.

Other lecturers engaged included Brian Sweeting, Richard & Michael Miller, Kevin Eatwell, Ron Pearce & Marcel Buhler, Ghalib Al-Nasser with Lynn Bancroft and Ian Fielding also the partnership of Huxley & Marchant, well done to the BS for attracting such a great line up.

I only stayed until Saturday morning having arrived on Thursday afternoon, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. The highlight for me was seeing Jeff Attwood receive the Silver Bird (the societies highest honour) for sevices to the Budgerigar society, a very worthy award for a wonderful man, well done mate.

Jeff receives his award from
The BS President Dave Herring



The Hotel is very impressive, the staff and food were very good, no wonder the society decided to return, I believe they will be returning in 2015, its a good job there is a nursing home next to the hotel, I reckon by then we BS members could fill it twice over.
I missed the actual bird show but from what I have heard there were some very good exhibits on display, I would like to say congratulations to Tony Pope from South Wales on his Best in Show award, a great guy and good supporter of the BS. The only downside to the weekend for me was England's draw with the USA, but I am sure we will get better, as my 87 year old Ma-in-Law would say "Come on England"

Down memory lane

Now there's a title I never wanted to be associated with, but I am so feel free to join Jeff Attwood and myself at the BS convention on Friday 11th where we will be presenting a slide show entitled, yes you guessed it "Down Memory Lane" Jeff is one of the best ever speakers on budgerigars and I am honoured to be asked to accompany him in Southport, we hope to see you there.

Lightning Strikes Twice

Dude 2008 winner

Following on from our fantastic win at the Budgerigar Society World show in 2007, we had talked about where we would go from here, some well known budgie fanciers said it would be all down hill from now on.We never saw it that way. I made a pledge to my budgie partner that we would win it again, once is a hell of an achievement, twice is exceptional. On the Saturday as we watched the judging of the major specials, our Dominant Pied cock bird was selected as the Best Adult in show, as in 2007 we now had to compete against the Best young bird (current year bred) It seemed to take an age for the judges to make up their minds, but to our amazement we triumphed again, Although I thought we would be crowned World Champs again, neither of us thought it would be so soon. We will now go down in budgie history as one of only four who have won the World show more than once.

We did it

2007 winner

On the 29th September 2007 my budgie partner Ian and I achieved our life long budgie ambition. To win The Budgerigar Society "World Show" Our Skyblue cock initially won Best Any Age in show, he then had to beat the Best Young bird in show to become the "Supreme Champion" This he did, and we partied long and hard.

This award has been the result of over 20 years hard work, to create a stud of budgerigars that can compete at the highest level, We feel so proud.