Kelso is a lovely town with excellent shopping and watering holes. Well worth the visit.
Time for some rest now after all the travelling around the UK.
Saturday 14 December 2019
Today was Kelso Ornithological Society show at the Tait Hall. It's the last show on my UK season. I won all eight classes, against competition, which I entered and took the awards for Best Scots Fancy, Best Opposite Sex Scots Fancy (that means the opposite sex to the overall winner) and Best Any Other Variety with a Belgian.
Kelso is a lovely town with excellent shopping and watering holes. Well worth the visit.
Time for some rest now after all the travelling around the UK.
Kelso is a lovely town with excellent shopping and watering holes. Well worth the visit.
Time for some rest now after all the travelling around the UK.
Wednesday 4 December 2019
The Olympiad of the Lothians is the title of the Linlithgow CBS annual show and it is deserved. An entry of 538 birds across a wide range of species is a great event.
I've had faith in two birds this year but it took this event to have that faith rewarded. My bird, ring no 44/19, a clear yellow Scots Fancy took the award for Best Scots in Show. Of the 11 classes I entered, my birds took first place in 10 of those classes.
In the Belgian class, ring no 8/19 took the award for Best Champion Old Variety. I was very pleased with these results, especially taking so many first places in the Scots section.
No 44/19 seemed very spooked after the judging and the photo does him no favours so I have included one of him as a younger bird.
I've had faith in two birds this year but it took this event to have that faith rewarded. My bird, ring no 44/19, a clear yellow Scots Fancy took the award for Best Scots in Show. Of the 11 classes I entered, my birds took first place in 10 of those classes.
In the Belgian class, ring no 8/19 took the award for Best Champion Old Variety. I was very pleased with these results, especially taking so many first places in the Scots section.
No 44/19 seemed very spooked after the judging and the photo does him no favours so I have included one of him as a younger bird.
Friday 22 November 2019
On 10 November 2019, the North of England Gloster Club and Old Variety Canary Association northern show was held at Bomersund in Northumberland. This OVCA section has been running since 2014 and I have attended each of those events.
This year saw the highest ever Scots Fancy entry - 61 birds from 7 champion exhibitors, 2 novices and 1 junior. It's a great achievement for the breed to see this increase.
Similarly in the Old Variety and Rare Section, the numbers have increased dramatically.
There were six classes for champion Scots Fancies and I won two of them and took three second places, three third places, two fourths and two fifths and one seventh. Canaries in the UK are judged from first to seventh places. Best Scots in Show and Third Best Old Variety was taken by Allan Rundell.
In the Rare Section, my Gibosos espanol took First, Second and Fourth places (against competition) and won Best Rare in Show.
In the Belgian section, I had my greatest success, taking first and Best Belgian which was also Second Best Old Variety in Show and Second Best Belgian - all against competition.
To win Second Best Old Variety was a delight as was being awarded by the OVCA with one of the Brian Hogg Memorial Rosettes. Brian was a giant of the fancy and instrumental in the recreation of the Lancashire canary which had become extinct. It was an honour to be awarded a rosette in his memory.
This year saw the highest ever Scots Fancy entry - 61 birds from 7 champion exhibitors, 2 novices and 1 junior. It's a great achievement for the breed to see this increase.
Similarly in the Old Variety and Rare Section, the numbers have increased dramatically.
There were six classes for champion Scots Fancies and I won two of them and took three second places, three third places, two fourths and two fifths and one seventh. Canaries in the UK are judged from first to seventh places. Best Scots in Show and Third Best Old Variety was taken by Allan Rundell.
In the Rare Section, my Gibosos espanol took First, Second and Fourth places (against competition) and won Best Rare in Show.
In the Belgian section, I had my greatest success, taking first and Best Belgian which was also Second Best Old Variety in Show and Second Best Belgian - all against competition.
To win Second Best Old Variety was a delight as was being awarded by the OVCA with one of the Brian Hogg Memorial Rosettes. Brian was a giant of the fancy and instrumental in the recreation of the Lancashire canary which had become extinct. It was an honour to be awarded a rosette in his memory.
Thursday 31 October 2019
One of the pleasures of writing for "Cage & Aviary Birds" newspaper is being put in touch with other fanciers. Today I spoke to Mr Brian Toghill who gave me permission to post his 1997 article from the newsletter of the Old Varieties Canary Association. The Mr Holland to whom he refers is mentioned in Wil Cummings book on the Glasgow Don. This helped Mr Toghill find the identity of the Scotsman to whom Mr Holland referred. In a memorable phrase, Mr Toghill described the Scots Fancy as "an exhibitor's bird". I couldn't agree more.
Here is the article.
Here is the article.
Grangemouth Cage Bird Society was the next stop on this season's circuit of shows. best in Show was won by Club president, Sandy Innes, with a lovely unflighted buff bird of excellent position.
I had seven class wins and five second places. My Belgian was Best Old Variety Unflighted Cock and a Giboso took third place in a mixed class of frilled canaries.
I had seven class wins and five second places. My Belgian was Best Old Variety Unflighted Cock and a Giboso took third place in a mixed class of frilled canaries.
Saturday 19 October 2019
As usual, I am slow in posting to update this blog.
In 2019 I set out to breed fewer birds. In that I succeeded. Down from 83 in 2018 to 62 in 2019. It's a quarter down and made the work easier.
The show season is upon us and three shows in I have held my own and done very well.
At the Northern Counties Scots Fancy Show on 28 September, which is very early for our variety, we ran a Scots and Old and Rare Varieties section. The judge was Kevin McCallum and the winner of Best Scots was Gordon Alexander with a flighted cock bird. His daughter, Lauren Wight, won Best Novice and his second daughter, Rachel, won Best Junior. I won 4 classes and took Best Champion Buff, Piebald, White and Yellow which pleased me to have such success across all the colours. Strength in depth, as is said.
At the National Exhibition, I again won 1 class of the 4 that I entered and took 3rd and 5th in one class, 1st, 3rd and 4th in another and 2,3 and 4 in two further classes. Gordon again won Best Scots in Show for the third successive year (I have won Best there in three other years between 2012 and 2016). Gordon also won Best Old Variety which is a major achievement. John & Frances Marshall took Best Novice and Rachel Wight, Best Junior. Pictured below is Gordon's winner.
The Scots Fancies formed 21% of the Old Variety Section of the National with 56 exhibits from 10 exhibitors. A great deal of progress has been made nationally with this variety.
On 19 October 2019, the Scots Fancy Specialist Club held its annual show at Loanhead & District CBS, continuing a tradition of moving around the country with this show. Rachel Wight took Best Junior and her sister Lauren Wight, Best Novice. I won Best in Show with a buff cock and the trophies for Best Current Year Bred [CYB] White, CYB Yellow, Best Unflighted, Best Champion, the Exhibitor with Most Points and Best Old Variety from the USA OVCA. I was delighted. Pictures of the trophies and winners follow.
In 2019 I set out to breed fewer birds. In that I succeeded. Down from 83 in 2018 to 62 in 2019. It's a quarter down and made the work easier.
The show season is upon us and three shows in I have held my own and done very well.
At the Northern Counties Scots Fancy Show on 28 September, which is very early for our variety, we ran a Scots and Old and Rare Varieties section. The judge was Kevin McCallum and the winner of Best Scots was Gordon Alexander with a flighted cock bird. His daughter, Lauren Wight, won Best Novice and his second daughter, Rachel, won Best Junior. I won 4 classes and took Best Champion Buff, Piebald, White and Yellow which pleased me to have such success across all the colours. Strength in depth, as is said.
At the National Exhibition, I again won 1 class of the 4 that I entered and took 3rd and 5th in one class, 1st, 3rd and 4th in another and 2,3 and 4 in two further classes. Gordon again won Best Scots in Show for the third successive year (I have won Best there in three other years between 2012 and 2016). Gordon also won Best Old Variety which is a major achievement. John & Frances Marshall took Best Novice and Rachel Wight, Best Junior. Pictured below is Gordon's winner.
The Scots Fancies formed 21% of the Old Variety Section of the National with 56 exhibits from 10 exhibitors. A great deal of progress has been made nationally with this variety.
On 19 October 2019, the Scots Fancy Specialist Club held its annual show at Loanhead & District CBS, continuing a tradition of moving around the country with this show. Rachel Wight took Best Junior and her sister Lauren Wight, Best Novice. I won Best in Show with a buff cock and the trophies for Best Current Year Bred [CYB] White, CYB Yellow, Best Unflighted, Best Champion, the Exhibitor with Most Points and Best Old Variety from the USA OVCA. I was delighted. Pictures of the trophies and winners follow.
Sunday 3 February 2019
Having retired from full time work in 2018, one might imagine I would have had more time to keep up my blog. However, raising 83 young canaries and writing regularly for Cage & Aviary Birds weekly newspaper, I found I had run out of energy during a busy show season.
Rather than a show by show report, I thought I would just highlight the journey of last show season which, unusally for me, included two European shows, The Goldren Ring in Belgium in early December and the World Show in the Netherlands in January, 2019.
Following Loanhead, I exhibited at Grangemouth and Musselburgh, winning several classes at each event. Musselburgh saw a buff hen take Best Scots.
At the Old Variety Canary Association northern show, another buff cock took Best Scots and 2nd Best Old Variety and a Belgian was Best Belgian and 3rd Best Old Variety and a Giboso took Best Rare. That was a great day out amongst good friends in the fancy in Northumberland.
After a week's break, we headed 400 miles south to the High Wycombe Canary Breeders Association show which has a great old varieties section. I had 3 class wins in Scots but was delighted, against serious competition, to win Best Belgian and Best Giboso. It was a long journey which we did over 4 days so a wee holiday in rural, southern England.
The end of November saw the Scots Fancy Specialist Club show at Linlithgow and I was pleased to win Best Belgian, Best Any Other Variety (the latter with a Giboso) and three trophies for my Scots, Best Piebald, Best Yellow and Most Points. Gordon Alexander took best Scots with a lovely bird.
The Golden Ring show in Belgium is a great event. This year, I sent my birds on ahead and went to Belgium by plane and spent a night there before returning. The Scots won nothing in this competition but what became apparent was the difference between the European Scots Fancy and the UK variety. I found the European winners disappointing - crossed wings and hollowed backs. It is becoming a different bird in Europe. However, one of my Belgians took a bronze medal and the Gibosos took two gold and two silver medals. A real thrill.
Kelso Ornithological Society is the last UK show of the year for me. I had only 1 class win (there were only 4 classes) but again a Belgian did well. I didn't take the Gibosos as they were tired after their long trip to Europe and wanted to save them for the World Show in Zwole, Netherlands in January.
The World Show is the Olympics of the bird world. I entered 12 Scots and again won nothing, noticing again the difference in the European bird. My Belgians did not win anything either but to be honest, last year's crop were better birds. However, one of my Gibosos, Ring No 4/18, on which I had had my eye for some time took a bronze medal against serious Spanish competition. Its sibling was 4th in its class so I was over the moon.
All in all, a wonderful show season. Whether we will be allowed to exhibit our birds in post-Brexit Europe remains an open question. I can only hope so.
Rather than a show by show report, I thought I would just highlight the journey of last show season which, unusally for me, included two European shows, The Goldren Ring in Belgium in early December and the World Show in the Netherlands in January, 2019.
Following Loanhead, I exhibited at Grangemouth and Musselburgh, winning several classes at each event. Musselburgh saw a buff hen take Best Scots.
At the Old Variety Canary Association northern show, another buff cock took Best Scots and 2nd Best Old Variety and a Belgian was Best Belgian and 3rd Best Old Variety and a Giboso took Best Rare. That was a great day out amongst good friends in the fancy in Northumberland.
After a week's break, we headed 400 miles south to the High Wycombe Canary Breeders Association show which has a great old varieties section. I had 3 class wins in Scots but was delighted, against serious competition, to win Best Belgian and Best Giboso. It was a long journey which we did over 4 days so a wee holiday in rural, southern England.
The end of November saw the Scots Fancy Specialist Club show at Linlithgow and I was pleased to win Best Belgian, Best Any Other Variety (the latter with a Giboso) and three trophies for my Scots, Best Piebald, Best Yellow and Most Points. Gordon Alexander took best Scots with a lovely bird.
The Golden Ring show in Belgium is a great event. This year, I sent my birds on ahead and went to Belgium by plane and spent a night there before returning. The Scots won nothing in this competition but what became apparent was the difference between the European Scots Fancy and the UK variety. I found the European winners disappointing - crossed wings and hollowed backs. It is becoming a different bird in Europe. However, one of my Belgians took a bronze medal and the Gibosos took two gold and two silver medals. A real thrill.
Kelso Ornithological Society is the last UK show of the year for me. I had only 1 class win (there were only 4 classes) but again a Belgian did well. I didn't take the Gibosos as they were tired after their long trip to Europe and wanted to save them for the World Show in Zwole, Netherlands in January.
The World Show is the Olympics of the bird world. I entered 12 Scots and again won nothing, noticing again the difference in the European bird. My Belgians did not win anything either but to be honest, last year's crop were better birds. However, one of my Gibosos, Ring No 4/18, on which I had had my eye for some time took a bronze medal against serious Spanish competition. Its sibling was 4th in its class so I was over the moon.
All in all, a wonderful show season. Whether we will be allowed to exhibit our birds in post-Brexit Europe remains an open question. I can only hope so.
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