NORFOLK FOREIGN BIRD ASSOCIATION - 1996 OPEN SHOW

This years entry of 410 was almost exactly the same as last years. Entries in the Lovebird, Softbill and Zebra Finch sections were down, whilst there were good increases in Australian and Junior. D Booth judges the Zebra Finches and Bengalese, D Wanless the Australian and Junior, and T Broderick and T Browne all other foreign sections.

There were 35 entries in the Lovebird section, and the award for best went to a hen Abysinnian entered by S&P Fisher. Following the winner were two entries from J Wright, a very nice Pastel Blue and a Pied Peach Faced, whilst a normal Peach Faced took fourth place for D Bloomfield. In the current year bred classes J Wright took the leading award with a Pied Peach Faced whilst all the other awards went to Mr & Mrs Ellis with normal of Fischers, Black Cheeked and another Fischers.

The section for other Parrotlike contained 49 entries, the leading exhibit and also best in show award going to an immaculate African Ringneck owned by S&P Fisher. The same exhibitor also won the award for second best with a very neat Vernals Hanging Parrot and also fourth best with a Canary Wing Parakeet, the latter also being best current year bred Parrotlike. Third best was a Port Lincoln owned by Mr & Mrs Ellis. The quality in the current year bred classes was not quite as good as in the adult classes, but behind the winner were a good exhibit by B Sheldrake and two entries from Mr & Mrs Ellis, respectively being Green Cheeked Conures, and a Normal and Olive Lineolated.

The common seedeater section contained 63 entries, and the leading exhibit was a Combassou owned by N Elliston. Second and third places both went to N Prentice with a Green Singing Finch and Gold Breast Waxbill. In fourth place was a well coloured normal Java owned by C Stock. The two leading current year bred exhibits were both owned by D Brown being Fawn Java Sparrows and Cutthroats. Two more Java Sparrows, a Fawn and a Fawn Pied, took third and fourth places for B Rudling and C Stock.

The best seedeater in show came from the rare seedeater section, a very good cock Red Crested Finch owned by C&S Allaway. In second place was a Queen Whydah belonging to N Elliston and third was N Scott’s Cuban Finch. Fourth best, and best rare current year bred was a Black bellied Firefinch owned by C&SAllaway. The other current year bred rare seedeater awards went to N Elliston with a pair of Red Headed Finches and a hen of the same species, and a pair of Chinese Painted Quail benched by W Savory.

The Australian section was very well supported with a best ever entry of 75. G Wincomb had an excellent day taking first place with a cock Cherry Finch which was also best adult owner bred in show, second place with a Bamboo Parrotfinch, and fourth with a Hecks Grassfinch. The latter two were also best and second best current year bred Australian. Third best Australian was N Prentice’s Hecks Grassfinch. G Wincomb also took the award for third best current year bred Australian with a Cherry Finch whilst a Black Headed Gouldian was fourth for D&H Harris. The Bamboo Parrotfinch was also judged best current year bred in show.

The leading hybrid was shown by D Brown.

Softbill entries were disappointing with only 27 entered, and no current year bred exhibits. All the leading exhibits were owned by C&S Allaway being a Chestnut Flanked Zosterop, which was also second best in show, a Red Headed Tit, a Touraco and another Chestnut Flanked Zosterop. The same exhibiot also won the award for best nectarfeeder with an Amethyst Sunbird.

The Junior entry was very good at 31, and amongst some fine seedeater exhibits, judge D Waless gave the top award to D Grocott with a Lavender Finch. The awards for second best junior and best current year bred went to D Lugo with Hecks Grassfinch.

There were 48 entries in the champion Zebra Finch section, and the award for best Zebra Finch came from this section being P Ankin’s Normals. They also won the award for best champion adult with second best going to D Webster. The other adult champion awards went to B Rudling with Fawns and D Webster with Penguins. The two leading champion breeder awards both went to P Ankin with Normals, whilst B Rudling was third with Fawns and D Brown fourth with Creams.

In the novice section there were 21 entries, and the three leading novice adult awards all went to R Hunt. The colours were Silver, Chestnut Flanked Whites and Normals. Mr & Mrs Barnes took fourth place and also staged the best novice breeders with Fawns. J Gibbons won allt the other novice breeder awards, and all of them were Normals,

The leading junior Zebra Finches were S Brown’s Normals.

There were 22 Bengalese with D Brown taking the top award and best champion with Self Chocolates. The leading novice award went to N Prentice with Chocolate & Whites. S Brown won the best junior award.