NORFOLK FOREIGN BIRD ASSOCIATION - 1997 OPEN SHOW

The 1997 show attracted 407 entries which was virtually the same as last year. As usual, the quality was high with completion fierce in all sections. E Gallimore judged the Australian and Junior sections, P Gallimore and D Hamps the other Foreign sections, and D Brown the Zebra Finches and Bengalese.

The Lovebird section contained 57 entries. Leading exhibit was a Red Faced Lovebird, in excellent condition and very steady, belonging to S & P Fisher. In second place was a Pastel Blue owned by J Wright whilst in third place was R Smith’s normal Peach Faced. The final special was won by L Barnsdale with a Lutino Peach Faced. The current year bred Lovebirds were not quite of the same standard as the adults, but there were still some good exhibits. Best was an Abysinnian owned by S & P Fisher. In second place was B Walpole’s Pastel Blue. J Read took the other specials a Normal Peach faced and a Pied Peach Faced.

Once again the Parrotlike section received excellent support with an entry of 65. Leading exhibit and best foreign bird in show was an immaculate African Ringneck owned by S & P Fisher, winning for the second year running. S & P Fisher exhibits were dominant in this section, and they won the award for second best with a pair of Mountain Parakeets and fourth with a Blue Celestial. As with the Lovebirds, the quality of current year bred exhibits was not quite as high and S & P Fisher staged the two leading exhibits, a Canary Wing Parakeet and a Kakariki. The other winners in this section both belonged to D Broomfield, a Pied Kakariki and a Barraband.

Another section with a good entry was the common seedeaters with 67. The leading exhibit in this section, and which went on to become second best foreign, was a cock Gold Breasted Waxbill owned by C & S Allaway. This bird was of good size and colour, and very steady. This bird was pushed hard by several other quality exhibits, and leading these as second best common seedeater was a Green Singing Finch owned by N Prentice. Third best was a cock Red Avadavat owned by C Stock whilst in fourth was an Orange Cheeked Waxbill for L Barnsdale. Leading the current year bred section were a pair of Cordon Blues owned by R Edwards, two Silverbill entries from L Barnsdale and C Stock’s Blue Billed Mannikins.

The number of rare seedeaters totaled 31, with the best being a Celebes Mannikin owned by C & S Allaway. In second place was a Pearl headed Silverbill for N Prentice, and third and fourth places were taken by C & S Allaway with a Blue Billed Firefinch and D Brown with a Hybrid. The current year bred rare section was very disappointing with the leading exhibit benched by L Barnsdale.

The Australian section had 51 entries, and the overall quality was very high. Leading exhibit and best adult owner bred in show was a Cherry Finch owned by G Wincomb. In second place was a pair of Parson Finches belonging to L Barnsdale, whilst third and fourth places were taken by D Nudd’s Hecks grassfinch and G Wincomb’s Black headed Gouldian. The current year bred section matched that of the adults, and the Parson Finches and Gouldian which took second and third best Australian were the two leading current year bred exhibits. G Wincomd benched third best with his Hecks Grassfinch whilst D Brown was fourth best with an Isabella Cherry Finch.

All the softbill awards were taken by C & S Allaway with a Chestnut Flanked Zosterop, Touraco, Indian Zosterop and an Orange Headed Ground Thrush. Best nectarfeeder was the Scarlet Chested Sunbird owned by N Elliston.

The junior section contained 25 entries with the award for best going to D Lugo with a Hecks Grassfinch. Second best went to L Cox with a Cockatiel whilst D Lugo won the awards for best Zebra and Bengalese.

There were 35 champion Zebra Finches with the award for best champion breeder and best Zebra Finch going to P Ankin with Normals. The same exhibitor took second place, again with Normals, wilst the ither breeder specials were won by D Webster with Creams and Penguins. The adult awards went to D Webster’s Creams, B Rudling’s Fawns, and two further D Webster exhibits being Creams and Penguins.

The novice section contained 36 entries. In the adult section J Gibbons took the top award with Normals, whilst R Hunt took the next three specials with Silvers, Chestnut Flanked Whites and Normals. R Hunt won the three leading novice breeder awards with Creams and two pairs of Fawns whilst J Gibbons took fourth place with Normals.

The leading Bengalese was the junior entry of D Lugo, whilst Mr & Mrs Barnes won the champion awaes and C Stock the novice.