NORFOLK FBA OPEN SHOW REPORT - 2000

Norfolk FBA received its second highest entry ever with 518. However, the Lovebird section had its lowest ever entry with 29 exhibits although the quality was high.

Once again D Watlow had outstanding success winning all the major Lovebird awards. The leading exhibit in section was his Normal Peachfaced whilst in second place was his Blue Masked which was also best CYOB Lovebird. Third best was his Cinnamon Peachfaced. Behind the leading CYOB exhibits were two Orange Peachfaced.

The section for other parrotlike birds contained 49 entries although this show suffered more than others from absentees. The leading exhibit and third best in show was S&P Fisher's Ringneck. B Sheldrake benched second best in section and best CYOB parrotlike with a Lineolated Parakeet. S&P Fisher also staged third best in section with a Vernals hanging Parrot. Second best CYOB was S&P Fisher's Canary Winged Parakeet with B Eagle's Princess of Wales taking third place.

Once again there was an excellent common seedeater section with 72 entries and the quality was high. Best in section was C&S Allaway's Orange Cheeked Waxbill. A Green Singing Finch owned by N Prentice was second best and best adult owner bred in show. A Spicebird benched by C Stock was third. A pair of well coloured Cutthroats were best CYOB for Mr & Mrs Jackson. The other CYOB awards went to N Prentice and L Barnsdale, both being Chocolate Silverbills.

The rare seedeater section had probably the highest entry that the show has ever had numbering 66. Leading the section and best (also unfortunately only) CYOB was the Yellow Winged Pytilla owned by Mr & Mrs Jackson. In second and third places were Mr & Mrs Tugman with a Chestnut Headed Bunting and C&S Allaway with a Blue Billed Firefinch.

The quality amongst the 61 Australian Finches was high. Leading exhibit and second best in show were Mr & Mrs Harris with a pair of White Breasted Black Headed Gouldians. Second best in section, best CYOB Australian, and best CYOB exhibit in show went to G Wincomb with a Bamboo Parrot Finch. A Bicheno Finch also owned by G Wincomb was third best Australian. Second best CYOB went to L Barnsdale with a pair of Cherry Finches. The other award winning CYOB exhibit was a White Breasted Black Headed Gouldian belonging to G Wincomb.

The softbill and nectarfeeder section had an entry of 53. The nectarfeeder section had an excellent entry of 20 and was led by N Elliston's Gold Wing Sunbird which also went on to be best exhibit in show. A Black Headed Sugarbird benched by C&S Allaway was second best nectarfeeder whilst third place went to Mr & Mrs Tugman with an Amethyst Sunbird. Among the softbills, the leading exhibit came from C&S Allaway with a Royal Starling. In second place was Mr & Mrs Tugman's Rufous tailed Robin, whilst in third place was a Blue Headed Tanager owned by C&S Allaway.

The junior section was poorly supported, Colby School winning with a Cockatiel.

Entries in the Zebra section were just below 100, down on recent years but of good quality. Best champion adult was K&J Sims with Chestnut Flanked Whites. The same colour also produced second best champion adult for P Ankin. In third place was B Rudling's Fawns. The award for best champion breeder and also best Zebras in show went to K&J Sims with Normals, with the same owner and colour also taking third place. B Rudling prevented a clean sweep from the Sims partnership by taking second place with Fawns. In the novice section J Moss repeated his success of last year by taking the two leading awards. His Normals were selected as best novice adult with the other novice adult awards going to Mr & Mrs Shortland (Normals) and A Coles (Chestnut Flanked Whites). The leading novice breeder award for J Moss was for his Normals and he also won second best with Fawns. In third place were Mr & Mrs Shortland with Normals. Other colour awards went to K&J Sims for Silver and D Webster for Penguins. Colby School staged the best Junior exhibit.

S&K Spavin had a clean sweep of the champion Bengalese section where the entry was 83. In the Adult section their winners were Self Chestnut & Fawns, Chocolate & Whites and Dilutes. In the breeder section they won with Self Chestnut & Fawns which were also best Bengalese, another pair of Self Chestnut & Fawns and Greys. In the novice adult section the winners were K&J Sims with Chocolate & White. R Hunt took the next two awards with Self Chestnut & Fawn and Self Chocolate. Leading novice adult breeder went to R Hunt with Self Chocolate followed by Chocolate& White owned by K&J Sims and another R Hunt exhibit of Dilutes. The other novice section colour awards went to R Hunt with Self White and Cremino. Best junior Bengalese went to Miss H Sheldrake.

The judges in the foreign section were T Broderick, T Browne and D Wanless. G Massey judged the Zebras and R Crook the Bengalese.