POULTRY SHOW

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 169, 18 June 1936, Page 12

POULTRY SHOW

ENTRIES A RECORD. STRONG CLUB CLASSES. CAGE BImTsECTION. The Manawatu- Poultry, Pigeon, Canary and Foreign Bird Club’s exhibition, which is being held at the National Dairy Show, is the largest on record, the entries totalling 1340. There are several specialist clubs competing, competition being particularly strong for Sussex and Wyandottes. Seven North Island championships i have been awarded, besides numerous cups, specialist trophies, and cash prizes. Every class has filled well, exhibitors from all over the North Island, as well as a number from the South Island, having supported the show. Canaries, budgerigars, and foreign birds occupy a special section, and are attractively benched for display purposes. LIST OF JUDGES. The following is the list of judges in the various sections: Game and game bantams and bantams: Mr Q. ■'Anderson, Carterton. Fancy poultry: Hr G. C. Thornton, Clive. Utility classes, leghorns, minorcas, children's classes, ducks, and fancy ducks: Mr D. Stewart, Normanby. All other utility classes: Mr C. E. Purton, Palmerston North. Pigeons : homers:. Mr K. Hoare, Wellington. Exhibition standard classes: Mr L. Purton, Palmerston North. Canaries (Norwich): Mr C. Denny, Lower Hutt. Canaries (Yorkshire): Mr G. Able, Wellington. Budgerigars: Mrs L. Collins, New Plymouth. Foreign birds and novice class; Mr Howard Edwards, Wanganui. Cats: Mr E. Saunders, Palmerston North, High commendation of the entries in his sections was given by Mr D. Stewart (Normanb.y) who judged the utility light breeds, the children’s classes, and the ducks. Speaking first of the utility classes, he said that the Black Minocras had been strong as a section, the winner being an outstanding bird. That bird had also secured the special award for the best utility light bird in the show. The pullets had been a strong class, too, and there had been very 'little between the winners of the first and second prizes. The White Leghorns had formed the biggest class of the whole, having 24 pullets and 20 cockerels entered. The special prize had been won by a cockerel entered by Mr A. J. Shailer and it had also annexed the North Island championship for the best utility White Leghorn. The bird had been of an outstanding quality and had been shown in the pink of condition. In the cockerel and pullet classes he had found that if the winners were taken out there would still have been a strong class left. The Brown Leghorns had not been as numerous as the White Leghorns, but had been very typical of the breed. The winning cockerel had been particularly nice. The Anconas had been strong in numbers and the special award had been given to a hen showing beautiful type. A feature of the classes had been the Indian Runner ducks, said Mr Stewart, who added that particularly in the fawn section had he been impressed. The special prize for that section had been won by a young duck and he could say with safety that the duck had been as nice a specimen as he had over seen in 30 years’ attendance at Palmerston North, and he had also judged at this centre for seven years in succession. The committee, commented the speaker, deserved credit for the layout of the show. It was a beautiful exhibition and they _ were to be congratulated on their work. OUTSTANDING BIRDS. Mr C. F. Purton ' (Palmerston North) who judged the all other utility classes’ section, said the Orpingtons had been an exceptionally strong class, a cock bird entered by Mr J. Patterson (Wanganui) taking most of the special prizes .The bird had shown splendid type, feather and utility characteristics. The prizewinning hen, entered by Massey College, had had the true Orpington characteristics. The pullets had been very good, the winner in that section being worthy of a place in any show. The coloured Wyandottes had not been strong and the White Wyandottes a little better. The fact that there was a big show r»iw in Onehunga for Rhode Island Reds had weakened that class, but the Australbrps were very good. There had been several outstanding birds entered. GAME AND BANTAMS. The judge of the Old English Game and bantams, Mr 0. Anderson (Carterton), commented very favourably on the numbers of entries in the Old English Game section and remarked that the quality of the birds throughout exceeded anything he had ever seen in Palmerston North and he had been coming to shows at this centre for the last 25 years. At times lie had seen more birds, but never better. The champion bird, a cock, bjul been entered by Mr R. A. Williams (MangaI tainoka) and it was as good a quality bird as he hnd seen for a long time. The champion hen, a Wheaten hen, had been entered by Mr R. A. Laurenson (Carterton) and that also had been an outstanding bjrd. In all there had been 140 birds entered and the winners of each section in the class had been well worthy of entry in any show. In the game bantams class there had been a large number of good birds which should hold their own anywhere. In the open bantam section the birds were in tip-top order. The champion bantam of ibe show had been entered by Mr H. NcNeil (New Plymouth) and was a very fine cock. Mr C. Danny (Lower Hutt), commenting on the Norwich canaries which had come before his notice as a judge, said it was very pleasing to see some [of the exhibits so well up to standard, i both in size and in type. The speaker

pointed out that body size, a good head, and a full neck were necessary in the Norwich canary, but did not always merit a first prize and he thought that exhibitors might give more attention to the practice of washing their birds as it was most important. Soiled feathers meant lower placings in a competition which was keenly contested. Quite a number of the birds had been worthy of special mention. Commenting on the foreign birds and novice classes Mr H. Edwards (Wanganui), who judged that section, said that there had been many birds of a liigli quality entered. A St. Helena Waxbill and an Orange Check WaxbiU had both been very fine birds. In the British bird section the first prize had been taken by a goldfinch which had taken a number of prizes throughout ’the North Island, the winning bird of the whole section being, in addition, one which hnd travelled extensively. The judge of the budgerigars, Mrs L Collins (New Plymouth), said the class had been a very strong cm®, nearlv 200 entries being received. Ihe birds "had been of a very pleasing type, the champion being a cobalt mue entered by Mr H. E. Edmunds (Palmeiston North). It had taken the championship in the face of very s Hong competition, which was to the added credit of the bird’s success. The run-ner-up had been a green cock, entered bv Mr F. H. Cooper (Auckland). Taking the class as a whole the judge said that she had been pleased with the evenness of the entries. OTHER CLASSES.

Discussing the homing pigeons, the judge, Mr K. Hon re (Wellington), said that the quality of the classes had been much better than in past years. He bad judged at Palmerston North on several occasions and after completing liis work this time he had found that many of the winners were birds which had had several successes in other districts, showing that they were of very high standard. The Yorkshire canaries compared quite favourably with similar entries in other shows, said the judge, Mr G. Able (Wellington). The winning birds had been of a very pleasing standard. FANCY PIGEONS.

The judge of the exhibition standard classes, Mr L. C. Purton (Palmerston North) expressed the opinion that not for 15 or 20 years had there been such a fine collection of fancy pigeons benched in Palmerston North. They had been an outstanding lot, he said. A Jacobean winner had been a first-class specimen and an African Owl winner above the average. There had been entered Mondanos pigeons which were becoming popular in England but which were new to the Dominion, and Chinese pigeons were another breed that had just made its appearance in New Zcaliind. For the first time there had been an Isis pigeon shown, the whole exhibition being most interesting and meritorious. »