Sheffield Budgerigar Society

2008 Report

Sheffield Budgerigar Society continues to maintain its membership around 35 to 40 members from quite a wide area, meeting nights are reasonably well attended usually 20 to 25 attendees and support for YBS events and local Championship shows is improving. I think the adage use it or lose it is finally striking home. A number of our members have been very successful on the open show circuit last year achieving a good number of top awards and challenge certificates, Dennis Spruce is someone who immediately springs to mind winning Best Breeder and Best in Show a number of times with a lovely Yellowface Grey Cock - split Recessive Pied !!!

We continue to hold our two Nest Feather and one Young Stock shows jointly with Doncaster BS and they are reasonably well supported although it would be more encouraging if more members would bring birds, there are Rosettes and Trophies donated by A & A Newsham for Best in Show at the nest feathers and there is a certain amount of friendly rivalry to see which society member takes the top award. We continue to invite top speakers and some professional people to talk at our meeting nights and it is very encouraging when members take the time out to phone in and say how much they have enjoyed the previous meeting.

This years agenda includes a talk in March by one of Hollands leading Breeders and Exhibitors Jac Cuyten. This is an open meeting and anyone from other societies would be most welcome, there will be a raffle on the night to help cover expenses so please be prepared to support it as admission will be free. Later in the year we are having an aviary visit to Sam Wildes of Burton on Trent who is one of the hobbies up and coming younger fanciers, a talk by Eric Peake is scheduled in the middle of the year, a film show and talk by Kenny Fagan and an evening with the Ron Pearce and Marcel Buhler international partnership. We have already had a panel from Middlesborough and many members have said how much they enjoyed it. Judges for our Open Show are already booked for this year and next, this years judges being the BS Club Show Winners Mick Freakley and Ian Ainley accompanied by usually one of our most valued out of town helpers at the show John Cooke so this year it may put more work onto his wife Christine who also helps in the office! The society is always very grateful for their and other out of town help

It was good to see so many of our members supporting the new YBS 50/50 draw by purchasing numbers for the year – many buying more than one number, in fact on opening the Budgie Bits I see one of our members has won third prize in the first draw – congratulations Bill Ruthven. It is some years since a full year book was printed, but a loose leaf version is under way not only containing members details , but lots of useful day to day information on feeding, seed mixtures, lighting, medicines, contact addresses for the specialist societies and much much more, making it more of a fanciers handbook and reference manual which being loose leaf can be updated as necessary. If anyone is interested in joining our society we hold our meetings on the third Monday of the month at Sheffield Lane Working Mens Club on Hatfield house lane Shefield S5 or for any more details phone me (PHILIP REANEY) on Sheffield 0114 2492740.

Thankyou

SHEFFIELD BUDGERIGAR SOCIETY

I wish you all and your families a happy and prosperous new year and in the bird keeping area that all eggs produced in your aviary finish up on the perch.There seems to be a greater incidence of hens throwing out fertile eggs before they hatch this year, I feel this could be partly attributed to the changeable weather we are having currently, even though our birds are indoors I still feel they are affected somewhat by external events. Ringing around breeding results seem generally poor at the moment, but this can be expected this time of year so don’t get disheartened. Same as before I have printed a copy of our meeting nights and members shows for 2006 on the reverse of this newsletter — our meeting nights are, as they used to be, generally on the third Monday of the month. Looking back over the year we hosted the YBS quiz night, which turned out to be quite an enjoyable (and profitable for the society) evening. This year the competition will be hosted by last year’s winners, Doncaster BS. We have promised them help, and support on the night, please make every effort to be there. We cannot expect other societies to support our events —including our open show — if we do not support theirs; we really have to make an effort to revive the social side of the hobby if the hobby is to survive. THE MORE YOU PUT IN TO A HOBBY< THE MORE YOU GET OUT OF IT!!

Our open show from attendees I have spoken to was extremely enjoyable and the trophies provided by our sponsors were very well received, a lot say they will be there again this year. I have received some suggestions by return of post from the letter I sent out to non Sheffield exhibitors and these can be discussed nearer the show date. We did not quite make our target entry, BUT still may qualify for a 2 star patronage this year. The team work and support of you all was admirable and envied by many, it does show what can be achieved if we all pull together, thank you all. Incidentally we still have one or two section sponsorships available for the shields at £60-00 for 5 years if anyone can help. The last £200-00 of cup sponsorship has been received over Christmas and I have been able to sell the kiddies bike donated by Nigel, Caroline and Sam Wildes for £50-00.

Unfortunately the night at the dogs did not materialize this year as numbers did not reach those required for the “meal deal”, do you want a change or I wondered about trying a joint presentation/social night with Doncaster if they are agreeable?

The joint nest feathers with Doncaster went ahead, but were very poorly supported by Sheffield, embarrassingly so. PLEASE make every effort to get a few birds at these events one way or another, the birds are only on show for two to three hours so stress is minimal and of course it is good training for the birds before the open shows later in the year. Let us avoid the whitewashing Doncaster gave us last year and try to bring the trophies back to Sheffield.

The dates and venues for the two nest feathers and young stock show are as follows:- nest feather @ Doncaster on 11th March — venue Parkway South Community Centre,

2nd nest feather @ Sheffield on 22nd April — venue Sheffield Lane WMC, Hatfield House Lane,Sheffield

Although I personally favour open shows being held later in the year, it needs all societies to think the same way and currently dates are getting earlier nationally. There are two weekends in August available in Yorkshire at the moment, what do you all feel about moving our show date to one of them in the future? I must have photos and information from you all for the year book by the end of January or you will not be in it. It will last at least two years so you will miss out. Demand for products, (the profit going to society funds besides being cheaper than normal suppliers) has slowed right down at the moment, but as the breeding season progresses will increase. Please do not leave purchasing products like Sluis till the last minute as I cannot carry as much stock now that my houses are let. Cleethorpes BS have requested a panel from Sheffield on the 9th of October at their meeting. We can travel in one car so it is just your time and input please. My Presidents effort for the YBS looks like going ahead for one year only, it will be a visit for YBS members to Jo Mannes, the weekend of June 17 ₁₁₈th seems to be favourite, the price for the weekend will be around £180-O0 run on similar lines to Tony Askews annual trip, if you ale interested please contact me. It would be nice to see some Sheffield members supporting the YBS Dinner on the 28th of April also it being my last function as your Area President.I also enclose on the reverse a letter I sent to the BS recently regarding problems with imported pet birds, apparently the general council thought the concept was a good idea and are looking into doing something. Finally on a lower note you may remember me trying for publicity for our open show This year and to that end was successful in getting a telephone interview, and a visit from the Sheffield Star photographer, one of the last questions asked was regarding the purchase of pet birds to which I advised the public to buy a British bred ~ bird, nothing at all to do with the Exhibition side of the hobby, but how this appeared edited in the last paragraph of the article could be read by a fancier to mean do not buy breeding stock from abroad which could not be farther from what was meant, as I myself purchase 90% of my outcrosses from Germany, Switzerland and South Africa and am not a hypocrite. The sad thing is some individual took the time and trouble to mail the article halfway round the world to Jo Mannes and Reinhardt Molkentein obviously trying to discredit me in their eyes, nevertheless all is well and I sincerely hope this act backfires on them as this sort of action should not be what the hobby is about. I apologize for not being at the meeting on Monday as I will be working in London and then flying out to Rotterdam on business at 4-30 am Tuesday morning. Please give Brian or Alan Newsham any Suggestions for the meeting nights over the next two years.

Dear Committee, Thankyou once again for your assistance during the past year,. Membership of our society is currently around forty members and growing, I am sure the facilities at the club have contributed to this.Unfortunately due to the increase in attendance we are finding the rooms upstairs somewhat cramped and uncomfortable, I understand we are able to change our meeting night back to Monday evenings for the concert room, with the dancers vacating the room by 7-45 pm If so 1 would like to book the following dates for next year :-

Our January 2006 meeting is already booked on last years bookings. We are staging one members’ show this year and as usual would like to hold it at your club, this would possibly be on the following date: -

If acceptable the show would be held in the concert room but this would be vacated by 3-00 p.m. to leave plenty of time for your evening events to be set up. Your members would be welcome to look at the birds after judging has been completed. The room of course would be left as we found it and any assistance in laying out the tables for the evening would be offered Further to the above being acceptable we would make payment for the whole of the year could you please send a bill?

NORMAL GREEN	L & D Carroll	YELLOW WING	R Day
NORMAL BLUE	R W Brown	WHITE WING	P & D White
GREY GREEN	Norwood Stud	CREST	N/A
NORMAL GREY	R Steele	SPANGLE	G & A Moore
OPALINE GREEN	J A Oxby	DOMINANT PIED	S Wildes
OPALINE BLUE	M & N Arrowsmith	RECESSIVE PIED	R W Brown
CINNAMON	T & A Luke	YELLOW FACE	D Spruce
OPALINE CINNAMON	T & A Luke	RARE	R Day
LUTINO	J W Thompson	ANY OTHER COLOUR	L & D Carroll
ALBINO	L & D Carroll

Best in section winners

Best Champion A/A	R Steele 7-3
2nd Champion A/A	R W Brown 4-6
3rd Champion A/A	J A Oxby 5-6

Best Champion Y/B	L & D Carroll 101-2
2nd Champion Y/B	R Steele 114-5
3rd Champion Y/B	R Steele 107-2

Best Intermediate A/A	G Shepherdson 203-1
2nd Intermediate A/A	D Dale 201-2
3rd Intermediate A/A	D Critchlow 218-6

Best Intermediate Y/B	G Shepherdson 301-2
2nd Intermediate Y/B	G Shepherdson 305-1
3rd Intermediate Y/B	M Guest 318-1

Best Novice A/A	S Carlin 427-4
2nd Novice A/A	S Carlin 413-5
3rd Novice A/A	S & R Newsome 433-1

Best Novice Y/B	D Spruce 533-1
2nd Novice Y/B	D Spruce 507-1
3rd Novice Y/B	S Wildes 529-4

Best Beginner A/A	N T Hudson 607-1
2nd Beginner A/A	N T Hudson 605-3
3rd Beginner A/A	Mrs K Bell 616-1

Best Beginner Y/B	T Wright 727-1
2nd Beginner Y/B	J A Collins 701-1
3rd Beginner Y/B	T Wright 733-1

Best Juvenile A/A	D Norman 829-1
2nd Juvenile A/A	Miss K Wilson 801-1

Best Juvenile Y/B	D Norman 929-1
2nd Juvenile Y/B	D Norman 903-1
3rd Juvenile Y/B	D Norman 907-1


RAY STEELE B.I.S		D SPRUCE BEST Y/B IN SHOW

A OXBY OP GREEN CC		D NORMAN BEST JUVENILE

G & A MOORE SPANGLE CC		P SHEPHERDSON BEST INTER A/A

BEST IN SHOW	R Steele 7-3
BEST YOUNG BIRD	D Spruce 533-1
BEST OPPOSITE SEX ANY AGE	R W Brown 4-6
BEST OPPOSITE SEX YOUNG BIRD	R Steele 114-5