Judges Coordinator Report May 2026

Hi All,

We are now in the home straight leading into the ANBC National Show on the Gold Coast. South Queensland (SQBBA) has invested an enormous amount of time and effort over the past two years to ensure this will be an outstanding event. Breeders and Exhibitors have also spent the last 18 months planning, breeding, and preparing their birds in anticipation of this ANBC National.

We now arrive at the pointy end of the season, heading into our major Annual State and Zone Young Bird Shows. As exhibitors, it’s crucial that our birds are as ready as possible to give them the best chance of being selected for the ANBC Nationals. As I’ve mentioned previously, show cage training is extremely important, and hopefully you’ve been working on this with your show team. With that in place, the final focus is ensuring your birds are in the best possible condition for your upcoming State or Zone Young Bird Shows.

I expect that all State and Zone Judges will be involved in these events, which is always exciting knowing that you may be looking at a future ANBC National Class winner. During these shows, a panel of Judges will select each State or Zone’s National Team.

There is a great deal to consider in this process, including:

  1. Features — Does the Bird display the key features we expect in the modern Exhibition Budgerigar?
  2. Variety — Is it a strong and accurate representation of its variety?
  3. Showmanship — Will it perform well on the show bench, particularly at the ANBC Nationals?
  4. Condition — A critical factor, with many elements to assess:
    • Is the bird going into or coming out of a moult?
    • Are all flights present? If not, how many are missing?
    • Are both primary tail feathers present and correctly aligned?
    • Can the carers prepare this bird in time for the Nationals?
    • Noting that the Carers have limited time in which to get the Birds right to show.
    • Is the Bird in prime health and condition? The welfare of the bird is always the highest priority.

Good luck to everyone over the next couple of weeks. I look forward to catching up with you all at the ANBC Nationals.

Regards,

James Bader
ANBC Judges Co‑Ordinator

James Bader, ANBC Judges Coordinator