BCV Report June 2026

By and large, the month of May in Victoria is generally free of affiliated club events, aside from the Eastern District Club Sale, which was held very early in the month and, by all reports, was a great success. This provides members with the opportunity to focus their attention and efforts entirely on the two biggest events on our calendar — the BCV Young Bird State Championship Show and the subsequent Annual Trill™ Expert ANBC National Titles competitions.

BCV Young Bird State Championship Show

This year’s Young Bird State Championship Show was once again a tremendous success. Although entry numbers were slightly down on last year, with 75 fewer exhibits received, an impressive total of 1,087 entries were still submitted from the 17 participating clubs — an outstanding representation of quality birds across the state.

High quality and excellent standards were evident throughout many varieties in the hall, ensuring judges remained busy and fully engaged while sorting through their respective classes.

At the completion of judging and results tabulation, the Phoenix Budgerigar Society emerged victorious with an outstanding score of 686 points. This achievement was made even more remarkable by the fact it marked their third consecutive Young Bird Shield victory. Geelong and Riverina Clubs rounded out the top three placings, with only 10 points separating the two clubs. This represented a significant improvement for Geelong, who climbed three places from their fifth-place finish last year.

A special congratulations goes to Geelong member John Ennis, who achieved a magnificent double by claiming both Best Bird in Show and Reserve Bird in Show honours with his stunning Spangle Opaline Yellow Faced Grey Cock and its stablemate, a Spangle Normal Grey Green Cock. Both birds were selected in their respective varieties for the Victorian National Team and went on to achieve further success by winning consecutive Classes 22 and 23 at the prestigious 2026 Trill™ Expert ANBC National Championship Show. Congratulations, John, on an outstanding achievement.

BCV National Team Selection Process

For many years now, the BCV National Team selection process has remained largely unchanged, as it is a tried and proven system that consistently delivers strong results at National level competition.

At the completion of judging, four pre-determined teams of judges move throughout the hall to select their preferred three birds from each class, along with a reserve bird. These judging teams generally consist of three judges, typically drawn from the BCV Senior Panel, the Judges and Standards Committee, or judges holding ANBC accreditation. This ensures the highest level of expertise is applied throughout the selection process — and, as we all know, three sets of experienced eyes are better than one.

Prior to selections taking place, computer records are reviewed to ensure judges who have birds placed highly within any class, particularly in the top ten placings, avoid being assigned to those classes wherever practical. Each judging team is also accompanied by a scribe responsible for recording the selected birds’ details and placing coloured identification stickers on the selected exhibits and reserve bird.

These scribes are generally Senior Panel Judges or emerging Probationary Judges identified by the Judges and Standards Committee as promising future talent. Their involvement provides valuable experience and insight into the selection process.

The purpose of this system is to ensure BCV presents the strongest possible team at National level. Birds are often selected from positions outside the top three placings if selectors believe they possess superior National potential. Factors such as condition can heavily influence decisions. A bird may not have presented perfectly on the day, but if carers believe it is improving rather than declining, selectors may determine the bird has the capacity to present better at Nationals a week later. Likewise, birds that may not have shown particularly well early in judging but later displayed their full qualities can also be identified and brought forward.

In Victoria, any ANBC judge invited to officiate at that year’s Trill™ Expert ANBC National Titles is still permitted to exhibit birds at the Young Bird State Championship Show. This allows them to continue supporting their club teams and compete for individual awards, including points contributing toward Variety Challenge Certificates, which are exclusive to our three State Shows and the Annual Trill™ Expert ANBC National Titles competition.

The only proviso is that these judges must not attend or participate in any club pre-selections or State Championship Show proceedings in order to maintain the integrity of the National competition. Any birds exhibited by these judges that place highly in their classes are simply turned around on the staging to indicate they are ineligible for National Team selection.

Once all selections are completed, the next phase of the process begins. Newly adopted this year, and going forward, the top three selected birds and reserve bird will briefly be presented to members in attendance. One judge from the officiating team explains the rationale behind the selections while the remaining judges and scribe move on to begin preliminary sorting for the next class.

This process continues throughout all classes whilst the completed birds are continually relocated to a separate area for ring recording and verification against entry paperwork. Empty show cages are then returned to the benching area.

Selected birds undergo thorough health and condition checks, including assessment of body weight and any faults not visually apparent while staged in show cages. Birds are then boxed carefully with ample space in preparation for transport to the Head Carer’s aviary, where they are housed separately from the breeder’s personal flock and prepared during the week leading into the National competition.

Reserve birds return to their respective breeders at this stage and are only called upon if one of the selected birds loses flights or tail feathers, enters a moult, or suffers any other unforeseen issue. Should this occur, both breeders are contacted by the Head Carer and arrangements are made to bring the reserve bird into the team prior to travel to the Nationals on the Thursday before the event.

50th Anniversary Trill™ Expert ANBC National Championship Show – Southport, Queensland

The recently held National competition proved to be another highly successful campaign for Victoria. We were fortunate enough to secure the annual Trill™ Expert ANBC National Titles Shield once again with a convincing victory on 620 points — 81 points clear of second-placed New South Wales on 539 points, followed by South Australia on 475 points. South Australia narrowly edged out host zone South Queensland by just 10 points to secure third position on the podium.

We were extremely proud of the team assembled this year, with exceptional birds represented across many varieties. Looking ahead to next year’s Nationals in Canberra, hosted by the BSNSW, no doubt all zones will be striving for redemption and looking to regain their customary positions. Equally, Victoria will need to continue maintaining a strong standard if we are to sustain our current run of success.

Congratulations to all members whose birds formed part of our successful National Team and contributed to Victoria securing another ANBC Shield victory. An outstanding 14 of the 28 exhibition class Logies were won by BCV members.

Special mention must go to John Ennis, who enjoyed an exceptional individual performance by winning four of those 14 classes, earning elevation into the ANBC Hall of Fame for Breeder Excellence.

Individual BCV National Class Winners

• Normal Grey Green – Ray & German
• Normal Yellow Faced – John Ennis
• Albino ASC – Kathy McCalman
• Clearwing ASC – Sheppard & Flanagan
• Greywing ASC – Alan Baxter
• Cinnamonwing ASC – Terry Anderson
• Opaline ASC – Barry & Maree Wise
• Opaline ASC AOSV – Martin Paoli
• Clearbody ASC ASV – Ali Humadi
• Lacewing ASC ASV – John Ennis
• Spangle ASC – John Ennis
• Spangle ASC AOSV – John Ennis
• Aust. White Cap ASC ASV – Clay, Borg & Skivington
• Hens ASC ASV – Ian Hunter

A further special mention must also go to the SQBBA (South Queensland Budgerigar Breeders Association). The event they organised and hosted from start to finish was truly exceptional. The show itself, along with the associated functions, was conducted in a superb venue that was perfectly suited to the occasion and provided an ideal environment for exhibitors and visitors to interact and enjoy the weekend. Congratulations to everyone involved.

Looking Ahead – What’s Next?

With the Victorian show season now concluded and entering its winter recess until early October, attention now shifts toward the auction season, with six BCV-affiliated club auctions scheduled across the next three months.

June features the Eastern District Annual Prestige Auction, scheduled for Sunday the 14th. The catalogue for this event has already been released and is available for viewing on the BCV website, along with various Facebook pages. The auction flyer is also included with this report for further details and contact information.

Later in the month, the Riverina Club will host its Annual Auction and Budgie Weekend gathering. The catalogue for this event is yet to be released, however details will be made readily available as they come to hand.

2026 BCV Young Bird State Championship Results

Young Bird State Championship – May 17th 2026

Major Awards

 

2026 BCV Young Bird State Championship Snapshot

BCV Young Bird State Championship – May 17th 2026