ANBC JUDGES 2026

Budgerigars have been a lifelong passion for me, following early childhood experiences with guinea pigs and tropical fish. After a couple of years of colony-breeding colourful birds, a sign on a fence saying ‘exhibition budgerigars for sale’ was seen. A visit and the purchase of a pair of monster, ‘show-quality’ Cobalts for $10 sparked what has become a lifelong commitment to the hobby. With dad’s help I built several double wooden breeding cages which are still in use some 50 years later. Visits to top breeders of the day, including Herb Heath, Bill Silvertand, Nev Spencer and Merv Melrose inspired me with knowledge and support that can’t be measured.

After graduating as a teacher and being posted to Rockhampton, an aviary was built and birds transported. Membership of the Capricornia Budgerigar Society was attained in 1980 and involvement in this club continues to this day.

Judging was a natural progression after a few years of ‘showing’ birds. Supported and mentored by experienced judges—particularly Henry George, Barney Hackney and Tom Parker—helped me develop a strong understanding of budgerigar standards and exhibition practices. In 1992 I achieved ANBC Judge status, as did Brian West, a fellow NQ exhibitor who helped found the ANBC. Since then, I have been blessed to have judged with many of the best judges in Australia and several international guests such as Martin Heylen, Linda Paton and Marcel Buhler.

My belief is that the strength of the hobby is reflected in the people involved. I value the camaraderie among genuine breeders and exhibitors who willingly share their knowledge and support one another. In a field where budgerigars continue to progress, this collaboration is essential to maintaining and improving the quality of birds in Australia. These are the members who create a welcoming environment so that all members enjoy the benefits from participating in this hobby.

Back to judging – I love seeing quality birds! Judging allows the opportunity to assess quality birds and to appreciate and recognise the ongoing effort that exhibitors invest in their birds to produce these ‘cracker’ budgerigars.

The Australian National Budgerigar Championship Show is the ultimate challenge for both exhibitor and judge. Being invited to judge here is a real and significant honour. This is a rare opportunity to work alongside leading judges and evaluate a high standard of birds from across the country. I extend a big “thank you” to Garry (Hibbo) and the SQBBA for the invitation to judge at the ANBC Show 2026 and wish all exhibitors every success.

My first connection with the hobby was at the age of four, when my family lived next door to Nin and Lil Barrie, a Scottish couple who showed exhibition budgerigars. Subsequently, when I decided to get my first budgies some years later, it was an obvious choice to visit their aviary to acquire birds, purchasing my first BCV rings in 1984.

After being a member of the Albury-Wodonga bird fanciers for a few years I decided the two-hour commute both to and from meetings was too far. With the help of good friend Allan Dixon who lived closer to home, we formed the Riverina Budgerigar Society in the early 90’s, where I am now a Life Member and current President.

My son Robert and I formed an exhibition partnership in 2014 and both sat our Aspiring Judges test together soon after. I joined the Budgerigar Council of Victoria committee in 2020 where I currently stand as Vice President. Since 2021 I have been Budgie News editor of the BCV along with Robert. I became a member of the Judges & Standards committee in Victoria not long after and have been a State Team Carer since Launceston in 2024. I was successful in undertaking and passing the ANBC Judges Examination in Ballarat, 2023.

In terms of exhibition achievements, we have currently won 30 BCV Shield classes, 8 Diplomas, 12 Variety Challenge Certificates across various varieties and had many birds represent Victoria over the years to go with our maiden “Logie” win in the Recessive Pied class at Victor Harbor in 2022. Recessive Pieds are one of the more prominent varieties in our aviary which we are quite passionate about and one in which we commit quite a bit of time and effort in trying to improve. We have been fortunate enough to win the last four Adult Shields in Victoria with this variety, along with the last 3 Unbroken Cap Shields and two of the last four Young Bird Shields.

The highlight of my time in budgies thus far, will be judging alongside my son at this year’s Nationals on the Gold Coast, which I believe may be the first time a father-son combination has done this in Australia. I’d sincerely like to thank the South Queensland Budgerigar Breeders Association in collaboration with the ANBC for the invitation to judge.

My association and involvement with budgerigars began from a very early age, getting driven across the states of Victoria and New South Wales attending Diploma Shows with Dad and occasionally Mum. I don’t have much recollection of those very early days in their infancy as I was too young to take it all in, however I have some very fond memories of growing up amongst the fancy during the 90’s and beyond.

My judging journey began as an Aspiring Judge on the BCV Judges Panel, successfully passing the examination in 2014. I steadily progressed through the ranks of Aspiring and Probationary levels whilst plying my craft to become a Senior Panel Judge in 2019. I am currently a long standing Secretary of the Riverina Budgerigar Society Inc. along with being the Exhibitor & Variety Points coordinator and Webmaster for the Budgerigar Council of Victoria. In collaboration with Dad, I am also the coordinator of the BCV’s flagship quarterly publication “Budgie News”. We are in partnership together showing as M & R Randall and have been Champion Status exhibitors for many years. I was pleased to receive ANBC Judges accreditation after successfully passing the examination in Launceston, 2024.

It will be a great experience working through the very best of what each State/Zone has to offer on the Gold Coast in 2026. I consider it a great honour and a privilege to receive the invitation to judge at our nation’s most prestigious show and I sincerely look forward to adjudicating at this 50th Anniversary milestone event.

My journey with budgerigars began quite by accident. As a teenager aged between 16 and 18, my interests were much the same as most young lads—football, surfing, tennis, and an active outdoor life. My younger sister, along with a girlfriend, kept budgerigars and shared aviaries, but when life changed—as it often does at that age—boys entered the picture and the birds were left behind.

As the older brother, I took over the responsibility of feeding and watering, and before long I was well and truly bitten by the “budgie bug.” I began breeding budgerigars in homemade tea-chest breeding boxes under the family Queenslander on our dairy farm. Never one to do things half-heartedly, I built numerous tea-chest nest boxes and sourced discarded cages from local dumps, renovating them into usable breeding cages. At one stage, I had around 40 breeding cages set up under the house.

My parents were very supportive of my hobby, largely because, as they put it, “he’s home and not in trouble somewhere.” Breeding was successful, but a defining moment came when I visited the Brisbane RNA Show and spent time at the Queensland Budgerigar Society (QBS) stand. There I met Cliff Scroggings—a true breeder and a gentleman—who opened my eyes to the difference between exhibition budgerigars and what I then considered my “pets.”

That visit was a turning point. I returned home, retained only the best birds as feeders, sold the remainder, and began visiting established exhibition breeders. Thus began my true journey into exhibition budgerigars.

Judging soon became the next piece of the puzzle. After completing all the required steps, I sat my ANBC National Judges Examination. At my first attempt, I passed the written component comfortably but narrowly missed the practical—by what was said to be half a percent—earning me the nickname “Halfa” from a good friend in North Queensland. The following year, in 1993, I successfully passed the practical examination and was awarded my ANBC Judges badge.

I have been extremely fortunate to officiate as a judge at five ANBC National Championships:

• 1999 – SQBBA
• 2005 – Victoria, Melbourne (BCV)
• 2009 – Tasmania, Burnie (BCT)
• 2015 – Western Australia, Perth (WABC)
• 2017 – North Queensland, Mackay (NQBZ)

Other Shows and Events Judged:

• 2016 – South West Midlands Area Show, United Kingdom
• 2019 – WBO World Show, Karlsruhe, Germany
• 2025 – Auckland Patronage Show, New Zealand
• Previously judged the South Island Patronage Show, Gore, New Zealand

I sincerely thank everyone who has supported and encouraged me throughout this journey. In particular, I thank the SQBBA for the honour and invitation to judge the 50th Trill™ Expert ANBC National Championship Show on the Gold Coast in 2026.

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