BCSA Report June 2026

May was a huge month for the Budgerigar Council of South Australia, with club events, public promotions, workshops, shows, State Team selection, and the 50th Annual Trill™ Expert ANBC National Titles all taking place across a very busy few weeks.

The month began with our regular BCSA segment on Tribe FM, with President Troy Holmes joining Emcee Blaze and Trevor Garard on The Generation Gap program. It was a fitting way to begin what would become one of the busiest and most successful months on the South Australian budgerigar calendar.

The first weekend of May saw three events running in parallel: the BSSA Stan Watson Show, incorporating a Come & Try event; the Port Pirie Harry Johnston Young Stock Show at Crystal Brook; and the Lower Murray Bird Expo, where both the North East Budgerigar Society and the BCSA had a presence.

Stan Watson Show

The BSSA Stan Watson Show attracted an excellent 242 local entries. The event also included a Come & Try initiative, designed to welcome people interested in learning more about the exhibition budgerigar hobby. These initiatives are incredibly important, as they give newcomers the chance to see the hobby up close, ask questions, meet experienced breeders, and build confidence in taking their first steps. Congratulations to Jason and Wayne Weidenhofer, who were awarded Champion Bird of Show.

Harry Johnston Show

Further afield in Crystal Brook, the Harry Johnston Young Stock Show was held under the guidance of first-time Show Manager Tony Van Den Brink. It proved to be a day filled with enormous emotion for Tony and Angela. Not only was it Tony’s first time managing a show, but the day became even more memorable when their bird was awarded Grand Champion — their first ever Major Award. Moments like these are what make the hobby so special. They remind us of the excitement, pride, and personal milestones that sit behind every show result.

Murray Bridge Bird Expo

To the east, the North East Budgerigar Society represented the fancy at the Lower Murray Bird Club Expo in Murray Bridge. The club did a wonderful job promoting budgerigars and engaging with the public, signing up eight new members to both Council and their club. Events like this are critical to the long-term health of the hobby. They provide an opportunity to reach people outside our regular show circles, spark interest in birdkeeping, and create pathways for new members to become involved. We commend the North East volunteers for their outstanding work across the day.

BSSA Aviculture Presentation

BSSA members also gathered in Unley for their monthly meeting, which featured a virtual Zoom presentation from Lindsay Nutley. Lindsay, the self-confessed unconventional aviculturist, delivered a brilliant and thought-provoking presentation. He spoke about his journey in birds, his approach to aviculture, and his hopes for the future of the bird fancy more broadly. Presentations like Lindsay’s are a valuable reminder that there is always something new to learn, and that different perspectives can only strengthen our collective understanding.

NEBS Logan Shield Workshop

The North East Budgerigar Society also came together for a pre-show workshop ahead of the Logan Shield. Birds were tidied, masks and spots were worked on, and newer exhibitors had the opportunity to watch, learn and ask questions from those with years of experience preparing birds for major shows. These evenings are a valuable reminder of the strength of our hobby, where knowledge is shared freely and everyone is working towards presenting South Australia’s birds in the best possible condition.

There was also plenty of good humour throughout the night, particularly when Big John “BJ” Farrugia Gay managed to take home all of the raffle prizes, much to his delight. Nigel Tonkin also brought along a selection of laminated feather reference pages from various studs around the world, including material connected to Jo Mannes and Reinhart Molkentin. These proved to be a great point of interest and discussion for those in attendance.

BCSA Committee Meeting

May also saw the BCSA Committee come together for its quarterly meeting, with final preparations for the Logan Shield high on the agenda. With one of the strongest entry levels in recent years, there was a real sense of excitement heading into Sunday’s show — and the event certainly delivered.

Logan Shield State Selection Show

The Logan Shield was an incredible success for the BCSA, so much so that we may need to revisit our staging plans after running out of shelving to display the Major Award birds. It is a fantastic problem to have and a clear reflection of the strength and continued growth of the exhibition budgerigar fancy in South Australia.

This year’s Logan Shield attracted 458 entries, representing a remarkable 29% increase year on year. Even more encouraging was the success of our Novice exhibitors, with three of the 29 classes won by Novice breeders: Paul Wilton, Peter Brumby and Pauline Lampre. We also saw success from one of our Intermediate exhibitors, the Longbottom Family. This is a massive testament to the future of the hobby in this state and a wonderful sign that the next generation of South Australian exhibitors is already making its mark.

ANBC National Titles

Congratulations must also go to the 17 exhibitors who had birds selected in the South Australian State Team. These 87 birds went on to represent South Australia at the 50th Annual Trill™ Expert ANBC National Titles, where South Australia finished third overall, ahead of South Queensland.

This was a significant achievement. It is the first time in 12 years that South Australia has placed in the Top 3 at the Nationals, with the last occasion being in 2014 when South Australia hosted the event and finished with 438 points. It is also only the fourth time on record that South Australia has scored more than 400 points at a National Championship. At 474 points, this year’s result is South Australia’s highest ever points score.

Congratulations to J & W Weidenhofer and Graham McCallum, who won the Violet and Normal Grey classes respectively, and to all 17 exhibitors who represented the State. A massive thank you must also go to SQBBA for hosting an outstanding event that drew a large contingent of budgerigar breeders from across the country.

June

Looking ahead to June, there is still plenty happening across South Australia.

BSSA Member On The Couch

The BSSA will kick off the month with a Member on the Couch session, with host George England posing the hard questions to nominated guest Sue Adams. The night will also feature a brand-new segment called “Budgies with Brice”, where members will work together to dissect and better understand selected budgerigar varieties. Brice Wheaton will lead the discussion, with the first two varieties to be explored being Opaline and Opaline AOSV. George England will also present his annual ANBC round-up, giving members a behind-the-scenes look at what happened in the bird room, along with a detailed rundown of the show on the Gold Coast.

NEBS Tender Sale

North East will hold its monthly Mega Auction, leading into a tender sale on June 10th. These tender nights are always popular and provide a great opportunity to pick up new birds from local club members, often at bargain basement prices.

Port Pirie Aviary Visit: Shiralee Reardon

On Sunday, June 14th, the Port Pirie Club will hold a luncheon and aviary tour at the residence of Shiralee Reardon in Penrice. Shiralee recently won the Logan Shield Crested class and was awarded Best Opp Sex at the BSSA Show. She also placed third in the Hens class at the 2025 Nationals, so it will be a great opportunity to see some of the birds she is breeding while enjoying lunch with fellow members.

NEBS Fisher Any Age Show

On Saturday, June 20th, the North East Budgerigar Society will host its Fisher Annual Show, with Wayne Bandt judging the Major Awards.

Port Pirie Any Age Show

Finally, on Sunday, June 28th, Show Manager Tony Van Den Brink will be back in the saddle, with the Port Pirie Budgerigar Society Any Age Annual Show being held in Crystal Brook.

 

After such a strong May, June promises to keep the momentum going, with more opportunities for members to show birds, learn, socialise, support their clubs and continue building the strength of the South Australian fancy.