1972 to 1979

Foundations of the ANBC Show – A National Vision Realised 1972 to 1979

The foundations of the ANBC National Show began in 1972, when Dr Harold Cooper (NSW, later Tasmania) and the late Frank Gardener (Victoria) envisioned a Teams Competition that would unite fanciers from across Australia. To build support, they brought together respected breeders including Harry Eady and Evan Stafford from Victoria, Ron Hunt from NSW, and George Duffield from South Australia.

Momentum gathered in 1974 when Harry Eady successfully encouraged the Budgerigar Council of Australia (now BCV) to host the inaugural Teams Competition the following year.

In 1975, the first Teams Competition took place in Kensington, Victoria, featuring entries from Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia. Victoria claimed victory in this historic event, which featured 12 classes including Normals, Blackeye, Ino, Cinnamon, Opaline, Yellow Face, Pied, and Hens.

The competition quickly became an annual tradition. By 1976, it had formalised many of the customs that still continue today—such as the introduction of a scoreboard and the now-iconic Saturday night dinner dance.

South Australia hosted and won in 1977, before Western Australia joined the event in 1978, expanding national participation. By 1979, Queensland entered the competition, and in 1980 the state split into South and North Queensland representation. Tasmania completed the national picture in 1983.

Throughout these formative years, consistency in class structure allowed breeders to benchmark progress, while guest lectures—such as the 1979 appearance of Bryan Byles from the UK—helped raise the show’s educational value.

These early efforts laid the groundwork for the Australian National Budgerigar Championship as we know it today: a rotating, inclusive event that showcases the best of Australian breeding and celebrates the camaraderie of the fancy nationwide.

Summary of 1972 to 1979