2003 Colonial Club, Cairns, QLD

In 2003, North and Central Queensland hosted this year’s championship at the Colonial Club Resort in Cairns. This venue has proved to be the most popular of all the venues where we have held the Championship Show. The main comment from visiting fanciers was to praise the help, hospitality and overall friendliness of the hosts. Every person interviewed in regard to the show commenced their comments with “our hosts were wonderful and went to great lengths to ensure we enjoyed ourselves”.

This year’s show was run as a one-day event and the North Queenslanders can be congratulated on proving one day shows can still be run successfully. Most visitors enjoyed being able to view the hosts selection show. Delegates were pleased not to have subcommittees squeezed into a restricted timetable. The only adverse comments were made on the time allowed to view the exhibits, but the majority of visitors felt they had enough time.

The excursions were all given high praise and the impression was that every one that had the good fortune to attend would be back again. During the last coach excursion Joyce West, the wife of our late Secretary (Brian West) advised the members this would be her last National, her attendance at these shows has been regular and her absence will be felt by all who know her as a hard worker and ambassador for Budgerigars and North Queensland.

The best news for the championships was the amount of specialist clubs and commercial enterprises willing to support the event with cash donations. The Clearwing, The Crest and Pied Societies all coming forward with cash donations. Golden Cobb have pledged a seven year support for the Championship along with paying the Membership fees to the World Budgerigar Organisation. This support along with the increased ring levy puts the ANBC in a very healthy position.

This year marks the end of popular secretary Bruce Bradford’s long term of office (over an eight-year period) and Alistair Home taking over the position. Thanks and well wishes were all put forward in motions and personal approaches.

Council Meeting discussed many issues from plastic strips to creating a Hall Of Fame. The significant issues were:

  • Plastic strips on the front of the cage raises the question of ventilation and difficulties when trying to judge the birds.
  • The election of a National Executive was mainly a procedural item, however the ANBC President could best serve the coming event if elected from next year’s host.
  • The issue of overseas judges officiating at The Championship Show was soundly defeated, however encouragement was given to those member bodies who wish to use these judges at state level.
  • A unanimous decision to have The Clearbody variety complete for points at the 2004 show was well received by all.
  • Council gave the approval for an Honour Roll or Hall of Fame be established with Peter Glassenbury from South Australia given the task of establishing the criteria in company with Alistair Home.
  • The B.S.N.S.W, next years host for the 30th Anniversary Show have been given permission to honour The Founding Fathers.

Final summing up of this meeting was that a lot of items were worked through with all delegates cooperating and given plenty of thought to the items at hand.

The new standard for Budgerigars produced for the ANBC under the guidance of Bob Bourke was completed and presented to the council for permission to go to print. This was approved and as we approach the 2004 championship the standard has been issued to all member bodies.

Victoria has now won seventeen championships, the last eight in a row. N.S.W and S.E Queensland seem to have settled into second and third places however the other four states have interesting tussles each year with the outcome never known till the last class is judged each year.

This years officiating judges were:-

  • Steven Mow (Victoria),
  • Graham Tuthill (Tasmania),
  • John Bowgett (North Queensland) and;
  • Peter Glassenbury (South Australia).

Final Results:

Victoria                       385                                Tasmania                                   242

New South Wales      361                                   South Australia                     195

South Queensland     350                            Queensland North and Central      172

Western Australia      290

 

Ron Hunt, 2003
ANBC Historian