50^th ANNUAL TRILL™ EXPERT ANBC NATIONAL TITLES

The 50th Trill Expert ANBC National was held at the Mantra Sharks, Southport, Gold Coast, on the weekend of 23–24 May 2026. Birds from every Zone arrived on Thursday, all prepared to the highest level and ready to compete on the biggest stage in Australian exhibition budgerigars. There was an air of excitement around the venue. At the same time, there was plenty of speculation about whether there would be changes to the competition ladder. BCSA was looking to challenge for third position, while NQBZ was hoping to improve on its achievements from the 2025 National in Cairns. Preparations had been completed, and team carers and preparers were satisfied with their work. Now it was over to the birds to perform at their very best.

Organisation and Leadership

The 2026 National was hosted by South Queensland Budgerigar Breeders Association Zone Inc., under the leadership of Garry Hibberd and his dedicated organising team. The years of preparation were evident, with the event running at a highly professional level from start to finish. The Mantra Sharks proved to be an outstanding venue. Not only did it provide quality accommodation, restaurant and gaming facilities, but these were all conveniently located on site. Additionally, with the Gold Coast itself only a short drive away, the venue offered everything required for exhibitors, officials and their partners.

One of the highlights of the weekend was the special guest speaker, Ali Bouresli from Kuwait City. Ali quickly made many friends during his visit and provided an informative and interesting presentation on Saturday night. His knowledge, experiences and thoughts on the exhibition budgerigar were greatly appreciated and will remain in the memories of those who attended for many years to come. A quality speaker and a valuable source of information. Thank you, Ali.

Gold Coast 2026 Judges

The National Judges for the 50th ANBC National were:

Kevin O’Callaghan – NQBZ
Malcolm Randall – BCV
Rob Randall – BCV
Neale Love – SQBBA

For the first time in the history of the ANBC National Competition, a father and son judging team officiated together at a National. Malcolm and Rob Randall from Victoria took to the National judging stage for the first time. This created a particularly proud moment for Malcolm and a very special occasion for the Randall family. Malcolm summed up the occasion when he said:

“If I don’t ever judge a National again, I can say it has been the proudest and happiest time in my years in the budgerigar hobby, to be part of this National with my son Rob.”

I think the old boy may have had a tear or two! Well done to both Malcolm and Rob on an outstanding achievement and a memorable moment in ANBC history.

The other national judges, Kevin O’Callaghan and Neale Love, also did the National proud, with their communication and smooth judging styles complementing the Randalls’ natural judging abilities. A job well done by all four National Judges and the officials supporting them.

The SQBBA National Committee had previously extended an invitation to acclaimed UK WBO Judge and breeder, Richard Miller, to attend and judge at the 2026 National. Unfortunately, due to family circumstances, Richard was unable to fulfil the invitation and subsequently withdrew from the National. We were nevertheless delighted that Richard was able to join us via Zoom on Saturday evening for an interesting and informative presentation. His contribution was warmly received by the enthusiastic audience. In addition, the audience greatly appreciated the opportunity to hear from such a respected and accomplished member of the WBO and World breeding community.

Judges Examination

Friday’s first major event was the ANBC Judges Practical Examination, with three candidates stepping forward:

George England – BCSA
Rob Peffer – BNSW
James Matthews – NSW

Unfortunately, no candidates were successful in the practical examination this year. George and Rob will have the opportunity to re-sit their practical examination in Canberra in 2027.

Social and Media Highlights

The Friday night Meet and Greet once again featured the very popular On the Perch segment, hosted by media commentator Nic Hayes and ANBC’s own Peter Thurn.

On Saturday morning, exhibition budgerigars made their way into mainstream media, featuring on Weekend Sunrise and Local Regional Nine TV.

Live streaming and YouTube coverage also allowed the National to reach audiences around the world, thanks to the coordinated efforts of SQBBA and BCSA.

A particularly popular interview featured Malcolm and Rob Randall. This interview showcased their love of the exhibition budgerigar and their lifelong involvement in the hobby.

The Competition

To celebrate the 50th ANBC National Show, SQBBA, in conjunction with the ANBC, presented special 50th Blue Logies to honour the achievement of reaching 50 ANBC Nationals. The rosettes were also embossed with a special 50th design to commemorate this significant milestone. Across the 28 classes, the quality of the birds was outstanding. This reflected the time, effort and dedication breeders throughout Australia continue to put into the hobby.

The National winners once again came from right across Australia. This demonstrates the increasing quality being produced in aviaries throughout the country. It is not only the traditional winning aviaries that are producing outstanding birds. Breeders throughout Australia continue to push forward in their quest to achieve the ultimate goal of producing a National winner.

Breeders Hall of Fame

The ANBC Breeders Hall of Fame was once again on a knife edge coming into the 2026 National. A couple of breeders required only one or two more National wins to reach the required number for induction into this prestigious group. Moreover, the Gold Coast would provide some memorable moments. We were fortunate to welcome two new inductees into the Breeders Hall of Fame in 2026.

John Ennis of BCV entered the Hall of Fame in outstanding fashion. Needing two wins to reach the required achievement, John went one better and won four classes, an exceptional result that took him into the elite company of the ANBC Breeders Hall of Fame.

Then there was WA breeder Norm Wheatley. After the 2025 National in Cairns, Norm needed just one more win to achieve Hall of Fame status. In Cairns, Norm had managed only a second place. However, there was a genuine feeling around the room that perhaps 2026 would be his year.

Well, it certainly was.

Norm came out swinging on the Gold Coast with two outstanding wins. He finally achieved the result required to join the Breeders Hall of Fame. Outstanding achievements by both John and Norm, and two very worthy additions to this prestigious group.

The other National winners should not be overlooked. They too have the opportunity to achieve the same honour if they can continue to remain ahead of the pack of Australia’s top breeders.

Outstanding Individual Achievement

The Holmes family once again achieved an outstanding points result for BCSA, recording 237 individual points over the two days of judging, the second highest individual points score recorded. (as part of the BCSA score of 475 total points). Congratulations to the Holmes Family on an exceptional achievement.

Demonstration AOCV Class

Once again, a demonstration AOCV class was included, featuring Rainbows, Saddlebacks and Darkwings. Judges and breeders took part in an organised workshop covering these varieties as they continue to make their presence felt. They also strive towards achieving National class status in their own right. Time will tell what the future holds for these varieties, but their increasing presence within the hobby certainly makes this an interesting area to watch.

Gold Coast 2026 Final Results

BCV – 620 points – 14 wins, 12 seconds, 4 thirds
BSNSW – 539 points – 5 wins, 7 seconds, 2 thirds
BCSA – 475 points – 2 wins, 0 seconds, 13 thirds
SQBBA – 465 points – 4 wins, 4 seconds, 2 thirds
WABC – 332 points – 2 wins, 1 second, 1 third
NQBZ – 303 points – 1 win, 2 seconds, 5 thirds
BCT – 206 points – 0 wins, 0 seconds, 0 thirds

BCV once again proved dominant, although NSW continued to keep them honest. BCSA secured a close third position over SQBBA, while WABC showed significant improvement. Congratulations also to NQBZ and BCT, who remain an important part of the future of the National competition.

Volunteers, Sponsors and Thanks

A National of this size does not happen without the dedication of a large number of volunteers. Many of these volunteers work behind the scenes for months before the first bird arrives at the venue. From team carers and stewards to the commentary crew, IT staff, photographers and those involved in the live coverage, many people contributed their time and expertise to make the 50th National such a success.

Special thanks go to Luke & Glen, Catherine & Carol Gough, along with photographer Rod Turnbull, and everyone involved in delivering the seamless live coverage, including Peter Thurn, Troy Holmes, James Bader, Nic Hayes, Heath Chasemore, Gary Gazzard and many others. Appreciation must also be extended to Dave Ganzer and his helpers for their work with container transport and staging setup. Thanks also go to Simon Jenkins of Mars Birdcare for his generous provision of seed and supplies.

The National was supported by many generous sponsors, including:

Trill Expert, Hentley Farm, Media Stable, Worrell & Co, NCA Custom Cages, Mantra Gladstone, Cruise Advisors, ABK Birdkeeper, the Boal Family and many others.

Individual Class Sponsors

Our logie sponsors for 2026 are Tammy Edwards, Aussie Pet Connections, Shayla Evans, Boal Family, Michael Smith, Henry George, Capricornia BS, Mick and Deb Gearing, John Carvolth, Joel Keune, Garry & Helen Hibberd, the Holmes Family and the Mackay City Budgerigar Club. Without the support of these sponsors, volunteers and contributors, the 50th National would not have been possible at the level achieved.

Presentation Dinner

The Presentation Dinner provided a fitting finale to the 50th ANBC National. The evening included the presentation of:

Logies to the National class winners, presented by the Class Sponsors
Breeders Hall of Fame inductions for Norm Wheatley and John Ennis
ANBC Judges Certificates – No Successful Candidates for 2026
The ANBC Shield, once again awarded to BCV

Congratulations to all award recipients and, in particular, to BCV on once again taking home the National Shield.

ANBC Hall of Fame – Service Division

Over the years, the ANBC has recognised those people who give their all to the hobby and contribute well beyond what is expected of them. Many of these people work behind the scenes, often for months and years, fine-tuning the many aspects required to deliver a successful National. They are the people who simply get on with the job — the “go-to” people, the “it will be right on the night” people — who do not look for accolades or recognition, but are simply happy to be part of the ANBC team.

In 2026, the work and commitment of one such person did not go unnoticed. In conjunction with SQBBA and the ANBC Secretary, Catherine Charlesworth was nominated as a recipient of the ANBC Hall of Fame Service Division Award for 2026. Catherine has given an enormous amount to the hobby and to the organisation of the National, and this recognition was thoroughly deserved.

Congratulations, Catherine. You are a very worthy recipient of this prestigious award.

Looking Ahead

The 2026 50th ANBC National on the Gold Coast was an outstanding success and a fitting celebration of 50 years of National competition. The success of the event reflected the years of planning, preparation and hard work undertaken by SQBBA, the ANBC, the many volunteers and everyone who contributed to bringing the 50th National together.

As we now look towards the 51st ANBC National in Canberra in 2027, the challenge passes to BNSW to continue the tradition. Furthermore, BNSW will write the next chapter in the history of the ANBC National Competition. One thing is for certain – the Gold Coast has now become part of that history.

See you all in Canberra!