Bird Clubs & Shows - A Thing of the Past?

[Sally]

Many bird clubs are struggling these days. Memberships are down, and many bird shows are low on entries. It is up to all of us to support these groups as best we can. Many of the bird clubs put on the bird marts; they depend on the income from these marts to pay for their shows or other club expenses. Without support of the bird shows, there is less incentive to put on bird marts. Without bird marts, we lose a place to buy/sell birds/supplies.

I am issuing a challenge to every forum member who is in Texas! There will be a show in Seguin on Sept. 20, in Cleburne Sept. 27, in Houston Oct. 11, in Temple Nov. 1. I challenge you to show at one or more of these shows this year. If you don't have a show cage, I have extras. I am planning to be at each of these shows, and if you PM me ahead of time, I will bring some show cages to the show for loan. All you would have to do is bring your bird(s) to the show in a small cage so we can transfer it (them) into a show cage. I will prepare the show cages with seed on the bottom and a drinker and help you with the paperwork (if a bird is closed banded, you would want to write that number down ahead of time, as you would need that for the paperwork). Entry fees at most shows are $2 or $3 per cage.

You can go to the NFSS website (http://www.nfss.org) and read up on showing. Don't let it scare you, it is a guide only. One of my best friends is a top show competitor, and she does not spend hours/days/weeks training her birds to the show cage. She will look at her birds early in the season to decide which ones will likely be show birds, but she decides the night before the show which birds to take.

Show birds do not have to be your breeding, they do not have to be closed banded. Of course, birds without closed NFSS bands may place on the Top Ten bench, but they will not receive NFSS points. And there is nothing quite like the pleasure you feel when a bird that you have bred and raised places on that bench!

My first show, I took a few birds in used cages. Two of them placed on the Top Ten bench. I had purchased both birds, they were not my breeding. I was hooked! Last year, I talked my friend Helen into showing at Nationals. I think it might have been her second show. She placed on the Top Ten bench, something I have not done at Nationals! So you don't have to be experienced in showing. In fact, at each show, there is a special ribbon and sometimes a plaque for the highest-placing novice.

So come out and support your local clubs. They spend a lot of money and put in countless volunteer hours to make these shows possible. You can learn so much from the judges at these shows. They are happy to point out what makes for a good bird and what might be a flaw.

Don't worry if your birds aren't in show condition. I did virtually no breeding this past year, so I don't have any young birds to show, and my birds are not in show shape, but I will bring some of them to the shows to bring up the numbers. It makes the club look good if they have lots of participation, and then they have the incentive to do this all over again next year.

So, how many of you will take me up on this challenge?

[KarenB]

I will definitely be at the mart in Houston October 11th, and I will try and do my part, though I am not interested in showing. Hope to see some of you there!

[Sally]

I will be at Houston, so stop by the show and at least watch for a while. The finch division is in one room, the mart is in a different room down the hallway.

[KarenB]

I've been to three shows/marts in the past year, and yes, they are so small compared to what they used to be. It's usually the "older" breeders who are there. You are right, we do need more attendance at these things from vendors and breeders. I used to always go because I had parrots and there were good deals on toys. The one I went to last November got me into finches! I saw the actual "show" birds, but I didn't really know what I was looking at, or I couldn't tell what made them show quality compared to any others. But I did enjoy looking at them, and I will again.

[Lacybug]

Sally
Is there going to be a mart in Cleburne again on September 27th, or is this "just" a show? I went to the one on the 23rd (looked for you but couldn't find you, bummer. But it was great!!!) I would love to enter my babies! I would hate for these things to come to an end, as I'm just now getting into finching!

[finchmix22]

Lacybug
Sally and I were against the wall, near the NFSS table. Sorry we missed you.
@Sally
I plan to go to those shows and bring some finches. I will most likely bring the juveniles I bred this year, maybe a few adults too, just to support the show and up the numbers. Should be lots of fun!

[Sally]

finchmix22

Which shows are you going to? I know Cleburne for sure, but any others? Let me know how many show cages you need to borrow.

[finchmix22]

Sent you a pm.

[Colt]

Sally - Helen was telling me I should come out and show. I hadn't really thought about it till she mentioned it. I could probably make the Cleburne Show. Everything else would be too far unless I rode with somebody...lol

I have no idea what I'd bring to show though and I have no cages.

I thought I might bring the Orange-cheeked Waxbills because I doubt anyone has them. I might could bring the Shaft-tails, Gold-breasted Waxbills, Gouldians, and a Society or two. I know I don't want to bring zebras. Or really anything where the classes are going to be super full because I know my birds can't compete against professional zebra and society breeders.

Can you explain how the ranking works in the shows? Do the Species compete against one another before starting off? For instance you show your BCCB and I show my OCW. They both place and then all the placing waxbills are shown against one another to place the next set and advance? Or is that way off...

[finchmix22]

I think that is how it works, more or less.

[Sally]

Colt

If you go here http://www.nfss.org/downloads/Finch_and ... OOKLET.pdf it will show you a show catalog. Each class is judged separately. Young classes are those birds that are closed-banded with this year's bands. Unbanded birds must go in the old class, along with previous years' closed-banded birds. Then all the winners of each class in the section will be brought back to be judged against each other for winner of section. At the end, all section winners are brought back to be judged against each other for division winner and top ten bench. At that time, even second and third place birds may be considered.

I'll have to see how many extra cages I have, as Deborah has already spoken for some. I may have to limit how many each person can borrow! I want to make sure that I have some for every person who wants to borrow. I have a room reserved in Houston, but it may be full now. The Sheraton North has a bird club rate of $80 plus tax till Sep. 12. Cheryl has a room reserved in San Antonio, but I have no info on that.

Helen and Su will be showing in Cleburne, we should have a good number of exhibitors for that one.

[Colt]

Well I'm definitely thinking about the Cleburne show.

The only shows I've ever done before were with FFA and 4-H. Experience with those shows tells me if you have something different you place. In the breeding rabbit show each breed was judged separately. If you brought the only Flemish Giants, all your rabbits placed in each class and you got blue ribbons for them. That's why I'm hesitant to bring any Zebras or Societies. They'll probably all be on chicks and eggs anyway.

That's another reason I thought about the waxbills. Although my OCW are in really good feather I'd have to check the Goldbreasts. They practically live in their nest. If the Gouldians aren't on the nest or moulting I might could bring a couple. I could do Owls, Stars, and Shaft-tails. I just wouldn't know what to bring. I guess what ever is in the best feather and close-banded if possible. I wouldn't bring more than 12 birds for sure. I guarantee once I get out in the bird room and start looking at how good they look the numbers will dwindle down...lol

At the most before I look though I could do:

2 x OCW
2 x GBW (possible)
2 x Owl (Normal male and Fawn hen)
? x M YF Star, M RF Star male, or possibly an Isabelle RF Star hen if she gets her face by then.
2 x Gouldians
2 x Shaft-tails (Normal or Isabelle)

So yeah, 12 off the top of my head without looking. I'd probably cut the GBW from the list if I got a good look at them. And the Goulds and Shaft would depend on who's on chicks/eggs and who looks good.

Is there somewhere else to get cages if you run out?

[Colt]

And are there any species you'd recommend taking or not taking?

[saulosirds]

Sally

Any idea who your finch judge is going to be at any of those shows? It's nice to have a mix as they all have very good information about what makes a bird a quality bench choice!

Rob

[saulosirds]

Colt

Take the birds that you think look best to you! It doesn't matter if there is one bird in a class or 20 , it's actually more enjoyable as a guest or steward to watch bigger classes as there is much more the judging can give feed back on confirmation on. It's kinda like this: I have a young Black Bellie Fire Finch that I thought of showing, BUT it will likely be the only one there. It falls into the Fire Finch class against all other fires but I can't learn much about my Black Bellie from the judge because he won't have any other birds to compare it to. But I am going to bring it anyway as it is a very uncommon bird and people come just to see such types of birds.

Also, when you first start showing, you are in the novice section so your birds will first be judged against any other new comers birds. If they are good enough, they then will be judged against the other show participants birds. Believe it or not, there have been times that novice's birds have done very well and beat many an experienced showman's best birds!

I guess what I am trying to say is the more birds that are there, the better everyone learns from the overall experience.

One last plea to add to Sally's: if you have time to volunteer for a local bird show, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE consider doing so!! There is a ton of work to get done and every extra hand helps. I was a steward last year, basically the person that brings birds back and forth to the judges to look over and I learned a ton from getting to talk with the finch judge all day!

Rob