Bird Clubs & Shows - A Thing of the Past?
Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 7:58 pm
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?
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?
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.