Has the ghost of Doncaster past been laid to rest?
It would appear so judging by the pen-side comments and the upbeat atmosphere which has been so lacking in previous shows. Dogged by bad luck in the past this show now apears to have been accepted by the majority of the pigeon fancy.
Now read what the judges and officials have to say
Firstly I'd like to thank all the fanciers who commented on how much they enjoyed the show in December. Those comments are much appreciated by myself as secretary and all the BPSS and NPA committee members who organised the National Show. I guess we all don't like change that much, but the show is now settled at Pickering, increasing in entries and exhibitors each year, has a sound platform to build on, and no amount of misguided rumours are going to alter that. During the show I actually didn't hear much mention of Doncaster, except for the amount of comments that the old Doncaster 'buzz' was back. This was no doubt due to the show being spread out to virtually fill the hall, plus the extra fanciers at the show.
The separate judging areas for the Fantails and the Long Faced Clean Legged and Muffed Tumblers worked very well and there is plenty of space for other breeds or breed groups to have a similar layout. Myself and David Knaggs, who is in charge of the penning arrangements, have already been asked if a separate section can be laid out for the blower breeds. I see no problem with this, also why not one for the Jacobins and other breeds that use walking pens, as they lend themselves to it ideally. Where else do we have the space to have this type of arrangement in the UK. Let's use it to the full.
In total at the show there were 2135 entries from 154 exhibitors, both up again on the 2008 show, and I'm sure we can get to the figure of around 2500 at the 2010 show. Taking into account the average of birds entered by exhibitors is just under 14, it would only take another 26 exhibitors to reach that total, or if I'm not dreaming too much another 62 exhibitors to pass 3000 entries. Once again there were several overseas visitors with six exhibitors from the Netherlands and one from Ireland. Most intend on exhibiting again at the next show with hopefully several more if the exchange rate with the Euro is more favourable.
A full list of the major prize winners at the show will follow but special mention and congratulations must go to Alvan Moreton for taking the top prize of Best in Show with a superb Archangel, which was also Best Young Bird. Reserve Best in Show and also a young bird was an excellent barred Voorburg Cropper owned by Billy Telford. Well done both of you. Best in Show judges were BPSS Presidents Mary and Alan Roscoe, Dennis Van Doorn from the Netherlands and Robin Pratt who picked the leading two birds from the Best in Show line-up of the seven major section winners, the other contenders being a Frillback, Muffed Tumbler, African Owl, Dragoon and Show Racer. A new perpetual award presented for the first time at the show by BPSS chairman Mike Knaggs for the Best BPSS Members Exhibit, was won by John and Beverley Elsdon with a blue chequer Dragoon.
Read the rest of this article in the January 2010 issue of Feathered World
