During the past 60 years the 'Show Roller' has developed from the kit flying, spinning 'Birmingham Roller' into the distinctly handsome, unique and very popular breed which it is today. Its 'Breed Standard' is set out within the recent NPA Book of Breed Standards. This is a show breed through and through. It is far removed from its progenitor. I believe that, like several other Tumbler breeds, it should be reclassified from a Flying breed and placed amongst the Fancy breeds - which it most surely is.
The Northern Roller Club was formed in 1967. The Club's focus was very quickly established on the showing and on show type Rollers, although in its title it stated 'Catering for Flying and Showing'.
My first involvement with the NRC was at its Open Show held near Leeds in 1971. I entered six clean, fit, flying Rollers. I watched the judging with anticipation and concentration, only to see the judge bypass my birds with hardly a second glance, let alone handling any of them. 'Not show type,' he told me, 'look at their snipey heads, compare them with the winning birds,' he added. This I did and what is more I fell for the type which had the red cards up!
this article continues in the May 2011 issue of Featherd World.
