For the lovers of poultry breeding, their birds can be works of art on two legs.
And it is easy to see why.
“Look at the colours on this bird,” one exhibitor asked The Courier photographer at Saturday’s annual Narrabri Poultry Show.
“There are blues, browns, reds – fantastic. And on the other side, they are different” as he showed a whole new colour palette of feathers on the bird’s other flank.
The fowl fanciers love their hobby, and it is much more than a hobby.
The exhibitors who brought their prized birds along to the annual Narrabri Poultry Show were quietly justifiably proud of their products, their breeding and their successes as breeders.
All were on show at the show.
Amid the quiet clucking of the fowls, and there was a water-bird section as well, that is ducks, but not a quack was heard, as the judges moved their way along the rows of cages each containing a pedigree bird.
The judges were all very experienced and painstaking in their assessment – there was nothing hurried about their deliberations.
And the region’s exhibitors were aware that a prize here was hard won and worthy of pride.
Each of the three judges at the Narrabri Poultry Show were complimentary about the Narrabri event.
A judge, Damian Frith, Toowoomba, observed that the standard kept getting higher each year, a sentiment echoed by the other two judges, Errol O’Brian, Glen Innes and Kevin Bell, Warialda.
Gilgandra exhibitor Ian Young won Bird of the Show, Grand Champion Large Fowl, Champion Hard Feather Large and Reserve Old English Game at Saturday’s annual Narrabri Poultry Show on Saturday. Mr Young also picked up the Brian Croker Memorial for Champion Old English Game and the Phil McGregor Award for Champion Black Red Old English Game. ABOVE: Ian Young, and his champion Old English Game Black Red, with long serving Narrabri Poultry Club member Trish Lawty. Ian is a veteran breeder with many championships to his credit, including top prizes won at Sydney Royal Show.
This was a tribute to the exhibitors from across the region, not least Narrabri poultry breeders and the host club.
Narrabri’s poultry breeders are regularly ranked in the top echelons, right through to the Sydney Royal Show and have a reputation for presenting the best.
Narrabri Shire has some of the leading poultry breeders in the business, among them Gary Shepherdson and Kevin Lawty. Clem Stanford has long been a stalwart and respected breeder for many years at Narrabri and regional shows.
The selection and genetics of the pedigree poultry are not an accident, they are the product of years of observation, study and planning.
This year there were 620 entries in the Narrabri Poultry Show.
“It’s almost a full shed,” said club president Kevin Lawty.
There may have been bigger events, but this was an impressive attendance.
“We always like to come to Narrabri and support the show,” commented a Coonamble exhibitor.
He was just one of a coterie of regional fowl fanciers who made the trip – they came from Gunnedah, Coonamble, Gilgandra, the whole western diaspora of fowl fanciers.
And it is a family affair. There are generations which have seen the kids share their parents’ love of poultry breeding and on to achieve their own successes as breeders.
And while the regal birds were on display, true pedigree poultry, even their proudest owners don’t mind if they aren’t referred to by their proper titles.
“They are chooks,” one said affectionately.
“And we are happy to call them chooks even though they are pretty special.”
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