BRITISH WATERFOWL ASSOCIATION NATIONAL WATERFOWL EXHIBITION AT SOLIHULL RIDING CLUB
SUNDAY 2 NOVEMBER 2008

at Solihull Riding Club, Four Ashes Road, Bentley Heath,B93 8QE Near Solihull (near J 4 on M42)

You do not have to be a BWA member to enter birds in the domestic waterfowl show section.
Schedules available from the Secretaries Sue & Geoff Chase 01794 390624.
Closing date for entries: 14 October 2008
Now the first SUNDAY of the month.


Click to find on Multimap Entrance from Four Ashes Road near the Drum and Monkey

The Show and Sale is open to the public to visit and buy. Admission £2.00, unless exhibitors entries amount to £10

BWA National Waterfowl Exhibition – last year

Report by Rupert Stephenson

Photographs copyright Rupert Stephenson

Saturday 3rd November 2007 saw the annual British Waterfowl Association National Show held at the comfortable surroundings of the Solihull Riding Club indoor arena in Warwickshire, with an excellent catering area, a gallery to look over the show, and ample parking. This is an ideal place for such a large show of over 500 waterfowl.

The event was once again well organised by the BWA and was very well spaced out; a separate selling area with stewards to inform potential buyers about the birds was also a good idea. All show birds were in single tier cages. This, I was informed, helps to keep the waterfowl placid because the judges do not have to stand close up to the cages to judge the top rows. Also the lighting is better; a lower row is always darker and birds do not stand as well either. Looking around, all the waterfowl seemed very happy and well presented.

This show, and others like it, are a must for smallholders looking for a specific breed to keep on their holding. Not only can you see the type of bird that you might like to keep, but you can talk to the breeders about the values and benefits of the breed to see if it will fit in with your smallholding requirements. Most fanciers on the show scene started off like you and me with a few quality pure-bred ducks and geese on their plot for eggs, meat and pleasure, and then progressed from there. Depending on the size and location of your holding, you might want some of the heaviest geese or smallest of ducks, but whatever you choose, it is best to purchase your birds from a well-established breeder who has surplus stock to sell. That's far better than risking buying a few "off the cuff" at the local market, where you have no guarantee of parentage, age or quality. Buying from a known breeder helps everyone in the long run; you get quality birds, they sell spare stock and the breed you choose is being preserved for the future.

At the side of the hall was an excellent display of waterfowl arks, nest boxes and pens from Poultry Orchard Pens. These pens were of good, solid construction and well made to a high standard; this gives you the opportunity to set yourself up all in one go.

On show was a tremendous display of rosettes, specials, trophies and cups. I counted over 90 different awards to be won, quite a display for any club to stage - and all polished to perfection.

It was a pleasure to meet the ladies and gents from the various club stands who had put on a really lovely display along the top of the hall. It's noticeable how much effort these people put into setting up their various club stands in order to promote their breed and they always have a smile and friendly chat for you; whether newcomer or old hand, they make you feel welcome.

Looking around the spacious hall, there was a noticeable amount of public interest
from people who had heard about the event on local radio, and in the press. They had come along to see 500 pens of ducks geese and eggs on show plus lots of sale pens.

There was, at the bottom of the hall, a judges' master class on Bantam ducks, where prominent waterfowl judges assessed birds and gave a description on each bird to other judges. Thus was to help everybody learn about the other breeds and their finer points. I think this cannot be emphasised enough: if you want new breeders and exhibitors to join your fancy you must, as the BWA does, teach others what to look for. Nothing beats the question and answer session where you can physically learn; books are great but nothing beats "hands on experience". It is intended that this become a regular feature at this show.

What was very noticeable this year was the vast array of new faces in the show hall, listening to comments. Many people had taken up waterfowl breeding and showing after attending previous shows and events. This can only be good for the hobby, as we will have up-and-coming fresh faces to carry forward the fancy into the future years, and although pen numbers were a little down on previous years, the quality of birds was definitely up. It was great to see the "old timers" freely giving help and support to many of the newcomers. This is what the fancy is all about; you can't take your knowledge with you, so share it about.

The general quality of birds I saw was indeed very good. It was obvious that much effort had been put into preparing birds for the show; the judges certainly had their work cut out selecting the best from each section, with championship judge Steph Mansell choosing an excellent Pekin owned by Julie Christopher as Best in Show. A lovely bird with good shape and, importantly, the correct creamy colour.

It is important to mention the juveniles. They are the fancy's future and it was good to see how actively they were encouraged to participate in the show, with young Jason Millward winning Best Juvenile with his white Call

Best Heavy Goose/Gander, and Champion Goose/Gander was a grand African owned by C&M Ashton. It was in very good condition and was well turned out.

Erica Hughes also did well with her Roman gander winning Best of Breed and Best Light Goose/Gander; the bird posed beautifully for the photos.

One of my favourite waterfowl, a lovely Black East Indian duck, won Laura Ewan the award for Best Bantam duck. As I photographed it, I noticed the beautiful sheen to its plumage. It was so well presented and a joy to look at.

Other top wards were Frank & Cynthia Jones Welsh Harlequin (Best Light Duck/Drake) and they also gained the Best Runner award with their white drake. Best Call was Graham & Sandra Barnard's Silver.

The show was well attended and is a must for anyone who wants to see quality waterfowl in a large, spacious, well-lit event. All in all, the atmosphere was very friendly, well organised with good food and facilities, and all the prizewinners received a good applause from their fellow exhibitors. So book it into your diary for next year; you won't be disappointed with a visit.