Ron Payne's Budgerigars - The Moonraker Stud - 2006 Season
2006 Breeding and Show Season
2006 turned out to be a strange time for myself. A more than useful breeding season was followed by one of my best show seasons ever. Unfortunately early in 2006 a problem with my hips (that was diagnosed in 2005) meant that I was unable to drive very far or sit for long periods. This stopped me visiting any of the shows that I was actually showing at. I was totally reliant on good friends, Fred Eatwell and Martin Gardener, who collected my birds and returned them to my home after each show. Without their help I would not have achieved the success that I did.
I was conscious that I had achieved a good breeding season and that the quality on some of the young birds was quite good (see photos). In early May I received an aviary visit from Surrey and Sussex BS (sadly no longer operating in 2007) and a couple of birds were picked out of my flight by Mick Mapston. These were a blue cock and a green hen. Mick (a well respected panel judge) assured me they were some of the best he had seen so far in 2006!
Sadly and tragically, Mick died at a relatively early age later in the year, but he had taken great pleasure in ringing me after my first show of the year (South Hampshire BS) and said “I told you so!”. The blue cock was proving difficult to get into show condition early on, but the light green hen was ok. She was awarded a challenge certificate, best champion young bird and the best opposite sex in show. She had been beaten for best young bird in show by a cock bird from the intermediate stud of Ken Fagan, no disgrace as Ken went on to take best young bird in show at no fewer than twelve shows he attended (and not with the same bird!).
An amusing incident with her came on the return from the Heads of the Valleys BS. She had been awarded second best champion young bird and best opposite sex young bird but a couple of hours after her return she appeared to be “fluffed up” and in a bit of trouble in the stock cage. Not wishing to lose her, or mindful of the fact that she could have contracted something at the show that could affect the rest of the stud, I isolated her from the remainder of the birds. With some trepidation I went into the shed the next day to check on her to find that she was “up and about” but had in fact passed an egg during the night! She was just 29 weeks old! I wondered then whether she would ever be a breeding hen as I had no intention of pairing her up at that age, but she has proved me wrong by producing two chicks at the time of writing (early 2007).
Later in the show season I managed to get the blue cock into condition, which he fortunately held for the remainder of the season. He was probably at his best at Somerset BS show where he was best young bird in show against some seriously good opposition.
In total I managed to exhibit at six shows, my lowest position being second best champion young bird, twice taking best young bird in show and four times best opposite sex young bird in show.
Unfortunately, my position on the waiting list for the first operation on my hips came to the top and I was called into hospital on the weekend of the BS Club Show. This is a show that I have supported, either as a helper, visitor or exhibitor, for over thirty years! Instead of visiting Doncaster for the show I paired a few pairs up and left them to get on with breeding whilst I went into hospital. Sadly they were not too successful, probably not in good breeding condition, but by Christmas things had improved and with the help of my wife (behind every man is a good woman!) I have proceeded to have another useful breeding season. Time will tell how successful I have been in terms of quality, but as I wait for a second operation I can but hope that things will work out well.
I would like to pay tribute to friends Fred Eatwell and Martin Gardener (and of course my wife Margaret) who helped me during 2006 to a thoroughly successful show season. Thanks to all of you.
This is a 2006 bird that has won four cc's in 2006. Photo courtesy of Brian Sweeting.
This is a 2006-bred pair, being used as a matched pair in 2007.