Excitement is running high for next year's national bird show which will be hosted by the Tauranga Bird Club, following their highly successful local show on the weekend.

Nearly 1000 birds were entered into the Tauranga Bird Club 60th Annual Show which ran from Saturday to Sunday May 27& 28, making it the largest NZ show of its kind in nearly a decade.

'We just hosted the biggest show in New Zealand since 2015. [There were] 885 birds benched in total” says the club's president Sheryl Baron.

Roller canaries at the Tauranga Bird Club 60^th Annual Show. Photo: Sheryl Baron.

On Saturday Sheryl contacted the SunLive newsroom.

'Huge numbers through [the show] today!! Thanks so much for your huge support of our community group. Brilliant articles in SunLive. Thanks so much!”

This year the show was held at Tauranga Racecourse, just across the road from The Referral Centre where Tauranga's Exotic Vet Martin Earles is located.

A practising veterinarian for 28 years, Martin has been a member of the club for the last seven to eight years, and had finches for the last six.

'I have Gouldian finches, firefinches, and cordon-bleu finches. The Gouldians are the main ones."

Judging taking place at the 60th Annual Tauranga Bird Show. Photo: Maree Bieleski.

At the Tauranga Bird Club Animates Annual Show in 2021, Martin who was helping to run that show with his father Graeme Earles had been expecting 500 birds. Two years later, the show is well on its way to nearly doubling in size based on the number of benched birds.

Martin has also been the show manager for 2023 and involved in getting the venue set up for the show. His daughter Amy Earles exhibited her artwork at a table near the Tauranga Exotic Vet's table in the Sir Tristram room.

Art work on display and for sale by Amy Earles. Photo: Supplied.

Sheryl says the size of the show 'is a significant feather in our cap and reassurance that it's not all going downhill in the bird world”.

'We hosted the Budgerigar Society Patronage Show at this event and we had 290 budgies on the bench -- 192 Champion birds and 98 Novice.

'This, too, is the best at a Patronage Show for a number of years and is further great news for the bird world.

'With a senior judge in from Scotland, budgie breeders from across the North Island and even one from Christchurch were lured to the Bay of Plenty to put their birds up against the best breeders.”

Local Budgie breeder, John Rosser, receiving his trophy for Best Young Budgie from Scottish judge, Grant Findlay, who judged the Champion budgies alongside local judge, Phil Hill from Hamilton. Photo: Supplied.

A colouring competition, with the picture drawn by artist Maggie Savage, ran during the days leading up to the 60th show. Four children won in the pre/school, Y1&2, Y3&4 and Y5&6 categories.

'The colouring competition winners from local schools, are a part of our show that makes my heart sing,” says Sheryl. 'Presenting prizes to delighted little ones is such a treat.

'Special thanks to Farmlands and Kong's for their significant contribution to the wonderful prize packages that we could put together for the kids. Very special thanks to Carol Oliver who helped to distribute forms to schools.”

The colouring competition entries from local schools on full display at the 60th Annual Tauranga Bird Show. Photo: Supplied.

Birds, accessories, seed, pellets and raffles galore were on sale over the weekend, making it an exciting opportunity for the ‘early bird' who wanted to ‘catch the worm'.

The winners of the raffles and Silent Auctions:
First $50 raffle winner -- Roger Barnes
Second $50 raffle winner -- June Cooper
DNA Testing Kits -- Karen Goodall
Gift Basket of Goodies -- Karl Anthony Vasau
Avi One 604 cage -- Clive Cummings
Pair of donated Silent Auction Gouldian finches -- Josh Smith
Pair of donated Silent Auction Texas Clearbodies -- Sheryl Baron

'Tauranga Bird Club would like to thank, most sincerely, the following generous sponsors for their contribution to these raffles and silent auctions - Farmlands, Topflite, Kong's, Amanda Adamson, Martin Dutchburn and Jenny and Grant Langley,” says Sheryl.

'Our show cannot be successful without the contributions of businesses and individuals like the ones mentioned here. Please support them with your business in return.

Judy Lowe running the raffles table. Photo: Maree Bieleski.

'And hearty thanks are extended to Judy Lowe who "womaned" our raffles table over the weekend with a lovely smile and welcoming demeanour!!”

Sheryl says with more and more of their 80 or so Tauranga Bird Club members joining the exhibiting fraternity, it is exciting to record the following club members who achieved the honour of being recorded among the special winners in the Tauranga Bird Club 60th Annual Show Catalogue.

They are:
Best Champion AA Border & R/up Best Border - Malcolm Miles
Best Novice & Best CYCR Non Colour Fed Novice - Denvin & Gavin Malot
R/up Best CYCR Novice - Denvin & Gavin Malot
Best Novice & Best CYCR Novice Gloster - I & A Malot
Best Junior Gloster - I & A Malot
Best Consort Novice Gloster - I & A Malot
Best Novice Roller - Karyn Angus
R/up Best Roller Canary Open - Karyn Angus
Best Blue Broken Cap Lizard Canary - G Wilkinson & M Wilson
Best CYCR BBE CYCR Budgerigar Open - John Rosser
R/up Best Budgerigar Open - Robyn & Tony Grinter
Best Champion Opp. Sex Budgerigar - Robyn & Tony Grinter
Best Champion Dark Factor or Opaline - Warren Kilmister
Best Fallow Budgerigar Open - Hamish & Sheryl Baron
Best Champion Lutino, Albino, Lacewing - Robyn & Tony G.
Best Dominant Pied Open - Robyn & Tony Grinter
Best Recessive Pied Open - Robyn & Tony Grinter
Best TCB Open Budgerigar -- Martin Dutchburn
Best Novice Sky Blue - Adrian Herbison
Best Novice Dark Factor Budgerigar - Adrian Herbison
Best Novice Single Factor Spangle - Adrian Herbison
Best CYCR Spangle Novice Budgerigar - Barrie McKoy
Best Normal Java Sparroe -- Roger Barnes
Best Red Rump - Roger Barnes
Best Parakeet incl. Ring Neck - Sandy Bailey

'Congratulations to all these members who entered birds and did well at the show,” says Sheryl.
'Four of their number live far from Tauranga but our congratulations are no less warm nor heartfelt.”

Birds on display at the 60th Annual Tauranga Bird Club show. Photo: Supplied.

Sheryl was rapt to see how successful this weekend's show was, as it's proved to be good preparation for the club ahead of next year's national show being held in Tauranga over the weekend of July 26-28, 2024.

'It was a great event. We are looking forward to hosting the National in 2024 and hope that our practice-run over the weekend will stand us in good stead for 14 months' time.”

Birds on display at the 60th Annual Tauranga Bird Club show. Photo: Supplied.