Talking on the phone with Davie Fisher last week we were discussing Scotland's premier show,and how it would great if this year we could achieve a bumper entry,it's not so many years back, we were aiming at an entry of a two thousand birds alas it never transpired and numbers simply decreased year by year.Sometimes you wonder why? Perth Ice Rink must rank as one of the best venues in the UK if not the best, the show date could not be better,and is easily accessable to all,something that always strikes me too is the fact that on the show day just about every member of the Scottish Society is present,but not benching birds How could this rectified?Perhaps Honor in the June issue as well as the usual SBS advert ,an appeal could be made to these missing exhibiters to lend their support.Also in recent years stands such as Budgerigar World have failed to attend,they always drew interest ,I wonder too if Bazil Thomas could be coaxed to have a stand with his super show cages and other equipment,Pehaps too a seminar similar to that of the BS would entertain members while judging is taking place.Any other ideas? Willie P.   

william peacock at 10:04AM on Jan 23, 2010

Talking on the phone with Davie Fisher last week we were discussing Scotland's premier show,and how it would great if this year we could achieve a bumper entry,it's not so many years back, we were aiming at an entry of a two thousand birds alas it never transpired and numbers simply decreased year by year.Sometimes you wonder why? Perth Ice Rink must rank as one of the best venues in the UK if not the best, the show date could not be better,and is easily accessable to all,something that always strikes me too is the fact that on the show day just about every member of the Scottish Society is present,but not benching birds How could this rectified?Perhaps Honor in the June issue as well as the usual SBS advert ,an appeal could be made to these missing exhibiters to lend their support.Also in recent years stands such as Budgerigar World have failed to attend,they always drew interest ,I wonder too if Bazil Thomas could be coaxed to have a stand with his super show cages and other equipment,Pehaps too a seminar similar to that of the BS would entertain members while judging is taking place.Any other ideas? Willie P.   

Willie i agree it would be great to get the numbers up at our premier show, i ve only been twice but there has been a great atmosphere there and some of the quality of the birds on show would be up there challenging at most shows in the uk. As you say after viewing some pics of the club show the areas around the birds does seem very bare at the sbs show, with only scottish avain supplies and avian solutions filling a part of the surrounding area. It would be great to get a few more trade stands in. The first year i attended the show they done a silent auction and i thought this was a good idea which could maybe be repeated or something similar.

 Also the dreaded word advdertising i think some local advertising around perth might get alot of people through the door which would be great for covering some costs but might just get a couple more people interseted in the hobby.

Just my thoughts

Ive not been to the Scottish area show yet , or many shows for that matter as im just starting out, but i think the hobby as a whole needs to be put to the general public as a healthy and educational pastime. I know when i started out , it was hard for me to gain information on the care and breeding of exhibition budgerigars ,even after reading books about them hence the reason for joining the Edinburgh BS, you learn a lot just by speaking to experienced fanciers and a visit to their birdhouses.

Too many people out there ( the antis ) are feeding the public with utter tosh about keeping cage birds etc etc, its about time the hobby started fighting back with the truth, helped by local media, just a simple article explaining the ins and outs of the fancy-there are a lot of people out ther who would like to become involved with budgies and other cage birds, but i suspect they think ( wrongly ) that they will become social outcasts.

It would be a good idea, i think, if the budgerigar society produced a educational dvd and distibute this dvd to libraries, schools etc etc to promote the hobby as it really is, and to let the public know that we do actually exist and would kickstart the fightback against the fascist anti brigade. On a final note, Dobbies garden centre in Dalkeith have started selling cage birds again, after banning the sale of birds a few years ago, Why, because they realise that there is still a big demand for birds in the country , hopefully this is just the start and that others will follow suit.

Following on from Duncan's suggestion regarding the B.S. issuing an educational DVD. There is already one available.

The Herring brothers produced it a about three years ago.

It really is first class and is available to all clubs and can be obtained by contacting the B.S. office.  

Would be a good idea if those clubs who don't have a copy, obtain one and  browse through it, then decide if it could be of use in their drive to attract new members. 

I also believe that Willie' suggestions are certainly worth pursuing.

Robert N