Judging the Junior Fancier of the Year Competition
It was a great pleasure to meet the fanciers of the future, the current crop of our top juniors at the National Show, when I was asked to officiate and select the junior fancier of the year, writes Andrew Wetters.

It was a very hard decision to make, as all were competent, and taking into account age differences, very knowledgeable on their chosen breeds.

I was looking for a fancier who was able to handle the bird well, had a good understanding of what was required in a show bird of the breed and the good and bad points of the bird they had chosen to bring up.

It was amusing to me when asking a fairly simple question of a couple of the older competitors to be shot a look, which queried whether I knew anything at all about poultry. Sorry folks, but I was trying to be fair to all and cover the same points with everyone. Certainly, amongst the older competitors there are potential judges of the future if they stick at it and broaden their knowledge as they go.

I hope everyone enjoyed the time spent together and hopefully learnt a little something along the way. Everyone was a winner on the day thanks to you all.

Finally, congratulations to the winner, the Poultry Club of Great Britain, "Junior Fancier of the Year", frizzle breeder, ’Thomas Brooks’.

Juvenile Classes at the Northern Championship Show
For a number of years now we have had a rule at the Northern Championship Shows that no juniors were allowed to show in the junior classes if a relative was showing in the open classes.

Historically this was introduced to prevent abuse of the system by non - participating juniors. The real problem of abuse was not that non - interested children were taking prizes, but that genuine juniors were becoming disenchanted with the hobby at an early age. With his rule in force the genuine juniors can only show in open classes. Without it abuse would soon creep back in.

In 1996, to encourage more youngsters to show their birds, anyone under the age of sixteen was allowed to enter into one junior class. This catered for all breeds, sizes and colours. The exhibitors were then encouraged to remain with the judge whilst judging took place; all twelve did so. Each exhibitor brought his or her entry to the stage where the judge discussed the bird with the owner and the other junior exhibitors.

The judge brought the British Poultry Standards along with him and pointed out the different emphasis for each different breed, type, colour, etc.. Both judge and exhibitors were a little apprehensive at first but the judge was soon in his stride and he had the juniors asking questions and volunteering information and observations.

All entries were then graded according to the breed standard and given a first, second or third prize. To some extent this was influenced by the exhibitors knowledge and handling of the bird. Then a best junior was chosen.

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