NI Regional Old English Game Club Show

The recent East Antrim Club Show, held at the Slemish Hall in Ballymena, included a Northern Ireland Regional Old English Game show.

Stewart Owen, from Manchester, was meant to judge this event but, due to his flight being cancelled, local Old English Game keeper Scott Irwin stepped in at the last minute to officiate this enormous display of quality fowl.

In all there were well over 300 Game birds in the show, of which 200 were entered in the Northern Ireland Regional Old English Game Club Show for bantams.

This was a tremendous display of Old English Game bantams across almost the entire spectrum of colours and a lot of hard work for judge Scott, who in his own right has successfully exhibited top notch Old English Game bantams.

The standard of the birds on display was incredible with most of the top Old English Game breeders and exhibitors at this event.

Slowly championship row filled up with the top Old English Game bantams.

Scott then had the even more arduous task of judging this fantastic line up to select his Show Champion and Best Opposite Sex to Show Champion at this regional show.

After much consideration, he went for the Blue Furnace pullet exhibited by M&J Blaney with the Best Opposite Sex to Show Champion going to a polecat cockerel exhibited by team Adams & McLaren.

M & J Blaney, besides winning the top accolade, also had best black, pile, crele, wheaten and duckwing.

A & R Shaw had best spangle and any other colour.

Adams and McLaren had also Best Muff or Tassel and Best Brown Red.

Graham Armstrong had Best Dark Red.

Best Junior Exhibit in Old English Game bantams was Austin McAuley with a Crele cockerel.

n It was sad that this was the last show of the season due to avian flu precautions but I must congratulate Wilbert Hollinger, the East Antrim Bantam Club secretary, Robert Shaw and the team at the East Antrim Club for putting on a first class display of poultry, along with stand-in judge Scott Irwin and all who participated in this wonderful event.

n Thanks also to Jonny Blaney, Robert Shaw and Neal Adams who helped me prepare this article.

n I wish you all a great hatching season ahead.