The poultry section at Gympie’s annual local show attracted record entry numbers this year.
A total of 650 fowl were on display with the large showing filling the poultry shed to full capacity.
Gympie Poultry Club’s Odette Hargreaves, who run the local show event, said poultry showing is becoming very popular in the region with more community members joining the local club every year.
“For this time of year it’s very early for hard feather fowls to be on the show circuit, but we’ve got a very even split of both soft and hard feather poultry entered in the Gympie Show,” Ms Hargreaves said.
“Normally we would see more soft feather exhibited than hard feather fowls at this time of year because it takes a little longer for the hard feather poultry to come into full bloom.
“The Gympie Poultry Club has been going for many years and we’ve been picking up new members every year, which is fantastic!”
Ten years ago Ms Hargreaves only owned a few egg-laying fowl, but her passion for breeding high-quality chickens has grown over the years.
“I now own about 300 chooks and all my egg-layers are competition quality hens,” she said.
“I’m secretary of the Gympie Poultry Club and personally enjoy travelling to different Queensland poultry shows throughout the year.
“I mostly show Wyandottes, Sebrights and Frizzle chicken breeds.”
Ms Hargreaves added that being a member of the Gympie Poultry Club over the years has helped her build knowledge about breeding and showing fowl.
“We try to encourage new poultry breeders to come to our Gympie Show because it really is a great place for them to start learning about competitive poultry showing,” she said.
“Our local club takes the time to educated new members on how to show fowl, how to make sure they are clean and how to pen chooks for shows, plus what’s expected during a Queensland poultry show.
“Plus, there’s always an opportunity at our Gympie Show for poultry breeders to talk with our judge and gain some valuable feedback on their fowl.”
The Gympie Poultry Club has two annual club poultry shows a year, the first one will be held on June 4 with the second fowl showing planned for July 9.
“Showing poultry is a relatively cheap hobby and we really enjoy doing it as a whole family including the kids,” Ms Hargreaves said.
Poultry Results
CHAMPION BIRD OF THE SHOW, David Simons, Bantam Ancona.
RESERVE CHAMPION BIRD OF SHOW, Dwayne Shute, Standard Old English Game.
CHAMPION SOFT FEATHER STANDARD BIRD OF SHOW, Steve Abbey, Ancona hen.
RESERVE CHAMPION SOFT FEATHER STANDARD, Sutton Family, Langshan.
CHAMPION HARD FEATHER STANDARD BIRD OF SHOW, Dwayne Shute, Standard Old English Game.
RESERVE CHAMPION HARD FEATHER STANDARD, Chris Plowman, Old English Game.
CHAMPION SOFT FEATHER BANTAM OF SHOW, David Simons, Bantam Ancona.
RESERVE CHAMPION SOFT FEATHER BANTAM, Sutton family, White Wyandotte.
CHAMPION HARD FEATHER BANTAM OF SHOW, Barry Franklin, Wheaten Old English Game.
RESERVE CHAMPION HARD FEATHER BANTAM, Matt Dunn, Modern Game.
CHAMPION WATERFOWL OF SHOW, Tony Brady.
CHAMPION PAIR EXHIBITION OVERALL, Sutton family, Pair of White Wyandottes.
CHAMPION PAIR OF FEMALES OVERALL, Sutton family, pair of Langshan females.
CHAMPION JUNIOR BIRD OF THE SHOW, Xavier Morrison, Bantam Hard feather.
RESERVE CHAMPION JUNIOR BIRD OF THE SHOW, Heath Backhouse, Bantam Soft feather.
