Welcome to this week’s edition of the Budgie Bulletin!
What an incredible week it’s been for the budgie community in South Australia! Budgie Fest 2024 delivered three unforgettable days of festivities, drawing an impressive 947 attendees. Thanks to the collaboration between Media Stable and our special guest Richard Miller from the UK, Budgie Fest captured widespread media attention across major platforms, including The Advertiser, 9 News, Sunrise, ABC, FIVEaa, Mix 102.3, Magic FM, Life FM, 2GB Sydney, and more. Interstate enthusiasts joined us in Adelaide to celebrate, making Budgie Fest 2.0 a truly memorable event.
The support from prominent Adelaide icons, including David Penberthy from FIVEaa, Will McDonald from 9 News, and Minister Reggie Martin MLC, supported the esteemed judges Richard Miller, Peter Thurn, and Gary Gazzard, adding to the success of Budgie Fest.
The festival’s grand finale featured the Pet Bird event and the Tri Club Cup. Congratulations to the BSSA for claiming the first-ever Tri Club Cup with 385 points, followed by NEBS with 197 points and Port Pirie with 138. A special congratulations goes to Wayne Bandt for winning Best in Show. Thank you to everyone who made Budgie Fest 2024 an event to remember!
A full set of results, and some of the fun of the weekend, is captured below.
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| A massive thank you to Nic Hayes and his team for an outstanding job promoting the event – you do it better than anyone. To Richard Miller, thank you for hitting the ground running and your proactive engagement with the media and passionate advocacy for just how great this hobby is. Between the both of you, it had a massive impact on crowd numbers, up from 722 last year. To our sponsors, thank you for making it possible to keep the day free and family friendly, and for your investment in partnering with the BCSA. Finally, to everyone who helped support the execution of the event and making it possible – you put budgies back in the hands of kids, and making budgies cool again – planted seeds for trees some may never see the shade from – thank you. Nigel Tonkin, BCSA Ring Registrar and Life Member, had this to say about Budgie Fest 2024:
“I was fortunate enough to be able to attend this year’s Budgie Fest and to see the venue fill up and explode into action with such a cross section of people was amazing. To Troy Holmes, Kelly Scholefield, Ian Wise, Nic Hayes and Jane Kelb, congratulations on organizing and running and achieving such a positive outcome” |
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| There were two clear highlights of Budgie Fest 2024 in the editor’s mind. The first was the interstate raiders making an appearance in the pet section, and eventually taking home the Best Pet Budgie award. Travelling all the way from Sydney, and bringing their pet birds, they are to be commended. Their interaction with guests on the day was second to none, with Banana being an absolute crowd favourite. He will no doubt be the reason many young kids fall in love with budgerigars and want one of their own. |
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| The second was the live art of the incredible Daniel Connell from the Adelaide School of Art, who kept the crowd on the edge of its seat. Interestingly, it was the exhibition budgerigar enthusiasts who were more so captivated in Daniel’s eye for detail, and his ability to pick up the features of a bird in the way many aspiring judges do. Daniel’s artwork eventually sold at Auction on the day for $5,000, with Beyond Blue being the nominated charity of choice. For more than 20 years, people in Australia have placed their trust in Beyond Blue as a reliable source of mental health information, support, and hope. Beyond Blue is about fighting the stigma of mental health, one conversation at a time, and budgies can play a pivotal role in supporting mental health as a hobby, or as companion pets. |
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| Richard Miller’s highly anticipated presentation on Friday evening was another highlight of the event, as he shared the secrets behind the success of R & M Miller. With over 40 local and interstate enthusiasts gathered at The Maid in Stepney, attendees were captivated by Richard’s valuable insights and experiences in the field.
Photos of the night are captured below: |
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Looking ahead, this week brings two exciting events for budgie enthusiasts!
First, the BSSA will host a virtual aviary tour from their club rooms, showcasing the Holmes Family aviaries. Through a PowerPoint presentation with images and videos, you’ll see the evolution of their bird room design, as well as the tools and gadgets employed to keep everything running smoothly.
The second event is a Come & Try Night, including a Tender Sale, hosted by the North East. If you’re looking to add a new budgie to your aviary, this could be a perfect opportunity. The night will also feature giveaway birds for novice breeders. It’s a perfect event for those who have discovered exhibition budgies at Budgie Fest.
For more details on both events, check the Around the Clubs section in this Bulletin.
Finally, don’t forget to submit your entries for the NEBS vs. BSSA Interclub Challenge! Entries close Sunday night at 7 PM.
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This week, get ready for BSSA Auction 29, and Roger Watson’s stock reduction sale. Don’t miss your chance to secure top-quality birds!
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BSSA Online Auction 29 for 2024 🦜
BSSA Auction 29 for 2024 is live, and features birds from Dave Miller, Ken & Janet Harris, and George England. Varieties include Greywings, Recessive Pieds, Normals and more. The event finishes on November 3rd.
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Roger Watson Sale (RW16) for 2024 🦜
The Roger Watson sale is live, and features several Cinnamon wings, Recessive Pieds, Spangles, Clearbodies and more. Roger has been breeding budgies for over 25 years and is located in Croydon in Victoria. To that end, he purchased most of his stock from top breeders. These birds are a result of cutting numbers back. Roger has noted that most of the birds are 2024 rung and would suit Beginners and Intermediates. The event ends on November 3rd.
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| Applied Nutrition are excited to announce that Tummyrite products are now stocked in South Australia by Magill Grain, proud supporters of the BCSA! |
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BSSA Meeting: Holmes Family Virtual Aviary Tour
🗓 Date: Tuesday, 5 November
📍 Location: Unley Community Centre, 18 Arthur St UnleyJoin the BSSA after the Melbourne Cup at 7:00 pm for a 7:30 pm start and take a virtual tour of the Holmes Family Aviaries! Get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at one of South Australia’s most renowned budgie breeders, as Troy Holmes walks us through his daily bird-keeping routines, aviary and cage setups, feeding strategies, and more. Don’t miss out on what promises to be a fantastic evening with great company! |
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NEBS Meeting: Come & Try Night, Incorporating Tender Sale
🗓 Date: Wednesday, 6 November
📍 Location: Hectorville Community Centre, 47 Reid Ave, HectorvilleJoin the NEBS at 7:30 pm for a night to remember. The event will incorporate a tender sale of birds, but will also feature Novice Bird give aways, and a buy-swap-sell, including several budgie books and paraphernalia uncovered in the NEBS cupboard from Kilburn. A night not to be missed. |
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Interclub 24 – BSSA Vs NEBS🏆
🗓 Date: Sunday, 10 November
📍 Location: Ascot Park Scout Hall
Mark your calendars for the BSSA annual Interclub Challenge with the North East Budgerigar Society on Sunday, 10 November 2024! This year’s event will be extra special, as it will feature, for the very first time, current year rung birds (2024 red ringers) as the focus of the Interclub challenge.
Please note the new venue: Ascot Park Scout Hall, located at 51 Sixth Avenue, Ascot Park. Let’s hope for good weather to make it a fantastic day! 🤞🌤️
The BSSA’s long-standing rivalry with NEBS dates back to 1978, with the competition being held every year except for two (due to extreme weather and COVID). The scoreboard remains impressively close after 44 events, with NEBS leading at 24 wins to BSSA’s 20.
Below is a picture of the coveted Interclub Trophy, which will be up for grabs once again. Get ready for a thrilling day of competition and may the best club win! 🐦🏅
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Port Pirie Christmas Lunch
🗓 Date: Sunday, November 17th 2024
📍 Location: Port Broughton HotelJoin the Port Pirie Club for their annual pilgrimage to the Port Broughton Hotel. For those keen to attend, please advise Malcolm Loveridge, so he can confirm numbers. |
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| ANBC National Registration Link
The North Queensland Budgerigar Zone extends a warm invitation to all budgerigar enthusiasts, their families, and friends to join them in Cairns, North Queensland, for the 2025 Australian National Budgerigar Council (ANBC) Championship Show. This exciting event takes place at the Brothers Leagues Club, a premier venue perfect for our championship. For your convenience, accommodation is available at the Cairns Colonial Club Resort, just 600 meters from the venue, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable stay for all attendees. Join them for the 2025 ANBC Nationals in Cairns for a spectacular showcase of the finest budgerigars, engaging activities, and the chance to connect with fellow enthusiasts in the beautiful setting of Cairns. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to be part of a memorable event!
There is a discount code of CAMP-SHOW25 that you can use when booking for the event!
Register using the link below. |
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| Have you signed up to the ANBC Gazette? It is packed full of information, and spans the continent, with cutting edge news from Vets, nostalgic reflection on some of the older Clubs, fanciers in focus, and more. Its free, and it’s a great resource. We encourage anyone with a passion in budgerigars to sign up. |
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As we conclude this edition of the Budgie Bulletin, it’s wonderful to see budgerigars gaining recognition across various media platforms this week. A heartfelt thank you to everyone, both locally and interstate, whose support has made this event possible. Your contributions are truly appreciated and valued.
Finally, a reminder to get your entries in for the NEBS vs BSSA Interclub challenge. Entries close on Sunday night at 7 PM.
Until next week, take care.
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November
- Tuesday, 5 November – BSSA Virtual Aviary Tour
- Wednesday, 6 November – NEBS Come & Try Night
- Sunday, 10 November – BSSA/NEBS Interclub Young Bird Show 2024
- Sunday, 17 November – Port Pirie Christmas Lunch, Port Broughton Hotel
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