The National Exhibition 2024

I missed the National Exhibition again this year but fortunately Andy Beesley, the Secretary of the Lizard canary section, recorded the event and sent me judge Chris Jordan’s report:

“The  show  season  started  again  at  Stafford  with  the  English  National  Exhibition. There were 71 birds  entered,  of which  65  were on  the show bench in the  Lizard Canary  section, a  good  number  for  one  of  the  first  shows  of  the  season .  Judging  started  in the Champion colour-fed section with  a good  clear  cap  gold  cock from Andy  Beesley  taking  the  first  class  and  going  on  to be 4th Best Champion Colour-fed  Lizard.  Rob  &  Ian  Wright took  the  next  two  classes  with  good  birds  from  a  very  fine  team with  Grahame  Davis  taking  class  C4  with  a  nice  broken  cap  silver  cock.

Class  C6  the winner was again from the  Wright  stud with a  good  clear  cap  silver  hen which also took 2nd  Best Champion  Colour-fed  Lizard.  Keith  Johnson  down  from  Falkirk  won the non cap gold cock class and also won 3rd Best Colour-fed Lizard, making it well  worth  the trip.  Andy Beesley brought a good team and took the clear cap gold hen class and  also had a number of  runner  up  places  in  other  classes.

Lizard canaries at the 2024 National exhibition
R & I Wright’s Best Lizard canary, a non cap silver hen

It was clear that the  bird  of  the  show was  another  Wright  bird, this time  a  non  cap  silver  hen  winning  her  class   with  good  colour, breast  work  and  spangles.  She had shone all  day, ultimately  taking  Best Colour-fed Lizard, Best Champion Lizard, as well as Best Lizard Canary.  She went on to win 2nd Best Canary in show.  A further point worth noting is that this is the fourth consecutive year that the Wright partnership have taken Best Lizard Canary at the English National and their 2022 winner went on to win Best Canary in Show with another non cap.

Lizard canaries at the 2024 National exhibition
Nick Rayson’s Best Novice Lizard canary, a non cap gold cock

The  novice  colour-fed section was dominated  by  Nick  Rayson’s  team of  birds  taking  four  class  wins  and  the  top  three  places  for  colour-fed  Lizards.  Best Novice was Nick’s non-cap gold cock  with  a  junior  member Toby  Ashpole  being  4th Best Novice colour-fed  Lizard  in  the section with  a  good  clear  cap  silver  cock,  this  bird   also being  voted  Best  Junior  Canary  in  Show and eventually Best Junior Exhibit.

Lizard canaries at the 2024 National exhibition
Toby Ashpole with his Best Junior Lizard Canary

The  Natural (non-colour- fed) birds  in  the  Champion  classes  saw  Noel  Sidney  with  three  class  wins  and  also  taking  Best Champion  with a clear cap silver cock and subsequently Best Natural Lizard  in the section.  This was followed closely in  the  Champion  classes  by  Rob  &  Ian  Wright’s birds.

Lizard canaries at the 2024 National exhibition
Best Natural Lizard canary, a clear cap silver cock by Noel Sidney

The  Novice  classes  saw a new  name at the National with Mick Tiffany taking  two  class  wins  and  the  top  two  Novice places.  Mick also won 2nd Best Novice Natural, with  Paul  Hutchinson  securing  a  class  win as well.  The  Best  Lizard canary in  the  Natural (non colour-fed) section was Noel  Sidney, then Mick  Tiffany taking 2nd and 4th Best, whilst  Rob  &  Ian  Wright took  3rd  Best and  Paul  Hutchinson  5th  Best on the day.

Lizard canaries at the 2024 National exhibition
Best Novice Natural Lizard canary, a broken cap silver hen from Mike Tiffany

A  good  standard  of  birds all round with some good teams of birds and good to see some  new  names doing  well,  also  we had a  new  junior   exhibitor  in  Reggie  Poll  taking  a  creditable  place  in  a  class  of  eight  birds.

Lizard canaries at the 2024 National exhibition
Toby Ashpole with his Best Junior trophy

So with Toby Ashpole takingBest Junior in show and Rob & Ian Wright winning 2nd Best Canary in  Show it looks well for the Lizard canary on the show  bench for 2024.

Chris  Jordan (Judge).

Footnotes:

  • My thanks to Andy and Chris for their photos and report respectively.
  • For those who may be wondering how Toby competed in the Novice section yet won the award for Best Junior, the LCA’s Rules allow for Juniors to compete in the Novice classes if there are no separate classes for Juniors at a show. This does not compromise their Junior status.

2 thoughts on “The National Exhibition 2024

  1. Magnifique lizards de très bons oiseaux félicitations j’ ai arrêté l’élevage de lizards mais je crois je vais recommencer bravo

  2. I would like to say ,well done young toby ,

    I have for many years hated the colure fed canarys and in resent years more so ,as breeders seem to colure feed every bird they have , and in my opinion for the worse,

    However after seeing these gold lizards being colure fed , the lizard markings shine through and look stunning

    So I have to eat my words but only on this accation ,
    Well done that man for producing some stunning colured none capped lizards

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