ONCE again records tumbled at the annual Peebles Poultry Show, with this year’s event attracting a total entry of 1,413 from 156 exhibitors from all over the UK.
Staged by Peebles & District Poultry & Bantam Club, the event is the largest one-day show of its kind in Scotland and this year was again held in the community centre in the town’s Walkershaugh, on Sunday.
There were 1,040 competitive bird entries and 218 egg entries. One of only two poultry shows in Scotland to have championship status awarded to it from the Poultry Club of Great Britain, the club hosted breed club shows for the Scottish Pekin Club, Hamburgh Club, Serama Club and Scottish Waterfowl Club.
There were more that 46 breeds on display - excluding rare and non-standard breeds - with some breeds having very large numbers of entries.
There were exhibitors coming from across of Scotland, from Newton Stewart to Orkney, and they were joined by a large contingent from the north of England and as far south as Northhamptonshire.
In the end, the eight show judges plumped for a beautiful Pekin owned by S. Currie of Mauchline, Ayrshire, as their show champion.
The winning bird also won best Pekin and best true bantam. Reserve champion went to a large female Old English Game owned by B. Welsh of Auchinleck, Ayrshire.
Best soft feather heavy breed bantam and best soft feather heavy breed large fowl where both male white Wyandottes owned by D. McGill and S. Wood respectively.
Success was also had by members of the club’s committee with E. McClintock winning best Hamburg.
A & J Cumming continued their success by winning best Scots Grey, both large and bantam.
Waterfowl also saw increased entries in geese and the larger duck breeds such as Rouens, Campbells, Cayugas, and Muscovys.
Out of 45 Call duck entries, a white femaile scooped top prize for C. Dick of Peebles. However, best waterfowl went to K. Millar with a Pekin duck.
The well-supported auction saw a top price of £75 for a pair of light Sussex bantams.
Honorary president and founder member, Jim Finlayson MBE, was delighted to see so many entries.
He told TheSouthern: “The standard of the birds in championship row was exceptional and the section winners were perfect specimens of their breeds.
“The judges did well to judge to particularly high standards and there was a great level of interest in the show and the birds from the public.”