ELBSteamplayerReg

WHAT IS THE POINT OF A CLUB WITHOUT MEMBERS WHO SHARE A COMMON INTEREST OR AT LEAST HAVE ENOUGH IN COMMON WITH OTHER MEMBERS TO WISH TO SHARE IN THAT PERSON’S CLUB ACTIVITIES, ETC....?

Most of the members of the East London Budgerigar Society share a common love of Show Budgerigars. And then there are those who do not know the difference between an opaline and a normal colored show bird. What made them join?
LETS FIND OUT . . . Starting with . . . REG MARTIN.
Reg has been a member of the East London Budgerigar Society on and off for a good many years and has been interested in Show Budgerigars for many years longer. He has bred show budgies for 39 years and has enjoyed every moment of it.

Reg didn’t start out with Show Budgies. In fact, he had an aviary full of seed gutsing petshop varieties. Then in 1959, he popped along to the East London Cage Bird Show held in the City Hall, and was bitten by a Show Budgie bug. The late Vernon Klette saw Reg looking at the birds on show and spoke him into joining the ELBS club.

Frank Chambers of Benoni, sold Reg his initial stock and then went on to tell Reg all he had to know about the Budgie business.

“The greatest highlight of my Budgie career was in 1966. I was still an intermediate breeder at the time. At the cape Provincial Show held in Kimberley, I cleaned up, winning Best Bird, Best Breeder on Show, beating the champions. That same year, at the National, I won Best Intermediate, Best Intermediate Breeder & Runner-up to Best Bird on Show, which was won by Haddeus Phipson. Also, in that same year, at the Transvaal Provincial held at Springs, I cleaned up the Intermediate Section and went on to win Best Bird on Show, Best Breeder on Show, Best Bird Opposite Sex on Show, Best Breeder Opposite Sex on Show and in the process beat such great champions such as Doc Robertson, Bill Adamson and Harold Grant. I must also mention that in my first year as a Champion breeder in 1969, I won the title of Champion of Champions, winning Best Champion Breeder, Best Champion Breeder Opposite Sex and 4th Best Champion Breeder and just pipped at the post by Doc Robertson for Best Bird which he won with an adult Opaline Yellow Hen. I was Best Opposite Sex to her and runner up to Best Bird on Show.”

“My worst nightmare, was ELBS TEAM PLAYERS
when I was beaten for Best Bird by an inferior hen. I won’t mention the judges name, but he cost me a diamond from De Beers, plus R500 prize money which I should have won hands down.”

What irritates Reg most, is when quality chicks are lost due to parents refusing to feed them.

The best piece of advice Reg would give to a beginner starting out . . . “Start with a good foundation stock.”

Some budgie breeders also show an interest in other species of birds, such as cockatiels, ringnecks, etc. Not Reg tho’, who says “I only have an interest in Budgies and I wouldn’t give them up for any other variety.”

Reg became a Judge in 1966. He was told by Doc Robertson that he had a very good eye for seeing a good bird. Since becoming a Judge, Reg has maintained an excellent record and has judged major awards on 3 National Shows and 14 Provincial Shows.

Doc Robertson has been Reg’s best competition, pipping Reg’s birds at the winning post on most shows. If Doc had not entered birds on as many shows as he did, Reg would have won many more awards.

When asked “If you had to do it all over again, what things would you change?” Reg had this answer. . . “I wouldn’t change anything. I started the hobby the correct way and my record proves it.”

Reg Martin has a wealth of knowledge about Show Budgerigars, and any beginner wishing to climb the championship ladder would do well to pay Reg a visit and ask his advice, and heed same advice.