Friday Youth Exhibitors Qualify for $1000 Scholarship Competition

The first birds in each division judged are the youth birds which are identified with a youth ribbon on the the right hand side of the cage. The judge selected the best youth bird from their division that will go forward on Saturday for the $1000 scholarship competition. Judges explain their reasons and share helpful hints on exhibiting birds with the youth exhibitors.

Peachfaced Lovebird Judge Frank Horan discusses the merits of the 13 youth peachfaced lovebird exhibits. Nicholas, a peachfaced lovebird breeder, although he qualified this year for the first time for NCBS youth competition, he is an experienced breeder and exhibitor having bred and competed already for four years at local shows in Texas since second grade!

After the youth division representative is selected, the youth ribbons are removed and all of the youth birds are placed in the regular division competition.

Youth exhibitors, Shane far right and Miles wearing the Tulsa Club Blue Show Worker Identification Apron, listen intently to Finch & Softbill Judge Armando Lee go over the 17 youth entries in his division. Miles was an active show worker always busy with helping steward in that division or working at any odd job where he was needed!


Parrot Judge, Phil Ryan discusses the 13 youth exhibits in his division. Youth exhibitors, Alexandra far right and Miles far left listen to his comments.

Three exhibitors Evan, Miles, and Yelenda competed in the Fife division competition while Yelenda was the only entry in the Gloster division. Yelenda was the winner of the fife and gloster youth division.

The youth division winners, identified by their youth ribbons, were displayed on the same table as the Higgins winners. The youth division plaque to be awarded to the youth division winner on Saturday was also displayed behind the youth entries.


The parrot youth division winner, selected from 13 youth entries, put on quite a show bearing all to any who would stop a moment to check him out! Congratulations Alexandra!


The youth division peachfaced lovebird winner has a beautiful face and great demeanor! Congratulations Nicholas!


Although I took multiple shots the finch winner was so active that I could not get a good shot of it! Congratulations Shane! It was a lovely bird and like the gloster, parrot and lovebird youth winners placed well in their division competitions! I also somehow failed to get a picture of the cockatiel youth winner, sorry Miles but Congratulations on your winning bird!

A total of six youth exhibitors exhibited fifty birds at the NCBS Show! On Saturday the six judges with youth entries independently ranked the birds in the $1000 scholarship competition and the results of their composite rankings awarded the finch entry the $1000 Scholarship! Congratulations Shane!!! A Special Thank You to Higgins Premium Pet Foods for sponsoring the $1000 Youth Scholarship Award!!

Second place was the Gloster, Congratulations Yelenda and third place went to the Peachfaced Lovebird, Congratulations Nicholas! Each of the top three winners, announced at the banquet, received a medal similar to the Olympics medals and Bird Talk also awarded them magazine subscriptions. Thanks Bird Talk!!

Each year, I am impressed by our youth competitors! They are really into their birds. Their main concern is for their birds well-being during the show and learning to be a better breeders.

Yelenda, who won both the fife and gloster division and second place in the youth division, has written a approximately seventy page book on caring for canaries which I was privileged to read and comment on its content after the youth meeting on Thursday night. It is well-written and very informative and I would highly recommend it for canary breeders! Yelenda, put me on your list to purchase your book as soon as it is available!!

We can all be proud of these young people who will be part of the future of our Show of Shows!!