The 100th anniversary of the Ipswich & District Poultry Club was celebrated at the Rosewood Showgrounds last weekend with a showing that rivalled every other similar event in provincial Queensland. The show was described as ‘pure gold’ under the guidance of Club president, Ben Biddle and a host of volunteers. The exhibit chosen as our ‘model’ is a poultry breed known as Gold Silkie. Photo: LYLE RADFORD
Ipswich and District Poultry Club president Ben Biddle.
Peter Tisdell teaches visitors about poultry eggs.
Some of the poultry exhibits at the Ipswich and District Poultry Club’s annual show.
One of the standouts at the poultry show.
Judge Tim Polley checks a hen.
Peek-ing duck, there were lots of different poultry breeds on display at the poultry show.
Ribbons and rosettes laid out ready for the presentations.
Photos: LYLE RADFORD
Words: LARA HART
THE biggest provincial poultry show in Queensland happened at Rosewood Showground, last weekend.
The number of exhibits reached 1,450 entries across the board making it wildly successful for hosts, the Ipswich and District Poultry Club.
The club’s president is 22-year-old Ben Biddle who has been in the ‘poultry game’ since he was seven years old.
His grandfather is a ‘poultry man’ too and the passion caught on after spending time together.
“He’s quite proud of me and said this last show was one of the best he’s ever been to, if not the best,” Ben said on Monday.
The event was so popular, pens were borrowed from Esk Showgrounds to cater to all the entries.
Its success was timely because it’s also the poultry club’s 100th anniversary.
“It was quite the event and we had people from all over, actually from four states of Australia at the show,” Ben said.
“A while back an interest in poultry took a little bit of a dip, the number of fowls being shown definitely dropped but it’s making a comeback.
“People are getting involved and sharing their knowledge a bit more when it comes to fancy [poultry kept primarily for ornamental value].”
His club’s annual event is usually held at the Ipswich showgrounds pavilion.
“Due to the amount of birds, we’ve had to relocate to Rosewood because that venue holds a greater number of fowls,” Ben said.
“Rosewood has capacity for 1,200 fowls and an additional 250 pens were brought in from Esk Showgrounds.”
There were 170 exhibitors and Ben said everyone who attended agreed it was the best poultry show they’d been to.
“A lot of people hadn’t seen so many birds in one venue before,” he said.
“We had classes for different breeds of chicken and waterfowl, and the field and forest breeds like turkeys and guinea fowl.”
Poultry judge Peter Tisdell showed audiences what he looked for when it came to prize winning eggs.
“The eggs are inspected for size, colour, shape and they are weighed,” Ben said.
“He cracks them open to see what is inside and to inspect the colour, shape and size of the yoke.”
Poultry club committee member Mel Colgate entered quite a few eggs and won the Grand Champion Egg Exhibit.
The eggs were from the Field and Forest Exhibit, so turkey and quail eggs.
The show’s success means next year the Rosewood Showground is set for another big poultry palooza.
