SW&SCZFC Junior Focus first published in Cage & Aviary Birds Magazine Oct 2020

Name: Leah Rochester 

Age 16
Lives Plymouth
Birds kept; zebra finches, Bengalese, Dimond Fire tails, Silver bill’s, Heck’s, Exhibition budgies and budgies of colour

  

Background in birdkeeping: I have been looking after birds for about 7 year now. I was 9 when I took over my sister’s birds. We had a small aviary with not many birds. The year after I started to breed my zebra finches that is when I really feel in love with these birds. I started showing when I meet Peter Cannan and Derek Bates. They helped me with getting ready for the shows. The year after the I meet so many amazing people that have helped me with my zebra finches and all my other birds. After a couple of showing seasons with zebra finches and my other birds. I wanted to expand to different birds, so I started with the budgies of colour. The last couple of years I started experimenting with exhibition budgies with my dad thanks too help of Harry Knapp. 

 

Setup, I have a finch aviary and shed outdoors. An internal aviary and breeding cages in a 12” x 14” breeding shed has controlled lighting from avian lighting. Brian has been great with any problems he solves them. The birds really picked up and breed well with the regulated timings.

 

Wins. Lost count but the main part is socialising with other with a passion for the hobby. I find the shows a great learning environment.

 

Other Clubs. all the society's like zebra , Bengalese, wax bill, Australian finch , budgie , Western Counties B&FBS and Kernow.

 

 

Mentors: Peter Cannan, Derek Bates, Andy Nethercott , Granville Allan, Harry Knapp and so many others that the list would go on for ever. I would like to thank all the positive people who have helped me on this journey.

Name: Layla Bowyer

 

Age: 8

 

Lives: Cornwall

 

Birds kept: Fife's, Bengalese, Zebra Finches.

 

Background in Bird Keeping: I have always been interested in birds and started with a rescue Cockatiel and budgie. 2019 was my first year of owning smaller birds and showing.

 

Set up: I have a bird room at home, and I like to sit and watch my birds.

 

Goals: I hope to breed my own birds to show next year and encourage more juniors to join.

 

Other Clubs: South Western Bengalese Finch Club. National Bengalese Finch Association & Cornish and South West Gloster Club.

 

Mentors: My biggest mentors have been Derrick and Maggie Bates who first suggested I might like to visit a show and take part in a pet section. People have helped me build my show stock and it really encouraged me knowing I had their help and support. Every show I have been to has felt warm and welcoming. My Mum drives me to shows and is helping me with my record keeping she is learning with me

Name - Jack Harrison & Blake Harrison 

Age - 14 & 11

Lives - Trimsaran (South Wales) UK

Birds kept - Jack has chestnuts and Blake has penguins  

 

Background in birdkeeping - our father Mark Harrison started off over 10 years ago within bird keeping and attended many shows but come out of it and started back in 2016, but we didn't enter any shows until 2017, so that we could get started back up. The reason for getting started back up with the birds is that I had an interest in them through family relatives, so that's the reason my dad come back into it was for myself and for me to have something I enjoy doing with him, he knew what to do to get better birds and to make our own stud over the years, my brother Blake then wanted to join so become partnership with myself in 2019, as he gained interest in what we were doing. I always had an eye for the chestnuts and Blake for the penguins and so far everything is paying on with bettering our birds over the years and hopefully will be a very testing 2021 to come.

 

Setup - we have a 20ft shed with 56 cages 

 

Wins -

I've had many wins so far which I'm proud of, 

 JB= Junior Breeder, JA= Junior Adult, J= Junior Birds

2017 

(Club Show) JB,J & JA

 

2018 

(Club Show) JB,J

(Scottish) JB

(South Western & Southern Counties) JA,J

(Scottish & Northern Counties) JA,J & JB

(Welsh) JA,J & JB

(Western Counties) JB,J

 

2019

(Welsh) JB

(South Western & Southern Counties) JB

(Western Counties) JA,J & JB

 

Blake only just started up within 2019 so has won nothing as of yet.

 

The other clubs we belong to are.

Western Counties B&FBS

Scottish & Northern Counties ZFC

Scottish ZFS 

 

Mentors - our mentors are and will always be our father Mark Harrison and a good friend of the family Peter Harrison, as he has helped me from the bottom and given me great advice and will be forever grateful for his help.