At the 1997 BS Show in Doncaster Mr Royston Simpson showed me a preview of his proposed publicity drive for the 1998 Budgerigar Society Club Show.
This professional approach is to be com-mended and with one and all backing Mr Simpson’s efforts the Show is bound to benefit. It is certainly a step in the right direction.
Companies across the land are to be targeted for sponsorship. At the moment a mere handful support the show. Mr Simpson has spelt out in detail how they can help (and benefit) from sup-porting the Show. They will be highlighted as companies (and individuals) supporting the Fancy and it is to be hoped that those attending the Show will appreciate what they have done and support them throughout the year.
Unfortunately, despite the fact that seed companies, as an example, sponsor the Fancy with thousands of pounds every year, there are breeders who will go to their nearest pet shop and buy the cheapest seed they can get. Its not the quality of the seed that counts with them, but the pound or two per bag they get the inferior seed cheaper. Yet those very people are the ones who study show schedules to see what they could win as specials. Does it make sense?
Whilst companies are always the ones who seem to be targeted, in the Budgerigar Fancy there are breeders who have, over the years, done exceptionally well by selling stock to their fellow fanciers. It would be nice to see them sponsoring for a change. At the present time you can count on the fingers of one hand how many breeders sponsor shows. They advertise their stock, but how many sponsor anything. I see nothing wrong in target-ting such people.
There will be a number of improvements at this year’s BS Club Show thanks again to Royston Simpson. One such change will be a huge video screen.
Now that Royston Simpson has tackled the Club Show, how about a similar approach at the other end of the Fancy. I would like to see some-thing positive done about the horrific losses sustained in member-ship over the years. I am well aware that I have referred to this subject several times before, but facing facts: What is being done about it? I would like to see an approach on similar lines to that done by Royston Simpson. A professional approach with suggestions you can get your teeth into. And why restrict it to the BS Other countries throughout the world are losing members (America in particular) and they should be get-ting their heads together and attacking the problem. The various countries could then put their ideas to the World Budgerigar Association with the hope that the problem could be arrested.
When it comes to attracting new members to the hobby, new ideas are needed. It seems that very little effort is made to get the ordinary public into our shows. These shows are mostly held in school assembly halls, but not once have I seen children from that particular school invited to attend. At times I get the feeling that the general public is not wanted at shows and that exhibitors are the only ones that count. Maybe some shows should become part of another event, such as a flower show or similar, where people could walk from event to event. This idea is not new but has been adopted in a number of areas in the past. I think some failed because the exhibitors wanted to be on their own. Others failed because those involved could not see eye to eye with each other, a factor which has split more than one show in the past.
There are people out there who are interested in Budgerigars and there is nowhere better to prove this than on the Internet. The Budgerigar World home page has been accessed by over many people from April 1998 to date. But what is being done about it? Unfortunately we do not know who they are or where they come from, but it’s a fact of life there are far more people interested in our birds than we ever thought. Since this is a world wide figure, we need world-wide ideas to get at them.
Whilst looking through the Budgerigar pages on the Internet I note that they are aimed chiefly at serious breeders and exhibitors. The ABS in particular publishes such pages. I wonder whether this is the correct approach. We should be doing more to encourage people entering our hobby and not playing up to the experienced breeders al-ready there. The exhibitors have already been hooked. We want to find a bait to catch some of those other millions out there. Come, on, let’s have some reader ideas.
© Gwyn Evans 1999
Use Back Button On Your Browser To Return To Article List