A Century of Elegance by Mario Zahra
A very good and highly technical article about the expermentation and tempering with new colours in Gloster Canaries. Steve Chenells takes the debate to the highest levels with facts. Read the full article.
Following a recent meeting, the
Gloster Fancy Canary Council UK
has released a statement about the
impact of new colour variants on
the pure-bred Gloster canary.
Statement provided by GFFC international
secretary MARIO ZAHRA:
■ On May 1 2022 during a Gloster
Fancy Canary Council UK (GFFC)
meeting, the GFFC chairman Nick
Barrett introduced two invitees:
International Gloster Breeders
Association (IGBA) members
Steve Chennells and Alan Hayward
(who was also appointed as a GFFC
member on the same day). Both of
whom expressed concerns about
the new colour variants that are
appearing on the show bench.
The Gloster Canary presently holds the title of the most popular type canary globally, evident from the emergence of specialised Gloster shows across various countries over the past decades. While the victories in these shows are undoubtedly impressive, a growing concern within the Gloster Council revolves around the judging criteria employed in these specialised events. This article aims to illuminate the prevailing bias towards certain attributes, potentially impacting the overall standards of the breed.
GFCC-UK As many of the Gloster canary fanciers know, the origins of the present-day Gloster canary date back to 1925, when Mrs Rogerson of Cheltenham exhibited some miniature crested canaries at the Crystal Palace National Show, writes GFCC-UK international secretary Mario Zahra. Since then general acceptance of drawings by Mr C.E. Minjoodt (reproduced) were a great asset in helping newcomers to the hobby to visualise the ideal Gloster fancy canary, enabling them to set their sights on a definite goal.
A NEW PICTORIAL model of the exhibition Gloster canary has been confirmed by the Gloster Fancy Canary Council-UK (GFCC-UK).
The artwork was passed during the council’s AGM in September, held in Leicester, where 25 members attended from as far as Malta and Italy to discuss in depth the standard of the Gloster canary.
Following the meeting, the GFCC-UK has registered the copyright of the Gloster Standard of Excellence artwork.
Secretary Fred Osborne told Cage & Aviary Birds: “It has been rambling on for a number of years that fanciers were reporting birds being exhibited that were not at the same standard as the pictorial model.
meeting in September. This was one of a number of drawings, but Mario’s artwork was unanimously chosen.”
Top-quality Glosters bred by Nick and Annalain Barrett take the spotlight in Cage & Aviary Birds, earning the title of "Pictures of the Month." Enjoy!
Enjo the Show report of the 5th Anniversary of The Golden D-Cup 2024
Established in 2015, the North of Italy Gloster Club, led by the committed guidance of Fabrizio Ioppolo, has been actively promoting and enhancing the Gloster Fancy in the region. Under Fabrizio's leadership, the NIGC undertook a mission to protect and maintain the Gloster Fancy according to the standards outlined by the GFCC-UK. This effort led to positive changes in Italy, such as the implementation of structured classes, the adoption of a professional approach, and the establishment of regulations in alignment with international standards.
The Tunisie Gloster Fancy Club, was established in 2020 by a passionate group of Gloster ethusiasts led by Yainse Dridi who is is presently the President of the club. They successfully organized its inaugural all-Gloster show later that same year. In 2021, the club received support and guidance from Michel Abou Khalil, the Ambassador of the GFCC-UK for the Middle East and North Africa. Recognizing the potential for excellence, he offered assistance in aligning the club with the high standards set by the GFCC-UK. Collaborating with the International Secretary of the GFCC-UK, Mario Zahra, the club implemented classes, crafted a new emblem, and established a set of regulations, ensuring a significant enhancement of its overall structure and operations.
The fourth edition of the Golden D-Cup took place on December 2nd at Project House Hall in Floriana. This year's event showcased a total of 230 exhibits all champion, earning the event the title of "The Show of Champions."
The distinguished judging panel for this year's show consisted of the legendary couple Nick and Annalain Barrett from Norfolk King’s Lynn. They made a spectacular job, infusing the weekend with great enjoyment for all Maltese exhibitors. The Barretts, having made numerous visits to the Maltese Islands over the past two decades, provided expert guidance to fanciers, nurturing the breeding and exhibition of pure Glosters in accordance with the British standard of excellence.
National Gloster show
debuts in Derbyshire - THE first edition of the
National Gloster Fancy
Canary Show was held in
Chesterfield, Derbyshire, on
December 1, 2019. The debut
event was launched to commemorate
the works of one of
the founding fathers of the
Gloster fancy canary, the late
John Thornton.
A historic solid silver trophy
was donated and presented
by one of the two
Thornton daughters on the
day, to kick start what will be
one of the most prestigious
all-Gloster shows in the UK.
The show was judged by the
chairman of the IGBA, Keith
Baker and international secretary
of the GFCC-UK, Mario
Zahra.
ONE OF THE founding fathers
of the Gloster canary is to be
spectacularly commemorated
at a major new show
later this year.
On December 1, the first
National Gloster Fancy
Canary Show (NGFCS) will
be held in Chesterfield, Derbyshire.
And Cage & Aviary
Birds can exclusively
reveal that the debut
event will be dedicated
to the memory of the
late John Thornton: one
of the legendary band of
West Country breeders
who created the Gloster
canary almost a century
ago.
MALTA TRIP
RECENTLY, I was privileged to visit
the immaculate birdroom of
Maltese Gloster canary champion
Mario Zahra.
Mario’s setup is absolutely
perfect. Of course I’m delighted
with his feeding regime, but the
cage design, flights for young
birds and record keeping (both
computerised and with little
magnetic plates on the cages) is
incredibly impressive.
