Canberra’s long been known for its birds (Hawke, Peacock, a large owl and a bunch of galahs) but it also boasts the largest poultry show in the country – the Royal Canberra Poultry Show – attracting 3,500 birds (chooks, ducks, geese, turkeys and guinea fowl).
We haven’t seen this much fuss about feathered things since the last drag cabaret show, but this long weekend, show birds are flocking to EPIC from as far as WA and Tasmania.
It’s not the prize money this tight-knit community is in a flap about, it’s the prestige of getting “best in show”. Judges have 1,672 classes of bird to judge and then they get cracking on the egg competition.
Royal National Capital Agricultural Society CEO, Adelina La Vita, said there were about 100 eggs entered this year.
“There’s a lot of criteria about what makes the best egg, that includes not only poultry breeds but the actual embryo, the quality for the yolk, the albumin, shell size and the shape,” Adelina said.
“There’s lots of criteria around the good egg. When the judges judge eggs, they not only judge the exterior, they crack them open and have a look at the make-up of the egg.”
If you like your eggs sunnyside up, then this show is for you. If you like a good philsosophical debate (the chicken or the egg), this show is also for you.
“The Royal Canberra Poultry Show is pretty phenomenal,” Adelina said. “In fact, it’s the biggest display of birds that we’ve had in Canberra since 2016. The community reveres the Royal Canberra Poultry Show, it’s held in high regard.
“The poultry fanciers community travels and attends multiple shows and they’re very passionate about their birds. That community is a very tight-knit community and it’s not necessarily the prize money, it’s actually the honour of being named and having your bird take out championship prizes. Some of these people have been doing it for decades – 15 years trying to breed rare, beautiful and perfect birds. It’s definitely a passion over many years.”
There will be food and coffee vans (who knows maybe even quiche and soufflés), plus artistic egg displays and market stalls. There’s also a pure-bred poultry auction, in case you’re interested in picking up a good layer (apparently Australorps are world-record layers). Bring your credit card – a pure-breed usually fetches anything from $50 to $575.
Wing your way to the Royal Canberra Poultry Show on 8-9 June at Budawang Pavilion, EPIC. $5 entry, under 16 free.
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