Article published January 2003

Prodigious exhibitor

Throughout his Novice career, Ted won Best Novice at eleven of the twelve English, Scottish and Welsh Yorkshire Canary Club shows, a feat that I believe has not been equalled before, or since. The one exhibition evading him was the Midland YCC show, but he did manage Best Opposite Sex there in 1994 with an unflighted Clear Yellow Cock, and Best Adult in 1997, with an over year Marked Yellow Hen. Farther a field, Ted even managed Best Novice at the Southern Ireland YCC stronghold in Kilkenny, proving that show birds do travel well.

Ted always enjoys the exhibition side of our hobby, but is learning to enjoy the breeding season equally as much. Keeping only a small stud, he produces an average of 30-40 birds, enough to 'fill his cages' each season. Most experienced Yorkie breeders realise that it is better to house birds in single cages, to avoid plucking and to allow their young birds to reach their full potential without the stress that companion birds can sometimes cause.

The exhibition demands in the Champion section are as tough now as at any time in the history of the Yorkshire canary. Even so, Ted has enjoyed his fair share of successes since turning Champion in 1998, winning 2nd Best Unflighted Hen at the Southern YCC Winter Show, in his first season, with a young Clear Yellow Hen, as well as 2nd Best Champion Cinnamon with another unflighted Yellow Hen. At the Northern YCC, Ted won Best Champion Adult with an over year Clear Yellow Hen, whilst at the Eastern YCC in Suffolk, Ted won Best Champion Adult with an over year Green Marked Buff Hen.

1999 provided Ted's first Best Champion award, at the YCC of Scotland, winning with an unflighted Clear Buff Hen, whilst also taking Best Opposite Sex with an unflighted Green Marked Buff Cock. At the Eastern YCC show that same year, Ted scored again, winning Best Champion Opposite Sex Clear bird with an unflighted Clear Yellow Cock, and Best Champion Opposite Sex Green Marked with his adult Marked Buff Hen.

Millennium successes

Being such a successful exhibitor meant that Ted was soon in demand as a show judge, starting in his first season as a Champion, by judging the Novice section at the Southern YCC winter show in Bobing, Kent, in 1998. Judging the Novices at the Eastern YCC in 1999 followed, whilst he was appointed to judge at the YCC Winter Show in Saltaire in 2001, as well as the North West of Ireland YCC event in Culleybackey in January of the same year.

His efforts do not end there either, as Ted is firmly committed to the Northern YCC, of which he is general secretary and show manager, both positions he has now held for several years. The Northern show hall in Northallerton is one of the best in the country, bright and spacious, and all exhibitors are always made to feel very welcome.

Ted believes he is just finding his feet as a Champion, and this year is really pleased with the quality of the young birds he has produced, particularly his clear yellow cocks and hens, of which he has high hopes. Time will tell, but my early impressions of these birds are also very favourable, and I know they will be staged and coloured to perfection, in traditional Hudson fashion, when they do eventually hit the show benches.

Ted has now encouraged his grandson, Brett Williamson, to enter the hobby, and 2001 marked his first show season. 'Grandfather Ted' is justifiably proud of Brett's achievements to date, and particularly so of his breeding successes in his first year. Brett has had access to stock which most Yorkie fanciers would give their eye-teeth for, but these birds still need looking after, and the correct management to achieve ongoing results. It is my belief that we shall hear a lot more about Ted, and of course Brett, in the years to come, and quite rightly so, from two people who thoroughly enjoy their bird keeping hobby.