The Old Varieties: an introduction. Le razza antiche dei canarini

fine spangled sort The Old Varieties: an introduction By Huw Evans on 28/12/2025 Il bravissimo giudice ed allevatore Huw Rvans nel suo blog continua a fornirci notizie, aneddoti e storia dei canarini Lizard e dei London Fancy. In questo articolo Huw Evans introduce il tema delle “vecchie varietà” di canarini. Anche se il suo blog si concentra soprattutto sul London Fancy e sul Lizard, le sue ricerche lo hanno portato a studiare altre razze nate nel XIX secolo. Per l’autore, una varietà può essere considerata “antica” se è descritta nel libro di Blakston The Illustrated Book of Canaries and Cage Birds (1877–1881). Evans divide queste varietà in tre gruppi: 1. canarini allevati per il disegno del piumaggio (come il Lizard e il London Fancy); 2. canarini di tipo che esistono da molto tempo ma che oggi sono molto diversi dalle forme originali (Norwich, Yorkshire e altri); 3. tre razze molto particolari che sono rimaste fedeli agli standard antichi: il Belga, lo Scots Fancy e il Lancashire. È soprattutto su quest’ultimo gruppo che si concentrerà la serie. La ricerca che ha portato a questa serie è iniziata nel 2020, grazie alla collaborazione con uno studioso belga, Gust Truyens, che ha fornito fonti storiche poco conosciute. Queste fonti mostrano che nel XIX secolo il Belgio aveva una cultura del canarino più avanzata rispetto alla Gran Bretagna e che molte idee e linee di sangue furono importate in Inghilterra. La serie finale comprende sette capitoli e analizza persone ed eventi che hanno portato alla nascita delle vecchie varietà, mettendo anche in discussione alcune teorie tradizionali. La pubblicazione inizierà il 4 gennaio, con uscite quasi ogni due settimane. Fonte Huw Evans, The Old Varieties: an introduction, 28/12/2025. https://finespangledsort.com/a-new-series-on-the-origins-of-the-old-varieties-of-canaries/

https://finespangledsort.com/the-london-fancies-at-the-national-exhibition-2025/

The London Fancies at the National Exhibition 2025 Posted on 15/10/2025 by Huw Evans Show report courtesy of Andy Early, Secretary of the London Fancy Canary Club: A last minute change of heart by Gary Cook had a big impact on the London Fancy section at the 2025 National Exhibition. He sent a WhatsApp message to me on the Thursday before the show asking if he could bring four birds on the Sunday morning. Not wanting to turn down another four birds and an extra exhibitor, I agreed. The message back from Gary was ”I have a good un”, and when I saw it on the Sunday morning I was very glad that I’d agreed. One bird stood out, and I had a gut feeling that it would prove to be the best London Fancy canary. Gary’s entry brought the total number of birds entered to 29 (25 benched). More importantly, the overall quality of the London Fancies was probably one of the best I have seen at the National. I was judging the Irish Fancy section, and left David Sheppard and Gary Cook to assist this year’s judge Kevin McCallum. Huw Evans, Club President, was also on hand to lend support if needed, but he said that the lads were clearly on top of things so he left them to it. It was a great learning experience for them. Kevin McCallum is a very experienced COM judge and knows his stuff. I was confident he would point out things he had spotted with certain birds, sometimes things exhibitors hadn’t spotted themselves. A bird in a show cage is completely different from one in a stock cage. Gary’s Best London Fancy in Show, an outstanding unflighted mealy male. Gary receives the trophy (donated by Kiko Cuesta) for Best London Fancy canary.

Once I had finished my commitments with the Irish Fancy section, I returned to the London Fancies. My first impressions had been correct. Gary Cook’s clear or nearly clear bodied unflighted bird had indeed won the award for the Best London Fancy canary. I never asked Gary what sex it was, but it looked like a mealy cock. Huw was equally impressed, and commented that it was a pity we can no longer compete at the World Show because he was confident that it would be in the medals. Gary won all the classes he entered and there was also a really nice spangleback amongst his other birds. A flighted white male London Fancy bred by Andy Early. David Sheppard had a successful show.

Out of the four exhibitors, three were novices. The Best Champion bird was a current-year spangleback mealy hen bred by Andy Early. David Sheppard was pleased as punch to win some of the novices classes; his whites were really good. His birds have definitely progressed since he started showing, and some videos of the birds he left at home demonstrate that he has the stock to move forward. The other novice exhibitor Darren Ashpole benched some nice birds, and had some class wins. It bodes well for the London Fancy canary to have these keen novice exhibitors taking up the challenge, and once they move up to champion status, I’m in serious trouble! Best Champion London Fancy, an attractive unlighted mealy female bred by Andy Early. Another unlighted spangleback bred by Andy. This is a well-coloured Jonque male.

An event like the National is not possible without the support of the Parrot Society. Not only do they provide the venue, but they pay a bounty to the clubs running their own sections, so the club costs are covered. Johnson and Jeff seed merchants sponsor the rosettes, and it’s a prestigious thing to win a National rosette. They also provide sacks of seed for each section. Other rosettes are supplied by the IOA and NCA. ____________ My thanks to Andy for his report and my congratulations to all the exhibitors for putting on such a good display of London Fancies.