This is no paltry event.
It is the poultry, pigeon and cage bird event of the year, and enthusiast Toni Huband said this one in particular was not to be missed.
The Whangarei-based breeder has come all the way to Dunedin with eight of her most precious birds, at great expense, because it is the first time the city has hosted the New Zealand Poultry, Pigeon and Cage Bird National Show, and many of the largest breeders of birds in the country are here.
She said bringing her birds south was a logistical nightmare. They all had to be couriered from Whangarei to Nelson, before being driven down to Dunedin.
‘‘It’s been an awful lot of work to get them down here, but it’s worth it because it’s the premier event for bird lovers,’’ she said.
It was also worth it because she picked up a handful of prizes at the show.
Mrs Huband said she had only been involved with bird showing at national level for nine years. Before that, she had no interest in birds whatsoever.
‘‘Foolishness got me into it.
‘‘My son did a school project where he got an egg and waited for it to hatch.
‘‘The bird died and it all turned to tears. So to ease the trauma, I went and bought a whole bunch of birds.’’
Now she has about 500 birds of varying breeds, and takes the best of them to shows around the country.
‘‘I’ve been bitten,’’ she admitted.
Her birds were among more than 1500 from across the country - so many that the organisers had to borrow cages from other bird clubs as far away as Oamaru and Milton, to store them all.
They were vying for one of the 190 championship titles at the show, which is being held at Forrester Park.
Members of the public can visit the show and see the 2021 champion bird of the show - an Old English Game hen, owned by Chris Dale, of Taupo.
For those who fall in love with any of the poultry, pigeons or cage birds, organisers plan to have an auction today, where some of the purebred birds and show birds can be bought.
The three-day event ends tomorrow.
