Mr Lilley brought nine birds — game bantams, Australorp bantams and Wyandotte bantams — to the "Oamaru Chook Show" at the Drill Hall in Itchen St at the weekend. One of his Wyandotte bantams bested "other fancy bantams", then beat a top-notch Pekin bantam to take best fancy bantam, before being pipped at the post by Dunedinite Gary Cardno’s game bantam for best bantam in show.
Nevertheless, his Wyandotte bantam had a good season this year, he said.
"He’s good. He’s a great little bantam. He’s coming to the end of the season. He’s been to five shows, six shows, and he’s just starting to get over it," Mr Lilley said.
"In the paddock he just stands out. When he’s running around outside, he just says ‘this is me — I’m the one’. That’s what he does. He stands up and he lets everybody know."
When his twin daughters, now 19, were 2 years old, he wanted them to lose their fear of animals and so brought home two chooks — "a couple of black Pekins".
"Suddenly, it’s turned into an addiction," he said.
"Some of us need to go to rehab."Oamaru Poultry, Pigeon and Canary Society president Clint O’Brien said he could relate to Mr Lilley’s feelings.
"It’s a funny old game, but we all enjoy it," he said.
This year’s show brought in 1050 birds, including 225 Pekin bantams, 160 game bantams and 120 fancy bantams. Mr O’Brien (60) said it was good to see youngsters enjoying success at the show.
Jennifer Keen (13), of Winton, was thrilled when she learned she had won at just her second show, he said.
Despite having had her chooks for only a short while, Jennifer walked away winner of the best light-breed ribbon.
And she said she would be back next year.
