LIFE MEMBERSHIP HONOURS
MR DALE BARKER IS AWARDED LIFE MEMBERSHIP OF OUR CLUB
By Jerrod Oliver
At our Annual Show held on the 10th July 2010, our club president Mr Dale Barker was awarded “Life Membership” of the N.W.P.S, decided by our committee and was presented by the Vice President Mr David Rigby.
I had asked Dale of his involvement within the club and his interest within poultry and how it all started and he gave me this story at our club barbeque get-together.
Dale first became involved through father Barry who was showing and breeding Brown Leghorns, Buff Leghorns and White Wyandotte Bantams back in the 1970`s.
Young Dale first started having a go at showing with Khaki Campbell ducks in 1984, he then took a ten year break before once again becoming involved as a junior in 1990. Dale could only show his Large Australorps and Brown Leghorns at Club shows at Wynyard and Burnie until he obtained his drivers license and then supported the many poultry club shows throughout the state of Tas.
The many breeds that Dale has bred with success over the years include: (LARGE) Brown Leghorns, Australorps, Orpingtons, White Wyandottes and Old English Game Large.
He has been a keen breeder and exhibitor of Waterfowl and the breeds include: Indian Runner, Rouen and Elizabeth Ducks.
The Soft feather Bantams breeds include: Wyandottes in colour varieties include: Black, White, Buff, Partridge, Silver pencilled and Silver Laced.
Black Langshans, Rhode Island Reds-single& rose combs, Brown and White Leghorn bantams.
The Hard feather Bantams include: Spangles L/L, Duck-wing D/L, Black-Red D/L, Indian-Games and Australian Game.
High-lights of Dales showing career:
-Winning my home-town show at Wynyard with a Rhode Island Red single comb hen, of which he had bred from stock that he obtained from Mr Bob French in Victoria.
-Winning Champion Bird of the Show with an Old English Game Spangle L/L cockerel and Reserve Champion Bird of the Show with his Rhode Island Red single comb hen at the Ulverstone Poultry Club’s Annual Show in 2009.
-Winning the much sort after “Best Rhode Island Red in Show”, the
“Jim Langford memorial Trophy”, awarded at the Ulverstone Poultry Club’s Annual Show.
Dale has won this award with a single comb RIR Red Bantam Hen in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.
-Winning Reserve Champion Bird of the Show at the T.P.F.A Show with his Rouen Duck.
Dales Judging career started in 1998 at our very own club the Wynyard Agricultural Show where he was the judge of the Soft feather Large and Soft feather Bantams. Dale is a Provisional Soft feather judge and has been assigned to judge at the many shows through out the state of Tasmania.
Dale first started attending the N.W.P.S club meetings after obtaining his drivers license in 1994 and first achieved club president in the year 2000 to where he is the clubs president currently.
The Poultry Breeds that Dale exhibits and breeds currently is:
Large White Wyandottes, Duck-wing Old English Game D/L, Rouen Ducks, Rhode Island Red single-comb bantams, Langshans, Wyandotte Bantams in colour varieties: White, Partridge and Black and Old English Game-Spangle L/L Bantams.
Dale said “To be awarded a Life Member-ship of the N.W.P.S is certainly an honour”
and “I am very proud to be associated with the club and all of our members”.