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COM-UK team bring home nine medals

The COM-UK team have returned from the World Show in Almeria, Spain with nine medals – five gold, one silver and three bronze.

The 60th Confédération Ornithologique Mondiale (COM) show, held on January 20-22, saw the UK team enter 142 birds from 29 exhibitors. It was the first time the team have entered the foreign section, and they were "over the moon" to win a gold medal for a native bird (a common rosefinch) and a bronze for a Bengalese finch.

COM-UK secretary and publicity officer Ghalib Al-Nasser said: "The team did much better this year, beating last year's seven medals. In previous years the COM-UK team have only shown canaries and British birds, but this year the team included foreign birds and budgies, as it is the second year that budgerigars have been accepted at the World Show."

Overall the show received an entry of 26,367 birds from 2971 exhibitors, spanning 17 countries. Louis Spiteri and John Ward won medals in the foreign section, while Roger Carr, Geoff Capes and Bernard Howlett took home gold medals for budgerigars and British birds.

Roy Aplin was awarded one silver and two bronze for his grey cock, skyblue cock and opaline cinnamon green hen budgerigars.

Mr Al-Nasser, who described it as a "great honour" to judge at the show, said the team were absolutely thrilled to win at such a big event. He explained: "COM-UK needs to pass the word around to other exhibitors who may be concerned for birds being kept in cages for long periods of time, that the birds leave the UK and return back still in excellent condition.

"This is something that COM-UK can build on in future years. After this year's success we hope to gain more exhibitors for next year's show in Belgium," continued Mr Al-Nasser.

● A full report on the World Show will appear in a future issue. If you would like more information about COM-UK, visit: www.comuk.co.uk