Club History
IN THE BEGINNING
The Hunter Valley Wyandotte Club was established in 1983 in the Newcastle region of New South Wales by an enthusiastic group of Wyandotte fanciers which included some of the areas most prominent breeders. The clubs foundation President was Wilf Wingett, Wilf was still a member and showing his birds around the Hunter Valley when he was in his 90"s. Betty Passfield and Wal Smart were committee members in the early days of the club and their legacy remains with both having memorial trophies presented in their honour at the Annual show. Dallas Smith was one of the original founding members and to this day still attends the annual show and has been a long serving committee member, he is the only life member of The Hunter Valley Wyandotte Club and his contribution to the club is insurmountable. Leo Walsh one of the great Wyandotte men of yester year was a member and great supporter of the club and a trophy for overall champion from Columbian, Black & Cuckoo bantam classes is awarded in his honour every year. Unbeknown to many, if one was to trace the heritage of some of the best Columbian, Black and Cuckoo bantams in NSW, the name Leo Walsh would feature prominently in their development.
THE ANNUAL SHOW
The club has held an annual show each year since its inception with the exception of 1999 when the outbreak of Newcastle's Disease in commercial flocks in the surrounding areas resulted in the show's cancellation. The club has developed to the stage where it is now one of the top specialist breed clubs in northern NSW, with its annual shows always attracting large entries and the top breeders from as far as QLD in the north, south of Sydney and west of Dubbo. The support continues to grow for the club and it is considered to be an honour to judge at the show as most of the top birds are shown here annually.
RECENT TIMES
As in most areas the whites are of outstanding quality at the Hunter Valley with the likes of Duane Rhall, Peter Smallpiece and Mick & Shirley Young exhibiting bantams and Geoff Potts, Daryl Bishop and Tony Shubert exhibiting large whites. However the clubs strengths have always been the support and development towards the coloured varieties, it is the only Wyandotte club of Australia affiliate that presents a trophy and ribbon for every standardised colour both in large and bantam at its annual show.
At The Australian Wyandotte Club 2015 Centenary show club members took out as many as ten variety champions. Tony Shubert with his Large Blacks, Andrew Stevenson with his Buffs and Cuckoos, Brad & Ann Anderson with Columbian Bantams, The Nightingale Family with their Large Blue's, Blue Laced Gold's, Red's, Laced Blue's and Blue Bantams. This is largely due to the encouragement of the coloured Wyandotte at the clubs annual show each year.
The Hunter Valley Wyandotte Club was established in 1983 in the Newcastle region of New South Wales by an enthusiastic group of Wyandotte fanciers which included some of the areas most prominent breeders. The clubs foundation President was Wilf Wingett, Wilf was still a member and showing his birds around the Hunter Valley when he was in his 90"s. Betty Passfield and Wal Smart were committee members in the early days of the club and their legacy remains with both having memorial trophies presented in their honour at the Annual show. Dallas Smith was one of the original founding members and to this day still attends the annual show and has been a long serving committee member, he is the only life member of The Hunter Valley Wyandotte Club and his contribution to the club is insurmountable. Leo Walsh one of the great Wyandotte men of yester year was a member and great supporter of the club and a trophy for overall champion from Columbian, Black & Cuckoo bantam classes is awarded in his honour every year. Unbeknown to many, if one was to trace the heritage of some of the best Columbian, Black and Cuckoo bantams in NSW, the name Leo Walsh would feature prominently in their development.
THE ANNUAL SHOW
The club has held an annual show each year since its inception with the exception of 1999 when the outbreak of Newcastle's Disease in commercial flocks in the surrounding areas resulted in the show's cancellation. The club has developed to the stage where it is now one of the top specialist breed clubs in northern NSW, with its annual shows always attracting large entries and the top breeders from as far as QLD in the north, south of Sydney and west of Dubbo. The support continues to grow for the club and it is considered to be an honour to judge at the show as most of the top birds are shown here annually.
RECENT TIMES
As in most areas the whites are of outstanding quality at the Hunter Valley with the likes of Duane Rhall, Peter Smallpiece and Mick & Shirley Young exhibiting bantams and Geoff Potts, Daryl Bishop and Tony Shubert exhibiting large whites. However the clubs strengths have always been the support and development towards the coloured varieties, it is the only Wyandotte club of Australia affiliate that presents a trophy and ribbon for every standardised colour both in large and bantam at its annual show.
At The Australian Wyandotte Club 2015 Centenary show club members took out as many as ten variety champions. Tony Shubert with his Large Blacks, Andrew Stevenson with his Buffs and Cuckoos, Brad & Ann Anderson with Columbian Bantams, The Nightingale Family with their Large Blue's, Blue Laced Gold's, Red's, Laced Blue's and Blue Bantams. This is largely due to the encouragement of the coloured Wyandotte at the clubs annual show each year.