SHOW RESULTS, CLUB NEWS, & ARTICLES FROM THE ARCHIVES
Poultry Club of Great Britain - National Championship Show 2019
held at the Telford International Centre on 30th November/1st December 2019
Judge – Edward Boothman
Male 1st C. F. Taylor 2nd E. S. Hancock
Female 1st D. P. Melland 2nd E. S. Hancock 3rd D.P. Melland
Cockerel 1st C. F. Taylor (Best Derbyshire Redcap) 2nd E.S.Hancock
Pullet 1st P. A. Morrison 2nd E. S. Hancock 3rd E.S. Hancock
Bantam Male 1st D. P.Melland (Best opposite size) 2nd C. F. Taylor 3rd E. S. Hancock
Bantam Female 1st C. F. Taylor 2nd P. A. Morrison 3rd D. P. Melland
Report of judging at the National 2019
It was a privilege to judge the Redcaps at the National and I enjoyed it very much. I love judging and giving my reasons for how I've placed them. Everybody's opinions are different but the best, no matter what; should always prevail.
Class 351 Redcap Male
1064 1st Clean bird and well feathered
1066 2nd Not in peak condition.
Class 352 Redcap Female
1069 1st Beautiful bird but lob sided comb
1070 2nd Nice bird but not peak condition
1071 3rd Dark bird but lacking condition
1068 4th Older bird but too light in colour
Class 353 Redcap Cockerel
1075 1st A beautiful bird and 12 o clock on day - Best of Breed
1073 2nd Too light in colour.
Class 354 Redcap Pullet
1079 1st Lovely bird but too light
1076 2nd Nice bird but not just as good as 1st
1078 3rd Not in condition
1077 4th Not far from 3rd
The bantam class I split into Male and Female.
Class 355 Redcap Bantams
Male
1083 1st Lovely Cockerel and Best Opposite Size.
1082 2nd Not far from 1st.
1081 3rd Another nice bird but not as good as 1st.
Female
1088 1st Lovely bird
1085 2nd Again not far from 1st
1086 3rd Too light in colour
Some bantams were overweight.
(Thanks to Edward)
National Federation of Poultry Clubs - Federation Championship Show 2019
held at the Stafford County Showground on 21st/22nd December 2019
Judge – Mark Carson
Cock 1st C. F Taylor 2nd E. S. Hancock
Hen 1st M. Johnson (Best Derbyshire Redcap) 2nd D.P. Melland 3rd D. P. Melland
Cockerel 1st C. F. Taylor 2nd M. Johnson 3rd E. S. Hancock
Pullet 1st A. Morrison 2nd C. F. Taylor 3rd E. S. Hancock
Bantam Male 1st C. F. Taylor (Best Opposite Size) 2nd D. P. Melland 3rd E. S. Hancock
Bantam Female 1st C. F. Taylor 2nd A. Morrison 3rd D. P. Melland
Selston Poultry Fanciers Show
January 2020
Large Male/Female 1st E. Hancock (Best Derbyshire Redcap) 2nd A. Morrison 3rd A. Morrison
Bantam Male/Female 1st E. Hancock 2nd D. Melland 3rd D. Melland
High Peak Poultry Club - The Derbyshire Championship Poultry Show 2020
held at the Bakewewll Agricultural Centre on 1st February 2020
Judge – L. Blanchon
CLUB SHOW
Cock 1st C. F. Taylor 2nd D. P. Melland
Hen 1st D. P. Melland 2nd D. P. Melland 3rd E. S. Hancock
Cockerel 1st C. F. Taylor (Best Derbyshire Redcap) 2nd M. Johnson 3rd F. Parker
Pullet 1st M. Johnson (Best Derbyshire Redcap entered by a Novice) 2nd J. and J. Wilson 3rd C. F. Taylor
Bantam Male 1st F. Parker 2nd C. F. Taylor 3rd D. Melland
Bantam Female 1st C. F. Taylor (Best Derbyshire Redcap Bantam) (Best Derbyshire Redcap Opposite Sex) 2nd D. P. Melland 3rd E. S. Hancock
Junior Male/Female (large or bantam) 1st N. Verdicchio (Best Junior) 2nd E. S. Hancock
Derbyshire Redcap Club Egg Classes
3 Large Fowl 1st E. S. Hancock 2nd D. P. Melland
1 Large Fowl 1st D. P. Melland 2nd D. Melland 3rd E. S. Hancock
3 Bantam 1st D. Melland (Best Derbyshire Redcap Eggs) 2nd D. P. Melland 3rd E. S. Hancock
1 Bantam 1st D. P. Melland 2nd D. P. Melland 3rd E. S. Hancock
Derbyshire County Show
held at the Showground, Elvaston Country Park, Borrowash Road, Elvaston, Derby. DE72 3EP
23rd June 2019
Judge – Ewan Jones
Cock 1st C. F. Taylor (Best Derbyshire Redcap) 2nd D. Melland
Hen 1st C. F. Taylor 2nd D. Melland 3rd D. Melland
Manifold Show
10th August 2019
Judge – Peter Ward
Male/Female 1st B. Wager (Best Derbyshire Redcap) 2nd B. Wager 3rd B. Wager
DIARY DATES
Redcap Club AGM: The Duke of York, Ashbourne Road, Pomeroy, Flagg, Buxton. Derbyshire. SK17 9QG – 19th October 2021 at 7.30pm
******************NOTE CHANGE OF VENUE************
(PLEASE NOTE - 2020 AGM CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE - MEMBERS PLEASE SEE AUTUMN NEWSLETTER)
Derbyshire County Show: 28th June 2020 - held at The Showground, Borrowash Road, Elvaston, Derby DE72 3EP https://derbyshirecountyshow.org.uk
CANCELLED
Poultry Club of Great Britain Show: - December 2020 - held at Telford International Centre, St Quentin Gate, Telford TF3 4JH
CANCELLED
National Federation of Poultry Clubs Show: - December 2020 - held at The County Showground, Stafford, ST18 0BD
CANCELLED
High Peak Poultry Club’s Derbyshire Championship Poultry Show: (Club Show) - February 2021 – held at the Bakewell Agricultural Centre, Bakewell, Derbyshire. DE45 1EH
CANCELLED
FROM THE ARCHIVES:
The following article is taken from “The Derbyshire Redcap Fowl – Its History and Environment" by H. Hopkinson 1981
Chapter I – The Redcap
While many people visit and admire the beauty of Derbyshire, few ever know that it has a breed of poultry and two breeds of sheep of its own. The breed of poultry is the Derbyshire Redcap, and the sheep are the Derbyshire Gritstone and the Woodland breed. Alas a local breed of cattle, the Blue Albion, is no longer found if the county. Before Leghorn fowls were introduced into Britain, about 1885 the Redcap would be the most productive fowl available. Being an excellent forager its food requirements would be low and the eggs would be very welcome and an important means of subsistence to the lead miners and quarry workers, who along with the smallholders and farmers populated an area made famous by Bess of Hardwick, Dorothy Vernon and Mary Queen of Scots.
It was assumed that the Redcap was a descendant of the Golden Hamburgh, by the early writers, who had no knowledge of genetics or Mendelism. It is extremely unlikely that a breed like the Redcap, with its greater size and very different shape and its good egg size could have had Hamburgh blood in it.
Many of the rare breeds of poultry owe their development and in some cases survival, to the lifelong devotion of one breeder and family. The Dorking has been bred by the Major family for nearly one hundred years, the Faverolle by the Milner family of Eckington for fifty years, the Redcap breed had an equally enthusiastic supporter, Mr. E. A. Wragg, the Edensor school master, who bred, exhibited, judged and also exported the breed all over the world. The Redcap was bred by Harry Fox of Matlock from the 1920’s until his death in 1965, who also exported birds to many parts of the world. Ten years later, in 1975, there are between twelve and twenty breeders and while the combs are much smaller it is a very much improved bird today that appears at shows. It is regrettable that the Gold Spangled Hamburgh is almost extinct. The craze for shows and fancy fowl began in 1845 after imported birds had been given to Queen Victoria. By the 1880’s new varieties and colours of fowl were numerous and the Redcap probably owes its survival to the ardent support it received in the Peak District, especially in the vicinity of Chatsworth. The extracts from books and journals in the following pages will show the enthusiasm for the native breed.
Chapter II – The Redcap in Early Shows
In the 'Cottage Gardener and Country Gentleman' dated January 25th 1859 a report of a show was recorded that took place on the 18th, 19th and 20th January at Chesterfield.
Redcaps first J. Hollins, Sheffield, second G. Marshall, Chesterfield
Chickens of 1858 first J. Woollen, Sheffield, second B. Oates, Sheffield.
On July 1st , 2nd, 4th and 5th 1859 a poultry show was held at Sheffield.
Redcap 1st J. Hollins, Owlerton, Sheffield 2nd J. Pattison, Dee Street, Sheffield 3rd Ruth Birks, Upper Hallam, Rivelin.
Single cocks 1st J. Hollins, 2nd J.Woollen, Heeley H.C. B. Oates, Owlerton
The report read: “We have next to do with classes peculiar to Sheffield which required separate Judges Messrs. Ellison and Hellewell undertook the task. We allude to Redcaps of which there were three classes. They appear to have much in common with Golden Hamburghs and probably at some remote period both belonged to the same stock. The colours are the same. The lop-comb which would be fatal to the Hamburgh, appears to be a merit in the Redcap. The overgrown comb is also desirable and many of the best birds had what we in other birds should term excrescences growing at the back of their combs in the form of eccentric spikes sticking out in all directions. The breed is however unquestionably pure as adults and the chickens were all alike.”
In the chicken class the first prize was won by J. Quin, Nether Green, Fulwood, second B. Oates, third J. Crookes, Owlerton, Sheffield.
In the Poultry Book 1867 Edition by W. B. Tegetmeier, who was a compatriot of Charles Darwin, there is a short article on Redcaps.
“At some of the shows in the North of England, prizes are offered for Redcaps in addition to those for Golden Spangled Hamburghs with which the Redcaps are often said to be identical. In some localities these birds are highly valued as profitable fowls and abundant egg producers and we have seen thirty pens entered for competition at a Yorkshire show. The chief points in which Redcaps differ from Spangled Hamburghs are in size, in combs and in markings. In size they greatly excel the usual Hamburghs, being as large and compact as ordinary Dorkings and in markings they want the regularity and beauty of spangle so characteristic of Golden Mooney and Pheasant fowls, being much darker on the breast and other parts. The most striking difference however is in the extraordinary development of the comb, this is increased in size to so great a degree, that the combs of the hens are much larger than those of the ordinary Hamburgh cocks, even when at their greatest size. So enormous are they that it is almost impossible for them to balance on the skull and they constantly lop over to one side. This, however, is not regarded as a serious defect by the amateurs of the breed, their aim being to produce combs that are of extreme size, square in front, well spiked and peaked behind, in fact a rose comb, immensely magnified. The cocks not infrequently possess combs upward of three inches in breadth at the front and more than four inches in length, measured to the end of the peak behind. Valuable as Redcaps may be, both as table fowl and as enormous egg producers, we cannot do more than regard them as a local breed, not likely ever to rise into general estimation. The excessive development of comb so highly valued by the fancier of the variety, is a property that would rather be regarded as a deformity by amateurs is general.”
TO BE CONTINUED
©Derbyshire Redcap Club 2020
Editor’s footnote: Please bear in mind that some of the material in this article was originally written in 1867 and since that time good sense on comb size has prevailed and the Redcap standard now recommends a comb size much smaller set straight on the head and carried well off the eyes and beak.
Updates: 26th September 2020 - V2P form + show cancellation banners
27th October 2020 - V3P form - change of secretary
3rd November 2020 - Chapter I & II - H. Hopkinson